Liberal Religion News Service is less and less careful to pretended objectivity when it comes to coverage of Catholic matters. Crux, by the way, took what follows lock and stock.
Watch how they paint him, smear, with words and premises which you are simply supposed to accept.
Pope Francis sidelines, but probably can’t silence, conservative Cardinal Burke
By Josephine Mckenna
Religion News Service November 11, 2014
In demoting American Cardinal Raymond Burke from his powerful perch at the Vatican, Pope Francis has sidelined an outspoken conservative agitator — for now.The pope moved the feisty former archbishop of St. Louis from his role as head of the Vatican’s highest court to the largely ceremonial position of patron of the Knights of Malta on Saturday.
Francis has effectively exiled one of his loudest critics, but Burke’s supporters — and his opponents — warn that his position at the Catholic charity may actually give him more freedom to exercise greater influence and even rally opposition to papal reforms.
In other words, the stunning demotion may remake Burke into St. Raymond the Martyr, the patron saint of Catholic conservatives. [?]
“His position as patron of the Knights of Malta is Rome-based and mostly ceremonial,” wrote Edward Pentin for the conservative National Catholic Register.
“He is nevertheless likely to continue and perhaps even step up his defense of the Church’s teaching in the face of continued efforts to radically alter pastoral practice in the run-up to next year’s second synod on the family.”
Burke is well-known for his uncompromising [and we all know that’s bad] stance on abortion, homosexuality, and the sanctity of marriage, and his passion for doctrine is matched only by his passion for the elegant finery of his office. [Is she psychic?]
Wearing the vibrant red robes of a cardinal for the first time on the day he was appointed by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in 2010, he used one word to describe the greatest threat to the Church: “secularization.” [Imagine such a thing! But look at how she put that. She moves from the “vibrant red robes” – which even the new cardinal darlings of the liberal media were wearing at the time of their consistory, to “secularization”. Another manifestation of Burke Derangement Syndrome™?]
During the global bishops’ Synod on the Family held at the Vatican last month, Burke bitterly complained that conservative views were being stifled amid initial signs of a more welcoming approach to gays and lesbians. [Which is about the worst crime there is these days. God forbid that anyone should uphold the Church’s actual teachings. Remember: those who now defend doctrine are the new “dissenters”.]
But he raised the ante in an interview with Spanish Catholic weekly, Vida Nueva, at the end of October when he made a direct attack on Francis’ leadership.
“At this very critical moment, there is a strong sense that the Church is like a ship without a rudder,” Burke said. “Now, it is more important than ever to examine our faith, have a healthy spiritual leader, and give powerful witness to the faith.” [Do these liberals ever quote other things Burke has said about Francis and about his own service and respect?]
His departure is no surprise, and observers say it had little to do with the conservative blowback that upended the synod or rumors that he snubbed the pope at the concluding Mass in St. Peter’s Square. [This is irresponsible. It was made amply clear that, customarily, only a certain row of prelates greet the Pope after a Mass in the Square. Burke wasn’t in that row.]
Italian media began speculating about his demotion as early as September; Burke himself confirmed his imminent removal from the corridors of power at the Vatican in a recent interview.
Asked by a reporter who had told him of his pending departure, Burke shot back: “Who do you think?”
[…]
It is open season on Raymond Card. Burke. The liberals have their knives out.
Remember when Card. Kasper suggested that there was going to be negative consequences in the press for those who were on the opposite side of the positions he was proposing? HERE
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Can someone please explain something to me?
As Cardinal Bergoglio, Francis was a huge opponent of Gay Marriage and Gay Adoption, saying it would destroy the family. He also opposed giving communion to por-abort politicians.
So…. what seems more likely?
1. That Francis is ‘demoting’ Burke because of his beliefs on marriage and communion for pro-abort politicians
or
2. That the media has crafted an entirely false narrative, and that Francis/Burke have other plans for his new position, possibly related to Burke’s ability to evangelize English-Speakers (a weak spot for Francis) about abortion and gay marriage?
I mean, once you notice that they’re on the same page as far as social issues, what’s left? “Francis hates Burke’s way of doing liturgy, so he is punishing him by moving him to a position where one of his main duties is traveling around the world saying Mass and preaching?”
Why is anyone trusting the English media’s spin on this?
