Edward J. Sponga
Encyclopedia
Edward J. Sponga was a former Jesuit priest
in the Society of Jesus
. Sponga served as the 16th President of the University of Scranton
from 1963 until 1965. Sponga made headlines when he left the priesthood in July 1968 in order to marry Mary Ellen Barrett, a divorced mother of three.
. He joined the Jesuit order when he was just 17 years old. He later earned a doctorate
in philosophy
at Fordham University
. He was known for his strong advocacy of reform within the Society of Jesus.
Sponga was named head of the former Woodstock College
, a well-respected Jesuit seminary
in Maryland
, in 1957. Under Sponga's supervision, Woodstock College recruited a number of well known theologians, including Father John Courtney Murray
, S.J.
Sponga was named Provincial Superior, or leader, of the Jesuits' Maryland province
in 1960. He supervised around 800 Jesuit priests, lay brothers
and seminarians within the Maryland province. The province geographically included a large swath of territory from Ohio
to North Carolina
.
Sponga briefly left his position in order to serve as the 16th President of the University of Scranton
in Scranton, Pennsylvania
, from 1963 until 1965.
He regained his post as head of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus following his departure from Scranton. Sponga continued to head the Jesuit province until 1968, when he abruptly left the Jesuits and the Roman Catholic priesthood.
Barrett and Sponga had met several years before their marriage when she had sought "spiritual counseling" from Sponga. However, their relationship eventually became much more intimate. Barrett was granted a divorce from her previous husband in February 1968 and retained custody of all three of her children. The nature of Sponga's relationship with Barrett was unknown to most of his fellow Jesuits until their marriage several months later.
Sponga was automatically excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church
for marrying Barrett. However, in a 1968 interview
with Time Magazine, Sponga stated that he still considered himself Catholic and said he would continue to attend Mass
. He also reaffirmed his belief that a vow of celibacy was a good value for Roman Catholic priests.
According to Time Magazine, Sponga was the highest ranking American
ecclesiastic to leave the Catholic Church between 1966 and 1968. Approximately 350 American priests left the Church during that two-year period.
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
in the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
. Sponga served as the 16th President of the University of Scranton
University of Scranton
The University of Scranton is a private, co-educational Catholic and Jesuit university, located in Scranton, Pennsylvania, in the northeast region of the state. The school was founded in 1888 by Most Rev. William O'Hara, the first Bishop of Scranton, as St. Thomas College. It was elevated to a...
from 1963 until 1965. Sponga made headlines when he left the priesthood in July 1968 in order to marry Mary Ellen Barrett, a divorced mother of three.
Jesuits
Edward J. Sponga was born in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
. He joined the Jesuit order when he was just 17 years old. He later earned a doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
at Fordham University
Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
. He was known for his strong advocacy of reform within the Society of Jesus.
Sponga was named head of the former Woodstock College
Woodstock College
Woodstock College was a Jesuit seminary that existed from 1869 to 1974. It was the oldest Jesuit seminary in the United States. The school was located in Woodstock, Maryland, west of Baltimore, from its establishment until 1969, when it moved to New York City, where it operated in cooperation with...
, a well-respected Jesuit seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
in Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, in 1957. Under Sponga's supervision, Woodstock College recruited a number of well known theologians, including Father John Courtney Murray
John Courtney Murray
John Courtney Murray, , was an American Jesuit priest and theologian, who was especially known for his efforts to reconcile Catholicism and religious pluralism, particularly focusing on the relationship between religious freedom and the institutions of a democratically structured modern...
, S.J.
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
Sponga was named Provincial Superior, or leader, of the Jesuits' Maryland province
Province
A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Etymology:The English word "province" is attested since about 1330 and derives from the 13th-century Old French "province," which itself comes from the Latin word "provincia," which referred to...
in 1960. He supervised around 800 Jesuit priests, lay brothers
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
and seminarians within the Maryland province. The province geographically included a large swath of territory from Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
to North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
.
Sponga briefly left his position in order to serve as the 16th President of the University of Scranton
University of Scranton
The University of Scranton is a private, co-educational Catholic and Jesuit university, located in Scranton, Pennsylvania, in the northeast region of the state. The school was founded in 1888 by Most Rev. William O'Hara, the first Bishop of Scranton, as St. Thomas College. It was elevated to a...
in Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...
, from 1963 until 1965.
He regained his post as head of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus following his departure from Scranton. Sponga continued to head the Jesuit province until 1968, when he abruptly left the Jesuits and the Roman Catholic priesthood.
Marriage
In July 1968, Sponga surprised many within the Jesuits when he unexpectedly left the Jesuits and broke his vow of celibacy in order to marry a 33 year-old divorced nurse named Mary Ellen Barrett. Sponga was 50 years old when he married Barrett. Barrett had three children from her previous marriage.Barrett and Sponga had met several years before their marriage when she had sought "spiritual counseling" from Sponga. However, their relationship eventually became much more intimate. Barrett was granted a divorce from her previous husband in February 1968 and retained custody of all three of her children. The nature of Sponga's relationship with Barrett was unknown to most of his fellow Jesuits until their marriage several months later.
Sponga was automatically excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
for marrying Barrett. However, in a 1968 interview
Interview
An interview is a conversation between two people where questions are asked by the interviewer to obtain information from the interviewee.- Interview as a Method for Qualitative Research:"Definition" -...
with Time Magazine, Sponga stated that he still considered himself Catholic and said he would continue to attend Mass
Mass
Mass can be defined as a quantitive measure of the resistance an object has to change in its velocity.In physics, mass commonly refers to any of the following three properties of matter, which have been shown experimentally to be equivalent:...
. He also reaffirmed his belief that a vow of celibacy was a good value for Roman Catholic priests.
According to Time Magazine, Sponga was the highest ranking American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ecclesiastic to leave the Catholic Church between 1966 and 1968. Approximately 350 American priests left the Church during that two-year period.