[BlackElk]

The use of Cardinal as though it were a middle name is, I believe, a medievalism of which Catholic Traditionalists are proud. In England, for example, the eldest son of Edward III died of illness in 1366 one year before his father and became the first Prince of Wales NOT to succeed to the throne. His given name was Edward. He is known variously as Edward of Woodstock, the Black Prince, Edward, Prince of Wales and many other names. Today, he might have been known as Edward Plantagenet.

It is very remotely possible that two men with the surname Burke might simultaneously serve as Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church. In the 1950s, two brothers named Cicognani simultaneously served and were known respectively as Amleto Cardinal Cicognani and Gaetano Cardinal Cicognani. Amleto served as Secretary of State and Gaetano served as Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura (essentially chief justice of the Vatican's supreme court, the office currently held by Raymond Cardinal Burke). Those were and are two of the most important offices in the Vatican.

Personally, of course, I would prefer that after due, ummm inquiry, Pope Leo XIV might order Walter Cardinal Kasper and a number of similar miscreants, burned at the stake. Alas, as Cicero might observe: O Tempora, O Mores! We no longer exact the full measure of justice even at the Vatican.

[BillyBoy]

The excuse I've heard is they use the title in the middle as a "sign of humility", but that makes no sense whatsoever as the format is not used for any other type of clergy in the Catholic Church. Nobody says "Dave Father Smith", "Thomas Bishop Paprocki" or "John Pope Paul". So they're just not as "humble" as Cardinals are?

Since using Cardinal before the first name is also considered "correct" under canon law, frequently written as such, as it follows the format of all other titles in the world, I see no reason why they the Pope can't declare that form is the universal standard and do away with the ridiculous use of "Cardinal" like a middle name.

[BillyBoy]

Either it should be Leo Pope XIV ordering Walter Cardinal Kasper around or Pope Leo XIV ordering Cardinal Walter Kasper around. Then the use of titles would make sense.