I mean, sheesh, they’re the same folks who characterized gentle, sweet, introverted Pope BXVI as “Evil nasty Nazi attack dog who destroys his enemies” (Never mind the pictures of him drinking with Kung and Rahner)
Maybe….. they’re just totally illogical?
God bless, guide, and protect His Eminence Cardinal Burke.
Ad multos annos.
Can anyone provide an address where one can send letters of support to him?
I have signed an online petition of support for him in the Lifesite news website, but I also want send him a personal note as he has become a personal hero for me.
I’ll say again: It is entirely possible that Francis’ pontificate will be no longer than Benedict’s and it’s not that much of a stretch to think that the next pope could be Burke. What would Burke’s critics say/do then?
Greenlight- Spend hours criticizing his taste in vestments?
“in the face of continued efforts to radically alter pastoral practice in the run-up to next year’s second synod on the family.”
Isn’t letting the divorced and re-married receive Communion exactly the opposite of pastoring? It is akin to saying that, well, 2 + 2 = 5 for sufficiently small values of 5. I wish they could radically alter the people instead of the pastors.
The Chicken
I think this goes back to the premise that unless you were there and witnessed the goings on yourself, you just have to take whatever the media reports with a grain of salt.
Unfortunately, most people don’t. They absolutely and totally believe that what they see, hear and read from the Media is the truth. Objective journalism died along time ago, for the most part. What we have now is either infotainment, or political agenda and propaganda.
It’s a shame to see Cardinal Burke being treated like this, in essence, being “borked”. It’s only a matter of time before the rest of us are persecuted. Don’t be surprised, to see in the near future, protesters lined up outside your Church as you head to Mass on Sunday. They will be harassing you, and chanting against you that you belong to a “hateful”organization. I believe this is already happening in England. And I sense the day is coming soon that organizations such as the Knights of Columbus will be branded the same way – past charitable acts be damned.
The only thing we can do is keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and the Cross. The world hated Him and they hate us, too. And sadly, it seems that some of “them” will be people that you thought were your brother and sister Catholics.
St. Michael, defend us in battle.
Deirdre-
That’s a distinct possibility. If it were no more than constant, superficial sniping that might actually be a good thing in that it could provide an opening for informed responses that could trickle down to the new generation not-fully-engaged Catholics.
I was thinking more along the lines of: would they even stick around? And before anyone gets too excited at the prospect, if every person that I know of, who is critical of Burke, checked out of the Church…well the numbers would be staggering.
Good popes or bad, it seems like this is the most polarized the church has been in generations. Maybe ever. I just don’t see that changing.
Greenlight- I think some of the division in the US Church is actually our poisonous politics spilling over into Church. So many people put their political party ahead of their faith, and then they drag it into the pews..
So you get “Catholics” swearing that God wants us to sterilize the poor and kill babies and change marriage. And “Catholics” swearing that God wants us to eliminate the social safety net and execute the guilty and ignore refugees….
And really both groups are ignoring the bishops/pope/catechism, because they’ve decided that the personal is political and faith is personal, therefore politics belong in church.
The people who are obsessed with political divisions and trying to project them onto the Church are the loudest, but I don’t think they’re actually the majority of American Catholics.
I also think we make a mistake when we think “The situation of the Church in the US” is a fair representation of the situation in the rest of the world.
That the media has crafted an entirely false narrative, and that Francis/Burke have other plans for his new position, possibly related to Burke’s ability to evangelize English-Speakers (a weak spot for Francis) about abortion and gay marriage?
I would like to think that.
Remember then-Msgr. Konrad Krajewski, one of the papal MCs, who was promoted to archbishop and appointed Papal Almoner because Pope Francis noted him going out on his own feeding the poor.
I thought at the time that Pope Francis might want to place people where the gifts they bring to the church were most needed. I am trying to add another thought to this but I’m having trouble articulating so will be quiet now and go pray.
