Raymond Leo Burke
Encyclopedia
Raymond Leo Burke is an American
Cardinal
of the Holy Roman Church
. He is the current Cardinal Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura
, having previously served as Archbishop of St. Louis (2003–2008) and Bishop of La Crosse
(1994–2003).
, the youngest of the six children of Thomas (died July 21, 1956) and Marie (died February 29, 1996) Burke, on June 30, 1948. He was Baptized
on July 11. The family later moved to Stratford, Wisconsin
. From 1962-68 he attended the Holy Cross Seminary in La Crosse
. From 1968-71, he studied at The Catholic University of America
in Washington, D.C.
as a Basselin scholar and received the degrees Bachelor of Arts
(1970) and Master of Arts
(1971), both in Philosophy.
He is a member of the Board of Trustees
of that university. He then completed his studies for the priesthood at the Pontifical Gregorian University
in Rome
from 1971 to 1975, where he received the degrees Bachelor of Sacred Theology
(1974) and Master of Arts (1975). Pope Paul VI
ordained
Burke to the priesthood
on June 29, 1975, at Saint Peter's Basilica.
. He also taught religion at Aquinas High School
in La Crosse, where a new addition built in 1996–1997, the Bishop Burke Hall, was named in his honor. From 1980 to 1984, Burke studied canon law
at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, where he received his license
(1982) and doctorate
(1984). He then returned to La Crosse and was named the Moderator of the Curia as well as the Vice Chancellor of the La Crosse Diocese. In 1989, Pope John Paul II
assigned Burke to be the first American Defender of the Bond of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, the highest ecclesiastical court
in the Catholic Church, apart from the Pope himself.
, consecrating him to the episcopate on January 6, 1995 in St. Peter's Basilica. Bishop Burke took possession of the See
of La Crosse on February 22, 1995. During his time in La Crosse, he founded the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe
designed by Duncan G. Stroik
, in collaboration with River Architects. In 2000, Bishop Burke convened the fifth diocesan synod
for the Diocese of La Crosse. Synod V, Acts: celebrated June 11–14, 2000/ Diocese of La Crosse, published by the Diocese of La Crosse, (circa 2003) were the documents of the fifth diocesan synod that were published. He was also named a Knight Commander with Star of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre
in 1997 and received the Canon Law Society of America
's Role of Law award in 2000. In 2002, Bishop Burke was influential in founding the Canons Regular of the New Jerusalem
, an order of Augustinian canons dedicated to the traditional form of the liturgy.
During his tenure as Bishop of La Crosse, Burke was inspired to construct a shrine near La Crosse on the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas. As part of the Shrine, the spacious church, designed in the Renaissance style, was dedicated on July 31, 2008. The archbishop has also installed a prominent shrine to the Sacred Heart in the diocesan cathedral, reflecting his desire to foster the sacred arts and to encourage spiritual devotions which have long been characteristic of Catholicism. Cardinal Burke remains director of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine, even though currently residing in Rome, Italy.
He served as the Bishop of La Crosse until December 2, 2003, when he was named as successor to Cardinal Justin Francis Rigali (who had been appointed to be the Archbishop of Philadelphia) as Archbishop of St. Louis. He was formally installed on January 26, 2004. Not long thereafter, Burke was presented with the pallium
on June 29, 2004 by Pope John Paul II. In St. Louis, Burke gave particular emphasis to the promotion of vocations to the ministerial priesthood; he also published a column in the archdiocesan weekly newspaper, the Saint Louis Review. In both La Crosse and St. Louis, Burke established oratories
for those who attend the Tridentine Rite. He invited traditionalist Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest
into his dioceses and ordained priests for the group both in the US and abroad. His ordination of two traditionalist priests on June 15, 2007, was the first time in 40 years that the Tridentine rite of ordination had been used in the cathedral. In July 2006, Pope Benedict XVI
appointed Burke to be a member of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura
, the highest court in the Catholic Church. He issued a statement, in line with Catholic moral precepts, opposing embryonic stem cell
research when an amendment to the Missouri Constitution that allows it was narrowly passed by voters there.
During his tenure in Saint Louis, Archbishop Burke was awarded two honorary
doctorates in humane letters
. One was from Ave Maria University
in 2005; the other was from Christendom College
in 2007.
On June 25, 2007, Burke accompanied Cardinal Seán Patrick O'Malley, Archbishop of Boston
, on a trip to Rome
, where the prelates reviewed Pope Benedict's impending motu proprio
Summorum Pontificum
granting any priest of the Roman Rite to celebrate the Latin Mass according to the Missal of Pius V (revised by John XXIII) without the permission of his bishop.
On May 6, 2008, Pope Benedict XVI named Burke to two Vatican offices, increasing Burke's already prominent stature in Rome. Burke was named a member of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts
, which authentically interprets
Canon Law
, and also became a member of the Congregation for the Clergy
, which regulates the formation and training of diocesan priests and deacons.
Archbishop Burke was the first non-European named to head the Tribunal within the Roman Curia
. The Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura exercises final appellate jurisdiction concerning conflicts occurring between two or more Vatican Congregations or Dicasteries, and appeals of administrative decisions rendered by diocesan bishops and Vatican Congregations.
With this appointment, Archbishop Burke became the tenth US native to serve in the Roman Curia. Upon the public announcement of the appointment by the Holy See, Archbishop Burke said: "I am deeply humbled by the trust which His Holiness
has placed in me, and, in priestly obedience
, I have pledge
d to serve our Holy Father
to the best of my abilities." He continued stating that "leaving the service of the Church in the Archdiocese of Saint Louis is most sad for me. It has been an honor and gift for me to serve the archdiocese over the past four years and five months."
His farewell Mass in the Archdiocese of St. Louis was held in the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis on Sunday, August 17, 2008. It was concelebrated by Bishops George Joseph Lucas
, Robert Joseph Hermann
, John Joseph Leibrecht
, John R. Gaydos
, Robert W. Finn
, Raymond James Boland
, and Kevin William Vann
. In addition, over seventy-five priests, fifty seminarians, a full honor guard of the Knights of Columbus
(over 60 members), and over fifty Knights and Dames of the Order of Malta were in attendance.
Like all heads of departments of the Roman Curia
, Cardinal Burke is a member also of various other offices in the Curia. The appointments are for five years and are renewable. Being resident in Rome, he is invited to attend not only the plenary meetings of those departments, which in principle are held every year, but also the ordinary meetings. Thus on May 6, 2008, Burke was appointed a member of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts
, which authentically interprets
canon law, and of the Congregation for the Clergy
, which regulates the formation and training of diocesan priests and deacons; on October 17, 2009, of the Congregation for Bishops
, the curial body charged with overseeing the appointment of most but not all Latin Rite bishops outside mission territories.http://www.americamagazine.org/blog/entry.cfm?blog_id=2&id=44750852-3048-741E-7094547677266216; on July 6, 2010, of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
; on 24 July 2010, of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints
; on 29 January 2011 of the Council of Cardinals and Bishops of the Section for Relations with States of the Secretariat of State.
