Update: Patrick Reilly, president of the Cardinal Newman Society, reports on Twitter that Fr. Rosica has also resigned from the boards of St. John Fisher College and the University of St. Thomas in Houston. We are currently confirming.
TORONTO, February 25, 2019 (LifeSiteNews) – A Vatican spokesman who is the CEO of Canada’s Salt + Light Media has stepped down from an important academic post after admitting to plagiarism.
Father Thomas Rosica, CSB, has resigned from the Collegium, one of the governing councils of the University of Saint Michael’s College in Toronto.
In a message released this morning, the Chair of the USMC Collegium wrote on Twitter, “Fr. Thomas Rosica, CSB made significant contributions while serving the St. Michael's community as a member of its Collegium. Over the weekend, I received and have respectfully accepted his resignation from the Collegium.”
Rosica himself retweeted the message, adding, “Thank you @uStMikes & @USMCTheology for the privilege of having served you for many years. You have great leaders with vision. Blessings and peace”.
Thank you @uStMikes & @USMCTheology for the privilege of having served you for many years. You have great leaders with vision. Blessings and peace https://t.co/Btc8DUBzvE
— Thomas Rosica (@FatherRosica) February 25, 2019
The Basilian priest and the Catholic institutions associated with him have been plunged into scandal as news of Rosica’s misappropriations of the work of others spread. Rosica’s plagiarism has now been traced back as far as 1991.
The Salt + Light Media chief’s habitual plagiarism came to light after Professor John Rist informed LifeSiteNews that the Basilian Father had slandered Vatican whistleblower Archbishop Viganò in a lecture he gave at Cambridge University earlier this month. LSN’s close examination of Fr Rosica’s remarks revealed that he had misappropriated the words of at least five other men.
Further research by First Things editor Matthew Schmitz and Canadian Lutheran editor Mathew Block revealed that Rosica had also included whole passages of unattributed borrowings in other published writings.
Subsequently, the National Post contacted Rosica and others for comment. The story has also been picked up by the Catholic News Agency and Breitbart.
Rosica admitted to serial plagiarism last week. According to National Post reporter Joseph Brean, Rosica blamed “compiled notes” and, to use Brean's words, “relied on material prepared by interns.”
Related:
In heavily-plagiarized speech, Vatican spokesman accuses Archbishop Viganò of ‘lies’
Vatican media expert Fr. Rosica under fire after he’s caught plagiarizing repeatedly
University ‘troubled to hear’ of plagiarism allegations against board member Fr. Rosica