Bishop Hanchon | Biography
Born: October 9, 1947
Ordained Priest: October 19, 1974
Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit and Titular Bishop of Orreomargo: March 22, 2011
Ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit: May 5, 2011
Bishop Donald Francis Hanchon, born in Jackson on October 9, 1947, to John Michael and Alfreda (Glinicki) Hanchon, grew up at St.Mary’s Parish, Wayne, as the middle of seven children. His sister Paula (Carrico) died in 2006. His siblings are Thomas Michael, Martha (Stretten), Laura (Gra- ham), Francis J., and Sarah Kristen.
He attended St. Mary’s Grade School in Wayne and Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit, beginning as a high school seminarian at the former Cardi- nal Mooney Latin School in 1961. He is a graduate of Sacred Heart Seminary (1969), St. John’s Pro- vincial Seminary (1972), and has master’s degrees in theology (University of Detroit, 1972); liturgy (University of Notre Dame, 1974); and ministry (St. John’s Provincial Seminary, 1982).
He was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Detroit on October 19, 1974. Since his ordination, he has served as associate pastor at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral and at St. Mark Parish, Warren; as associate spiritual director at Sacred Heart Seminary; and as the Archdiocese of Detroit’s director of vocations (1981-1986). In 1986-1987, he did studies in Spanish and Hispanic Culture in Mexico and in San Antonio, Texas. Since that time, he has served as a pastor in parishes serving the Hispanic community: St. Joseph Parish in Monroe (1987-1992), St. Gabriel Parish in Detroit.(1992-1999); Most Holy Redeemer Parish in Southwest Detroit (1999–2011). He participated in a sabbatical program at the Mari-Stella Institute in Dublin, Ireland, in 2005. He was named a Chaplain to His Holiness (monsignor) by Pope Benedict XVI on October 19, 2005.
His other responsibilities in the archdiocese have included various terms as a delegate to the Presbyteral Council, ten years as an Archdiocesan Consultor, and from 1992 until the appointment of Auxiliary Bishop Daniel Flores in 2007, coordinator for the Archdiocese of Detroit’s Pastoral Plan for Hispanic Ministry. In September 2009, Archbishop Allen Vigneron appointed him an episcopal vicar, with responsibilities as moderator of the Central Region of the archdiocese (encompassing the City of Detroit and the cities of Hamtramck and Highland Park).
Bishop Hanchon has been a member of a priest fraternity known as the Jesus-Caritas Fraternity of Priests since 1975 and has served as a national and international officer of this group.
On March 22, 2011, Pope Benedict XVI named him auxiliary bishop of Detroit and titular bishop of Orreomargo. He was consecrated on May 5, 2011 at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit. He retired on March 3, 2023.