On October 7, 2008, Archbishop Burke was appointed President of the Commission for Advocates, which is responsible for admitting the world's qualified canon lawyers to a registry of those who may practice in the Vatican's courts - a sort of bar association. This post is related, but secondary to and distinct from, his post as Prefect of the Signatura.
On March 11, 2010 (in the wake of the sexual abuse scandal that had come to light in the countries of Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, and Austria), Archbishop Burke said that the Vatican needed to design a set of guidelines based in canon law that would guide bishops and tribunals worldwide in determining how to report the cases to the Holy See. Revisions will also be made to a policy formulated by Benedict that provides for high levels of secrecy in the process. The German bishops had drawn up guidelines that Pope Benedict XVI was considering using worldwide, and many other countries (such as the United States) already have set procedures for such cases. However, it is a delicate process, especially for a bishop who must formally denounce and remove a priest (presuming he is indeed guilty and thus that the accusations are based in fact), who is spiritually considered to be his son. Also, there remain questions about how to handle scandals that only come to light during sacramental confession, where the confessor is obliged under pain of excommunication to be totally silent about anything and everything he hears from any penitent. A further problem is the fact that some pedophile priests who are perpetrators of child sexual abuse
do this in the confessional, which is an especially grave offense in the eyes of the Church.
. Burke was the fifth man who served as Archbishop of St. Louis to become a member of the College of Cardinals, the others being John Joseph Glennon (1946), Joseph Ritter (1961), John Carberry (1969) and Justin Francis Rigali (2003), the now-retired Archbishop of Philadelphia.
According to the St. Louis Review, the archdiocese newspaper, St. Louis Archbishop Robert James Carlson
announced at a reception at the Apostolic Signatura during a pilgrimage to Rome upon the occasion of Cardinal Burke's elevation the creation of a Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke Chair in Canon Law at St. Louis's Kenrick-Glennon Seminary
. This follows the similar establishment of a Justin Francis Cardinal Rigali Chair in Liturgical Studies there, when former St. Louis Archbishop Justin Francis Rigali was named Archbishop of Philadelphia.
On 5 February 2011, the memorial of St. Agatha
, Cardinal Burke took canonical possession of his titular church in Rome, Sant'Agata dei Goti
. The ordinary form stational Mass, said in Italian and Latin, was held in the evening.
In May of 2011, Cardinal Burke was awarded another honorary doctorate from the Franciscan University of Steubenville
in Steubenville, Ohio
. He has long admired the University because he regards it, unlike some other American Catholic universities in the context of a highly secularized Western society, as having remained faithful to the ethical guidelines and teachings of the Church's Magisterium (the teaching office of the Catholic Church, made up of the Pope and the bishops worldwide in communion with him, and those given authority to teach by them).
in St. Louis; support amongst conservative Cardinals and Bishops is based upon his clear and magisterial style of governance, coupled with his advancing of a return to traditional expressions of liturgical piety to the Church's fold.
stated in a resignation letter that "I can no longer minister as a priest in this diocese and retain a sense of integrity. 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." Father Dickman has since returned to active ministry in the Diocese.
and other Catholic politicians who publicly support legalized abortion should not be given or receive the Eucharist
. This statement was based mainly on two canons of Catholic Canon Law
, which state that ministers of Holy Communion should not administer the Eucharist to people who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin and that those who are conscious of being in a state of grave sin (as determined by Catholic doctrine) should not receive the Eucharist.
Burke had articulated the same position while he was in La Crosse but the statements made as Archbishop of St. Louis gained more notice and added to his reputation for being canonically consistent. He is one of a number of bishops who have declared that they would refuse Communion to such politicians. He added that Catholic voters who supported pro-choice candidates specifically because they supported abortion rights were committing grave sin
and should not receive Communion
without first having their sin absolved through the Sacrament of Penance.
Later, Burke clarified his position to state that one could vote for a pro-choice politician and not commit a mortal sin, if one believed there was a more significant moral issue than abortion at hand, but had also stated that he could not think what sort of issue would qualify. His position is consistent with the one articulated by then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger in a 2004 letter to Cardinal Theodore Edgar McCarrick, of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington
. As Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI
, wrote: “Not all moral issues have the same moral weight as abortion and euthanasia [...] While the Church exhorts civil authorities to seek peace, not war, and to exercise discretion and mercy in imposing punishment on criminals, it may still be permissible to take up arms to repel an aggressor or to have recourse to capital punishment. There may be a legitimate diversity of opinion even among Catholics about waging war and applying the death penalty, but not however with regard to abortion and euthanasia.”
, a pro-choice
supporter, was scheduled to perform at a benefit concert
for the Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital
, Archbishop Burke resigned as chair of the hospital foundation's board of directors
.
Deeming this a scandal
, Burke claimed that to have the hospital host Crow would give "the impression that the Church is somehow inconsistent in its teaching." The Saint Louis archbishop reportedly asked that her invitation be privately removed, but then felt compelled to submit his resignation once Crow's performance in concert was confirmed.
to take disciplinary action against its head basketball
coach
, Rick Majerus
, after Majerus publicly supported abortion
and stem cell research at a campaign event for Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
three days earlier.
With Saint Louis University being run by the Society of Jesus
, Burke responded by saying, "When you take a position in a Catholic university, you don't have to embrace everything the Catholic Church teaches. But you can't make statements which call into question the identity and mission of the Catholic Church." SLU spokesman Jeff Fowler responded to Burke's statement by saying, "Rick's comments were his own personal view. They were made at an event he did not attend as a university representative."
Burke again responded to the controversy aroused by his statements in an interview with the archdiocesan
newspaper
, The St. Louis Review, on the following February 1. The archbishop said, "It gives scandal to other people, Catholics and non-Catholics alike, if they hear a Catholic give an interview to the media, saying that I am proud to be a Catholic but at the same time I hold these views." When asked about his usually outspoken manner in controversial issues, he responded, "Is there something unusual about a bishop saying that it’s wrong to be in favor of procured abortion? I’m a Roman Catholic priest and bishop. What else would you expect me to say?"
to Sister of Charity Louise Lears in June 2008, which excluded her from all Saint Louis church ministries. The interdict also banned her from receiving any of the Sacraments in the archdiocese.
Burke had judged her guilty of three grave canonical offenses against faith and church teachings. Lears, a respected pastoral worker and educator, had publicly stated her belief that all church ministries, including women’s ordination, should be open to women.
risks transforming itself definitively into a 'party of death,' because of its choices on bioethical questions," especially elective abortion
.
In May 2009, he stated, "Since President
Obama
clearly announced, during the election campaign
, his anti-life and anti-family agenda, a Catholic who knew his agenda regarding, for example, procured abortion
, embryonic-stem-cell research
, and same-sex marriage
, could not have voted for him with a clear conscience."
