Card. Burke – off the leash – in Ireland

In the UK’s best Catholic weekly, the Catholic Herald, read about what Card Burke said about some of the burning questions for the Church today.

A sample:

Warning that Satan was sowing confusion and error about matrimony, the cardinal patron of the Knights of Malta said, “Even within the church there are those who would obscure the truth of the indissolubility of marriage in the name of mercy.”
The 66-year-old former archbishop of St Louis instead recommended that next year’s synod devote itself to promoting the church’s teaching on marriage.
Cardinal Burke also ruled out any easing of the restriction on Communion for those divorced and remarried without an annulment of their original marriage.
“I fail to be able to comprehend how — if marriage is indissoluble and someone is living in a state contradicting this indissolubility of marriage — the person can be admitted to holy Communion,” he said.
He urged the Catholic faithful to write to Pope Francis and Vatican and Irish church officials to make their views known.
Lashing out at the “so-called contraceptive mentality,” he warned it was “anti-life” and blamed it for “the devastation that is daily wrought in our world by the multi-million dollar industry of pornography” and the “incredibly aggressive homosexual agenda,” which he claimed could only result in “the profound unhappiness and even despair of those affected by it.”
Cardinal Burke said he was reduced to tears by attempts to introduce “so-called gender theory” into schools.
He warned that such theory was “iniquitous” and that exposing children to such “corrupt thinking” could not be permitted.
He said “society has gone even further in its affront to God and his law by claiming the name of marriage for liaisons between persons of the same sex.”
To applause, the cardinal said he refused to use the term traditional marriage for the marriage of a man and a woman.
“My response is — is there any other kind of marriage? I fear that by using that terminology that we give the impression that we think that there are other kinds of marriage; well, we don’t.”
Speaking ahead of the conference to RTE News, Cardinal Burke said he would refuse Communion to a Catholic politician who voted for same-sex marriage.
In his opening address to the conference, Bishop Brendan Leahy of Limerick said the family needs to be rediscovered as the essential agent of evangelization.
However, he referred to the final message of October’s synod, to remind conference delegates that “people need to be accepted in the concrete circumstances of life.”

This is what bishops should sound like.

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35 Comments

  1. Unwilling says:

    “Lashing out at…” sounds like hostile reporting. Makes me wonder what else was shaped for a desired effect.

  2. LarryW2LJ says:

    Bravo for Cardinal Burke! I am praying that, as others have suggested, that maybe this was Pope Francis’ desired effect.

    We need more confessions, more rosaries, more fasting, more kneeling before the Blessed Sacrament in order to stop Satan from sowing his tares among the wheat.

  3. Traductora says:

    There was an excellent article by another defenestrated orthodox bishop, Bp. Rogelio Livieres, formerly of Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, who said that the current Pope is not the inventor of the new Church of no doctrine and lots of socially acceptable niceness, but that two churches have existed for the last 50 years. He attributes this to the failure of orthodox bishops to speak out, for fear of offending or even attracting punishment from the other wing, and of the failure of bishops and even the Popes to correct error when it happened but instead, by tolerating it and its open expression by the clergy, to let it grow and give the faithful the impression that it was acceptable. One thing he mentioned as key was when the bishops failed to support Humanae Vitae and to make their clergy support it; he said this set the pattern for the “two churches,” one that adhered to tradition and the Magisterium but was silent about it, and the other that rejected it, either quietly but openly by not enforcing or teaching it or even noisily in public statements and acts, but was tolerated even when the orthodox were in power.

    It’s late for the bishops to begin leading, but not too late. I’m very encouraged by the people who have been selected for next year’s Synod (well, with the exception of Cupich, Pope Francis’ appointee). I hope Burke – who is not only intelligent and orthodox, but eloquent and witty – continues to speak out and get headlines. Also, I think he’s safer if he’s in the public eye than if the Argentine mafia gets him alone on a dark street.

  4. Magpie says:

    There is a 37 minute interview with Card. Burke by Irish TV channel RTE here, which hopefully you all will be able to watch outside Ireland…

    http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/1115/659753-cardinal-burke/

  5. juergensen says:

    May God continue to give Cardinal Burke the strength and courage necessary to resist the worthy successors of Judas within the Church.