Deidre, what is the evidence for your premise that “[a]s Cardinal Bergoglio, Francis was a huge opponent of Gay Marriage and Gay Adoption, saying it would destroy the family” and “giving communion to pro-abort[ion] politicians”?
the pope has effective silenced him. there is no way that who ever has advised the pope to remove cardinal burke has not also advised the pope to tell him to be silent on the matter. if c\Cardinal Burke is not silent then the pope will ask for his resignation and remove his rank to whatever degree the papal advisors want. liberals have no fear of hurting anyone who gets in their way
I had a rather strange conversation yesterday. I see a (Jewish) therapist twice a month. It’s rather pro-forma for someone of my generation. My City coverage pays for it and she’s not stupid, so why not? But what she said to me not to me right off my chair. She asked me if I didn’t think someone would try to assassinate the Pope. I asked, “And who do you think would do such a thing?”
“Why, the traditionalists, of course.” And she had just asked me about Crdl Burke. This was the impression she had drawn from the MSM.
This smear of Cardinal Burke is only an opportunity for the media to smear the Church.
I truly believe that, whether Pope Francis intended this to happen or not, the removal of Cardinal Burke from the Signatura will be for the good for the Church in the long run, for good always triumphs over evil, no matter what happens.
At first I was mad at what has been going on regarding Cardinal Burke, but then an episode of The West Wing opened my eyes.
President Bartlett was sitting outside playing chess by himself and Leo walks up and gives him the next move and knows what is going to happen 6 moves down the line. Recently, I have had a feeling that God has allowed Pope Francis to see the whole chess board and he may already be thinking 6 moves ahead, maybe even into the next Pontificate.
I think I will use the rest of the week to not worry about Cardinal Burke (no matter how much I care for him). There are more important things at hand like my son’s First Confession tomorrow.
God Bless Fr. Z and all of you readers!
http://www.stpeterslist.com/12616/11-things-you-should-know-about-the-sovereign-military-order-of-malta/
Reading this, it seems like the Knights of Malta are all about what Francis thinks is most important. Outreach. Serving the Poor. Medical Missionaries in War Zones. Taking the love of Christ to the Margins.
I find it unbelievable that the Pope would ‘punish’ or ‘demote’ someone by moving him from a job that he finds less important (internal church matters) to one that he keeps saying needs to be put back at the center of our mission (missionary work. outreach. charity to the marginalized.)
Maybe the reason that the Pope is breaking with the trend and putting someone energetic in charge of Malta is because he wants the Knights to be the face of the Church as we try to claim the world for Christ.
Eugene asked about an address for sending letters of support to Cardinal Burke. Someone posted an address in another thread on this blog. It’s in the comments here:
https://wdtprs.com/2014/11/the-loosing-of-the-leash-card-burke-appointed-to-knights-of-malta/
(Sorry, don’t know how to link directly to the comment or want to post the copied address here.)
Show support here.
https://www.facebook.com/CardinalBurke
I wonder if Cardinal Napier and Cardinal Pell are also being attacked for being voices of orthodoxy in their homelands of South Africa and Australia respectively?
Larry,
“Don’t be surprised, to see in the near future, protesters lined up outside your Church as you head to Mass on Sunday. They will be harassing you, and chanting against you that you belong to a “hateful”organization. ”
It’s already happened here. At my parish. Two weeks ago.
Imagine if we are all wrong and this is really a promotion for Burke because Francis is preparing to re-envigorate the Hospitallers by returning Malta to them, having them take over all the Catholic hospitals left in the USA (where they will resist calls to murder babies with force of arms) and sending them to Iraq to protect the innocent…….
I am still baffled as to why Pope Francis would encourage bishops at the synod to speak up without fear of reprisal and then subsequently attempt to silence Burke, presumably on potential changes in the annulment process as well as the next synod.
Also, why do these journalists frame Burke as a opposed to Francis’ “reforms”? Would changes in marriage and reception of Holy Communion be termed as “reforms”?
God bless Cardinal Burke. Divine Providence has placed him where he needs to be. May the Lord will that he be our next pope.
This charity appears to be one way to show support for Cardinal Burke:
Knights of Malta: The Global Fund for Forgotten People
The comment section below the RNS article are interesting in that many see the article for the hatchet job that it is.
