Nuova Bussola reports: Francis to take away Card. Burke’s salary and housing in Rome

UPDATE:  From what I am picking up, this is more than a rumor at least in the effect if not in the exact verbiage.


From the Italian site La Nuova Bussola Quotidiana, which has an English page as well as Italian.  This is from the English side for convenience.  My emphases and comments.

The Pope: “Away with Cardinal Burke’s house and salary”.

Vatican sources close to the Daily Co

mpass: Burke was defined as an “enemy” in an announcement made to the Heads of Dicasteries of the Roman Curia. The cardinal has not yet received a formal notice, but considering precedents, it is unlikely to be just a threat, which nonetheless would be very serious.

“Cardinal Burke is my enemy, so I am taking away his flat and salary”. This is what Pope Francis supposedly said at the meeting with the Heads of Dicasteries of the Roman Curia last 20 November, and which a Vatican source revealed to the Daily Compass. The indiscretion [in Italian another word for a “revelation”] was later confirmed by other sources. As far as we are aware, Cardinal Raymond L. Burke, currently in the United States, has not yet received a formal notice confirming the Pope’s words, but given the precedents – most recently the case of Monsignor Georg Ganswein, former personal secretary of Pope Benedict XVI – there is little doubt that words will be followed by deeds. Nor would the difficulty in canonically justifying such a measure be an obstacle, given the contempt for the laws of the Church also shown by Pope Francis on the occasion of the removal of bishops from their dioceses (see here).

The alleged enmity of Cardinal Burke has become a real obsession for Pope Francis in recent times, but in reality the American cardinal has been in the crosshairs since the beginning of his pontificate, probably because he encapsulates some of the elements that most annoy him: he is American and is a constant reminder of the doctrine and Tradition of the Church; and in addition he resides in Rome, a stone’s throw from St Peter’s Square, from where – the Pope will think – he can ‘plot’ against him.  [Unless you are certain type of American….]

Certainly Burke has been very clear in his criticism of the concept of synodality, which has now become a mantra intended to change the nature of the Church, and at the conference ‘The Synodal Babel’ on 3 October last, organised in Rome by La Bussola [I was there.] precisely on the eve of the opening of the Synod on Synodality, his arguments and his direct polemic with the new Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Victor “Tucho” Fernandez, who had called Cardinal Burke a heretic and schismatic and those who ask the Pope to “safeguard and promote the depositum fidei”, had made a lot of noise. After all, calling the Pope to task is part of the cardinals’ duty, and Francis himself has repeatedly encouraged (in words) parousia. [sic.  The word is parrhesia – “frankness, boldness of speech”.]

And Cardinal Burke has always strongly rejected the label of “enemy of the Pope” that they have wanted to stick on him since the beginning of the pontificate, especially since he criticised the position of Cardinal Walter Kasper who, in preparation for the 2014 Synod on the Family, explicitly called for access to communion for remarried divorcees. Burke was in good company, yet especially against him a real campaign of demonisation was focused, painted as the director of occult plots against Pope Francis (accusations that Burke has always strongly rejected).  [“director of occult plots”… “registra di trame occulte”… a better translation would be “orchestrator of secret/hidden plots”.  This doesn’t involve, “the occult”.]

[… lists ways in which Francis as gone after Burke over the years… ]

In the meantime, however, in recent years Pope Francis has never missed an opportunity to launch personal jibes at Cardinal Burke, reaching a climax with the unfortunate (to put it mildly) joke uttered while Cardinal Burke was struggling between life and death because of Covid: “Even in the College of Cardinals there are some deniers,” the Pope said with a satisfied smile in the press conference on the plane returning from his trip to Hungary and Slovakia on 15 September 2021, “and one of them, poor man, is hospitalised with the virus.”

The second round of Dubia, presented last July together with Cardinals Brandmüller, Sarah, Zen and Sandoval, but only made public on 2 October, will undoubtedly have irritated the Pope even more, who seems to have let go of his inhibitions after the death of Benedict XVI last January. Thus the new prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Fernandez, was able to personally target Cardinal Burke in the aforementioned interview with the National Catholic Register in September in what, in retrospect, can be considered a warning.

