Bishop Takes Queen

Riverfront Times ^ | August 25, 2004 | Malcolm Gay

[corpus]

BISHOP TAKES QUEEN Raymond Burke is highly traditional. That's why he received the final vows of a transgendered nun. By Malcolm Gay

Archbishop Raymond Burke might be a favored son of the Vatican, but interviews with more than a dozen priests reveal that as father to his former flock in La Crosse, his neo-conservative eccentricities alienated a large number of the clergy and the laity alike. "He's left a presbyterate that's demoralized and divided," says one former diocesan priest who spoke to Riverfront Times on condition he not be named in print. "For many years the priests in La Crosse were very unified. We didn't agree with one another, but anybody could sit down with anybody and carry on a civil conversation. That's history now, and I lay that at the doorstep of Ray Burke."

So strongly did some priests feel about Burke that at least two left the diocese in protest. "I can no longer minister as a priest in this diocese and retain a sense of integrity," writes Richard Dickman, former pastor of St. Mary Parish in Tomah, Wisconsin, in a letter to parishioners explaining his departure in 2001. "I find that my conscience is in conflict with the vision of ministry characterized by the bishop I have promised to obey. I am in an impossible position."

Certainly, Burke's construction of the $25 million Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe drew wide opposition, and his abrupt withdrawal from Church World Services' annual Crop Walk made him more than a few enemies. But it was his gathering of fringe religious orders to the diocese that alienated many priests.

"He brought in any number of people -- hermits we called them, or consecrated virgins and religious orders of one and two and three people," says the priest who requested anonymity. "They were just -- forgive me for saying so -- but to most of us they were wackos. They're just psychologically not well equipped, and he brought these people in because theologically they agree with him."

At times his theological allegiance with these orders placed Bishop Burke in some compromising positions. Most striking, perhaps, was the case of Sister Julie Green, a member of the Franciscan Servants of Jesus:

"Julie Green is living a lie!" writes Mary Therese Helmueller in an October 25, 2002, letter to Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo, Papal Nuncio to the United States. "[She] is a transsexual, a biological male. He is really Joel Green, who had a sex operation to make him physically appear as a woman.... I fear that The Church in America will suffer another 'sex scandal' if Julie Green continues to be recognized as a Catholic Religious Sister, and if Bishop Raymond L. Burke receives his final vows, as a religious sister, on November 23rd, 2002."

Montalvo forwarded the letter to Burke, who on November 20, 2002, replied to Helmueller. "With regard to Sister Julie Green, F.S.J., the recognition of the association of the faithful which she and Sister Anne LeBlanc founded was granted only after consultation with the Holy See," he writes. "These are matters which are confidential and do not admit of any further comment.... I can assure you that Sister Julie Green in no way espouses a sex change operation as right or good. In fact, she holds it to be seriously disordered. Therefore, I caution you very much about the rash judgments which you made in your letter to the Apostolic Nuncio."

Adds Burke: "I express my surprise that, when you had questions about Sister Julie Green, you did not, in accord with the teaching of our Lord, address the matter to me directly."

Green and the Franciscan Servants weren't the only controversial religious order with which Burke allied himself. In the late 1990s, the bishop combined the parishes of St. Mary and St. James in Wausau, Wisconsin. The two parishes formed the Resurrection Parish at what was formerly St. James' Parish.

St. Mary's was sold. Burke then asked the conservative Latin-rite religious order, Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, to perform the Tridentine Mass at what was formerly St. Mary's. In February 2002, the order's superior, Monsignor Timothy Svea, pleaded guilty to exposing himself to and molesting teenage boys.

"What never really got any attention was that Bishop Burke brought them in," says a second priest who asked not to be named. "That's really a sore point for a lot of people in Wausau."

END

[NYer]

The RFT is the most worthless rag in th country.

Hey .... it may not be worthy enough to wrap fish but, as a "NYer", I would challenge the words "most worthless". The NYT could win that category. Here is how the RFT describe themselves.

