BREAKING 3 Prominent Professors Critical of Pope Francis Fired from Sacred Heart Major Seminary by Detroit's Archbishop


Archbishop Edward Weisenburger of Detroit,  Michigan,  has fired three popular theologians from their longstanding positions at Sacred Heart Major Seminary during the week of July 23rd. 

OSV news, and Michael Lofton from "Reason and Theology,"  noted that professors have been public critics of Pope Francis in the past,  about what they saw as ambiguity caused by some of the late pope’s actions and writings.  

Ralph Martin,  age 82, was released after working at the seminary since 2002. He was a professor of theology and director of graduate programs in the new evangelization. 

SEE 5:40 Mark on the Video Below:

Also Eduardo Echeverria,  age 74, was fired,  he began teaching at the seminary in 2003, and worked as a professor of theology and philosophy. 

On July 25, a third professor, Edward Peters, a notable canon lawyer, posted on July 25 to his X account, that Archbishop Weisenberger had also terminated his teaching contract at the seminary “this week.” Peters joined the seminary faculty as a professor of canon law in 2005 and held the Edmund Cardinal Szoka Chair, named for a former archbishop of Detroit (1981-1990) who also served for many years at the Vatican.

Martin,  founded and directs the Catholic charismatic organization Renewal Ministries,  and released a public statement providing an explanation regarding his termination from Sacred Heart Major Seminary. 

Martin writes; “Archbishop Weisenburger told me that he was terminating my position at the seminary effective immediately, ” he wrote July 24th.  “When I asked him for an explanation,  he said he didn’t think it would be helpful to give any specifics but mentioned something about having concerns about my theological perspectives. ”

Martin wrote that the news “came as a shock” after his 23 years at the seminary.  “I want what I say about this situation to be truthful,  but I also do not want to unnecessarily contribute to current polarization in the Church, ” he noted. 

Echeverria said that,  “no reason had been provided to him for his termination and that he could not say more due to signing a non-disclosure agreement. ”

Martin has a masters in theology from Sacred Heart Major Seminary,  a licentiate in sacred theology from the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington,  D C,  and a doctorate in sacred theology in systematic theology from the Pontifical Faculty of Saint Thomas Aquinas (The Angelicum) in Rome.  Pope Benedict the sixteenth,  appointed him as a consultor,  to the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization in 2011 and as an “expert” for the World Synod of Bishops on the New Evangelization in 2012. He is the author of many books. 

Echeverria holds a doctorate in philosophy from the Free University in Amsterdam and a licentiate in sacred theology from the University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (The Angelicum) in Rome.  He also has written several books. 

Edward Peters runs a website about canon law, www.canonlaw.info, and he has published several articles on canon law, including  “Excommunication and the Catholic Church” and “Annulments & the Catholic Church: Straight Answers to Tough Questions.” He also has written for a large number of  publications over several years. In 2010, Pope Benedict XVI named Peters a referendary (consultant), to the Apostolic Signatura, the Holy See’s highest court under the pope himself. He was the first layperson to serve in this role.

Edited from Renewal Ministries, OSV News, and Reason and Theology

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