In a strongly worded message, Bishop Nestor Herrera Heredia of Machala and President of the Bishops’ Conference of Ecuador, rejected recent statements by two renegade Spanish priests, Father Miguel Olmedo and Father Jose Luis Molina, who publicly showed disrespect for Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI.

Bishop Herrera said he rejected “the opinions expressed by these two priests on Friday, June 3, during a program on Radio La Luna in which they capriciously and disrespectfully passed judgment on the former Pope John Paul II and on the current one, Pope Benedict XVI, and on the cardinals who elected him.”

He also criticized their comments to the Ecuadorian daily El Comercio in which the Spanish priests expressed “scorn for the Ecuadorian clergy, saying they are sacrificing their freedom by following their Pastors, and calling the Church a monarchy.”