The Riverfront Times was founded in 1977 as St. Louis's alternative newsweekly. Since then, we've cultivated an audited weekly circulation of 100,000. Because of the pass-along nature of the RFT, our weekly reach is more than a quarter of a million readers.

The Riverfront Times focuses on the issues that are important to St. Louis's young adults. Each week, hundreds of thousands of readers turn to the RFT for award-winning journalism, powerful investigative reporting, news and commentary on local politics, and the most comprehensive arts and entertainment coverage in the St. Louis area.

* * * * *

If this article represents their best attempt to dig up dirt on the good archbishop, it's no wonder their circulation is so poor. As to the "names" posted in this 'flagship edition of moral depravity', how seriously can one take them? Written BY MALCOLM GAY, with a testimonial from Richard Dickman?!

Puhlease!!! Garbage like this doesn't even deserve 1k of commentary from any of us. This thread should have ended with Girlshortstop's rebuttal in post #2.

[NYer]

I recall you defending to the HILT the Bishop of Rochester (?)--something about a priest who committed suicide after a little go-round with the Bish...

That would be Albany, not Rochester, though these two bishops are good friends since seminary, were positioned in their respective episcopates 27 years ago, and both adhere to an ultra liberal agenda.

The victim of a 'purported suicide' was Fr. Minkler, an orthodox priest, who returned from a retreat to find a message from the chancery advising him to get his butt down there asap. He was met by the bishop's legal assistant, handed a document denying that he wrote a report to Cardinal O'Connor on the scandals in this diocese, and told to sign it. He was found dead the next day, face down on a blanket placed on the kitchen floor - you know, the 'typical' suicide ( /sarcasm).

[Diva]

This is a "hit piece."

[AAABEST]

Gee, here I was thinking that if there's one thing nearly all Catholics here can agree on it's that Burke is a standup Bishop and leader.

Must you always be the one to take the most ridiculous position on everything?

[GirlShortstop]

If this article represents their best attempt to dig up dirt on the good archbishop, it's no wonder their circulation is so poor. As to the "names" posted in this 'flagship edition of moral depravity', how seriously can one take them? Written BY MALCOLM GAY, with a testimonial from Richard Dickman?!

ROTFLMAO!!  Have a great day NYer.  :-)

[Desdemona]

Somehow it doesn't surprise me that the RFT and the NCR are on the same side.

BTW, the morale among priests here, so far as I can tell, hasn't changed. When Lindell isn't looking (that would be the Chancery) they do as they darn well please.

[Desdemona]

When I read some of the titles on the home page, I realized that this paper is not what I would want to leave laying around on the family room table. Hardly a reputable source from what I can see.

The RFT is basically a tabliod which has the sole purpose of causing as much trouble for the establishment as possible.

[GirlShortstop]

When Lindell isn't looking (that would be the Chancery) they do as they darn well please.

Ugh.  The best I can muster is... JACKA$$ES!  

O my Jesus, I beg You on behalf of the whole Church:

Grant it love and the light of Your Spirit and give power to the words of priests so that hardened hearts might be brought to repentance and return to You, O Lord.

Lord, give us holy priests; You Yourself maintain them in holiness.
O Divine and Great High Priest, may the power of Your mercy accompany them everywhere and protect them from the devil's traps and snares which are continually being set for the souls of priests.
May the power of Your mercy, O Lord, shatter and bring to naught all that might tarnish the sanctity of priests, for You can do all things.
I ask You, Jesus, for a special blessing and for light for the priests before whom I will make my confessions throughout my lifetime.
Amen.

[johnb2004]

A smear job. If you stand with Christ, they will hate you. The perverts can't stomach that there is an authentic Shepherd willing to speak the truth.

[ninenot]

Burke was quite clear in his response to the complainant--that Rome had approved this deal.

So, although I have my doubts about the veracity of the claim in the first place, that's irrelevant--Roma locuta est, causa finita est.

