Donald Francis Hanchon (born October 9, 1947), is an American prelate of the

Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

who has been serving as an auxiliary bishop for the

Archdiocese of Detroit The Archdiocese of Detroit ( la, Archidiœcesis Detroitensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church covering the Michigan counties of Lapeer, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, and Wayne. It is ...

since 2011.

Biography

Early life

Donald Hanchon was born in

Jackson, Michigan Jackson is the only city and county seat of Jackson County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 33,534, down from 36,316 at the 2000 census. Located along Interstate 94 and U.S. Route 127, it is approxi ...

, on October 9, 1947, to John Michael and Alfreda (Glinicki) Hanchon, the middle of seven children. He is of Polish descent. Hanchon went to St. Mary's Grade School in

Wayne, Michigan Wayne is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 17,593 at the 2010 census. Wayne has a long history of automotive and transportation related manufacturing. Ford Motor Company currently has two plants in Wayn ...

and then Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit. In 1961, he entered Cardinal Mooney Latin School in Detroit. Hanchon graduated in 1969 from Sacred Heart Seminary, then entered

St. John's Provincial Seminary St. John's Provincial Seminary was a Catholic major seminary in the Archdiocese of Detroit that operated between 1949 and 1988 in Plymouth, Michigan. Catholic Seminary St. John's was founded in 1949 for the Province of the Archdiocese of Detroi ...

in Plymouth, Michigan, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1971. He was awarded a

Master of Theology Master of Theology ( la, Theologiae Magister, abbreviated MTh, ThM, or MTheol) is a post-graduate degree offered by universities, divinity schools, and seminaries. It can serve as a transition degree for entrance into a PhD program or as a stand ...

degree from the

University of Detroit Mercy The University of Detroit Mercy is a Private university, private Catholic Church, Roman Catholic university in Detroit, Michigan. It is sponsored by both the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) and the Sisters of Mercy. The university was founded in 1877 ...

in 1972 and a Master of Liturgy degree from the

University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac, known simply as Notre Dame ( ) or ND, is a private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, outside the city of South Bend. French priest Edward Sorin founded the school in 1842. The main campu ...

in Notre Dame, Indianan, in 1974.

Priesthood

Hanchon was ordained a priest by Cardinal

John Dearden John Francis Dearden (October 15, 1907 – August 1, 1988) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Detroit from 1958 to 1980, and was created a cardinal in 1969. He previously served as Bishop of Pittsb ...

of the Archdiocese of Detroit on October 19, 1974. After his ordination, Hanchon served as associate pastor at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral Parish and at St. Mark Parish in

Warren, Michigan Warren is a city in Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The 2020 Census places the city's population at 139,387, making Warren the largest city in Macomb County, the third largest city in Michigan, and Metro Detroit's largest suburb. T ...

. He also served as associate spiritual director at Sacred Heart Seminary and, between 1981 and 1986, as director of vocations for the archdiocese. In 1986, Hanchon spent a year studying Spanish and Mexican culture in Mexico and at the Mexican American Cultural Center run by the Catholic Church in

San Antonio, Texas ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_t ...

. After returning to Detroit in 1987, he served as pastor in St. Joseph Parish in

Monroe, Michigan Monroe is the largest city and county seat of Monroe County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Monroe had a population of 20,462 in the 2020 census. The city is bordered on the south by Monroe Charter Township, but the two are administered autonomo ...

for the next five years. Hanchon was transferred in 1992 to become pastor of St. Gabriel Parish in Detroit, serving there until 1999. Also in 1992, he was appointed coordinator for the archdiocesan Pastoral Plan for Hispanic Ministry. In 1999, Hanchon was named pastor of Most Holy Redeemer Parish in Detroit, a position he continued to hold after becoming bishop. In 2009, he was appointed as

episcopal vicar Episcopal may refer to: *Of or relating to a bishop, an overseer in the Christian church *Episcopate, the see of a bishop – a diocese *Episcopal Church (disambiguation), any church with "Episcopal" in its name ** Episcopal Church (United State ...

and regional moderator of the Central Region, which includes Detroit,

Hamtramck, Michigan Hamtramck ( ) is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 28,433. Hamtramck is surrounded by the city of Detroit except for a small portion that borders the fellow enclave city of Hi ...

and

Highland Park, Michigan Highland Park is a city in Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 8,977 at the 2020 census. Along with its neighbor of Hamtramck, Highland Park is an enclave city surrounded by the city of Detroit. History The area tha ...

Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit

Hanchon was appointed as the

titular bishop A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese. By definition, a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop, the tradition of the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox an ...

of Horreomargum and an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Detroit on March 22, 2011, by

Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=no, Benedikt XVI.; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, , on 16 April 1927) is a retired prelate of the Catholic church who served as the head of the Church and the sovereign ...

. He was

consecrated Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service. The word ''consecration'' literally means "association with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different grou ...

by Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron on May 5, 2011. Hanchon has been a member of the Jesus-Caritas Fraternity of Priests since 1975 and has served as an officer of the brotherhood.

References

External links

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit Official Site

Episcopal succession

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hanchon, Donald Francis 1947 births People from Jackson, Michigan 20th-century American Roman Catholic priests 21st-century American Roman Catholic titular bishops Living people American people of Polish descent Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit Religious leaders from Michigan Catholics from Michigan