Archbishop Weisenburger And The Episcopal Double Standard

NOTE: Since the time of the publication of this article, Ed Peters has also announced his employment at Sacred Heart Seminary was also terminated.

Is there are a double standard for judging the behavior of Catholic bishops? Can liberal bishops push their own controversial ideas without fear of public rebuke, while their more conservative colleagues are shunned as “uncollegial” if they break with the general consensus?

For an answer to those rhetorical questions, consider the case of Detroit’s Archbishop Edward Weisenburger. Ordinarily a newly installed prelate is advised to spend some time listening to his people before making any major policy decisions. But Weisenburger waited only a few weeks after his installation before announcing that the Traditional Latin Mass could no longer be celebrated his the parishes of the Detroit archdiocese. Now, several weeks later, he has raised eyebrows again by firing two prominent professors at his archdiocesan seminary.

The abrupt dismissal of Ralph Martin and Eduardo Echeverria was shocking in itself. Both are highly respected scholars, widely published authors, and popular public speakers. Both had taught at Sacred Heart seminary for more than 20 years. Since both had reached ordinary retirement age, the archbishop might have quietly persuaded them to resign, offering them testimonial farewells and gold watches and generous severance. Instead he fired them without warning.

We expect this sort of behavior from a politician who ousts an incumbent, after a heated campaign. He won the election, so he has every right to put “his” people on his staff, and purge his rival’s supporters. But shouldn’t there be different standards of a diocesan bishop? The authority he holds is not simply “his” authority, and while his views may not match those of his predecessor, they both serve the same universal Church.

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TAKE ACTION: Contact Archbishop Weisenburger at 313.237.5800 and let him know what you think.