Pope Francis has stripped one of his top American critics, Cardinal Raymond Burke, of his Vatican housing and salary privileges, the Associated Press is reporting.
According to the AP report, which is based on conversations with two anonymous sources briefed on the measures, the pope discussed his planned actions against the American prelate at a Nov. 20 meeting of Vatican office heads.
The pope reportedly said that Burke was a source of “disunity” in the Church and that he was using the privileges afforded to retired cardinals against the Church.
The Italian Catholic news blog La Nuova Bussola Quotidiana first reported pending actions against Burke on Nov. 27.
“Cardinal Burke is my enemy, so I take away his apartment and his salary,” the pope had said at the Nov. 20 meeting, according to Bussola’s undisclosed Vatican source.
CNA was unable to immediately reach Burke to confirm the measures against him. The Vatican’s communications office did not respond to EWTN’s request for comment by time of publication.
The AP reported that the Vatican spokesman, Matteo Bruni, “referred questions to Burke.”
“I don’t have anything particular to say about that,” Bruni told reporters.
Burke was ordained a priest by Pope Paul VI in Rome in 1975 and was bishop of La Crosse, Wisconsin, from 1995 to 2004 and archbishop of St. Louis from 2004 to 2008. Widely regarded as an expert in canon law, Burke was appointed in 2008 as prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura (the highest judicial authority in the Church) by Pope Benedict XVI. Two years later, Benedict made him a cardinal.
Pope Francis removed him from the post of prefect in 2014 and instead appointed him cardinal patron of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, a mostly ceremonial role dedicated to the spiritual welfare of the members of the order. He remained patron until this year but had held only the title, having been reportedly restricted from active involvement since 2016 and thus sidelined during the extensive institutional reforms of the order over the last years. In June, Pope Francis named Cardinal Gianfranco Ghirlanda, SJ, as Burke’s official replacement. At the time of the announcement, Burke was only a few days away from the customary retirement age for bishops of 75.
Burke has emerged as a strong critic of some of Pope Francis’ initiatives.
He was one of the five cardinals who sent “dubia” to Pope Francis asking for clarification on the Church’s position on doctrinal development, the blessing of same-sex unions, the authority of the Synod on Synodality, women’s ordination, and sacramental absolution.
The document was made public on the eve of the opening of the Synod on Synodality at the Vatican and discussed at an Oct. 2 press conference in which Burke took part and expressed his concerns about the synod.
“It is unfortunately very clear that the invocation of the Holy Spirit by some has for its purpose the advancement of an agenda that is more political and human than ecclesial and divine,” Burke said.
This would not be the first former curial official this year asked to leave his Vatican living quarters.
According to a German newspaper report in June, Pope Francis ordered Archbishop Georg Gänswein to leave the Vatican and return to Germany. Gänswein, a longtime secretary to Pope Benedict XVI, served as prefect of the Papal Household to both Benedict and his successor, Pope Francis, until February 2020. Gänswein’s departure from the Vatican following the death of Benedict and subsequent dismissal by Pope Francis was seen by some as a fall from grace.
According to the German media report, Pope Francis in his comments on the decision “referred to the custom that the former private secretaries of deceased popes did not remain in Rome.”
Like Burke, Gänswein, 66, is without portfolio.
This is a developing story.
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Vatican City, Mar 19, 2022 / 05:20 am (CNA).
The Vatican published on Saturday a long-awaited document implementing Pope Francis’ reform of the organization and structure of the Roman Curia.The apostolic constitution, Praedi… […]
Brooklyn Bishop Robert Brennan leads a Eucharistic procession inside a packed Louis Armstrong Stadium in Brooklyn, New York, on April 20, 2024. / Credit: Jeffrey Bruno
New York City, N.Y., Apr 23, 2024 / 13:00 pm (CNA).
I’d never ridden the sub… […]
Pope Francis at the general audience in St. Peter’s Square, Oct. 5, 2016. / Daniel Ibanez/CNA.
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 13, 2023 / 13:15 pm (CNA).
Today marks the 10th anniversary of the election of Pope Francis as the 265th successor of St. Peter. Here is a timeline of key events during his papacy:
2013
March 13 — About two weeks after Pope Benedict XVI steps down from the papacy, Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio is elected pope. He takes the papal name Francis in honor of St. Francis of Assisi and proclaims from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica: “Let us begin this journey, the bishop and people, this journey of the Church of Rome, which presides in charity over all the Churches, a journey of brotherhood in love, of mutual trust. Let us always pray for one another.”
