Sacred Heart School: Protest, Parish Response and Questions Still Open

NLP News – By Matt Stoltz · Waseca, Minnesota

On September 18, I shared a local reporting lead about parents’ concerns over the reported dismissal of Sacred Heart School’s principal. An anonymous Facebook post by someone identifying as a parent questioned whether a respected educator had been treated fairly and what the change would mean for the school community. At that point, the material available to NLP News did not independently confirm the decision or its reason.

I ended that initial report with a simple line: “NLP is watching the topic.” The story now has more than an anonymous account behind it. A parish bulletin confirms the leadership change, and the Waseca County Pioneer has reported on a public demonstration and the pastor’s explanation.

This is the first website publication of this school-personnel report. It brings the September 18 reporting forward with information checked October 1. The question of Facebook moderation remains a separate story; it is not evidence about the school’s employment decision.

A September 27 demonstration

In an October 1 report for the Waseca County Pioneer, Ben Revermann describes 20 or more demonstrators outside Sacred Heart Catholic Church during the 10 a.m. Mass on Sunday, September 27. Homemade signs expressed support for former principal Tammy Seys and asked for a voice in the school’s leadership.

The report describes parishioners questioning transparency and warning that the dispute could affect staffing and families’ willingness to remain. One participant sought the pastor’s removal; another acknowledged personnel confidentiality while asking for facts. Those are participants’ concerns and demands, not established findings of misconduct or proof that staff or families have left.

What the parish has confirmed

The September 27 Sacred Heart and All Saints bulletin, in the pastor’s column on page 2, confirms that Seys’ contract as principal was discontinued. Fr. Glenn Frerichs wrote that parish and diocesan leaders had reviewed the matter and considered her decisions incompatible with Catholic principles and the school’s mission.

The bulletin also acknowledges recent leadership changes and names Michael Gerard as interim principal while a successor is sought. The Diocese of Winona-Rochester staff directory confirms Gerard’s assistant-superintendent role. These sources establish that a leadership change was announced; they do not independently establish all the underlying personnel facts.

The explanation and the disputed account

The Pioneer quotes a longer statement attributed to Frerichs saying the decision concerned Seys’ intention to marry outside the Catholic Church. He said it was made with guidance and support from Bishop Robert Barron, the Office of Catholic Schools, diocesan legal counsel and other diocesan leaders.

In that quoted statement, Frerichs explicitly denied that moving into someone’s home to provide care was the reason for her removal. He said the Church could accommodate such caregiving and would not end an employment relationship for that reason.

That explanation differs materially from the anonymous account supplied to NLP News on September 18, which linked the reported dismissal to a proposed living arrangement for caregiving. The earlier account was unverified, and should not be treated as an established explanation now. The parish’s response is an attributed account too: NLP News has not independently resolved the underlying personnel dispute.

The reviewed September 27 bulletin contains the shorter announcement about the contract and leadership transition. It does not contain the full marriage-and-caregiving statement quoted by the Pioneer. Those more specific details are attributed here to Frerichs through the newspaper, rather than presented as independently verified bulletin wording.

The Pioneer also quotes Frerichs saying the school is not in danger of closing. That is the parish’s assurance, not an independent assessment of the school’s finances or future. The statement’s references to diocesan guidance do not substitute for a separately obtained case-specific statement from the bishop or diocese.

The questions still matter

The original parent’s post asked about policy, consistency, fairness, compassion and leadership stability. Those questions remain useful even as the evidence changes.

Which written policy or contract provision was applied? Which version was in force? How is consistent application assessed? What opportunity to respond or seek review was available? What information and continuity arrangements will staff and families receive?

The reviewed sources do not establish the precise provision, the effective termination date or the response and review process. No direct statement from Seys was obtained in this review. This report does not infer wrongdoing from confidentiality, determine the legality of the decision or resolve Catholic doctrinal questions.

A school can have a religious mission and still face public questions about how it explains and carries out a consequential leadership decision. A community can ask those questions without making an anonymous post the final word. The new reporting gives us a firmer record to work from. It does not settle every question.

Sources and reporting dates

• September 18, 2026: anonymous parent account and my original Facebook report, preserved in NLP News’ editorial source record. The anonymous allegation was not independently confirmed at intake.
• Sacred Heart and All Saints bulletin, September 27, 2026, pastor’s column on page 2.
• Ben Revermann, “Demonstration outside of Sacred Heart Church targets leadership decision,” Waseca County Pioneer, October 1, 2026, displayed posting time 9:30 a.m.; publisher timezone not stated. Demonstration date: September 27.
• Diocese of Winona-Rochester staff directory, checked October 1, 2026.

This is local reporting and general civic education, not legal advice.