Punishing Tradition

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Saginaw Catholics are rallying to support Fr. Eddie Dwyer, who is being stripped of his role as spiritual shepherd in the diocese of Saginaw and being sent without any duties to live in a very dangerous part of Saginaw's inner city.

His final Mass at Saginaw's Our Lady of Peace was packed, especially with young people. During his homily, Dwyer related that one of his goals in three to six years was to "fill the church with crying babies." Seeing the packed pews, Dwyer said he was pleasantly surprised that his goal was reached so soon. Dwyer said in an announcement read before Mass that his removal was not owing to any allegations of personal misconduct.

It is very important for all of you to know that it was not due to any allegation of misconduct of any nature on my part that Bishop Hurley decided to revoke my appointments as chaplain of SVSU and as Parochial Administrator of Our Lady of Peace Parish. My appointments have been revoked, I am not being removed for any wrongdoing.

Parishioners are well aware that his removal was owing to Dwyer's gentle nudge towards tradition and the caving of Saginaw's apostolic administrator, Bishop Walter Hurley, to backlash that erupted from a few entrenched pew-sitters.

One concerned Catholic tweeted, "Looks like orthodoxy and Tradition are fireable offenses in the Diocese of Saginaw."

There's been a veritable firestorm on social media as Catholics come to the defense of their faithful shepherd. Some are noticing the trend that good priests are being persecuted, tweeting, "Our good priests are truly being scourged."

Others are focusing on the fact that Bp. Hurley allowed himself to be incited against Dwyer by a handful of disgruntled parishioners with one tweeting, "Another feckless bishop...shocking."

There is also growing concern for the physical safety of Dwyer as Bp. Hurley has ordered him to stay all alone in a very dangerous part of town.

Watch the panel discuss the lay-led defense of Fr. Eddie Dwyer in The Download—Punishing Tradition.

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