, the pro-life
activist and Catholic convert
who founded Operation Rescue
. In the videotaped interview, Archbishop Burke called on American bishops to withhold Communion, in line with canon 915
, from Catholic politicians who support legalized abortion. The bishops' failure to do so, Burke said, "is weakening the faith of everyone. It's giving the impression that it must be morally correct to support procured abortion." He also called President
Barack Obama
"an agent of death" for his pro-choice
views. Terry called for the removal of Paul Loverde
and Donald Wuerl
, for not denying Communion to these politicians, and also criticized Cardinals Roger Mahony and Theodore McCarrick. After the interview was released, Burke apologized to his "brother bishops" for the "misuse" of his statements, saying: "Mr. Terry has used the videotape for another purpose which I find most objectionable." He clarified that he made his remarks not as Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, head of the Vatican's highest court, but simply as an American bishop.
In an October 2010 interview, held before the consistory in which he was elevated to the cardinalate, Burke reiterated that to directly vote for a candidate who not only supports the right to choose to have an abortion and/or to have the right to euthanasia, but who actively supports abortion and/or euthanasia, because of the candidate's stance, is a mortal sin. To vote for a candidate who held these stances without a very grave reason- and he said there were not many, if any at all- would still be wrong even if the voter did not expressly vote for him or her because of those stances. The only possible valid reason, Cardinal-designate Burke said, would be if that candidate was the least pro-abortion or pro-euthanasia of the other candidates and the voter did not feel comfortable abstaining from voting, which would be acceptable under those circumstances.
(Merrimack, New Hampshire
), where he affirmed the importance that 'the Church has consistently assigned to Catholic higher education, in order that 'the convergence of faith and reason in the one truth may be seen more clearly'.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
of the Holy Roman Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He is the current Cardinal Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura
Apostolic Signatura
The Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura is the highest judicial authority in the Catholic Church...
, having previously served as Archbishop of St. Louis (2003–2008) and Bishop of La Crosse
Roman Catholic Diocese of La Crosse
The Roman Catholic Diocese of La Crosse covers an area of west-central Wisconsin, including the city of La Crosse and 19 counties: Adams, Buffalo, Chippewa, Clark, Crawford, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson, Juneau, La Crosse, Marathon, Monroe, Pepin, Pierce, Portage, Richland, Trempealeau, Vernon, and...
(1994–2003).
Background
Burke was born in Richland Center, WisconsinRichland Center, Wisconsin
Richland Center is a city in Richland County, Wisconsin, United States, which also serves as the county seat. The population was 5,184 at the 2010 census.-History:Richland Center was founded in 1851 by Ira Sherwin Hazeltine, a native of Andover, Vermont...
, the youngest of the six children of Thomas (died July 21, 1956) and Marie (died February 29, 1996) Burke, on June 30, 1948. He was Baptized
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
on July 11. The family later moved to Stratford, Wisconsin
Stratford, Wisconsin
Stratford is a village in Marathon County, Wisconsin, United States. It is part of the Wausau, Wisconsin Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,523 at the 2000 census.-History:...
. From 1962-68 he attended the Holy Cross Seminary in La Crosse
La Crosse, Wisconsin
La Crosse is a city in and the county seat of La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States. The city lies alongside the Mississippi River.The 2011 Census Bureau estimates the city had a population of 52,485...
. From 1968-71, he studied at The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
as a Basselin scholar and received the degrees Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
(1970) and Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
(1971), both in Philosophy.
He is a member of the Board of Trustees
Board of Trustees of The Catholic University of America
As of May 2010, the Board of Trustees at The Catholic University of America was composed of:*Carl A. Anderson, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus*Richard D. Banziger, B.A. 1981, Managing Director, Salomon Smith Barney...
of that university. He then completed his studies for the priesthood at the Pontifical Gregorian University
Pontifical Gregorian University
The Pontifical Gregorian University is a pontifical university located in Rome, Italy.Heir of the Roman College founded by Saint Ignatius of Loyola over 460 years ago, the Gregorian University was the first university founded by the Jesuits...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
from 1971 to 1975, where he received the degrees Bachelor of Sacred Theology
Bachelor of Sacred Theology
The Bachelor of Sacred Theology is a graduate-level academic degree in theology.The Bachelor of Sacred Theology is offered by a number of Pontifical Universities. It is sometimes offered as a graduate degree, for students who have already completed a B.A. or other first degree...
(1974) and Master of Arts (1975). Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
Burke to the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
on June 29, 1975, at Saint Peter's Basilica.
Priestly ministry
After his ordination to the priesthood, he was first assigned as assistant rector of the Cathedral of St. Joseph the Workman in La Crosse, WisconsinLa Crosse, Wisconsin
La Crosse is a city in and the county seat of La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States. The city lies alongside the Mississippi River.The 2011 Census Bureau estimates the city had a population of 52,485...
. He also taught religion at Aquinas High School
Aquinas High School (La Crosse, Wisconsin)
Aquinas High School is a Roman Catholic high school located in La Crosse, Wisconsin.-History:The high school was dedicated on September 2, 1928 in honor of Thomas Aquinas by Bishop Alexander Joseph McGavick of the Diocese of La Crosse. The first graduating class of 1929 consisted of four girls...
in La Crosse, where a new addition built in 1996–1997, the Bishop Burke Hall, was named in his honor. From 1980 to 1984, Burke studied canon law
Canon law (Catholic Church)
The canon law of the Catholic Church, is a fully developed legal system, with all the necessary elements: courts, lawyers, judges, a fully articulated legal code and principles of legal interpretation. It lacks the necessary binding force present in most modern day legal systems. The academic...
at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, where he received his license
Licentiate of Canon Law
Licentiate of Canon Law is the title of an advanced graduate degree with canonical effects in the Roman Catholic Church offered by pontifical universities and ecclesiastical faculties of canon law...
(1982) and doctorate
Doctor of Canon Law
Doctor of Canon Law is the doctoral-level terminal degree in the studies of canon law of the Roman Catholic Church.It may also be abbreviated I.C.D. or dr.iur.can. , ICDr., D.C.L., D.Cnl., D.D.C., or D.Can.L. . Doctor of both laws are J.U.D...
(1984). He then returned to La Crosse and was named the Moderator of the Curia as well as the Vice Chancellor of the La Crosse Diocese. In 1989, Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
assigned Burke to be the first American Defender of the Bond of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, the highest ecclesiastical court
Ecclesiastical court
An ecclesiastical court is any of certain courts having jurisdiction mainly in spiritual or religious matters. In the Middle Ages in many areas of Europe these courts had much wider powers than before the development of nation states...
in the Catholic Church, apart from the Pope himself.