March 14 — The day after he begins his pontificate, Pope Francis returns to his hotel to personally pay his hotel bill and collect his luggage.
July 8 — Pope Francis visits Italy’s island of Lampedusa and meets with a group of 50 migrants, most of whom are young men from Somalia and Eritrea. The island, which is about 200 miles off the coast of Tunisia, is a common entry point for migrants who flee parts of Africa and the Middle East to enter Europe. This is the pope’s first pastoral visit outside of Rome and sets the stage for making reaching out to the peripheries a significant focus.
July 23–28 — Pope Francis visits Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to participate in World Youth Day 2013. More than 3 million people from around the world attend the event.
July 29 — On the return flight from Brazil, Pope Francis gives his first papal news conference and sparks controversy by saying “if a person is gay and seeks God and has goodwill, who am I to judge?” The phrase is prompted by a reporter asking the pope a question about priests who have homosexual attraction.
Nov. 24 — Pope Francis publishes his first apostolic exhortation Evangelii gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel). The document illustrates the pope’s vision for how to approach evangelization in the modern world.
2014
Feb. 22 — Pope Francis holds his first papal consistory to appoint 19 new cardinals, including ones from countries in the developing world that have never previously been represented in the College of Cardinals, such as Haiti.
March 22 — Pope Francis creates the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. The commission works to protect the dignity of minors and vulnerable adults, such as the victims of sexual abuse.
Oct. 5 — The Synod on the Family begins. The bishops discuss a variety of concerns, including single-parent homes, cohabitation, homosexual adoption of children, and interreligious marriages.
Dec. 6 — After facing some pushback for his efforts to reform the Roman Curia, Pope Francis discusses his opinion in an interview with La Nacion, an Argentine news outlet: “Resistance is now evident. And that is a good sign for me, getting the resistance out into the open, no stealthy mumbling when there is disagreement. It’s healthy to get things out into the open, it’s very healthy.”
2015
Jan. 18 — To conclude a trip to Asia, Pope Francis celebrates Mass in Manila, Philippines. Approximately 6 million to 7 million people attend the record-setting Mass, despite heavy rain.
March 23 — Pope Francis visits Naples, Italy, to show the Church’s commitment to helping the fight against corruption and organized crime in the city.
May 24 — To emphasize the Church’s mission to combat global warming and care for the environment, Pope Francis publishes the encyclical Laudato si’, which urges people to take care of the environment and encourages political action to address climate problems.
Sept. 19–22 — Pope Francis visits Cuba and meets with Fidel Castro in the first papal visit to the country since Pope John Paul II in 1998. During his homily, Francis discusses the dignity of the human person: “Being a Christian entails promoting the dignity of our brothers and sisters, fighting for it, living for it.”
Sept. 22–27 — After departing from Cuba, Pope Francis makes his first papal visit to the United States. In Washington, D.C., he speaks to a joint session of Congress, in which he urges lawmakers to work toward promoting the common good, and canonizes the Franciscan missionary St. Junípero Serra. He also attends the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia, which focuses on celebrating the gift of the family.
Oct. 4 — Pope Francis begins the second Synod on the Family to address issues within the modern family, such as single-parent homes, cohabitation, poverty, and abuse.
Oct. 18 — The pope canonizes St. Louis Martin and St. Marie-Azélie “Zelie” Guérin. The married couple were parents to five nuns, including St. Therese of Lisieux. They are the first married couple to be canonized together.
Dec. 8 — Pope Francis’ Jubilee Year of Mercy begins. The year focuses on God’s mercy and forgiveness and people’s redemption from sin. The pope delegates certain priests in each diocese to be Missionaries of Mercy who have the authority to forgive sins that are usually reserved for the Holy See.
2016
March 19 — Pope Francis publishes the apostolic exhortation Amoris laetitia, which discusses a wide variety of issues facing the modern family based on discussions from the two synods on the family. The pope garners significant controversy from within the Church for comments he makes in Chapter 8 about Communion for the divorced and remarried.
April 16 — After visiting refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos, Pope Francis allows three Muslim refugee families to join him on his flight back to Rome. He says the move was not a political statement.
July 26–31 — Pope Francis visits Krakow, Poland, as part of the World Youth Day festivities. About 3 million young Catholic pilgrims from around the world attend.
Sept. 4 — The pope canonizes St. Teresa of Calcutta, who is also known as Mother Teresa. The saint, a nun from Albania, dedicated her life to missionary and charity work, primarily in India.
