"Archbishop of Detroit appoints priest linked to heretical, pro-LGBT clergy group to prominent post"

"Following the swift crackdown on the Traditional Latin Mass and the firing of three faithful theology professors, Archbishop Edward Weisenburger of Detroit appointed a new 'ombudsman' who was once indicated as a member of the heretical Association of US Catholic Priests (AUSCP).

Abp. Weisenburger entered his new appointment with the force of a mudslide and continues to devastate the Church in his new diocese. His appointment to the Archdiocese of Detroit was among the last of Pope Francis’ official acts before his death. Installed on March 18, 2025, it took Abp. Weisenburger only one month to announce a complete ban on the Traditional Latin Mass effective July 1. Three weeks later, he would sack three prominent and highly revered professors of the Sacred Heart Seminary: Dr. Ralph Martin, Dr. Eduardo Echeverria, and Dr. Edward Peters.

But what’s slipped slightly under the radar is that around this same time, Abp. Weisenburger appointed Fr. David Buersmeyer as the new ombudsman for the archdiocese. Abp. Weisenburger stated in his letter that his duties in this capacity are as follows:

'[H]e will provide a neutral space to discuss interpersonal interactions that may fall short of our expectations for professional and pastoral conduct. If a priest has an interaction with a member of the Chancery staff which, in his estimation, is less than helpful in terms of the Chancery employee’s ministerial employment—or if a Chancery employee has an interaction with a priest which, in his/her estimation, is less than respectful or appropriate—the concerned party can choose to discuss the interaction with the ombudsman. Fr. Buersmeyer will do an informal review of the issue, including an interview with the colleague in question, in an effort to resolve the matter at the source level. If that is not possible, Fr. Buersmeyer will be empowered to escalate the matter within the chancery chain of leadership.'

Looking into Fr. Buersmeyer and his past actions and associations, the Lepanto Institute has serious questions about his qualifications to properly judge such matters within the Church.

On February 7, 2013, Fr. David Buersmeyer signed an open letter from the Association of Catholic Priests (ACP, the Irish version of the AUSCP) declaring support for Fr. Tony Flannery, Fr. Roy Bourgeois, and Fr. Bill Brennan. Fr. Flannery faced excommunication at the time due to his open support for women’s 'ordination' to the priesthood and his association with the ACP. Fr. Roy Burgeois was indeed excommunicated in 2008 for refusing to repent and recant his participation in the priestly 'ordination' of a woman. And in 2012, Fr. Brennan was forbidden to publicly celebrate Mass or hear confessions because he 'concelebrated' a Mass with a woman.

In addition to signing onto a letter along with the heretical AUSCP (see here for more details on the heretical positions of the AUSCP), Fr. Buersmeyer is a long-time financial supporter of the AUSCP. According to our records (obtained from official AUSCP publications), Fr. Buersmeyer made financial contributions to the AUSCP from 2018-2024, such as the one in the image below:


Given AUSCP’s promotion of sacramental 'ordination' of women, priestless lay-led parishes, homosexual activism, including homosexual adoption of children, and a host of other deviant ideas and ideologies, there can be no justification for Fr. Buersmeyer’s support for the AUSCP. But according to an AUSCP document from 2015, Fr. Buersmeyer is actually (or at least had been) a member of the AUSCP."