Bishop of La Crosse
On December 10, 1994, Pope John Paul II named Burke Bishop of La CrosseRoman Catholic Diocese of La Crosse
The Roman Catholic Diocese of La Crosse covers an area of west-central Wisconsin, including the city of La Crosse and 19 counties: Adams, Buffalo, Chippewa, Clark, Crawford, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson, Juneau, La Crosse, Marathon, Monroe, Pepin, Pierce, Portage, Richland, Trempealeau, Vernon, and...
, consecrating him to the episcopate on January 6, 1995 in St. Peter's Basilica. Bishop Burke took possession of the See
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
of La Crosse on February 22, 1995. During his time in La Crosse, he founded the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a Catholic shrine located in La Crosse, Wisconsin. It is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The Construction of the Shrine Church began on May 13, 2004, with a dedication on July 31, 2008. The grounds include a...
designed by Duncan G. Stroik
Duncan G. Stroik
Duncan Gregory Stroik usually credited as Duncan G. Stroik, is an American architect, Associate Professor of Architecture, Design, Theory and Drawing at the Notre Dame School of Architecture and founding editor of the Sacred Architecture Journal. His work is classified as classical architecture...
, in collaboration with River Architects. In 2000, Bishop Burke convened the fifth diocesan synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
for the Diocese of La Crosse. Synod V, Acts: celebrated June 11–14, 2000/ Diocese of La Crosse, published by the Diocese of La Crosse, (circa 2003) were the documents of the fifth diocesan synod that were published. He was also named a Knight Commander with Star of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre
Order of the Holy Sepulchre
The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem is a Roman Catholic order of knighthood under the protection of the pope. It traces its roots to Duke Godfrey of Bouillon, principal leader of the First Crusade...
in 1997 and received the Canon Law Society of America
Canon Law Society of America
The Canon Law Society of America is a professional association dedicated to the promotion of both the study and the application of canon law in the Catholic Church. The Society's membership includes over fifteen hundred men and women who reside in forty-three countries...
's Role of Law award in 2000. In 2002, Bishop Burke was influential in founding the Canons Regular of the New Jerusalem
Canons Regular of the New Jerusalem
The Canons Regular of the New Jerusalem is a clerical Institute of Consecrated Life in the Catholic Church, founded in 2002 in the Diocese of La Crosse, and currently located in Chesterfield, Missouri, in the Archdiocese of Saint Louis...
, an order of Augustinian canons dedicated to the traditional form of the liturgy.
During his tenure as Bishop of La Crosse, Burke was inspired to construct a shrine near La Crosse on the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas. As part of the Shrine, the spacious church, designed in the Renaissance style, was dedicated on July 31, 2008. The archbishop has also installed a prominent shrine to the Sacred Heart in the diocesan cathedral, reflecting his desire to foster the sacred arts and to encourage spiritual devotions which have long been characteristic of Catholicism. Cardinal Burke remains director of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine, even though currently residing in Rome, Italy.
Archbishop of St. Louis
Pallium
The pallium is an ecclesiastical vestment in the Roman Catholic Church, originally peculiar to the Pope, but for many centuries bestowed by him on metropolitans and primates as a symbol of the jurisdiction delegated to them by the Holy See. In that context it has always remained unambiguously...
on June 29, 2004 by Pope John Paul II. In St. Louis, Burke gave particular emphasis to the promotion of vocations to the ministerial priesthood; he also published a column in the archdiocesan weekly newspaper, the Saint Louis Review. In both La Crosse and St. Louis, Burke established oratories
Oratory (worship)
An oratory is a Christian room for prayer, from the Latin orare, to pray.-Catholic church:In the Roman Catholic Church, an oratory is a structure other than a parish church, set aside by ecclesiastical authority for prayer and the celebration of Mass...
for those who attend the Tridentine Rite. He invited traditionalist Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest
Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest
The Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest is a society of priests in the Catholic Church that celebrates the Liturgy in Latin in accordance with its constitutions and founding documents. Its goals are to preserve and patronize traditional Latin Rite liturgical art and music...
into his dioceses and ordained priests for the group both in the US and abroad. His ordination of two traditionalist priests on June 15, 2007, was the first time in 40 years that the Tridentine rite of ordination had been used in the cathedral. In July 2006, Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
appointed Burke to be a member of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura
Apostolic Signatura
The Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura is the highest judicial authority in the Catholic Church...
, the highest court in the Catholic Church. He issued a statement, in line with Catholic moral precepts, opposing embryonic stem cell
Embryonic stem cell
Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent stem cells derived from the inner cell mass of the blastocyst, an early-stage embryo. Human embryos reach the blastocyst stage 4–5 days post fertilization, at which time they consist of 50–150 cells...
research when an amendment to the Missouri Constitution that allows it was narrowly passed by voters there.
During his tenure in Saint Louis, Archbishop Burke was awarded two honorary
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
doctorates in humane letters
Doctor of Humane Letters
The degree of Doctor of Humane Letters is always conferred as an honorary degree, usually to those who have distinguished themselves in areas other than science, government, literature or religion, which are awarded degrees of Doctor of Science, Doctor of Laws, Doctor of Letters, or Doctor of...
. One was from Ave Maria University
Ave Maria University
Ave Maria University or AMU is a private Catholic university in southwest Florida, United States, founded in 2003. The university moved to its permanent campus, situated in the planned town of Ave Maria, east of Naples, Florida, in August 2007...
in 2005; the other was from Christendom College
Christendom College
Christendom College is a small Catholic liberal arts college in Front Royal, Virginia, United States, which is located in the Shenandoah Valley.-Educational Mission:...
in 2007.
On June 25, 2007, Burke accompanied Cardinal Seán Patrick O'Malley, Archbishop of Boston
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the New England region of the United States. It comprises several counties of the state of Massachusetts...
, on a trip to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, where the prelates reviewed Pope Benedict's impending motu proprio
Motu proprio
A motu proprio is a document issued by the Pope on his own initiative and personally signed by him....
Summorum Pontificum
Summorum Pontificum
Summorum Pontificum is an Apostolic Letter of Pope Benedict XVI, issued "motu proprio" . The document specified the rules, for the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, for celebrating Mass according to the "Missal promulgated by John XXIII in 1962" , and for administering most of the sacraments in...
granting any priest of the Roman Rite to celebrate the Latin Mass according to the Missal of Pius V (revised by John XXIII) without the permission of his bishop.
On May 6, 2008, Pope Benedict XVI named Burke to two Vatican offices, increasing Burke's already prominent stature in Rome. Burke was named a member of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts
Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts
The Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts is part of the Roman Curia. Its work "consists mainly in interpreting the laws of the Church". ....
, which authentically interprets
Authentic interpretation
An authentic interpretation is an official interpretation of a statute issued by the statute's legislator. In civil law and canon law, an authentic interpretation has the force of law.- Roman Catholic Church :...
