Detroit Catholic archbishop slammed for praise of mosque

Archbishop of Detroit Ed Weisenburger recently referred to an Islamic mosque as a sacred place in which he felt the divine presence during a speech earlier this month at the grand opening of the huge Imam Al-Hasanain Mosque in Dearborn Heights, Mich. The Roman Catholic prelate said that all churches, mosques, and synagogues were sacred places and that the mosque would bring people into deeper communion with “our one God.” He called on God to bless the place. There was nowhere else he felt more at home, Weisenburger said.

Weisenburger further told a local journalist that his presence at the ceremony represented Christian brothers and sisters, as well as his belief that everyone belonged to one human family. Videos of the ceremony also showed the archbishop in a front-row seat.

How have Catholics responded to his statements? Many Catholics criticized Weisenburger’s speech in posts on social media, including the founder of the Ave Maria Lay Dominicans and several priests.

The Archdiocese of Detroit did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The late Pope Francis said in 2024 that all religions are a path to God, including Islam. Pope Leo XIV in April referred to a mosque as a sacred space and said people came there to find the presence of God.

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