The Catholic Message Board

As many readers will have heard by now, last week Detroit’s new archbishop Edward Weisenburger suddenly fired three well-known professors at Sacred Heart Major Seminary: theologians Ralph Martin and Eduardo Echeverria and canon lawyer Edward Peters.

https://edwardfeser.blogspot.com/2025/0 ... h.html?m=1

In order to avoid being uncharitable, the only thing that I will say is that at least 2, and maybe all 3 will land on their feet. Ralph is someone I've heard speak at conferences, and Ed is someone I've frequently read articles of his. Whoever hires them will be better for it. Eduardo, I never heard of, but I'm sure he will be fine.

Dr. Martin is near retirement age anyhow, and I don't think he needs another job, though that doesn't excuse what happened.

Obi-Wan Kenobi wrote: ↑Fri Aug 01, 2025 1:38 pm Dr. Martin is near retirement age anyhow, and I don't think he needs another job, though that doesn't excuse what happened.

He's 82 but doesn't act it. I'm in worse shape than he is, and I'm 71.

This makes me concerned about Pope Leo XIV. Make me believe he's just Francis II.

Why? Weisenburger was appointed by Francis.

I will give you 1,000-1 that Pope Leo knew nothing about it before it happened.

I will give you 100-1 that he wasn't thrilled to hear it.

BobCatholic wrote: ↑Sat Aug 02, 2025 1:08 am This makes me concerned about Pope Leo XIV. Make me believe he's just Francis II.

This is a ridiculous statement on the face of it. The Pope is the bishop of Rome, he is not the ordinary of every diocese in the world and it is not his job to micromanage every diocese and second guess every decision a bishop makes. To put personal blame on the Pope for the actions of one bishop is just childish.

The Pillar is reporting that Abp. Weisenburger might not have followed SHMS's established protocol for terminating faculty members.

Doom wrote: ↑Sat Aug 02, 2025 5:10 pm

BobCatholic wrote: ↑Sat Aug 02, 2025 1:08 am This makes me concerned about Pope Leo XIV. Make me believe he's just Francis II.

This is a ridiculous statement on the face of it. The Pope is the bishop of Rome, he is not the ordinary of every diocese in the world and it is not his job to micromanage every diocese and second guess every decision a bishop makes. To put personal blame on the Pope for the actions of one bishop is just childish.

Correct. There are 4,500 bishops in the world and the Pope cannot be a micro-manager of all or any of them. He would likely only intervene if there was a major scandal. The Pope himself would only know about 500 of them in any substantive way. He has been Pope for only 3 months and his primary Ministry is to guide the whole Church and especially away from where Francis was leading.
The major issues he has to deal with include Bishops in Germany, Chinese government, improving the quality of liturgical life throughout the world, a correct application of synodality, sexual abuse and cover ups by Bishops, Vatican finances etc.

The Pope can definitely be a micromanager as Leo's predecessor showed. It's just another way Leo is different

Just on the surface, it seems rather risky to fire a canon lawyer unless you've covered all your bases.
Hopefully Ed Peters will be able to make enough waves, that the Bishop thinks twice about ever doing this again.

peregrinator wrote: ↑Sun Aug 03, 2025 1:18 pm The Pope can definitely be a micromanager as Leo's predecessor showed. It's just another way Leo is different

Micromangement is just insecurity disguised as leadership

Micromanagement is a failure of leadership. It signals that the "leader" has failed to identify, develop, and support subordinate leaders.

Certainly in a military environment.

It doesn't mean that he has failed to find adequate subordinate leaders; it is more a refusal to trust them to do the job they are supposed to do. Failure to trust is always a byproduct of insecurity.

identify, develop, and support subordinate leaders.

Identifying them is only part of the picture.

anawim wrote: ↑Fri Aug 01, 2025 2:57 pm

Obi-Wan Kenobi wrote: ↑Fri Aug 01, 2025 1:38 pm Dr. Martin is near retirement age anyhow, and I don't think he needs another job, though that doesn't excuse what happened.

He's 82 but doesn't act it. I'm in worse shape than he is, and I'm 71.

Ralph Martin is 82 years old?
No way.

p.falk wrote: ↑Fri Aug 15, 2025 10:29 pm

anawim wrote: ↑Fri Aug 01, 2025 2:57 pm

Obi-Wan Kenobi wrote: ↑Fri Aug 01, 2025 1:38 pm Dr. Martin is near retirement age anyhow, and I don't think he needs another job, though that doesn't excuse what happened.

He's 82 but doesn't act it. I'm in worse shape than he is, and I'm 71.

Ralph Martin is 82 years old?
No way.

He was born in 1942. So depending on what month he was born, he has, or will turn 83 this year.

He has a hint of the eternal youth then.

Like you said, he certainly does not act like he's in his 80s.

Frankly, if I am still working when I am 82, I can only conclude that America has become some kind of dystopian nightmare. I have no intention of working past 65 (a mere 15 years away), certainly not past 80.