Posted on 12/27/2015 10:10:12 AM PST by Mrs. Don-o
VATICAN CITY (ChurchMilitant.com) - The Holy See Press Office has a new vice director. Greg Burke, former Fox News correspondent and a member of Opus Dei, has been appointed deputy spokesman for the Pope, as announced by the Vatican Monday.
As of February 1, Burke --- a St. Louis, Missouri native ---will become the Pope's No. 2 spokesman, reporting directly to longtime head spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi. In addition to arranging press conferences and helping communicate information about Vatican activities, Burke will also step in for Lombardi when he is unavailable. The new appointment leaves the position of the current English language attache Fr. Thomas Rosica in question.
The Canadian priest and Basilian Father has effectively functioned as the English spokesman for the past several years, often appearing side by side with Fr. Lombardi during Vatican press conferences. His tenure has been dogged by controversy, however, with several high-profile gaffes that have sown doubt about his ability to represent the Holy See.
In February, Rosica threatened to sue Catholic blogger David Domet over criticisms he had made against the priest implying dishonest and unethical behavior. Rosica's attorney demanded that Domet take down the posts and remove all reference to Rosica or else suffer a lawsuit.
ChurchMilitant.com first reported on the incident, which soon spread throughout the Catholic Internet, leading to loud complaints on Catholic websites and news outfits about Fr. Rosica's petty bullying of a small-time blogger. After the public outcry, Fr. Rosica relented and withdrew his threat to sue.
In early October, Fr. Rosica caused scandal when he permitted a homosexualist dissenter into the Synod press conference to ask a question ---a rare privilege, and one that was repeated later on. Francis DeBernardo of New Ways Ministry --- a Catholic group that dissents on Church teaching on homosexuality and whose founder has been censured by the Vatican --- was granted a press pass, even though DeBernardo is a gay activist and not a journalist. Meanwhile, faithful Catholic journalists with legitimate media credentials were denied entry into the Synod press hall.
The action was seen as further proof of Rosica's attempts to sway Synod proceedings in favor of a homosexualist agenda; although Synod Fathers said homosexuality was hardly discussed in their meetings, Rosica presented a different picture as spokesman, offering multiple statements indicating that homosexuality was a major focus among the bishops.
This agenda was in evidence before the start of the Synod, when Fr. Rosica downplayed the controversial guest list for the Pope's visit to the White House. Although the list included LGBT activists, a gay Episcopal "bishop" and a dissident nun to greet the Pope, causing outrage among faithful Catholics, Rosica told the media: "I applaud the White House for having such a wonderful reception."
Father Rosica again made headlines that month for blocking numerous critics on social media. As prominent spokesman for the 2015 Synod on the Family, Catholic authors noted the impropriety of the "ideological purge" on Twitter, and a hashtag was even created for the phenomenon: #RosicaBlockParty, with a related Facebook page. To critics, the incident served as yet more evidence of Fr. Rosica's pettiness and lack of professionalism.
The English language spokesman was caught in a deliberate falsehood in early October when he claimed the Pope had not met privately with Kim Davis, the Kentucky clerk jailed for refusing to issue same-sex "marriage" licenses. Davis had become something of a conservative folk hero to those opposed to the gay agenda in America, and reports of the papal meeting were met with howls of protest from the liberal media and, conversely, shouts of victory from conservatives, who saw this as a major boost.
In the midst of the media flurry, Rosica stepped in and downplayed the significance of the meeting, claiming Davis had only been one among a number of other delegates that day, and that she hadn't received any special attention from the Holy Father. But Davis and her attorney went on record, with photos as evidence, confirming that the private meeting had indeed taken place, and that Pope Francis had encouraged her to "stay strong" in her fight against gay "marriage."
Whether Rosica will continue in his position as English spokesman for the Holy See remains to be seen, but with a new English speaker working directly under Fr. Lombardi, coupled with Fr. Rosica's numerous public gaffes and controversies, some are wondering whether Rosica's days are numbered.
