Catholics Call for Reinstatement of Faithful College Professor Fired Without Cause

Archbishop Smith is a well-known enemy of Catholic Tradition. This leads me to conclude that he is also an enemy of the Faith.

From LifeSiteNews

By Clare Marie Merkowsky

Over 400 Catholics protested Newman Theological College firing Dr. Ryan Topping in a move that they argue has undermined the integrity of the school located in Edmonton, Alberta.

Catholics are calling on Newman Theological College to reinstate a faithful professor after he was fired without cause in September.

Over 400 supporters appealed to Edmonton Archbishop Richard Smith to protest Newman Theological College (NTC) interim president Dr. Jo-Ann Badley abruptly firing Dr. Ryan Topping without cause in a move that they argue has undermined the integrity of the school.

“Recent events at Newman Theological College (NTC) — specifically the untimely dismissal of a renowned high profile faculty member by a non-Catholic interim president, have shocked and dismayed many stakeholders and members of the community who want NTC to be an institution that promotes and affirms its Catholic identity,” a website dedicated to restoring true Catholicism at NTC wrote.

“This decision has revealed an apparent disregard for the will of the community and a shortsightedness by its leadership,” it continued. “We have witnessed the marginalization of too many faithful Catholics in our Catholic institutions and these most recent events exemplify how concerning this pattern of governance has become. The Church cannot be a faithful witness without faithful Christians working within its organizations. The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.”

In September, Badley announced she considered Topping’s role “redundant” and fired him within weeks of taking her new position despite his years of service to NTC’s administration and students.

Notably, Badley is not a Catholic but rather an Evangelical Christian leading an institution owned by the Archdiocese of Edmonton.

A local Catholic, who spoke to LifeSiteNews under the condition of anonymity, revealed that far, from being redundant, Topping is a crucial part of NTC. He pointed out that the college stated that Topping’s role was “redundant” while “simultaneously claiming that they had to hire a Protestant interim president because no Catholics were available.”

“Well, Dr. Topping is fully qualified, much beloved by the students and community, and was/is available,” he explained. “Furthermore, Dr. Topping was uniquely responsible for a range of services and activities that he either initiated or gave life to, further refuting the claim of redundancy.”

During his time at NTC, Topping was much more than just a teacher, working to get the B.A. in Catholic Studies accredited, operating local evangelistic and catechetical programs, holding Faith and Reason seminars, and much more.

He also worked to build partnerships with NET Ministries, St. Therese Institute of Faith and Mission, Cardus, Catholic Christian Outreach, Catholic Family Ministries, other dioceses, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, the St. Francis Xavier Chaplaincy in Calgary, and vocations directors across the country.

The source also revealed that Topping played a a crucial part in establishing a new B.A. in Catholic Studies at NTC that has dramatically increased enrollment.

“He organized a one-of-a-kind conference for vocations directors to try to encourage attention to a catastrophically neglected area of the Church’s needs,” the source continued. “He also won a $1 million grant from the Lilly Foundation. To claim that his contributions were negligible and not needed is quite audacious given his track record.”

In 2022, when Topping served as NTC’s vice president, he was awarded the Platinum Jubilee Medal. In addition to his work at NTC, Topping contributed to Catholic Insight and Crisis magazine.

After Topping’s dismissal, Catholics clamored to support him and demand he be reinstated. In addition to asking Catholics to call and email NTC and the archbishop, over 400 Catholics have signed a petition to Archbishop Smith.

“Thank you, Dr. Topping, for your dedication to the Truth and your work in providing authentic Catholic education to young people. I pray that you will receive justice,” Emily Jordan wrote.

Similarly, Kris McPeek, pointed out that Topping’s dismissal seems bizarre considering how perfectly he exemplifies the pastoral priorities by the archdiocese.

“I find it ironic that the termination without cause of Dr. Topping from Newman Theological College and as Director of the Benedict XVI Institute coincided with the release of the new pastoral priorities by the Archdiocese: 1. Eucharistic Worship – Adoremus, which was run by Dr. Topping, exemplifies worship of our Lord in the Holy Eucharist. 2. Confident Witness – The orthodox Catholic formation that we so desperately need for witness, especially among our youth, is central to the B.A in Catholic Studies program that was initiated by Dr. Topping and is also offered to a broader audience through other initiatives started by Dr. Topping, such as Credo and the St. John Paull II Catholic Youth Leadership Camp. 3. Service to Families and Marriage – Dr. Topping and his wife have ten children; they are all faithful and active members of the local Catholic community,” he wrote.

“There is no better example of service to families and marriage than actually living it out like Dr. Topping does,” he added. “It feels hypocritical that the archdiocese would get rid of someone who exemplifies all these priorities and puts them into action in both his personal and professional life from its most prominent institute for Catholic education and formation.”

Another person revealed that he was considering attending NTC but has rethought his decision since Topping’s departure.

“In full honesty, as a former Saint Joseph seminarian, I have thought about applying to the college,” Matthieu Gratton explained. “I have admired the people there, enjoyed many events on campus and the wisdom that can be found within it. Unfortunately, with the loss of Dr. Topping – a wonderful professor, I now doubt the theological foundation on which the college was purposed to pass on. It’s with sadness that I say I will look for alternatives before considering applying for courses at the once loved Newman college.”

In addition to the petition, on October 2, faithful Catholics rallied to support Topping, holding signs reading “Newman needs Topping” and “Do not ignore your students.” However, neither NTC nor the archdiocese have moved to reinstate Topping.

To respectfully voice your concerns, please contact:

Interim President Dr. Jo-Ann Badley
Phone: 780-392-2450
Email: Jo-Ann.Badley@newman.edu

Edmonton Archbishop Richard Smith
Phone: 780-469-1010 Ext. 2438
Email: Archbishop@caedm.ca

Pictured: Ryan Topping, MA(Oxon), DTh(Oxon)