It is possible that Rome and Burke know more about this than the complainant--and CERTAINLY more than any of us, at this time, pending the investigation of Pyro.

[johnb2004]

It is true. This entire piece is about that stuff and by those who worship that stuff.

[ninenot]

Everything east of Lake Michgan is sort of a blur except NYC and DC.

Just couldn't pull up from memory which of those two twit-Bishops was the one in question...

But they are BOTH Friends of Rembert, which has its connotations.

[GirlShortstop]

It is possible that Rome and Burke know more about this than the complainant--and CERTAINLY more than any of us, at this time, pending the investigation of Pyro.

Your point made me ponder:  I wonder who the holy person is/was that served as Our Lord's instrument in turning Sister Julie Green's misguided [mis-gendered? :-)] heart to Him.  It seems plausible that there is a miracle in this story.

On that thought... off to get to the weekend!  Pax et bonum FRiends.

[sinkspur]

Sometimes I have to laugh, niner.

If it's somebody you like, you'll twist yourself into a knot defending behavior, no matter how bizarre.

Let me see if I understand. No homosexual men in Catholic seminaries, but a man who turns himself into a woman is OK in a religious order for women.

Isn't a transgender just a legitimized cross-dresser?

[ninenot]

I'll HELP you understand: Rome has officially pronounced that no homosexuals should be admitted to the priesthood, (or the seminary for that matter.)

Rome has also (apparently) indicated that this deal, whatever it is, is OK with them.

Please note the common element: Roman statement.

That's not real hard, is it?

[sinkspur]

OK. The next time Rome overlooks some blatant transgression that you disagree with, I will remind you that Rome knows best.

[sitetest]

Dear sinkspur,

Archbishop Burke has stated that there is more here than meets the eye, and that Rome is aware of it. He states that it is of a confidential nature.

Why would we not give Archbishop Burke the benefit of the doubt in this?

Also, Archbishop Burke assures us that the person in question "in no way espouses a sex change operation as right or good. In fact, she holds it to be seriously disordered."

Do you say that he is lying? On what basis?

It appears that the facts in this case are not really known, and it appears that they may not be suspectible to public knowledge. Thus, we ought to avoid characterizations like this:

"Let me see if I understand. No homosexual men in Catholic seminaries, but a man who turns himself into a woman is OK in a religious order for women."

We really don't know what the story is.

Do you disagree?


sitetest

[sinkspur]

We really don't know what the story is.

Mary Therese Helmueller, a Burke friend, apparently knows what the story is, and wrote the Papal Nuncio over it.

One can always repent over anything. But the fact that this is "confidential" and there "is more here than meets the eye" simply confirms the story to me. What is intrinsically disordered to Sister Julie now may not have been when she had the surgery. So, she's had a conversion.

If it's OK now to accept repentant transgendereds into religious orders, why not come out and say so? If Rome says it's OK, then let's say it.

Would you go to confession to a transgendered priest?

[sitetest]

Dear sinkspur,

You presume far too much.

I don't care if Ms. Helmueller is Archbishop Burke's friend or not. That doesn't mean she knows the whole story. In fact, she may have overheard snippets of things and badly mangled the truth by badly putting together individual facts in ways that they don't actually relate one to the other.

"One can always repent over anything. But the fact that this is 'confidential' and there 'is more here than meets the eye' simply confirms the story to me."

Then you have made leaps of logic not justified by the facts. I don't care to speculate, but I can think of at least one or two circumstances that could have given rise to this story, but nonetheless wouldn't support the view that this is a "transgendered" person.

As to "accepting transgendered persons into religious orders," there is an inherent difficulty related to the priesthood that don't present in mere admittance to religious orders. An individual born a woman who has surgery to "become" a man is not ontologically a man, and thus cannot be validly ordained.

This is an insuperable difficulty not present in merely accepting someone into a religious order.


sitetest