Regarding the re-assignment, 2 things stick in my head. 1) As Fr Z has pointed out, it loosens the Cardinal’s hand, so to speak, in addressing issues or what he can say publicly, and 2) (taking a charitable and maybe overly optimistic view) that maybe his Holiness believes that such an assignment will “round out” the Cardinal and his resume. If he assigns his typical vigor to this position, expect it to be in the news. This direction is a phase for him. He will grow from it and many will benefit from his energy and insights.
just my 2 cents
I have just read a most insightful list entitled “10 tips on how to survive a calamitous Pope” on the blog “Rorate Caeli”. It really is worth reading and remembering. The tenth tip, and the most important one, is pray, pray and pray. The article points out that the Holy Spirit does not choose the Pope. The Holy Spirit simply prevents the Church from teaching error. The Church, in its history, has had some really dreadful popes but it is up to the individual Catholic to remain faithful to the actual teaching of the Church.
I am still baffled as to why Pope Francis would encourage bishops at the synod to speak up without fear of reprisal and then subsequently attempt to silence Burke
It’s not a matter of silencing Burke; as has been pointed out, that’s nearly impossible in the modern world, and this transfer doesn’t accomplish that. Francis wants a Curia capable, according to his view, of responding to “the signs of the times”. (A response we hope is different from “conforming to the present age”.) Where Pope Benedict XVI (& Burke) saw the TLM as a critical response to the the challenge of an inadequate liturgy at the center of our lives, Pope Francis sees it as a fringe anachronism. The Pope of “Hagan lio! Make a mess!” vs a canon lawyer. There are many such contrasts.
Since the Apostolic Signatura was the most natural curial posting for Cardinal Burke, if Francis didn’t like to extend him there he’d perhaps not like him anywhere. The only other immediate option was Chicago, and Francis reportedly wanted someone of his own stamp there. So Burke is left in limbo for the time being, presumably until a change in pontificates or the opening of a suitable archepiscopal see stateside. I’m sure he’ll manage to keep busy.
Cardinal Burke was not silenced. He was moved out of power, first being removed from his position on the Congregation of Bishops (replaced by Cardinal Wuerl), then from Prefect of the Signatura. It is highly likely that Cardinal O’Malley wanted the changes. If you’re following on your scorecard, that’s the same Cardinal O’Malley whose pious presence was to be seen at the canonization of Ted Kennedy.
I am confused as to why the writers and editors at Religion News Service want to pressure Catholics to “compromise on abortion”? Is not the multiple tens of millions of innocent youth given over through torture and slaughter not already enough for them? What more is there to insatiable consumerist driven Big Abortion’s martial drumbeat that may yet be compromised with? What does the Church “get” in exchange for this political compromise which RNS favors?
anna 6, once you have facilitated people “speaking openly” you then know who is with you and who is not, helpful information if you need to do some repositioning, or weeding out.
Fr. Z., I give you lots of credit for addressing the points made by these hostile writers. These are not debates based on reason or theology. They are often imbecilic attacks based on clothing preference and other unimportant details. It is a shame what this says about the general mentality.
Eugene,
Here’s his address:
His Eminence,
Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke
00120 VATICAN CITY STATE
Fr., I am concerned about you and the anxiety you display. Speaking from personal experience, perspective is the first casualty in a war fought on the anxiety battlefront. A few reminders:
Persecution for the faith is good; it was promised, and is our birth right as Christians. Sure, we didn’t expect it from within our own lines, but so what.
Cardinal Burke displays such obvious inner peace that he can handle whatever the evil one and his enablers within the Church throw. He’s the lightening rod, is he? Excellent – bring it on. While our pagan enemies hurl lighting bolts at his back, we will subversively undermine our enemies on battlefields we control much more that previously: in the seminaries, in the pews and elsewhere.
Our enemies do not believe in the efficacy of prayer (or more precisely in its supernatural petitionary power), except perhaps as yogic chant for ‘centering’. We know it works.
Cardinal Burke’s suffering is fuel for grace (something else modernists discount). He is a grace factory for us.
Rorate has an excellent post up on living through a bad pope. It explains exactly what we must – and must not – do. The more obvious the purge – and it is now quite open – the clearer the delineation between faithful clerics and the other kind. This makes it easier for the faithful to see the field of battle.
Please stop reading comments at those trash sites – to what end? We should be glad they don’t pretend to be faithful Catholics anymore. We will pray for them, while adopting a few of their own tried and true tactics, not making the error of practicing false obedience. Cardinal Burke will show us, I am certain, where precisely the lines are; when we must obey and when we must not obey ecclesiastical authorities.
So…this is ‘our tribulation’, our Arianism, our Reformation, … Our time.
