Archbishop Raymond L. Burke, former archbishop of St. Louis and currently prefect of the Apostolic Signatura (the Vatican's highest court) has been named to the Congregation of Bishops, where he will have a great deal of say in who is chosen to become a bishop in the United States (along with Cardinal Bernard Law). Commentary on the appointment by Rocco Palmo and David Gibson. Palmo opines on Burke's potential influence in the Congregation. Gibson wonders if this, and other moves, show that the pope is "exorcising liberal demons" from the church.
Burke has been in the news of late speaking on a variety of topics--particularly in pro-life arena. After Senator Edward M. Kennedy's funeral, presided over by Cardinal Sean O'Malley and celebrated by J. Donald Monan, S.J., Burke noted that "One sees the hand of the Father of Lies at work in the disregard for the situation of scandal or in the ridicule and even censure of those who experience scandal." (It was, rightly or wrongly, taken as a strong rebuke of Cardinal O'Malley.) His 2004 article in America tackled the question of whether a Catholic politician who supports abortion rights can receive Communion. Today, CNS reported that in honor of the close of a conference on the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum, which expanded permission of the use of the 1962 Roman Missal (commonly called the Tridentine Rite), Burke celebrated the Mass at St. Peter's using the rite. CNS reports: Cardinal Angelo Comastri, archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica, said in a statement Oct. 19, "The Mass represented an extraordinary event, an event authorized on the occasion of the conference." The cardinal declined further comment, but another Vatican official said the Mass probably was the first pontifical high Mass using the 1962 rite to be celebrated in St. Peter's Basilica in almost 40 years.
I'm sure a new minor order of Train Bearer will be instituted as soon as practicable.
Attaboy, Byzeshawn: you must have passed cheerleading class with flying colors.
Not that anyone is keeping score, but mark me down one the "wrongly seen as a strong rebuke..." column.
AMDG,
Maybe it is really the time when we stop relying on Church, as we have defined it, to show the way.
Joe G. - As someone who is actively involed in ecumenical relations with the Othodox Churches, you might be surprised to learn that on the so-called social issues about which readers of this publication are most concerned, the Orthodox are in complete agreement with the Catholic Church. If you dislike "big, bad" Benedict, then Bartholomew will really drive you crazy.
Beth -none of us define the Church. It is an ontological reality. The way of the Church is Our Lord Jesus Christ. God have mercy on any who knowingly stop relying on the Way.
Glory to Jesus Christ! Long Live Pope Benedict!
Archbishop Burke, though, I find to be divisive. You're right, it is driving me to tears. It feels like I have lost my Church, and it seems like the "victors" are glad to see me go.
Pax,David
Given that Archbishop Burke's has been promoted yet again, it would seem that his style of communicating should be imitated. Therefore, I see no reason why Fr. Jim should take up a different style.
My comment relates to the prophesies of St. Malachy, which styles Benedict as the Glory of the Olive. That can be taken solely to mean his name, but it might predict other things as well. Many see it as a sign of unity between east and west. We shall certainly see.
It will be interesting to see what influence Burke has. I would not read too much into this. He could have been in the right place at the right time and asked to be considered for an open spot. It could also be that the Joseph Ratzinger of Vatican II might be putting conservatives in the position he found himself in under John Paul II, of taking actions he found personally distateful out of obedience. Time will tell. God often uses people as he intends, rather than as they intend.
I am sure Fr. Jim could rewrite this to reference some of Archbishop Burke's better qualities (which I am assuming he has in contrast to his public persona), but pointing out the negative is what gets the Archbishop what praise he gets. The article, however, is not Limbaugh-esque in any way. The facts that Fr. Jim has presented are not distortions.
Pax
I don't think it is the substance of Archbishop Burke's teaching, but the condemnatory tone of it that repels me. Any time a Church leader calls for excommunication of someone, people to pass judgment upon one another, or people to withhold communion from one another, he is not doing God's work.
In my case, this kind of behavior, which is not exclusive to Archbishop Burke, is what made me decide that being Catholic was not for me. But it is not just this. There is a lot of behavior in the Catholic Church that reminds me of siblings bickering. It is immature. It is self-centered. It shows a lack of consideration for its effects on others, and seems primarily to be emotional venting that I suspect comes from always having to see life in terms of prohibitions and infractions.
From my perspective, Fr. Jim writing positively on the Catholic faith would do nothing to counteract the negative effects of the various bishops and archbishops who are so outspoken and whose outrageous comments gets so much attention from the media. In fact, Fr. Jim, by making it clear that he is not blind to these shortcomings in the leadership of the Church, gives me hope on behalf of those members of my family who are Catholic.