The Archbishop of Detroit CANNOT blame Pope Leo XIV...
...For his continued suppression of the Traditional Latin Mass.
I waited to write this article to see if the Archbishop of Detroit would make any requests following the news coming from the USCCB that Pope Leo XIV would not abrogate the Motu Proprio “Traditionis Custodes” (see my previous article detailing the implementation of it in the Archdiocese of Detroit), but WOULD grant dispensation to ALL BISHOPS WHO REQUEST IT.
First reported (at least as far as I can tell) from Mark Lambert on X (Formerly Twitter):
I was hoping that following this, with all the pushback he has received, that the Archbishop of Detroit, Edward J. Weisenburger, would finally listen to his parishioners and make the request they’ve been asking for since he was installed as the Archbishop (which as an aside, his installation was an odd process to say the least).
He has not made any moves, or discussed any moves, to make good on his statement he made prior to his installation as Archbishop in the Archdiocese of Detroit.
At the 3:24 mark, he is asked:
Reporter: “[So] What is your vision when you think [of] about the future of Detroit’s Catholic Community?”
Now Archbishop Weisenburger: “I think [um] it’s not my [my uh] role to come and spin the steering wheel… real hard… at all. I really [uh], I know Bishops always say this when they’re new because it’s always true. I need to take some serious time, and do a lot of listening, Pope Francis is very big on that. The Synodal Path is really all about listening is all about listening to people. So I need to find out where this Church has been for the last… two hundred years [laughs] just about and then from there discern with the people of God, and the clergy, where are we moving forward. [Uh] Evangelization is always [gonna] going to be at the forefront of that.”
He continues with: “I think there was a time, that we almost see it as a golden age and in some respects I’m not sure it was… the golden age of the forties and fifties when the churches were packed, but people were being kind of born into Catholicism, I’m not denigrating that at all, I probably would have loved living in that era, but they were kind of born into it. [We] We’re now in a culture that’s much more like those first centuries, where we need to recapture some of that missionary zeal, that overwhelmed Rome, and [uh] I’m not here to preach a homily, but let me just say real fast, that the Romans in first century would say, ‘those Christians believe strange things, but isn’t it incredible how they love one another’, and it was that example of loving one another that overwhelmed the Roman world and culture, and it pains me to say it, but when was the last time you heard anyone say, ‘wow look at those Catholics, how well they love one another’.
And he finishes with: “So I think part of our real calling, in evangelization, is to bring about that witness, that same witness, that moved the world before and will [will] move it again.”
For more of this interview, see the linked video above.
The interview I quoted was posted back on February 11, 2025.
Here is the timeline of events between then and now.
February 11, 2025 - Bishop Edward J. Weisenburger interview is posted (see above), the same day that Pope Francis’ appointment of Bishop Edward J. Weisenburger and the acceptance of the resignation of then Archbishop Allen R. Vigneron, as the Archbishop of Detroit, were publicized by Papal Nuncio to the United States, Cardinal Christophe Pierre.
March 18, 2025 - Edward J. Weisenburger installed as Archbishop of Detroit, without Papal Bull, by the same Papal Nuncio to the United States, Cardinal Christophe Pierre.
April 16, 2025 - Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger announces updates on the implementation of “Traditionis Custodes” in the Archdiocese of Detroit which informs parishioners that most parishes would cease to be allowed to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass after July 1, 2025, leaving one Traditional Latin Mass offered per region (North, South, East, and West) inside the Archdiocese.
June 13, 2025 - After many leaks, the official letter from Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger is released detailing the final decision on the Traditional Latin Mass in the Archdiocese of Detroit starting on July 1, 2025. See my previous article detailing everything that was requested / implemented by that decision.
June 28, 29, & 30th of 2025 - The Last Traditional Latin Masses (for now) are celebrated at most parishes in the Archdiocese of Detroit. During this same weekend, Archbishop Weisenburger receives the pallium from Pope Leo XIV.
July 1, 2025 - The Archdiocese of Detroit implementation of Traditionis Custodes is now in effect, and only 4 “non-parish churches”, one per region, are allowed to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass (with the St. Joseph Shrine being allowed to continue as normal under the guidance of the Institute of Christ the King).
July 2, 2025 - It is publicly reported that Pope Leo XIV has granted dispensations for the Traditional Latin Mass as far back as May 28, 2025. The parish was granted a two year dispensation from article 3§2 of the Motu Proprio Traditionis Custodes with the ability to request a renewal at the end of the two year period, and indefinitely into the future.
July 14, 2025 - Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger marches with protesters to hand deliver a message decrying the aggressive tactics used by ICE agents during increased immigration raids. No arrests are made (as far as I can tell).
July 23, 2025 - Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger unilaterally fires (allegedly without giving any required reason) two professors (Ralph Martin and Eduardo Echeverria) from Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit.
July 25, 2025 - Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger unilaterally fires a third professor (Edward Peters) from Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit,
August 17, 2025 - A protest is organized outside of Detroit’s Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament by parishioners of all ages who love the Traditional Latin Mass. Allegedly police presence was requested, to keep the protestors from entering the Cathedral, but this is unconfirmed, and it is unlikely the protestors would have entered the Cathedral during Mass or disrupted anything going on inside.
October 2, 2025 - Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger holds “Jubilee of Migrants Mass” where he discusses the work ‘required’ of Catholics in serving migrants and immigrants [of all kinds] and expecting nothing in return.
November 13, 2025 - The announcement that the Vatican, under Pope Leo XIV, will approve any and all requests for dispensation from article 3§2 of the Motu Proprio Traditionis Custodes, so that Mass according to the ‘Missale Romanum’ of 1962 may be celebrated.
November 15 & 16, 2025 - Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger announces restructuring plan to the entire Archdiocese of Detroit at Masses over the weekend. Separately it has been reported to me, by several anonymous sources involved, that during a questions and answers break out no answers are given regarding the future of the Traditional Latin Mass in the Archdiocese of Detroit.
(I may update the timeline if I recall any other events of prominence worth adding).
End Timeline.
At this point, any and all decisions regarding the Traditional Latin Mass in the Archdiocese of Detroit are entirely on the Archbishop.
In order to restore the Traditional Latin Mass in most parishes in the Archdiocese of Detroit all he has to do is ask for a dispensation from Pope Leo XIV, and it will be granted. It is clear that any restrictions imposed by Archbishop Weisenburger are by HIS CHOICE, and not by Pope Leo XIV.
If anyone has put in writing a formal request for Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger to reverse his decision on the implementation of Traditionis Custodes, please contact me, and if you’ve received a reply I would love to see that as well!
It does not appear that the Archbishop is listening to the parishioners as he promised in his interview back on February 11, 2025.
Please pray for the Archdiocese of Detroit and the Archbishop of Detroit.
Sincerely,
Your Brother in Spirit, Frater Spiritus
Follow me on Twitter / X: @FraterSpiritus