Sept. 30–Oct. 2 — Pope Francis visits Georgia and Azerbaijan on his 16th trip outside of Rome since the start of his papacy. His trip focuses on Catholic relations with Orthodox Christians and Muslims.
Oct. 4 — Pope Francis makes a surprise visit to Amatrice, Italy, to pray for the victims of an earthquake in central Italy that killed nearly 300 people.
2017
May 12–13 — In another papal trip, Francis travels to Fatima, Portugal, to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima. May 13 marks the 100th anniversary of the first Marian apparition to three children in the city.
July 11 — Pope Francis adds another category of Christian life suitable for the consideration of sainthood: “offering of life.” The category is distinct from martyrdom, which only applies to someone who is killed for his or her faith. The new category applies to those who died prematurely through an offering of their life to God and neighbor.
Nov. 19 — On the first-ever World Day of the Poor, Pope Francis eats lunch with 4,000 poor and people in need in Rome.
Nov. 27–Dec. 2 — In another trip to Asia, Pope Francis travels to Myanmar and Bangladesh. He visits landmarks and meets with government officials, Catholic clergy, and Buddhist monks. He also preaches the Gospel and promotes peace in the region.
2018
Jan. 15–21 — The pope takes another trip to Latin America, this time visiting Chile and Peru. The pontiff meets with government officials and members of the clergy while urging the faithful to remain close to the clergy and reject secularism. The Chilean visit leads to controversy over Chilean clergy sex abuse scandals.
Aug. 2 — The Vatican formally revises No. 2267 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which concerns the death penalty. The previous text suggested the death penalty could be permissible in certain circumstances, but the revision states that the death penalty is “inadmissible.”
Aug. 25 — Archbishop Carlo Viganò, former papal nuncio to the United States, publishes an 11-page letter calling for the resignation of Pope Francis and accusing him and other Vatican officials of covering up sexual abuse including allegations against former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick. The pope initially does not directly respond to the letter, but nine months after its publication he denies having prior knowledge about McCarrick’s conduct.
Aug. 25–26 — Pope Francis visits Dublin, Ireland, to attend the World Meeting of Families. The theme is “the Gospel of family, joy for the world.”
Oct. 3–28 — The Synod on Young People, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment takes place. The synod focuses on best practices to teach the faith to young people and to help them discern God’s will.
2019
Jan. 22–27 — The third World Youth Day during Pope Francis’ pontificate takes place during these six days in Panama City, Panama. Young Catholics from around the world gather for the event, with approximately 3 million people in attendance.
Feb. 4 — Pope Francis signs a joint document in with Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, the grand imam of Al-Azhar, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, titled the “Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together.” The document focuses on people of different faiths uniting together to live peacefully and advance a culture of mutual respect.
Feb. 21–24 — The Meeting on the Protection of Minors in the Church, which is labeled the Vatican Sexual Abuse Summit, takes place. The meeting focuses on sexual abuse scandals in the Church and emphasizes responsibility, accountability, and transparency.
Oct. 6–27 — The Church holds the Synod of Bishops for the Pan-Amazon region, which is also known as the Amazon Synod. The synod is meant to present ways in which the Church can better evangelize the Amazon region but leads to controversy when carved images of a pregnant Amazonian woman, referred to by the pope as Pachamama, are used in several events and displayed in a basilica near the Vatican.
Oct. 13 — St. John Henry Newman, an Anglican convert to Catholicism and a cardinal, is canonized by Pope Francis. Newman’s writings inspired Catholic student associations at nonreligious colleges and universities in the United States and other countries.
2020
March 15 — Pope Francis takes a walking pilgrimage in Rome to the chapel of the crucifix and prays for an end to the COVID-19 pandemic. The crucifix was carried through Rome during the plague of 1522.
March 27 — Pope Francis gives an extraordinary Urbi et Orbi blessing in an empty and rain-covered St. Peter’s Square, praying for the world during the coronavirus pandemic.
2021
March 5–8 — In his first papal trip since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pope Francis becomes the first pope to visit Iraq. On his trip, he signs a joint statement with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani condemning extremism and promoting peace.
July 3 — Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu, who was elevated to the College of Cardinals by Pope Francis, is indicted in a Vatican court for embezzlement, money laundering, and other crimes. The pope gives approval for the indictment.
July 4 — Pope Francis undergoes colon surgery for diverticulitis, a common condition in older people. The Vatican releases a statement that assures the pope “reacted well” to the surgery. Francis is released from the hospital after 10 days.