Canon Law
Canon law (Catholic Church)
The canon law of the Catholic Church, is a fully developed legal system, with all the necessary elements: courts, lawyers, judges, a fully articulated legal code and principles of legal interpretation. It lacks the necessary binding force present in most modern day legal systems. The academic...
, and also became a member of the Congregation for the Clergy
Congregation for the Clergy
The Sacred Congregation for the Clergy is the congregation of the Roman Curia responsible for overseeing matters regarding priests and deacons not belonging to religious orders...
, which regulates the formation and training of diocesan priests and deacons.
Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura
On June 27, 2008, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Archbishop Burke to the office of Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, a position roughly equivalent to that of President of the Conseil d'Etat of France. As such, the Signatura is the final canonical venue for most all administrative recourses (requests for review of decrees issued by Bishops) unless the Pope advocates cases to his judgement, while the Tribunal of the Roman Rota remains the highest judicial venue for ecclesiastical trials, excepting questions of nullity of its decrees or sentences which are judged by Signatura. In terms of the importance of his Curial post, Archbishop Burke was the second-highest ranking American prelate at the Vatican after Cardinal William Levada, who took Pope Benedict's place as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.Archbishop Burke was the first non-European named to head the Tribunal within the Roman Curia
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...
. The Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura exercises final appellate jurisdiction concerning conflicts occurring between two or more Vatican Congregations or Dicasteries, and appeals of administrative decisions rendered by diocesan bishops and Vatican Congregations.
With this appointment, Archbishop Burke became the tenth US native to serve in the Roman Curia. Upon the public announcement of the appointment by the Holy See, Archbishop Burke said: "I am deeply humbled by the trust which His Holiness
His Holiness
His Holiness is the official style or manner of address in reference to the leaders of certain religious groups. In Christianity, specifically the Orthodox Church, the Coptic Orthodox Church, Armenian Orthodox Church, Syriac Orthodox Church, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church and the Roman Catholic...
has placed in me, and, in priestly obedience
Obedience
The term obedience can refer to:* Obedience ** The educational film Obedience about the Milgram experiment on obedience to authority figures* Vow of obedience as an evangelical counsel* Obedience training for dogs...
, I have pledge
Oath
An oath is either a statement of fact or a promise calling upon something or someone that the oath maker considers sacred, usually God, as a witness to the binding nature of the promise or the truth of the statement of fact. To swear is to take an oath, to make a solemn vow...
d to serve our Holy Father
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
to the best of my abilities." He continued stating that "leaving the service of the Church in the Archdiocese of Saint Louis is most sad for me. It has been an honor and gift for me to serve the archdiocese over the past four years and five months."
His farewell Mass in the Archdiocese of St. Louis was held in the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis on Sunday, August 17, 2008. It was concelebrated by Bishops George Joseph Lucas
George Joseph Lucas
George Joseph Lucas is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the fifth and current Archbishop of Omaha, having previously served as Bishop of Springfield in Illinois from 1999 to 2009.-Biography:...
, Robert Joseph Hermann
Robert Joseph Hermann
Robert J. Hermann, born August 12, 1934, is an American Roman Catholic Bishop: Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, Titular bishop of Zerta. Hermann was appointed by Pope John Paul II on October 16, 2002, as the Auxiliary Bishop to serve the Archdiocese of Saint Louis...
, John Joseph Leibrecht
John Joseph Leibrecht
John Joseph Leibrecht is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Springfield-Cape Girardeau from 1984 to 2008.-Early life and ministry:...
, John R. Gaydos
John R. Gaydos
John Raymond Gaydos is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the third and current Bishop of Jefferson City.-Biography:...
, Robert W. Finn
Robert Finn (bishop)
Robert William Finn is the current bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-Saint Joseph, having succeeded Raymond James Boland on May 24, 2005.-Early life and ordination:...
, Raymond James Boland
Raymond James Boland
Raymond James Boland, born February 8, 1932, in Ireland, was the second Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama and the fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Kansas City-Saint Joseph....
, and Kevin William Vann
Kevin William Vann
Kevin William Vann is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the third and current Bishop of Fort Worth.-Early life and education:...
. In addition, over seventy-five priests, fifty seminarians, a full honor guard of the Knights of Columbus
Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....
(over 60 members), and over fifty Knights and Dames of the Order of Malta were in attendance.
Like all heads of departments of the Roman Curia
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...
, Cardinal Burke is a member also of various other offices in the Curia. The appointments are for five years and are renewable. Being resident in Rome, he is invited to attend not only the plenary meetings of those departments, which in principle are held every year, but also the ordinary meetings. Thus on May 6, 2008, Burke was appointed a member of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts
Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts
The Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts is part of the Roman Curia. Its work "consists mainly in interpreting the laws of the Church". ....
, which authentically interprets
Authentic interpretation
An authentic interpretation is an official interpretation of a statute issued by the statute's legislator. In civil law and canon law, an authentic interpretation has the force of law.- Roman Catholic Church :...
canon law, and of the Congregation for the Clergy
Congregation for the Clergy
The Sacred Congregation for the Clergy is the congregation of the Roman Curia responsible for overseeing matters regarding priests and deacons not belonging to religious orders...
, which regulates the formation and training of diocesan priests and deacons; on October 17, 2009, of the Congregation for Bishops
Congregation for Bishops
The Congregation for Bishops is the congregation of the Roman Curia which oversees the selection of new bishops that are not in mission territories or those areas that come under the jurisdiction of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches who deal with the Eastern Catholics, pending papal...
, the curial body charged with overseeing the appointment of most but not all Latin Rite bishops outside mission territories.http://www.americamagazine.org/blog/entry.cfm?blog_id=2&id=44750852-3048-741E-7094547677266216; on July 6, 2010, of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments is the congregation of the Roman Curia that handles most affairs relating to liturgical practices of the Latin Catholic Church as distinct from the Eastern Catholic Churches and also some technical matters relating to the...
; on 24 July 2010, of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints
Congregation for the Causes of Saints
The Congregation for the Causes of Saints is the congregation of the Roman Curia which oversees the complex process that leads to the canonization of saints, passing through the steps of a declaration of "heroic virtues" and beatification...
; on 29 January 2011 of the Council of Cardinals and Bishops of the Section for Relations with States of the Secretariat of State.
On October 7, 2008, Archbishop Burke was appointed President of the Commission for Advocates, which is responsible for admitting the world's qualified canon lawyers to a registry of those who may practice in the Vatican's courts - a sort of bar association. This post is related, but secondary to and distinct from, his post as Prefect of the Signatura.
