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ARCHBISHOP VIGNERON

Abp. Vigneron to become first native son installed as archbishop of Detroit

At vespers service, Abp. Vigneron tells priests to pass on Christ through Eucharist

Archbishop's family says area faithful can count on Abp. Vigneron's love

Abp. Vigneron talks about priesthood, family, returning to Detroit

Philosophically speaking, Archbishop Vigneron favors Aquinas and Husserl for 'rigor of analysis'

Local religious leaders offer prayers, support to new archbishop of Detroit

Through the years: A biographical timeline of Abp. Vigneron's ministry

Coat of arms represents history of archbishop, archdiocese

Catholic school students welcome archbishop with letters, artwork

A look at the bishops, archbishops of Detroit

Despite weather and geography, Detroit and Oakland share similarities

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CARDINAL MAIDA

Cardinal Maida's farewell column

At anniversary celebration, faithful offer their thanksto former archbishop



















Despite weather and geography,
Detroit and Oakland share similarities

Kristin Lukowski
THE MICHIGAN CATHOLIC

Detroit -- When it comes to weather, Detroit and Oakland, Calif. are pretty much on opposite ends of the spectrum — we recently set a new record daily low of -15 degrees, and Oakland’s average high temperature in January is 57.

And while the average temperatures in Oakland very within a range of about 35 degrees all year — yes, that’s all year — in Michigan, we could easily see that over the course of a few days, or even one day.

In case Archbishop Allen Vigneron needs some help becoming re-acclimated to the Detroit area — he is originally from here, but he’s been in California for six years — here is how Oakland compares to the Detroit area in some aspects.

Detroit not only has greater temperature extremes: The Archdiocese of Detroit also has two and a half times the number of Catholics as the Diocese of Oakland, more than three times the parishes, almost double the schools and more than twice the number of priests. Detroit has two and a half times the land area, and triple the number of counties — and is nearly 130 years older.

But both regions feature cultural diversity, educational attractions, history, parks and shoreline, and much more. Manette Belliveau, executive director for the Oakland Convention & Visitors Bureau, said among the draws for visitors choosing to come to Oakland are the year-round mild climate, the art and cultural scene, sports teams, and 21 miles of coastline.

Parklands and a revitalized downtown also draw in visitors, and Belliveau also cited the “strong and diverse faith community” in the area. “In recent years Oakland has become known as a fabulous culinary destination with many new and unique restaurants, the Jack London Market, small entrepreneurial food businesses such as numi teas, wineries and cooking schools,” she said. Here are some more comparisons between the two dioceses:

Dining

  • One draw to the Bay Area is its one-of-a-kind restaurants, partly because of the community’s diverse ethnic makeup. Market Hall is the only European-style market place in the Bay Area, and outdoor cafes and other fine dining — including bakeries, chocolatiers, tea bars and ice cream parlors — can be found in Old Oakland. Also a draw for the Bay Area is its local wineries.

  • Detroit has restaurants of a variety of ethnic cuisines, as well: There’s everything from Greek to Cuban downtown, and in the suburbs you can find Middle Eastern, Japanese, Italian and everything in between. Or, if you’d prefer, you can head to the city for Eastern Market, the largest outdoor farmer’s market in the nation.

    Museums

  • Oakland has the Oakland Museum of California, devoted to the arts, environment, and history of California. The African American Museum and Library organizes, preserves, interprets and shares the African American experience in California.

  • Detroit’s art gem is the Detroit Institute of Art, featuring more than 100 galleries of art from ancient to modern times. Or, visit the Cranbrook Art Museum in Bloomfield Hills to learn about art of the 20th century, including the arts and crafts movement, art deco, and modernism. There’s much to learn about culture in metro Detroit’s museums, too: the Arab American National Museum in Dearborn, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit, the Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn, the Detroit Historical Museum, and the Motown Historical Museum.

    Zoos

  • Oakland Zoo houses more than 400 native and exotic animals, with exhibits organized to reflect the ecosystems of the animals’ native habitats. There’s also an education center, butterfly garden and rides.