  6. FrAnt says:

    Somewhere along the Church’s history excommunication and refraining from the sacraments became seen as a punishment rather than a way of healing one’s relationship with God and His Church. We need to speak more about excommunication and refraining from the sacraments in this way.

  7. Nicholas says:

    But there is such a thing as traditional marriage, getting married in the Extraordinary Form. :)

  8. Atra Dicenda, Rubra Agenda says:

    Clarity and consistency bring me joy.

  9. JesusFreak84 says:

    My CINO sister’s studying abroad at the University of Limerick right now. If she read this, she must be losing her MIND. She’s deeply in the “LGBTQ” tank =-\

  10. jfk03 says:

    Just remember what the forces of Evil did to Maximos the Confessor when he stood up for the Orthodox Faith! They cut out his tongue and cut off his right hand! Those who vocally defend the faith risk such treatment, even by opponents inside the Church.

  11. Maltese says:

    Cardinal Burke is a spring of water in the “devastated vineyard” of large swaths of the arid Church. I would only correct him on one thing: the porn industry is multi-BILLION dollar. As a lawyer, just from an objective standpoint, I can say Griswold v. Conn. (contraception) was used to support Roe v. Wade (abortion); and what is contraception but the objectification of a human being? Love is always open to life.

  12. Mike says:

    Why would Francis want words that contradict his evident intentions during the last Synod?

  13. jacobi says:

    “I fail to be able to comprehend how”

    The Cardinal is being very,very tactful.

    The reality is that anyone living in a state contradicting the indissolubility of marriage is living in a state of mortal sin and therefore is forbidden under pain of further mortal sin from receiving Holy Communion and what is more, any priest who administers the Sacrament of Holy Communion knowing this, may be complicit in that mortal sin.

    But he is using his new found freedom to good effect. We must all follow what he says attentively between now and the second Synod on the Family!

  14. NBW says:

    We need a legion of Cardinal Burkes! May God Bless him for speaking the truth!

  15. Sandy says:

    God bless him! This is in sharp contrast to comments and the attitude we heard on the “60 Minutes” program Sunday night from you know who! (Guess I’d better not malign a “prince of the Church”.)

  16. Dialogos says:

    Huzzah for Cardinal Burke! Reading this sheds a transfiguring light on all the other (mostly disheartening) stuff I’ve read today. THIS is what speaking prophetically means. I say that because I notice in “progressive” circles being “prophetic” is considered of high value…except to them prophetic means to A) cast doubt on Tradition or at best B) speak about social injustice. I notice they never make reference to the prophets speaking out against sexual immorality or using worship for wrong purposes. So, one more huzzah for the brave cardinal!

  17. Kevin says:

    I was at the conference on the family that the Cardinal spoke at. He was on top form, as was Fr. Marcel Guarnizo. With clergy like this being treated as badly as they are, something smells fishy in Rome and not just on Fridays.
    It’s a pity though that the individual Irish Bishops are constrained to speak on a level with the lowest common denominator of the Irish bishops Conference. So we don’t know where they really stand on anything.

  18. Fr. Vincent Fitzpatrick says:

    It becomes more and more obvious how Cardinal Wuerl has used the Eucharist as a weapon against the Church.

    By giving Communion for these many years to proponents of abortion, Cardinal Wuerl and the vast majority of American and European bishops have undermined the Church’s teaching regarding ALL grave sin.

    It took some time, but at last we have reached the point where Cardinal Wuerl and many other prelates are explicitly calling for giving Communion to the divorced-and-illicitly-remarried. And make no mistake: In Washington, New York, Boston, and many other dioceses, Masses are still advertised for congregations consisting of completely “out,” practicing homosexual persons.

    Cardinal Wuerl and other users of the Weaponized Eucharist must be called out tirelessly until even the Pope begins to be aware of this scandal.