On March 11, 2010 (in the wake of the sexual abuse scandal that had come to light in the countries of Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, and Austria), Archbishop Burke said that the Vatican needed to design a set of guidelines based in canon law that would guide bishops and tribunals worldwide in determining how to report the cases to the Holy See. Revisions will also be made to a policy formulated by Benedict that provides for high levels of secrecy in the process. The German bishops had drawn up guidelines that Pope Benedict XVI was considering using worldwide, and many other countries (such as the United States) already have set procedures for such cases. However, it is a delicate process, especially for a bishop who must formally denounce and remove a priest (presuming he is indeed guilty and thus that the accusations are based in fact), who is spiritually considered to be his son. Also, there remain questions about how to handle scandals that only come to light during sacramental confession, where the confessor is obliged under pain of excommunication to be totally silent about anything and everything he hears from any penitent. A further problem is the fact that some pedophile priests who are perpetrators of child sexual abuse
Child sexual abuse
Child sexual abuse is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include asking or pressuring a child to engage in sexual activities , indecent exposure with intent to gratify their own sexual desires or to...
do this in the confessional, which is an especially grave offense in the eyes of the Church.
Elevation to the College of Cardinals
On 20 November 2010, Pope Benedict XVI elevated Burke to the cardinalate, as Cardinal-Deacon of Sant'Agata dei GotiSant'Agata dei Goti
Sant'Agata dei Goti is a church in Rome, Italy, dedicated to the martyr Saint Agatha. It is currently the titular church assigned to Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke, currently Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura.-History:...
. Burke was the fifth man who served as Archbishop of St. Louis to become a member of the College of Cardinals, the others being John Joseph Glennon (1946), Joseph Ritter (1961), John Carberry (1969) and Justin Francis Rigali (2003), the now-retired Archbishop of Philadelphia.
According to the St. Louis Review, the archdiocese newspaper, St. Louis Archbishop Robert James Carlson
Robert James Carlson
Robert James Carlson is an American clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the ninth and current Archbishop of St. Louis. He previously served as Auxiliary Bishop of St...
announced at a reception at the Apostolic Signatura during a pilgrimage to Rome upon the occasion of Cardinal Burke's elevation the creation of a Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke Chair in Canon Law at St. Louis's Kenrick-Glennon Seminary
Kenrick-Glennon Seminary
Kenrick–Glennon Seminary is a private not-for-profit Roman Catholic Seminary located in Shrewsbury, Missouri in St. Louis County. The Seminary is named after Archbishop Peter Richard Kenrick and Cardinal John J. Glennon, former Archbishops of Saint Louis. The Seminary traces its origins to the...
. This follows the similar establishment of a Justin Francis Cardinal Rigali Chair in Liturgical Studies there, when former St. Louis Archbishop Justin Francis Rigali was named Archbishop of Philadelphia.
On 5 February 2011, the memorial of St. Agatha
Agatha of Sicily
Saint Agatha of Sicily is a Christian saint. Her memorial is on 5 February. Agatha was born at Catania, Sicily, and she was martyred in approximately 251...
, Cardinal Burke took canonical possession of his titular church in Rome, Sant'Agata dei Goti
Sant'Agata dei Goti
Sant'Agata dei Goti is a church in Rome, Italy, dedicated to the martyr Saint Agatha. It is currently the titular church assigned to Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke, currently Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura.-History:...
. The ordinary form stational Mass, said in Italian and Latin, was held in the evening.
In May of 2011, Cardinal Burke was awarded another honorary doctorate from the Franciscan University of Steubenville
Franciscan University of Steubenville
Franciscan University of Steubenville is a Catholic institution located in Steubenville, Ohio, west of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The school was founded in 1946 by the Franciscan Friars of the Third Order Regular. In 1974, Fr...
in Steubenville, Ohio
Steubenville, Ohio
Steubenville is a city located along the Ohio River in Jefferson County, Ohio on the Ohio-West Virginia border in the United States. It is the political county seat of Jefferson County. It is also a principal city of the Weirton–Steubenville, WV-OH Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. He has long admired the University because he regards it, unlike some other American Catholic universities in the context of a highly secularized Western society, as having remained faithful to the ethical guidelines and teachings of the Church's Magisterium (the teaching office of the Catholic Church, made up of the Pope and the bishops worldwide in communion with him, and those given authority to teach by them).
Views
Burke is seen by many as one of the most conservative bishops in the United States, and increasingly as a leader of the conservative wing of Cardinals in the Church. Reasons for his U.S. prominence include his position regarding the political actions of Catholics who hold public office, and his disputes with St. Stanislaus Kostka ChurchSt. Stanislaus Kostka Church (Saint Louis)
St. Stanislaus Kostka Church is a former Catholic Church parish located in the city of St. Louis, Missouri. It was established as a Catholic parish in 1880 to serve the Polish community in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. It is considered to be the best example of the opulent 'Polish Cathedral style'...
in St. Louis; support amongst conservative Cardinals and Bishops is based upon his clear and magisterial style of governance, coupled with his advancing of a return to traditional expressions of liturgical piety to the Church's fold.
Diocesan leadership
A few priests in the Diocese of La Crosse have claimed that Burke's leadership there was divisive. Richard Dickman, who had served as pastor of St. Mary's Church in Tomah, WisconsinTomah, Wisconsin
Tomah is a city in Monroe County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 9,093. The city is located partially within the Town of Tomah.-Education:...
stated in a resignation letter that "I can no longer minister as a priest in this diocese and retain a sense of integrity. 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." Father Dickman has since returned to active ministry in the Diocese.
Politicians supporting legalization of abortion
During the 2004 presidential election, Burke publicly stated that John KerryJohn Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
and other Catholic politicians who publicly support legalized abortion should not be given or receive the Eucharist
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
. This statement was based mainly on two canons of Catholic Canon Law
Canon law (Catholic Church)
The canon law of the Catholic Church, is a fully developed legal system, with all the necessary elements: courts, lawyers, judges, a fully articulated legal code and principles of legal interpretation. It lacks the necessary binding force present in most modern day legal systems. The academic...
, which state that ministers of Holy Communion should not administer the Eucharist to people who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin and that those who are conscious of being in a state of grave sin (as determined by Catholic doctrine) should not receive the Eucharist.
Burke had articulated the same position while he was in La Crosse but the statements made as Archbishop of St. Louis gained more notice and added to his reputation for being canonically consistent. He is one of a number of bishops who have declared that they would refuse Communion to such politicians. He added that Catholic voters who supported pro-choice candidates specifically because they supported abortion rights were committing grave sin
Mortal sin
Mortal sins are in the theology of some, but not all Christian denominations wrongful acts that condemn a person to Hell after death. These sins are considered "mortal" because they constitute a rupture in a person's link to God's saving grace: the person's soul becomes "dead", not merely weakened...
and should not receive Communion
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
without first having their sin absolved through the Sacrament of Penance.
Later, Burke clarified his position to state that one could vote for a pro-choice politician and not commit a mortal sin, if one believed there was a more significant moral issue than abortion at hand, but had also stated that he could not think what sort of issue would qualify. His position is consistent with the one articulated by then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger in a 2004 letter to Cardinal Theodore Edgar McCarrick, of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington is a particular church of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. It comprises the District of Columbia and Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince George's and Saint Mary's counties in the state of Maryland....