  • The Detroit Zoo, in Royal Oak, features a Wildlife Interpretive Gallery as well as its animal exhibits. It also has a butterfly garden — although Detroit’s butterflies share space with hummingbirds — and a coral reef aquarium, theater, and art gallery.

    Public parks

  • The Bay Area is home to hundreds of miles of trails for hiking, riding and biking, many which offer views of the San Francisco Bay. Other parks draw horseback riders, rowers and windsurfers, among other adventures.

  • The Archdiocese of Detroit includes more than a dozen Michigan State Parks, nine Huron- Clinton Metroparks, and countless other city and county parks for everything from trail riding to splashing in a wave pool. Detroit’s Belle Isle, the country’s largest city-owned island park, features a beach, kids’ playscape, fountain, and more. And, Detroit’s RiverWalk now features several miles of paved trail.

  • Heinold’s First & Last Chance Saloon was once frequented by Oakland resident Jack London. It was designated a national literary landmark in 1998. Jack London Square, at the water’s edge, features dining, entertainment, shopping and a scenic boardwalk.

  • Among Detroit’s famous people are the Ford family, and their many attractions: The Henry Ford museum, Henry Ford Estate, and the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House in Grosse Pointe Shores. And while Detroit is home to Motown, electronic music and rapper Eminem, 1990s rapper MC Hammer is originally from Oakland.

    Sports teams

  • Oakland may not have a hockey team, but it still boasts the Golden State Warriors basketball team, the Oakland A’s baseball team, and the Oakland Raiders football team.

  • Detroit, of course, has hockey’s defending champions, the Red Wings; 2004’s NBA champions, the Pistons; the 2006 pennant champions, the Detroit Tigers; and, well, the Detroit Lions. At least Detroit recently hosted the Super Bowl.

    Weather

  • Oakland has warm winters and cool summers, temperate climate and sunny skies. January temperatures range from a high of 56 to a low of 42, and in August they average a high of 72 and a low of 55. September’s average high is 75; January’s is 57.

  • And then there’s Detroit. January is also Detroit’s coldest month, but the average temperature is 22.9 degrees — and we broke a record in dipping to -15 degrees Jan. 16. That didn’t include the wind chill. July is Michigan’s warmest month, with an average temperature of 72.3 degrees, and an average of five days of the month above 90.

    Ethnic enclaves

  • Oakland has two prominent ethnic enclaves: Chinatown, featuring Asian restaurants, shops, markets and bakeries; and Fruitvale, where many Latino residents make their home.

  • Detroit has Mexicantown, a shopping, retail and restaurant district in Southwest Detroit. There’s also Hamtramck, its Polish enclave; Pontiac, also made up of a large number of Latino residents; and clusters of those from the Middle East, primarily Chaldeans, among other ethnic groups.

    Science centers

  • Oakland’s Chabot Space & Science Center houses the largest public telescope in the United States, a 230-seat planetarium, and the large-screen Tien MegaDome theater.

  • The Detroit Science Center features traveling exhibits, five hands-on exhibit laboratories, two demonstration stages, Michigan’s only Chrysler IMAX® Dome Theatre and the Dassault Systèmes Planetarium. Bloomfield Hills boasts the Cranbrook Institute of Science, which also features a planetarium and observatory, as well as an outdoor science garden, theater and nature center.

    Symphony orchestras

  • Oakland East Bay Symphony performs six times a year at the Paramount Theatre, and in concerts throughout the year.

  • The Detroit Symphony Orchestra performs year-round for a full season in Orchestra Hall, as well as several weekends in late summer at Meadow Brook Music Festival. Also, the Detroit Opera House is the home of the Michigan Opera Theatre.

    Catholic colleges

  • Oakland has Holy Names University, a liberal arts college.

  • Detroit has Marygrove College, Madonna University and the University of Detroit Mercy — not to mention Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit and SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary in Orchard Lake.

    Sources are: Oakland Convention and Visitors Bureau Web site, oaklandcvb.com, and the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau Web site, www.visitdetroit. com.