July 16 — Pope Francis issues a motu proprio titled Traditionis custodes. The document imposes heavy restrictions on the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass.
Dec. 2–6 — The pope travels to Cyprus and Greece. The trip includes another visit to the Greek island of Lesbos to meet with migrants.
2022
Jan. 11 — Pope Francis makes a surprise visit to a record store in Rome called StereoSound. The pope, who has an affinity for classical music, blesses the newly renovated store.
March 19 — The pope promulgates Praedicate evangelium, which reforms the Roman Curia. The reforms emphasize evangelization and establish more opportunities for the laity to be in leadership positions.
May 5 — Pope Francis is seen in a wheelchair for the first time in public and begins to use one more frequently. The pope has been suffering from knee problems for months.
July 24–30 — In his first papal visit to Canada, Pope Francis apologizes for the harsh treatment of the indigenous Canadians, saying many Christians and members of the Catholic Church were complicit.
2023
Jan. 31–Feb. 5 — Pope Francis travels to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. During his visit, the pope condemns political violence in the countries and promotes peace. He also participates in an ecumenical prayer service with Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Moderator of the Church of Scotland Iain Greenshields.
Exiles en route to paradise. My favorable opinion of two men who served Christ and Church faithfully. Cardinal Burke, candid, faithful to the Church, the Chair of Peter too candid for His Holiness. Archbishop Gänswein, caught in the middle of Benedict’s controversial co authorship to Cardinal Sarah’s recalcitrant book From the Depths of Our Hearts: Priesthood, Celibacy and the Crisis of the Catholic Church – a sure source of irritation to Pope Francis sealed his eviction notice.
So they’re off to relatively greener, more welcoming pastures. Nevertheless, they remain needed voices in witness to the truth. As Card Burke continues to speak, hopefully so will Archbishop Gänswein.
Hopefully everyone. Something needs to puncture the stubborn pride of Francis. Just last night I tuned to a Catholic channel and watched the midpoint of what appeared to be the Angeles address read by an aide, with Francis sitting beside him, televised to the ever decreasing assemblies at St. Peters. Near the last paragraph Fracis, energetic and agitated, prodded his aide to allow him to now read what was apparently a big laugh and applause line at the finish for the crowd. His ego is always on the line, and this is the real theme of his pontificate, not the service of Our Lord and certainly not the Deposit of Faith. Whatever it takes to make him seem like the greatest pope in history no matter how many reversals in the process are necessary to keep the flames of attention focused on him.
An exceedingly thin-skinned Pope. Its fortunate that the Pope cannot stamp his feet at regular parishioners and make them go away as he does the Cardinal. My guess will be more than a few Catholics have left the church already and more will go, taking their money with them.The Cardinal will head to a more welcoming place, I am sure. Its no secret the Pope dislikes Americans. Except of course those who are breaking church law. What he may NOT know is that Americans have never cared WHO likes us around the world, and that includes the Pope. We have not cared for over 200 years. Shaking in our boots is just not an American “thing”.
And many more are happy and very content in The Church. And as you say and think, people around the world do not care for Americans…but, maybe it is time you do.
Many are happy and content? In what fantasy? Everyone I see at church looks to be over 60 years old, and nobody lives forever. Our church seats 700, and USED to be filled. Now we are lucky to get 120 people at Sunday Mass. What happens when those faithful folks dies? The younger people have defected. Sexually abusive incidents and a Pope who dabbles in radical changes to Catholic theology by making coy remarks ( like, who am I to judge?) absolutely does NOT help build up the church. Neither does attacking those who favor the Latin Mass ( I am not one of them by the way)where attendance is booming.But he sees fit to suppress that. Brilliant.
AS for caring what the rest of the world thinks of us, dont hold your breath honey. We know the rest of the planet are hypocritical enough to want our tourist dollars and our soldiers when needed.But otherwise they have no desire to understand the country or it’s culture. Nor do many of them have enough respect to immigrate here legally, as recent years have shown loud and clear. They too, come for a free hand-out. They are users. So why, exactly, are we supposed to care what ANY of them think?? Newsflash: we don’t. Americans are known to be pragmatic. That holds in this situation as well. I notice that people will risk DEATH to come here, while leaving behind these so-called great countries elsewhere where we are hated. Maybe you should open your eyes a little more to reality.
LJ,
Catholicism is in fact doing well in the Global South even in the face of terrible persecution.