. . . Regarding smear – no question. And what a fitting descriptive the word smear is to describe that type of campaign or process :I believe it was St. John Vianney – (quoted in a little booklet I read entitled “Thoughts of the Curé of Ars”) who likened calumniators and slander-slingers to a snail or slug which always leaves a trail of slime everywhere it goes.
The mainstream media and those other media outlet types who pretend to be Catholic to gain an advantage in peddling their poison ideal to the faithful , will probably continue , in the hope of convincing even more of them. But , hold on just a second ! Who is them?
I believe them, is actually us in some respects. Aren’t we doing these profferers of prevarication a service, by promoting roughly 50% of what they are saying – if we become a little too rash in trying to pin all the blame on Pope Francis too ? Isn’t that part of what they’ve been quick to assert all along ? Are we helping their cause when we jump to parrot it in posts, comments, etc, without pausing to think of the consequences ?
It’s a nice convenient position – isn’t it ? . . . to say it’s all Pope Francis’ fault (with maybe a slightly less-than-honourable mention re. Cardinal Kasper too) . But it takes more than 2 individuals to orchestrate what they tried to pull off during the synod . And let’s be logical for a moment : If you can get the top guy, the Commander in Chief, to agree with your ideas, then why would there be much need for orchestration at all ? The whole idea with verbal engineering is to disguise the ideas and try to sneak them by everyone while they’re on the table of proposal.
I read a 3-day-old National Catholic Register article today that made me take an extra step back even further from that position of pinning it all on Pope Francis. Dr. Ed Peters’ comments are included in the article, and so are those of Father Joseph Fox – one of the world’s most renowned experts in Canon law. He thinks people are making a little too much out of the “Pope Francis did it because. . . ” theory/theories.
Here, it would appear we’ve already given all our best conspiracy theories as to who and why , and it has even been expressed/hinted here (in Father Z’s comboxes) by some of us that we know better than the Church -concerning who is in charge, and what they should do – which comes perilously close to converging on, “we know better than God.” – Seriously, if we’re saying who would make a better pope, or we know better what the world needs right now, or who should be the next pope (while we still have one) , we’re right there on the edge of the line. If we understand Pope Benedict XVI’s stepping down to be something exceptional in the history of the Church, then what are we implying (even inadvertently) by saying that Pope Francis’ tenure will not last long ? In other words, what usually happens to a pope just before he is replaced ? ( Here’s a hint, although the sentiment is not expressed explicitly, implicitly one possible interpretation basically becomes the opposite of “Ad multos annos”).
Maybe we should rein it in a little ( I know I personally need to start praying more and reading and writing less) . But what I mean by rein it in, is let’s take a look at what we know – instead of what we inagine- at the circumastances both through the eyes of the Canon law expert Father Joseph Fox, and then also through the eyes of Cardinal Burke himself – and carefully consider what he has to say in his own words . An excerpt from that National Catholic Register article follows with a link:
EXCERPT :
Did everybody catch that one ? Cardinal Burke said [paraphrase] “. . . what God has called me to do” – not, “. . . what Pope Francis is forcing me not to do.”
If we really want to make a difference and to help, then I believe one of the things which needs to appear near the top of our “things to do for Cardinal Burke” list , is for us to also “begin the next phase of our lives with prayer” too.
Cardinal Burke Officially Transferred From Apostolic Signature
Dear Father Z:
You keep referring to these types as “liberals”. I must say I agree with Dennis Prager and economist Walter Williams that there is nothing liberal, and certainly nothing of the classical liberal outlook, about the secular or clerical progressives. In the Church or in the world, they are the Left. Period.
Grumpy, that was a great post! Thank you.
‘Passion for vestments’ is code for ‘closet homosexual’.
That’s what’s so appalling. Whenever the MSM start criticising someone for their taste in vestments and their liturgical preferences, it’s all knowing looks and nudges from there, for those who know what this code stands for.
Damien Thompson said last week in the Spectator, citing a ‘Vatican source’, that Burke thought he was like St John Fisher.
I think this was a bitchy thing to say, but there’s often real truth buried in things like that – Burke IS the closest thing to St John Fisher we have right now.
Didn’t essentially the same College of Cardinals elect both Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis?
