Conservative Cardinal Burke loses another Vatican post

Pittsburgh Tribune ^ | 11/8/2014

[SeekAndFind]

VATICAN CITY — American Cardinal Raymond Burke, who championed campaigns to deny Holy Communion to Catholic politicians who support abortion, was removed by Pope Francis from another top Vatican post on Saturday.

The removal of Burke as head of the Holy See's supreme court was widely expected in Catholic Church circles.

While he was archbishop of St. Louis, from 2003 to 2008, he led fellow American bishops in campaigns to stop giving Holy Communion to Catholic politicians who support legalized abortion. He has questioned some of the pontiff's pronouncements and approaches.

Last year, Francis took Burke off the Vatican's powerful Congregation for Bishops, dealing with appointments of bishops worldwide.

On Saturday, he transferred Burke from the Vatican court job to the largely ceremonial post of patron of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, a charity whose activities include hospitals and residences for the elderly around the world.

Burke, 66, would have had a good decade remaining to continue serving in high-profile Vatican posts

[eater-of-toast]

I don’t believe that Francis thinks fancier trappings indicate more reverence for God. If he did he’d surely wear ostentatious garb, himself. Plus there’s the precedent of Francis having removed Limburg, Germany’s “Bishop of Bling.” However, I suspect Francis’ demotion of Burke has far more to do with certain of the latter’s outspoken social positions.

[Mrs. Don-o]

"I don’t believe that Francis thinks fancier trappings indicate more reverence for God."

Nobody believes Francis believes that.

"If he did he’d surely wear ostentatious garb, himself. Plus there’s the precedent of Francis having removed Limburg, Germany’s “Bishop of Bling.”"

The "Bishop of Bling" didn't get that nickname because he liked traditional liturgical vestments. It was because he spent a mind-boggling $40+ million on home renovations at his palatial pad. One item I rememeber: a $300,000 fish tank.

"However, I suspect Francis’ demotion of Burke has far more to do with certain of the latter’s outspoken social positions."

That's a matter of considerable controversy. Every head of the Apostolic Signatura (Burke's position) has had a 6-years-or-less tenure since the early 90's. Burke was rotated out at 6 years, right on schedule.

The surprise was that he went on to a much less prestigious post: Patron of he Knights o Malta, which entails very few official duties and usually considered a sinecure for old clerics who are being put out to pasture. Burke is a vigorous 66 and thought to be at the peak of his career.

My own personal hypothesis is as follows:

Pope Francis' choice of Burke's new assignment is one that positions him to land solidly on his feet. He now has no immediate ecclesiastic superior --- in other words, he doesn't have to run anybody else's errands. He is surrounded by an enthusiastic affinity group of wealthy and influential supporters. They already comprise a Christifideles Brigade, and he's been installed at the head of it.

Burke is now free to write for the popular as well as the academic press in any language, speak in London, celebrate the TLM in Austria, organize in Perth, agitate in Lisbon, publish in Navarre, address conferences in Lagos and Capetown, pray, work, and influence exactly as he is led by the Spirit to do so, and has been richly endowed with all the practical, temporal resources he would need to do just that.

I hardly think Francis is so stupid that he wouldn't realize that. So it falls within either Francis' positive or his permissive will.

The Pope has spoken out unambiguously on abortion, contraception, marriage and that he would "Never oppose the Successor of Peter."