And now here we come to the Pope’s announced decision to strike Cardinal Burke directly, taking away his flat and salary, a serious and unprecedented measure, in defiance of every legal and ecclesial principle. One may think that the real purpose is to remove Burke from Rome, weakening the camp of those who resist the revolution in progress, as a Conclave approaches, but it is also a warning to those who work in the Roman Curia. The fact is that the end of this pontificate increasingly resembles in its methods, a South American dictatorship.

On the other hand… wasn’t there a story some time ago that Francis was planning on taking away the residences of all the non-Curial cardinals in Rome?   It could be that this present story is the source of that rumor.

On the other other hand… I suspect that this is sort of a “Brer Rabbit” moment.  “Please, Brer Francis!  Don’t throw me into that briar patch!”

The Briar Patch in this case being the place where Card. Burke probably longs the most to be….

NOTA BENE:

I will be rather strict with the comment moderation queue.  So, think about it first.   Going full oooga-booga isn’t going to get approved.

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23 Comments

  1. sibnao says:

    Dear Cdl. Burke. God bless him. I hope the story above turns out to be a only a rumor. It is such a scandal for the language of “enemies/friends” to be operative in the Church.

    On a happier note, La Crosse is super beautiful this time of year. I hope everyone reading this can have a chance to visit the shrine. It is truly a blessed experience.

  2. BeatifyStickler says:

    How synodal of him! This spirit of synodality is very Christian and loving. I wonder if Burke will get a nice lunch?
    I have my suspicions as to why the cruelty in the Church. I’ve seen in families of people I know this same level of cruelty. Weak fathers walking the fine line of a lifestyle that a James Martin would approve of. Strong, ordered, heterosexual men are a threat because of their own internal wounds of the fragile psyche and image. I have seen this time and time again. I and my wife were ousted or cancelled by my wife’s Father. Ousted the same time that he was performing in a play with gay under themes and his brother came out as a transgender. So, naturally, we were enemies also! All too familiar my friends. The Church has a homosexuality problem. That is my suspicion.

  3. Venerator Sti Lot says:

    Cum grano salis… Wikipedia (in various articles) tells me on “November 20, 2010, Pope Benedict XVI made Burke Cardinal-Deacon of Sant’Agata dei Goti” and on “February 5, 2011, the memorial of Saint Agatha, Burke took canonical possession” of this, his titular church, which “became pro hac vice a presbyteral title in 2021 when Cardinal Burke opted to become a cardinal priest”. And, “The feast of the Greek martyrs whose relics are preserved here is on 2 December.” (Any ‘significant timing’ here between the 2 November thirteenth anniversary and the 2 December feast?) What, if anything, may accommodation and salary have to do with titular Churches of Cardinals, service of Cardinal Priests, and their ages, with respect to residence in Rome?

  4. Northern Ox says:

    Francis himself has repeatedly encouraged (in words) parousia.

    Perhaps the Holy Father is trying to immanentize the eschaton?

  5. Anneliese says:

    I don’t what’s wrong with this Pope. I don’t recall ever hearing JPII or BXVI doing these types of things.

    Where would Cardinal Burke go? Would he be assigned a diocese? I suppose he would go back to Wisconsin.

  6. TheCavalierHatherly says:

    Puts me in mind of when Cardinal Henry Stuart was robbed of his living by Napoleon… and then was given a pension of 4000 pounds a year by King George III, his literal enemy (since he was the jacobite heir to the English throne).

    Some men have noble souls. Others do not.

  7. Dave P. says:

    I think that any number of people would be happy to shelter and support His Eminence. I also wonder if he is eligible for benefits and pension from the Diocese of La Crosse…

  8. APX says:

    Somehow I think Cdl. Burke has enough supporters that I think he’ll get through this.

  9. acardnal says:

    Well, if this removal of residence and salary does happen I’m sure that a Go Fund Me drive will occur and his Eminence ‘s income would likely increase substantially from what it is now.

  10. OldProfK says:

    The use of the phrase “…director of occult plots…” is troubling. Parallel phrasing in parallel contexts in other fields would be considered defamatory.

  11. “director of occult plots”… “registra di trame occulte”… a better translation would be “orchestrator of secret/hidden plots”.  This doesn’t involve, “the occult”.

  12. Andreas says:

    What The Bard’s Hotspur expressed Sir Blunt in Henry the IV might reflect what some in Vatican high places might be pondering about Cardinal Burke:
    “Some of us love you well; and even those some Envy your great deservings and good name,
    Because you are not of our quality,
    But stand against us like an enemy”.