NoraLee9 says:
11 November 2014 at 11:39 am
I had a rather strange conversation yesterday. I see a (Jewish) therapist twice a month. It’s rather pro-forma for someone of my generation. My City coverage pays for it and she’s not stupid, so why not? But what she said to me not to me right off my chair. She asked me if I didn’t think someone would try to assassinate the Pope. I asked, “And who do you think would do such a thing?”
“Why, the traditionalists, of course.” And she had just asked me about Crdl Burke. This was the impression she had drawn from the MSM.
anna 6 says:
11 November 2014 at 12:54 pm
I am still baffled as to why Pope Francis would encourage bishops at the synod to speak up without fear of reprisal and then subsequently attempt to silence Burke, presumably on potential changes in the annulment process as well as the next synod.
Also, why do these journalists frame Burke as a opposed to Francis’ “reforms”? Would changes in marriage and reception of Holy Communion be termed as “reforms”?
This is pretty much the way Trads are portrayed after this whole affair by the press everywhere (not the murder attempt and so).
I write from Latam where traditionalists are a inperceptible minority here for some reason, as are extreme libs .The common catholic person who goes to Church on Sundays, complies with what Church mandates , raises his kids in the faith sends them to catholic schools (most kids go to catholic schools here) sand so , and the priests also, are sort of in the middle, centered if you could call it that.And that I believe is the wide mayority of the 50% of world catholics that live in LatinAmerica.
This whole thing with Crdl Burke ‘s interviews and so on has not done any good to the trad side.
Not a single paper reported this without the words “The Cardinal who opposed PF” Or the “ultraconsevative who attacked PF” and so. And I checked a few believe me.
I also believe after PF , LAtam will play a much much bigger role in the next conclave.
Something heard here for years, until now of course is “how come we stand for half the church and do not have say in this?”
And that I’m afraid will mean a politically”neutral” Pope will have to be chosen
In the meantime, the libs are more then happy I suppose when talk of schism, Pope bashing and all the rest, just sitting back and enjoying the show.
Deirdre wrote: “I find it unbelievable that the Pope would ‘punish’ or ‘demote’ someone by moving him from a job that he finds less important (internal church matters) to one that he keeps saying needs to be put back at the center of our mission (missionary work. outreach. charity to the marginalized.)”
Well, that is an interesting thought. Of all “internal church matters”, it seems apparent that Pope Francis cares least about fine-tuned judgments based on canon law. Maybe he thinks Card. Burke’s stalwart faithfulness and calm demeanor would be put to better use at a missionary organization. (And maybe he’s right.)
Here is a College Professor and member of the council for religious liberty in Argentina, giving an interview to Infobae an important Argentinian website. If you speak, understand or read spanish, take a look.This is what is being made of the whole “traditional reaction” so to speak:
In Argentina and most of Latam is not much differerent. I’m afraid,
http://www.infobae.com/2014/11/11/1608145-hay-personas-que-quieren-que-este-papa-se-vaya-o-incluso-se-muera-cuanto-antes
“there are people who want this pope to leave or die ASAP”
I mean , this man is not Kasper, Gutierrez or Lenin, however , just a regular catholic and guess who or about what sector of the Church he is talking about??
Deirdre Mundy says:
11 November 2014 at 10:14 am
Can someone please explain something to me?
As Cardinal Bergoglio, Francis was a huge opponent of Gay Marriage and Gay Adoption, saying it would destroy the family. He also opposed giving communion to por-abort politicians.
So…. what seems more likely?
Crdl Begoglio wrote a famous letter to the Carmelites asking for their help in the fight against the SSM bill in Argentina;
http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2010/07/may-holy-family-join-us-in-this-war-of.html
<on communion for pro abortion politicians or "catholics" He led the Aparecida meeting of Latam bishops wrote or inspired the doc that was issued:
"We should commit ourselves to “eucharistic coherence”, that is, we should be conscious that people cannot receive holy communion and at the same time act or speak against the commandments, in particular when abortion, euthanasia, and other serious crimes against life and family are facilitated. This responsibility applies particularly to legislators, governors, and health professionals."
“These are the guidelines we need for this time in history,” the pope wrote to the bishops.
According to LifeSiteNews, Pope Francis emphasized use of the Aparecida Document as a framework in a letter to the Argentine Assembly of Bishops sent in late March. In 2007, then-Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio–now Pope Francis–first presented the document on behalf of the bishops of Latin America.