Rosica is a crafty liberal Canadian who spins everything to the Left, distributes pro-LGBT propaganda points as a "senior unnamed Vatican source", threatened to sue bloggers who criticized him, AND trashed Kim Davis by saying her interview with, end endorsement by, Pope Francis last September either "never happened" or "didn't mean much."
Significantly, Greg Burke's old boss was Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone when he was Vatican secretary of state. Bertone was well aware of the way the press was "controlling the narrative"" on the papacy, accusing the secular media of "malicious will" and "intentional ignorance," likening them to controversial novelist Dan Brown because they "continue to invent fables or repeat legends."
So, this Burke appointment is a tack in the right direction. Burke will do better than Rosica. Almost anybody would do better than Rodent Rosica.
Yes, that was my first reaction, when I saw that he belonged to Opus Dei, and the whole article seems to confirm it.
The Pope takes a step to the right, for a change. Very good!
I’m not sure that sugar-coating a commie pope is really for the better.
I hold off celebrating until we see what happens with Fr Thomas Rosica -
I presume you have an example? Evidence? A link?
Let's see it.
Meanwhile, it's been well-documented that Rosica consistently distorted papal news in a leftward direction. You might try looking at a good example here, the way he made every effort to falsify Pope Francis' support for Kim Davis
I know what you mean. My own hope is that he will achieve the obscurity he so richly deserves.
Holy See Press Office issues statement on Pope's meeting with Kim Davis
Mrs. Don-o, there will be no evidence forthcoming. I know that. I’m willing to bet you know it too. Some people are just delusional. I’m not one of them. Neither are you. Others here? Well...
The only thing you latch onto in my statement is sugar-coat?
[shaking head] Why does a pope needs a PR genius and marketing mastermind to get him out of hot water? Perhaps what he says/does needs sugar-coating - see what I did there?
Here’s your link...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2511151/Pope-Francis-PR-genius-Greg-Burke-ex-journalist-belongs-Opus-Dei.html
There are others, too. Google and Bing are your friends.
Specifically: Lombardi did confirm that the meeting took place. But it was not on the published audience docket, did not involve an official Vatican press photograph, did not take much more than 5 - 10 minutes, and they did not discuss or endorse the "intricacies" of her particular case. So as far as that goes, Lombardi was factual.
Now, I'd be the first to note that the Lombardi statement was chilly to the point of frostbite. I'd have fired, er, replaced him as soon as I took office as Pope. If I were Pope. (That's called "augumentum ad absurdam".)
But the point is the Pope went out of his way to meet, support and express appreciation for Kim Davis. Nobody forced him nor duped him into doing that. The initiative came from Vigano at the Vatican Embassy, i.e. from the only man who officially represents Pope Francis and the Holy See n America.
Davis ended up being dragged around by the hair by the lying press, which was shameful, and then was not promptly and strongly defended by Pope Francis' spokesclerics, which is even more shameful.
Nevertheless, Pope Francis did meet with, support, and express his appreciation to her. Despite what Fr. Rosica tirely insinuated to the press, nobody twisted Pope Francis' arm or pulled the wool over his eyes to induce him to do that. The initiative, as Vigano said, came from Rome.
Now Vigano is in and Rosica, behold, is out.
I'm willing to rise and give an air-punch for that.
Yet Lombardi is still in place. Why the air punch?
Prayers for Greg Burke.
Amen!
Shugee, give me a break, yours was a one-sentence statement. There wasn't much to comment on except "sugar coating," since that's what you implied Greg Burke was doing or would do.
Greg Burke doesn't even assume his new Press Office job until Feb 1, 2016. He has a deserved reputation of being -- at the very least --- not a Leftist and not an incompetent. IMHO, It would be reasonable to wait and see what he actually says and does, before we start with the defamation.
:o)
Burke is in. I have two fists. I’ll give the second air-punch when Lombardi is out.
Good for you. I’ll join you when, and if, it happens; but I’m not holding my breath.
Lombardi is invaluable to Francis. Lombardi has pulled Bergoglio’s rear out of the fire numerous times.
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