Posted on 04/26/2007 7:01:11 AM PDT by NYer
Archbishop Raymond Burke denounced a Catholic charity Wednesday for scheduling a benefit-concert appearance by Sheryl Crow, who supports abortion rights.
Burke submitted his resignation as chairman of the board for the Cardinal Glennon Children's Foundation, saying the decision to let Crow sing on Saturday left him no other choice.
"It's very painful for me," Burke said during a news conference Wednesday. "But I have to answer to God for the responsibility I have as archbishop.
"A Catholic institution featuring a performer who promotes moral evil gives the impression that the church is somehow inconsistent in its teaching," Burke said.
Crow is set to appear at the 19th annual benefit for the Bob Costas Cancer Center at Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center. Costas will host the event, which will also feature comedian Billy Crystal.
Crow's publicist didn't return a message seeking comment Wednesday.
Event organizer Allen Allred said he was disappointed with Burke's decision, but that Crow would appear Saturday as scheduled.
"This is not an event that's about ideology," Allred said. "This is about helping kids."
Burke said it was a "scandal" to let Crow sing at the event and amounted to an act that could lead others to evil. He cited Crow's support for stem cell research and "procured abortion."
Crow appeared in television ads throughout Missouri last year asking voters to approve an initiative that enshrined the right to conduct stem-cell research in the state constitution.
Burke said he became aware of Crow's participation in the cancer benefit in February and asked other board members to cancel her appearance.
"They didn't accept my concerns," Burke said.
Allred said board members didn't honor Burke's request because they didn't want to play politics with performers at the annual event, which has featured big-name entertainers like Jay Leno in the past.
Costas released a statement supporting the board's decision.
"I have never applied a litmus test, Catholic or otherwise, concerning the politics or religious beliefs of any of the generous performers who have come to St. Louis to help this worthy cause, nor do I intend to ... ," Costas wrote.
Burke made national news during the 2004 U.S. presidential campaign by saying he would deny Communion to Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry, a Catholic who supports abortion rights. He later clarified the statement to say Catholics can vote for such candidates if they believe the candidate's stance on other moral issues outweighs the abortion-rights stance.
Abortion HURTS kids. 50 million dead in the US since Roe v. Wade.
How many kids will this concert help?
Don Imus is known for his camp for kids. If Don Imus had been a scheduled guest, would HE have been too controversial to appear these days?
Crow appeared in television ads throughout Missouri last year asking voters to approve an initiative that enshrined the right to conduct stem-cell research in the state constitution.
that's FETAL stem cell research!!, you moron AP reporter with your half-truths. The Church isn't against stem cell research, but takes exception to FETAL stem cell research.
If only more bishops would consider that before making decisions or public statements. May God continue to bless Archbishop Burke.
God Bless Archbishop Raymond Burke.
He does not bargain with what is evil in order to appease!
He walks the walk.
We need more bishops like him.
I’m impressed.
I’m not impressed by this organization, though. It’s definitely a worthy cause, but they can’t strike a deal with the devil over it.
Nobody’s requiring a “litmus test.” It might be one thing for the organization to invite performers without asking their opinion on these matters. But it’s certainly another when they invite somebody who has loudly and publicly made her (extremely unacceptable) views known.
This was a challenge to Burke. I think he met it.
I love this bishop!!!!!
Thank you for this Archbishop. Right is right. He understands that and lives it.
Allen Allred..lawyer..CINO..checked-pants Nancy Reagan Republican (”damn pro-lifers”)
Abp Burke has opened himself to a lot of community criticism in this, and done it without any fear or concern. He’s no Rigali, evidently.
I applaud Archbishop Burke’s decision as far as it goes. However, there is a question: Is the Cardinal Glennon Children’s Foundation officially affiliated with the archdiocese?
I would suspect that it is, since the Archbishop was on the board. If so, then it would have been even better had Archbishop Burke simply refused to allow the event to take place under the Foundation’s auspices. He *is* the archbishop, after all. Sure, it would probably create a huge inconvenience and all that, but think of the “teaching moment” he would have!
If the Foundation is not officially affiliated with the archdiocese, or was at one time but the connections have since been severed, then this event is prime evidence for why “Catholic-sounding names” should be removed from purely secular institutions or concerns. The threat of scandal is always there when the Catholic Church “appears” to be connected with institutions that do not share its worldview, and behave accordingly. If the Foundation has no connection to the archdiocese, then Archbishop Burke was entirely right to resign from its board, and has taken the “teaching moment” as far as it can go.
Unfortunately, the archbishop cannot control private corporations just because they have “Catholic-sounding names.”
The best he can do is demonstrate moral authority, which is what he is doing.
I would like the nominate the good Bishop to be the Co-Adjutor of LA, thoughts?
How about immediate successor right now!!! And may the Pope appoint the current Cardinal Creep in LA as Cardinal Archbishop of Timbuktu. (Don’t mean to be mean to the Tuareg by recommending that.)
While it would certainly be a tremendous grace for LA, it would upset those of us in St Louis who would prefer that he remain here...
Hence my question wondering about the distinction. If it is *not* a private corporation, and is, in fact, an arm of the archdiocese, then he could stop the show, period. If it is not controlled by the archdiocese, then, clearly, he does not have the power to stop the show outright, and he has done the best he can. However, this second scenario underscores the problem of having Catholic names associated with secular outfits. Both Archbishop Burke and the rest of the Ordinaries of dioceses might want to look at this situation and insist that secular concerns and foundations divest themselves of Catholic terminology in their names.
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