Cardinal Bergoglio was highly critical of those who promoted the “death sentence” of abortion for unborn children in Argentina. His criticism peaked following a clandestine abortion performed on a mentally disabled woman with the assistance of the nation’s health minister."
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2013/05/04/Pope-Francis-Urges-Argentine-Bishops-To-Follow-Document-Restricting-Communion-For-Pro-Abortion-Individuals
Deirdre Mundy says:
11 November 2014 at 10:14 am
Can someone please explain something to me?
As Cardinal Bergoglio, Francis was a huge opponent of Gay Marriage and Gay Adoption, saying it would destroy the family. He also opposed giving communion to por-abort politicians.
So…. what seems more likely?
http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2010/07/may-holy-family-join-us-in-this-war-of.html
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2013/05/04/Pope-Francis-Urges-Argentine-Bishops-To-Follow-Document-Restricting-Communion-For-Pro-Abortion-Individuals
Allan S wrote:
Cardinal Burke displays such obvious inner peace that he can handle whatever the evil one and his enablers within the Church throw. He’s the lightening rod, is he? Excellent – bring it on. While our pagan enemies hurl lighting bolts at his back, we will subversively undermine our enemies on battlefields we control much more that previously: in the seminaries, in the pews and elsewhere.
I think it’s wise to pray for Cardinal Burke and not assume that he can handle whatever the evil one and his enablers within the Church throw without God’s help. I think all priests are targets for evil… lightening rods …. and therefore all of them need God’s help. We (the laity) need to pray for them.. and ask for intercession on their behalf. Further, they are human and their suffering is real…. It’s difficult to watch gentle souls who genuinely care for others suffer.
In general, I’m stunned that the Left direct their venom at someone like Cardinal Burke but cannot summon the will or desire to go after the truly evil in the world …….
Every time this happens I’m surprised again….
aviva meriam says:
11 November 2014 at 10:26 pm
“In general, I’m stunned that the Left direct their venom at someone like Cardinal Burke but cannot summon the will or desire to go after the truly evil in the world …….
Every time this happens I’m surprised again….”
Imagine for a second, the catholic Church laity divided in 3 sectors, by 3 lines: on the left, you have the hardline left liberals, some 10% with press support worldwide? draw a line , in the center, you have some 70% of “common” observant catholics, not politicized in terms of church politics,n not very familiar with Curia intrigues, names like Kasper , Burke,. Pell etc, draw a line , on the rifght you have the traditionlists side, some 20%, normally with little worldwide press on their side.
After all this, the line between the first line, between the left and the center, has almost vanished, unwillingly, since there is a precipice between these 2 sectors, thanks to the press handling of the Burke interviews, a skilful scheme by the libs and trad “soccer world final” reaction unfortunately.
Re: the idea that Pope Francis has moved Cardinal Burke “to a place where his gifts can be used more effectively for the poor, etc.”, I’m reminded of an old adage:
Isn’t it possible to walk and chew gum at the same time?
As I think this through, the “Pope Francis is intending to empower Cardinal Burke” idea seems less and less credible. What, exactly, forbids the Patron of the Knights of Malta from being on the Congregagion for Bishops (as one example)? What, for that matter, prevents the Patron of the Knights of Malta (a position which has been held by elderly, mostly-inactive Cardinals, and seems not to require much time and energy in its current form) from holding the position of Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura at the same time?
Look at those, one at a time:
1) Removing Cardinal Burke from the Congregation of Bishops also removed an orthodox, tradition-friendly, liturgically-sensible, Canon 915-enforcing (mirabile dictu!) vote from the congregation… which has grave implications, especially given his replacament, Cardinal Wuerl. (Yes, I know–“standard term lengths”, etc., etc.–we all know that the Holy Father has no obligation NOT to re-appoint whomever he likes, wherever he likes.) Sorry, but that doesn’t pass the “smell” test, for me. Cardinal Burke’s removal makes no sense (for good or ill) without the idea that Pope Francis simply doesn’t care to have bishops of Cardinal Burke’s type on the Congregation, and wants more of the type of Cardinal Wuerl.