Church memberships are falling in the West for almost every denomination, excepting the Anabaptists. There are pockets of devout Catholics in the US and we’re blessed to live in one of those regions.
Our overall population is ageing so I suppose we should expect to see many more folks over 60 at Mass.Latin Masses may differ.
How much more petty can this Pope get? I would think he fears death and his particular judgment but I guess he believes his vision of the church as an NGO is the way to go.
This Pope is a bully – a street thug sporting a pectoral cross. Christ told us that how you treat others will determine the standard by which He’ll judge you.
Cardinal Burke is a humble man and a wonderful shepherd. It takes a petty, spiteful, little man to make a public pronouncement of this sort about another prelate and then to follow through with this action. It underscores the division Bergoglio has willfully created within the Church. Really pathetic. His action was very likely a violation of Canon 196 and related canons and Fr.Gerald Murray provided an excellent analysis of this. Of course, thugs don’t care about the rules. This action makes it appear Traditionis custodes was likely nothing more than a revenge shot against Cardinal Burke, et. al. Leo XIII: “Most cunning enemies have filled with bitterness and drenched with gall the Church, the Spouse of the Lamb without spot, and have lifted impious hands against all that is most sacred in it. Even in the holy place where the See of Blessed Peter and the chair of truth was set up to enlighten the world, they have raised the abominable throne of their impiety…”
Hey Randy! I got that about Francis being “spiteful,” but “little” confused me a bit. Then I realized you were talking about his character and his ‘virtue.’ In factual, manifest, visible reality, the man is morbidly obese. IOW, Big. I have read that he likes pasta.
Nothing will suppress the Tridentine Mass; the love its adherents have for it is so strong, that it will be celebrated in rented halls, people’s homes and elsewhere if totally outlawed by Pope Francis. I can’t imagine a Novus Ordo equivalent to Archbishop Lefevbre if the new rite were suppressed.
“The Successor of Peter is the rock which guarantees a rigorous fidelity to the Word of God against arbitrariness and conformism.”
This is the clear teaching declared by the then-CDF headed by then-Cardinal Ratzinger in 1998.
“I can only express my respect for him and my gratitude for his courageous witness to the faith.”
This is the confession of support by Cardinal Burke in the drama intended to smear Pope Francis now revealed to have been staged and financed by Taylor Marshall in the stealing of that indigenous statue from a Roman church and its throwing into the Tiber river.
This is Cardinal Burke who presents himself and enabled by the hard rightist Catholic media like the anti-Pope Francis EWTN media empire (of which CNA is a part of) as the voice of orthodoxy in contrast to a heterodox pope.
Compare and contrast the CDF teaching and Cardinal Burke’s position.
It is just and proper that he be stripped of his Vatican housing and salary. He should instead be paid by the likes of EWTN, or perhaps by CWR.
Gosh, those two cherry-picked quotes taken entirely out of context sure changes my mind! And Taylor Marshall is such a bogeyman, isn’t he? Thank you so much, “Deacon Dom”!
I’d like to have been the one to not only have thrown the pachamama into the drink but some inhabitants living near where they threw it into the Tiber with it.
That tree in the back garden of the Vatican in the name of pochamma also needs to be thrown in the Tiber. My concern is the silence coming from fellow cardinals , bishops and clergy.
Deacon Dom, all due respect, but your pinball machine got all its circuits crossed and is going wowzers cancelling its points! Some new kind of binary!
Indigenous statue … smear campaign … should be paid … by EWTN … arbitrariness … conformism … guarantee … heterodox Pope … DNA drama!
Unfortunately for the Church, in light of the history of an ample number of previously recognized bad pontiffs, being “the successor of Peter” doesn’t necessarily mean much.
No one likes cherry-pickers, Dom. Nevertheless, I’ll take my cue from you, teacher that you pretend to be: Here’s a cherry I picked just for your edification. “The term DOM is slang that refers to an older man who engages in inappropriate behavior, particularly towards younger women. It is commonly used in the workplace to describe a man who makes unwelcome advances towards younger female colleagues. The term carries a negative connotation and is not something one would want to be associated with.” (FluentSlang.com)
Having said that, here is the fuller context and more complete textual tree from which you chose your cherries:
“The Roman Pontiff – like all the faithful – is subject to the Word of God, to the Catholic faith, and is the guarantor of the Church’s obedience; in this sense he is servus servorum Dei. He does not make arbitrary decisions, but is spokesman for the will of the Lord, who speaks to man in the Scriptures lived and interpreted by Tradition; in other words, the episkope of the primacy has limits set by divine law and by the Church’s divine, inviolable constitution found in Revelation.”