. As Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
, wrote: “Not all moral issues have the same moral weight as abortion and euthanasia [...] While the Church exhorts civil authorities to seek peace, not war, and to exercise discretion and mercy in imposing punishment on criminals, it may still be permissible to take up arms to repel an aggressor or to have recourse to capital punishment. There may be a legitimate diversity of opinion even among Catholics about waging war and applying the death penalty, but not however with regard to abortion and euthanasia.”
Sheryl Crow concert
On April 25, 2007, after singer Sheryl CrowSheryl Crow
Sheryl Suzanne Crow is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, folk, hip hop, country and pop...
, a pro-choice
Pro-choice
Support for the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-choice movement, a sociopolitical movement supporting the ethical view that a woman should have the legal right to elective abortion, meaning the right to terminate her pregnancy....
supporter, was scheduled to perform at a benefit concert
Benefit concert
A benefit concert or charity concert is a concert, show or gala featuring musicians, comedians, or other performers that is held for a charitable purpose, often directed at a specific and immediate humanitarian crisis. Such events raise both funds and public awareness to address the cause at...
for the Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital
Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital
-Overview:Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center is a not-for-profit 190-bed inpatient and outpatient pediatric medical center. As the nation’s only free-standing, Catholic children’s hospital, Cardinal Glennon has provided care for children regardless of ability to pay since 1956...
, Archbishop Burke resigned as chair of the hospital foundation's board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
.
Deeming this a scandal
Scandal (theology)
In an idiomatic usage in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, a stumbling block is a behavior or attitude that leads another to sin.-Etymology:...
, Burke claimed that to have the hospital host Crow would give "the impression that the Church is somehow inconsistent in its teaching." The Saint Louis archbishop reportedly asked that her invitation be privately removed, but then felt compelled to submit his resignation once Crow's performance in concert was confirmed.
Saint Louis University staff
On January 22, 2008, Burke urged Saint Louis UniversitySaint Louis University
Saint Louis University is a private, co-educational Jesuit university located in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Founded in 1818 by the Most Reverend Louis Guillaume Valentin Dubourg SLU is the oldest university west of the Mississippi River. It is one of 28 member institutions of the...
to take disciplinary action against its head basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
, Rick Majerus
Rick Majerus
Rick Majerus is an American college basketball coach, and the men's basketball head coach at Saint Louis University. He coached previously at Marquette University , Ball State University , and the University of Utah .-Biography:Majerus graduated from Marquette University High School in 1966 and...
, after Majerus publicly supported abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
and stem cell research at a campaign event for Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is the 67th United States Secretary of State, serving in the administration of President Barack Obama. She was a United States Senator for New York from 2001 to 2009. As the wife of the 42nd President of the United States, Bill Clinton, she was the First Lady of the...
three days earlier.
With Saint Louis University being run by the Society of Jesus
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
, Burke responded by saying, "When you take a position in a Catholic university, you don't have to embrace everything the Catholic Church teaches. But you can't make statements which call into question the identity and mission of the Catholic Church." SLU spokesman Jeff Fowler responded to Burke's statement by saying, "Rick's comments were his own personal view. They were made at an event he did not attend as a university representative."
Burke again responded to the controversy aroused by his statements in an interview with the archdiocesan
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
, The St. Louis Review, on the following February 1. The archbishop said, "It gives scandal to other people, Catholics and non-Catholics alike, if they hear a Catholic give an interview to the media, saying that I am proud to be a Catholic but at the same time I hold these views." When asked about his usually outspoken manner in controversial issues, he responded, "Is there something unusual about a bishop saying that it’s wrong to be in favor of procured abortion? I’m a Roman Catholic priest and bishop. What else would you expect me to say?"
Ordination of women
Archbishop Raymond Burke applied a severe interdictInterdict
The term Interdict may refer to:* Court order enforcing or prohibiting a certain action* Injunction, such as a restraining order...
to Sister of Charity Louise Lears in June 2008, which excluded her from all Saint Louis church ministries. The interdict also banned her from receiving any of the Sacraments in the archdiocese.
Burke had judged her guilty of three grave canonical offenses against faith and church teachings. Lears, a respected pastoral worker and educator, had publicly stated her belief that all church ministries, including women’s ordination, should be open to women.
2008 U.S. Presidential Election
In a September 2008 interview, Burke said that "the Democratic PartyDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
risks transforming itself definitively into a 'party of death,' because of its choices on bioethical questions," especially elective abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
.
In May 2009, he stated, "Since President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
clearly announced, during the election campaign
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
, his anti-life and anti-family agenda, a Catholic who knew his agenda regarding, for example, procured abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
, embryonic-stem-cell research
Embryonic stem cell
Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent stem cells derived from the inner cell mass of the blastocyst, an early-stage embryo. Human embryos reach the blastocyst stage 4–5 days post fertilization, at which time they consist of 50–150 cells...
, and same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
, could not have voted for him with a clear conscience."
Bishops' policy on Holy Communion
In March 2009, Burke was interviewed by Randall TerryRandall Terry
Randall Almira Terry is an American pro-life activist and candidate for the Democratic Party's nomination for President in 2012. Terry founded the pro-life organization Operation Rescue. The group became particularly prominent beginning in 1987 for blockading the entrances to abortion clinics;...
, the pro-life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
activist and Catholic convert
Religious conversion
Religious conversion is the adoption of a new religion that differs from the convert's previous religion. Changing from one denomination to another within the same religion is usually described as reaffiliation rather than conversion.People convert to a different religion for various reasons,...
who founded Operation Rescue
Operation Rescue
Operation Rescue is a pro-life organization which originated in California and is now based in Kansas....
. In the videotaped interview, Archbishop Burke called on American bishops to withhold Communion, in line with canon 915
Canon 915
Canon 915, one of the canons of the current 1983 Code of Canon Law, forbids the administration of Holy Communion to those upon whom the penalty of excommunication or interdict has been imposed or declared or who persist in manifest grave sin...
, from Catholic politicians who support legalized abortion. The bishops' failure to do so, Burke said, "is weakening the faith of everyone. It's giving the impression that it must be morally correct to support procured abortion." He also called President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
"an agent of death" for his pro-choice
Pro-choice
Support for the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-choice movement, a sociopolitical movement supporting the ethical view that a woman should have the legal right to elective abortion, meaning the right to terminate her pregnancy....
views. Terry called for the removal of Paul Loverde
Paul Loverde
Paul Stephen Loverde is the bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Arlington in Northern Virginia.-Early life:Bishop Loverde was born in Framingham, Massachusetts on September 3, 1940. He received his secondary school education at La Salle Academy in Providence, Rhode Island, followed by an...
and Donald Wuerl
Donald Wuerl
Donald William Wuerl is an American cardinal of the Catholic Church. He is the sixth and current Archbishop of Washington, serving since 2006. He previously served as Auxiliary Bishop of Seattle and Bishop of Pittsburgh...