  19. Emilio says:

    Fr. Vincent Fitzpatrick: I can’t speak for Boston or New York, but I can most certainly speak for my home Archdiocese of Washington, I am a former chancery employee and I know it QUITE well. Which parish specifically advertises a Mass I the Archdiocese of Washington, quoting you, “for congregations consisting of completely out, practicing homosexual persons.” That is quite an allegation, so please be very specific.

  20. Pnkn says:

    Hello Emilio –
    Try:
    http://www.dignitywashington.org/
    and
    http://www.dignitynova.org/
    These would be two examples of “Masses are still advertised for congregations consisting of completely “out,” practicing homosexual persons.”
    ~P.

  21. MariaKap says:

    Pnkn – I checked out that dignity site and the only church listed is for St. Margaret’s which is an Episcopal church NOT a Catholic church of the Archdiocese of Washington.

  22. Tim Ferguson says:

    Yes Pnkn – neither of those sites listed show Masses that are being held under the aegis of the Roman Catholic Church. The priests who offer those Masses are not in full communion and/or have been dismissed from the clerical state, and the places those Masses are offered are not Catholic parishes.

  23. MariaKap says:

    I would add that dignitynova is for northern VA and is the Arlington Diocese. The church listed there is also a church of Episcopal flavor. The Dignity site states that they have not pastor. Just so it’s clear. There’s nor Archdiocese of Washington involvement.

  24. tcreek says:

    From the Dignity website, 11-18-2014
    https://www.dignityusa.org/content/gay-catholic-group-celebrates-40-years-washington-dc

    Gay Catholic Group Celebrates 40 Years in Washington, DC.

    “It’s a big weekend for the organization — the Boston chapter is also celebrating its 40th anniversary. San Diego, Chicago and New York also formed chapters in 1972. Dignity/Washington started with a group of about 20 at its first Mass. It moved from twice-monthly to weekly Mass in 1976. Membership and Mass attendance peaked at about 500 and 350 respectively in the late ‘80s. By late 1990, it had become the largest Dignity chapter in the U.S., a feat it maintains to this day, though membership is now about 200 with an average of 90-100 believers attending weekly Dignity Mass in D.C.”

    The Masses are celebrated St. Margaret’s Episcopal by Catholic priests who are not named but does anyone doubt that Archbishop Wuerl knows who they are and gives his OK?

  25. lsclerkin says:

    Those Irish.
    They turn up everywhere, don’t they?
    (Sly smile.. )
    ;)

  26. Emilio says:

    Pnkn, tcreek: No I won’t be trying those links, thanks. “Dignity” does NOT operate with the permission or consent of the Archdiocese of Washington, to the extent that this non-Catholic ministry operated out of an Episcopalian church in Dupont Circle. It is a well-known fact that Dignity regularly must employ the services of suspended priests, or rogue priests ordained in the so-called independent circles. I don’t see how Cardinal Wuerl has any control over this, maybe you should direct your unfounded accusations (a grave thing by the way) to Katharine Jefferts Schori

    The Courage Apostolate, however, operates out of Opus Dei’s Catholic Information Center in Downtown DC, with the support of the Archdiocese.

    I still look forward to a specific reply from Fr. Fitzpatrick, because I assert that there are ZERO pro-gay Masses tolerated by the Archdiocese of Washington. My larger point being that Cardinal Wuerl may not be Cardinal Burke, but he isn’t Bishop Gumbleton either. And the Archdiocese of Washington may not be the Diocese of Lincoln NE, but we aren’t the Diocese of Albany either. I was proud to work for a very orthodox chancery. Priests like Monsignor Charles Pope are many in the DC area, and every year is looking better and better with each class of newly ordained orthodox young priests. We are truly blessed in this respect as an archdiocese.

    I have read nothing from Cardinal Wuerl placing him even close to Cardinal Kasper, et al. And I would urge anyone before casting ad hominem attacks against any Cardinals, to also pray for them at least.