2) Re: the idea that Cardinal Burke could (hope against hope) have been made Patron of the Knights of Malta for the express purpose of making the Knights of Malta a “greater force in the world): there are two other adages which come to mind:
“A bird (cardinal) in the hand (i.e. in the Congregation for Bishops, and Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura) is worth two in the bush (Malta).”
“No matter how much lipstick you put on a pig, it’s still a pig.” (I.e. the dream that Pope Francis has intentionally done a good thing re: Cardinal Burke and NOT done an intentional bad thing, is just that: a dream… and a non-plausible one, IMHO.)
It’s possible that Cardinal Burke may well do wonderful, unexpected things with the Knights of Malta (and with his “newfound free time”); but–despite the fact that I love the Holy Father and pray for him daily–I see no logical reason to attribute that fact to Pope Francis’ intentions.
Grumpy Beggar quotes Fr. Joseph Fox:
“But Father Fox, who deeply admires Cardinal Burke’s work as a canonist, suggested that ‘some people are making too much of this change. He has had a standard five-year term of office.’
‘Also, he was kept in office for more than one full year by the Pope,’ Father Fox said. ‘That says the Pope was not in a hurry to remove Cardinal Burke.’ ”
A similar sentiment has been posted in comments at Mark Shea’s blog and it got me pondering. Is everything really copacetic, after all?
I had no problem with Card. Burke being removed from the Signatura. When I first heard of it, I just thought that he had been there a while, so this was just the usual move – no biggy.
That is not the problem, however, is it? He could have been sent some place else, but where he was placed looks, at least to the secular world who does not know anything inside the Vatican, as a demotion, because in most other jobs, it would be considered being put out to pasture. Would it not have been prudent to wait a few months after the Synod so that it would not be so easy to cry, “post hoc, ergo propter hoc,” in the media (is this, really, Monday morning quarterbacking on my part)? More than that, he has been moved to a position that few really know (outside of the Church and even then…) even exists. While some may think this frees him up to speak his mind, in reality, it says, at least to the secular world, that he has no position of authority at all, so his opinions need not be recognized. This action has, at least from a secular point of view, the same effect as cutting off the microphone at the synod or Vatican II. Without a bully pulpit, Card. Burke will quickly fade into the Traditionalist background. In other words, he will be yesterday’s news.
Also, is he even eligible to vote or participate in next year’s synod? I don’t know. Can someone clarify.
In any case, because of both the timing and the position, this looks like, at least to the secular world, anything other than business as usual. That is something that might have been taken into account when the world was so focused on the Synod. So, no, I don’t think this is just a case where an ordinary event was simply misinterpreted by the secular media. It might have been an ordinary event, but these are not ordinary times. This event was not simply misinterpreted by the secular media – it was easily misinterpreted by the secular media – too easily. It is ironic that the some in the Church seem to want to ignore the outside world in their own little Vatican enclave, but insist that It still go out among the sheep. It is sort of like picking up the sheep in a hazmat suit, isn’t it, though? For good or ill, if one is to have the smell of the sheep, one must recognize, at the same time, where that smell comes from and try not to step in it.
I could be wrong, so I will await the correction or agreement of time. I really hate to make remarks in areas I, clearly, have no experience or expertise about. It’s just that I was wondering if the notion that this is something ordinary that has been blown to paranoid proportions is really true. These are my pondering at this moment, subject to better thought and information.
The Chicken
The Chicken
I just read that Card. Burke became a member of the Order of Malta in 2011, only 3 years ago: http://www.orderofmalta.int/news/75633/pope-francis-appoints-raymond-leo-burke-cardinalis-patronus-of-the-sovereign-order-of-malta/?lang=en
None of the other reports seem to mention this fact. In any case, it seems Card. Burke is already interested in the order and is familiar with the organization from the inside.
Maybe this fact doesn’t have implications beyond the above, but maybe not.
The Knights of Malta website has a news page welcoming Card. Burke. It notes that Card. Burke has been a member of the Knights of Malta since June 2011. I don’t remember reading this factoid in any of the news reports or analyses, but it seems like a relevant detail–it is an order that he recently joined, has an interest in, and is familiar with from the inside., and so the position is less “random” than I initially thought.
I suppose this fact doesn’t change the “sky is falling” or “Pope slams Burke” narratives, but I thought it interesting nonetheless.
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