, for not denying Communion to these politicians, and also criticized Cardinals Roger Mahony and Theodore McCarrick. After the interview was released, Burke apologized to his "brother bishops" for the "misuse" of his statements, saying: "Mr. Terry has used the videotape for another purpose which I find most objectionable." He clarified that he made his remarks not as Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, head of the Vatican's highest court, but simply as an American bishop.
In an October 2010 interview, held before the consistory in which he was elevated to the cardinalate, Burke reiterated that to directly vote for a candidate who not only supports the right to choose to have an abortion and/or to have the right to euthanasia, but who actively supports abortion and/or euthanasia, because of the candidate's stance, is a mortal sin. To vote for a candidate who held these stances without a very grave reason- and he said there were not many, if any at all- would still be wrong even if the voter did not expressly vote for him or her because of those stances. The only possible valid reason, Cardinal-designate Burke said, would be if that candidate was the least pro-abortion or pro-euthanasia of the other candidates and the voter did not feel comfortable abstaining from voting, which would be acceptable under those circumstances.
Statements on Catholic higher education
On Wednesday, December 15, 2010, a story posted by the ZENIT website homepage (Innovative Media) described Cardinal Burke as underlining the importance of Catholic higher education, and the need for these institutions to keep their identity strong. The prefect...gave an address at the Thomas More College of Liberal ArtsThomas More College of Liberal Arts
The Thomas More College of Liberal Arts is located in Merrimack, New Hampshire. The college emphasizes classical education in the Roman Catholic intellectual tradition and is named after Thomas More. The school has approximately 100 students.-Founding:...
(Merrimack, New Hampshire
Merrimack, New Hampshire
Merrimack is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 25,494 at the 2010 census, making it the eighth-largest municipality in New Hampshire....
), where he affirmed the importance that 'the Church has consistently assigned to Catholic higher education, in order that 'the convergence of faith and reason in the one truth may be seen more clearly'.
On violations of liturgical norms
At the March 2, 2011 launch of a book in Italian, whose title translates as "How to Go to Mass and Not Lose Your Faith", Cardinal Burke declared that liturgical abuses damage the faith of Catholics: "If we err by thinking we are the center of the liturgy, the Mass will lead to a loss of faith. Unfortunately, too many priests and bishops treat violations of liturgical norms as something that is unimportant, when, in fact, they are serious abuses."On end-of-life palliative care and euthanasia
At a July 23, 2011 conference on end-of-life care sponsored by St. Gianna Physician's Guild, Cardinal Burke said that suffering does not cause a person to have less meaning in his life, nor does it give the government the right to decide if that person should live or die: "No matter how much a life is diminished, no matter what suffering the person is undergoing, that life demands the greatest respect and care. It's never right to snuff out a life because it's in some way under heavy burden."Published works
- Lack of discretion of judgment because of schizophrenia: doctrine and recent rotal jurisprudence, Doctoral Dissertation, (Rome: Pontificia Università Gregoriana, 1986). See also "Defectus discretionis iudicii propter schizophreniam: Doctrina et recens iurisprudentia," Periodica, 73 (1984) 555-570; and "Lack of Discretion of Judgment: Canonical Doctrine and Legislation," in The Jurist, 45 (1985) 171-209.
- "Canon 1095, 1° and 2°," in Incapacity for marriage: Jurisprudence and Interpretation, Acts of the III Gregorian Collguium, Robert M. Sable, coordinator and editor (Rome: Pontificia Università Gregoriana, 1987).
- In I procedimenti speciali nel diritto canonico, Studi giuridici 27 (Vatican City: Libreria editrice Vaticana, 1992): "La procedura amministrativa per la dichiarazione di nullità del matrimonio," 93-105, and "Il processo di dispensa dal matrimonio rato e non consummato: la grazia pontificia e la sua natura," 135-144.
- "The Application of Canon 1095 and sacramental-pastoral activity concerning marriage," in Ius in vita et in missione Ecclesiæ, Acta Symposii internationalis iuris canonici occurrente X anniversario promulgationis Codicis iuris canonici diebus 19-24 aprilis 1993 in Civitate Vaticana celebrati, Pontificia Concilium de legum textibus interpretandis (Vatican City: Libreria editrice Vaticana, 1994) 1095–1102.
- "The Distinction of Personnel in Hierarchically Related Tribunals," in Studia canonica, 28 (1994) 85-98.
- "Canon 1421: The Nullity of a Decision by a Single Lay Judge," [1994] in Arthur J. Espelage, OFM (ed.), CLSA Advisory Opinions 1994–2000 (Washington, DC: CLSA, 2002) 451-452.
- "Canons 1421–1422 and 1435–1436: The Exercise of the Office of Judge or Defender of the Bond by a Priest on Leave of Absence from Priestly Ministry," [1995, co-authored with Joseph R. Punderson] in Arthur J. Espelage, OFM (ed.), CLSA Advisory Opinions 1994–2000 (Washington, DC: CLSA, 2002) 453-454.
- "La "confessio iudicialis" e le dichiarizioni giudiziali delle parti," in I mezzi di prova nelle cause matrimoniali secondo la giurisprudenza rotale, Studi Giuridici XXXVIII (Vatican City: Libreria editrice Vaticana, 1995) 15-30.
- Commentary on the July 12, 1993, Decree of the Apostolic Signatura relating to the qualifications of advocates, Canadian Canon Law Society Newsletter, 21 (1996) 9-13; for Spanish translation see: "Abogados, uniones matrimoniales irregulares y causas de nulidad matrimonial: Texto y comentario de una Respuesta de Tribunal Supremo de la Signatura Apostolica," in REDC, 51 (1994) 639-645.
- "Canon Law at the Service of the New Evangelization," given on the occasion of receiving the Role of Law Award from the Canon Law Society of America, in Canon Law Society of America Proceedings, 62 (2000) 497-500; introductory remarks of gratitude, 495-496.
- "On Our Civic Responsibility for the Common Good," (Saint Louis: Archdiocese of Saint Louis, 2004).
- "Canon 915Canon 915Canon 915, one of the canons of the current 1983 Code of Canon Law, forbids the administration of Holy Communion to those upon whom the penalty of excommunication or interdict has been imposed or declared or who persist in manifest grave sin...
: The Discipline Regarding the Denial of Holy Communion to Those Obstinately Persevering in Manifest Grave Sin," in Periodica, 96 (2007) 3-58.
See also
- List of the Catholic bishops of the United States#American bishops serving outside the United States
External links
- The Archdiocese of St. Louis - Biography of Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke
- Biography of Cardinal Burke
- Aquinas High School La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, La Crosse, Wisconsin
- Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest
- St. Mary's Oratory, Wausau, Wisconsin
- St. Mary's, Cashton, Wisconsin