  27. Suburbanbanshee says:

    If supposedly Catholic “Masses” are being said in Episcopal churches by supposedly “Catholic priests,” you can pretty much bet that the “Catholic priests” are either ex-Catholic ex-priests, or ex-Catholics pretending to have been ordained, or even people who’ve never been Catholic or validly ordained but have founded heretical “Catholic” sects. So yeah, I’m sure Archbishop Wuerl knows that somebody’s simulating Mass, but I seriously doubt that it’s anybody under his jurisdiction.

    Their own website says that they’ve never had an official Catholic parish home, and that they were given the heave ho even from Georgetown U in 1986.

  28. Pnkn says:

    Hello TimF –

    The question asked was; “Which parish specifically advertises a Mass I the Archdiocese of Washington, quoting you, “for congregations consisting of completely out, practicing homosexual persons.” That is quite an allegation, so please be very specific.”

    This was in response to the comment: “In Washington, New York, Boston, and many other dioceses, Masses are still advertised for congregations consisting of completely “out,” practicing homosexual persons.”

    I provided two examples of locations within the diocese where Masses are advertised for congregations consisting of completely “out,” practicing homosexual persons.” Specifically, “Celebrating the Wholeness & Holiness of LGBTQ Catholics in Washington, DC “.

    As tcreek has pointed out, it would be remarkable if Wuerl did not know of these Masses and the communities.
    ******

    Now I have three questions: who are the priests celebrating these Masses and why is there no comment from the archbishop pointing out that these Masses are not a part of the diocese and warning the flock that these are Masses, RCIA, etc to be avoided because participation imperils one’s soul? Where’s the pastoral concern for the people who participate ?

    Last I heard, one reason that many people are disgusted with the Catholic Church is because the Church’s Magisterium hides gross abuses by the clergy which imperil the flock.. Cardinal Burke speaks out for orthodoxy. In DC, sinful behavior is tolerated.

  29. marcelus says:

    “I provided two examples of locations within the diocese where Masses are advertised for congregations consisting of completely “out,” practicing homosexual persons.” Specifically, “Celebrating the Wholeness & Holiness of LGBTQ Catholics in Washington, DC “.

    Do you have gay only masses in North America?May sound silly but if so, I must say I did not know you had them explicit as such- You are not kidding I take it?

    One thing we do not have in the South America thank god.

  30. Mike says:

    PNkN,
    You’re not making much sense. Wuerl is no hammer of heretics, for sure, but he’s got zero to do w. rogue priests and Episcopalian parishes. Come on!

  31. Pnkn says:

    Hello Mike –

    I do not understand your saying that I do not make sense.

    First, I provided the links to Masses specifically for practicing GLTB etc people, as requested by someone who did not carefully read what the OP stated.

    Then, I asked how is it not Wuerl’s responsibility to make it known that anyone – and especially any Catholic – who associates with these Masses has risked their salvation by associating with these people.

    He has everything to do with rogue priests – he is responsible for making known their status and for protecting his flock from any association with them and with their associates.

    Pnkn

  32. The Cobbler says:

    “This is in sharp contrast to comments and the attitude we heard on the “60 Minutes” program Sunday night from you know who! (Guess I’d better not malign a “prince of the Church”.)”
    He Who Must Not be Named is a prince of the Church and gives interviews on 60 Minutes? Now I’ve heard everything. *WINK*

  33. Charles E Flynn says:

    @Magpie,

    Thank you. The video of Cardinal Burke is able to be seen in the USA.

  34. JonPatrick says:

    Parishes and chanceries are usually quick to warn us when a local SSPV or CMRI group is holding an illicit traditional Mass. Let us hope they are equally quick to warn when a Mass such as those referred to above are also celebrated illicitly by renegade priests etc.

    However we should give Cardinal Wuerl the benefit of the doubt here. Has anyone written him to let him know this is going on and ask that people be warned about it?

  35. Unwilling says:

    FOX online has Cardinal Burke’s “demotion” as top story, at this moment, Thurs Nov 20. There are a few key errors re timing and causality and the picture is Francis the Stifler.
    “Yes and yes,” Zuhlsdorf replied when asked if conservative bishops are now afraid to criticize Francis, and if their former leader, Burke, is now a pariah.
    http://www.foxnews.com/

    What is to come of this?

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