  13. Kathleen10 says:

    acardnal, I stand amazed that did not happen for Bishop Strickland.
    I would like to know what happens to fired bishops and cardinals. Do they get unemployment? Apparently they have a job and when the boss is displeased, well, your time is limited. Let this be a lesson for the young’uns, the church is an employer now, and you serve at the pleasure of the CEO and board. If it doesn’t work out and there’s no pleasure you can be de-jobbed now, no matter how well you served or for how long. Matters not. If Francis doesn’t like you, you’re gone.
    To say Francis would be jumping the shark if he fires Cdl. Burke doesn’t quite cover it, on the heels of the cruelty against Bishop Strickland and his brutal removal over nothing. This is getting bizarre. One wonders at his mental state, his cognitive status, this seems to indicate an unhinged emotional state, open commentary about “enemies” and then swinging the axe. I don’t think that’s exaggeration, what would we do with a demented pope who is acting out? How do we know this isn’t the situation? If he does this and it’s unprecedented and against Canon law, will there be a strong reaction from the USCCB, as there should be? Does Canon law cover this type of unprecedented persecution of faithful clergy by the Bishop of Rome?

  14. Benedict Joseph says:

    Actions speak so much more loudly than words. If this comes to pass it would, yet again, unmask a reality which many of us have recognized for now over a decade. Should this rumor prove true it would not only be a grave injustice, but also quite scandalous.

  15. RichR says:

    I imagine Cardinal Burke will be sad upon hearing these rumors, and he will take the opportunity to pray even harder for PF. Humble guy. Good man.

  16. Fr. Timothy Ferguson says:

    I would like to offer my rectory as a home for wayward prelates. I currently have three guest rooms available (they would have to share a common bathroom), but there’s room for some expansions. There would, of course be some expectations with regards to helping out with confessions, Masses, vacuuming, and storytelling, but I think I’d be a pretty easy-going den father.

  17. ProfessorCover says:

    43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
    44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
    45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
    46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
    For those who don’t know the above is from the KJV, Matthew chapter 5.
    I just don’t get it. It seems like many Bishops forget basic Christian teachings when dealing with their clergy, or in this case their cardinals, although Cardinal Burke is not really an enemy of Frances. Be that as it may, I wonder how many bishops have the courage to resist unjust actions of a Pope.

  18. DonW3232 says:

    “The worst persecution is not with the Church; the worst persecution is not of the Church; the worst persecution is by the Church.”

  19. moon1234 says:

    We would love to have Cardinal Burke back in Wisconsin. It would be our honor and blessing to have him in Lacrosse. It would be only fitting that the magnificent edifice he helped to construct be his home home and his support. He most assuredly deserves it.

  20. OldProfK says:

    ‘“registra di trame occulte”… a better translation would be “orchestrator of secret/hidden plots”.’

    Thank you for providing a better translation, Father. I suppose the quoted “occult” is either an inartful translation…or made for better clickbait.

  21. Gianni says:

    In the US, we are concerned about a man over 80being mentally fit to be President. Pope Francis is pushing 87. I am not a mental health professional, but wonder if his age isn’t exacerbating his personality.

  22. Davin says:

    I have to wonder how the bishops of Black Duck and Libville will respond to these latest developments

  23. veritaslvr says:

    I think one of the few good things to happen because of this current affliction and chastisement we are experiencing is this.

    For far too long we’ve been able to get away with the doctrinal mistake of conflating the Office of Peter with the man IN the Office.

    The Papacy and the Pope are two distinct things much like the Presidency is distinct from the President. Office does not equal man in office.

    There’s a development of doctrine happening because of Francis and sadly those who conflate Office and man either leave the Church or the become sedes.

    They can’t believe (rightly) that Francis is infallible so they claim he isn’t the Pope. (Wrongly)
    Or they (wrongly) think that since the man isn’t infallible then the Office isn’t so they leave.

    If it were a moral option I would love to become Orthodox without adopting the theological errors. I’d get back beautiful Liturgies, reverence and possibly Bishops I could respect.

    However I am accepting my just chastisement and staying because my own sins of omission also occasioned the mess we’re in.
    I was AWOL for 25 years and exactly where I should have been at my post there was nobody standing in the gap. I’d love to blame Francis or this or that Bishop or liberal lay Catholic for the entirety of this calamity but that’s just not the case.

    I would sooner suffer an uncomfortable truth than a comforting lie.

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