Have you swallowed that yet? There is more:
“The Successor of Peter is the rock which guarantees a rigorous fidelity to the Word of God against arbitrariness and conformism: hence the martyrological nature of his primacy.” (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, The Primacy of the Successor of Peter in the Mystery of the Church, October 31, 1998, n. 7).
So how do you reconcile the indisputable rigorous hatred of many tenents of the Catholic faith and those who give it faithful witness by Francis with his responsibility to not hate the Catholic faith and those who give it faithful witness?
The Pontiff Francis act is vindictive and contemptuous, revealing himself, once again, as having no spiritual or moral authority, having reduced himself to nothing but a petty tyrant.
The contemptuous acts of the Pontiff Francis against abuse victims, faithful laity, priests, bishops and Cardinals, is no surprise whatsoever, as the same Pontiff Francis signaled his contempt for anyone who opposes him, and his contempt for any authority except himself, when he orchestrated the Pachamama idolatry event.
The Pontiff Francis has shown that he is disoriented from Christ the Head of the Church, and disoriented from the Holy Spirit.
Holy Mary Mother of God, St. John the Baptist, St. Michael the Archangel, and all saints and martyrs: Pray for us, for the Church.
Amen to that! Is there any chance our next Pope could be more in line with the God’s Word and the Catholic Church? Or is the fix in to have a like successor?
Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Mary and Joe was born in a stable with shepherds, and companion species for company. Guys out there need to ponder, meditate, reflect, and contemplate the life and times of Jesus the Savior.
+Burke won’t lack for money and lodgings given his popularity. There will likely be a helpful backlash against Bergoglio and his malcontents that will last through the next conclave. So consider this petty, mean-spirited move a likely productive blessing.
I am a senior citizen who attended Catholic schools in the 1950s. We were always taught the importance of charity, love of neighbor, seeing Christ in people.
From what I see, this pope isn’t interested in any of these things – witness, Bishop Strickland, Archbishop Ganswein, those who worship at the Latin Mass. And now we have Cardinal Burke.
How can people who have said so many Masses and prayers act this way? Hardly a great testimony for evangelization. Who would be inspired to join a church like this?
Last week a priest reminded his congregation that Judas was a disciple. God has his reasons for allowing evil to prowl about the world, seeking the ruin of souls. We faithful should take note, take courage, and take The Word for ours.
When I see Francis, and the dwindling crowds at the Vatican, I also see the closing scene from The Godfather III, with an elderly Michael Corleone, sitting by himself, alone, having vanquished his enemies, yet with no true friends by his side. He knows no loyalty or honor, only resentment and unquenchable urge for control. He is, in the final analysis, an object of pity.
The reality is that the Pope’s broadcasts affirm people in their bad ways and their determination to stand by error; and then, now, in the name of the Pope. This is happening with people who have no care for sideline issues like Pachamama but make it useful reference for their schemes.
False corroboration is a witness in the sense that it proves that wrong can only ever be wrong. Indigenous people and the like who have had true conversion would have keen insights on this in faith and in common sense. The Pachamama affair in Rome would be the more acute for them.
Pachamama is a deity/false god. It is not a child’s doll you take for a blessing at Christmas. Would you bless an effigy of the Greek’s pan or the Chinese pangu? Of course not.
In Trinidad and Tobago they have fused the Hindu goddess kali into the celebration of La Divina Pastora and they freely use the Hindu designation for the resulting persona, “suparee mai”. Catholic priests proclaim with complete assurance it “simply” means “she is mother”. Well you should research what kind of mother kali represents to know the absurdity of it! More than 100 years already and counting.
In addition, what “suparee mai” actually translates to, from Hindi, by active sense, is, as any honest Hindu will admit, “kali’s true devotee”. At the celebration on the parish grounds Hindu men were performing the kali rituals and placing their “offerings” to the statue. Called local tradition.
Exiles en route to paradise. My favorable opinion of two men who served Christ and Church faithfully. Cardinal Burke, candid, faithful to the Church, the Chair of Peter too candid for His Holiness. Archbishop Gänswein, caught in the middle of Benedict’s controversial co authorship to Cardinal Sarah’s recalcitrant book From the Depths of Our Hearts: Priesthood, Celibacy and the Crisis of the Catholic Church – a sure source of irritation to Pope Francis sealed his eviction notice.
So they’re off to relatively greener, more welcoming pastures. Nevertheless, they remain needed voices in witness to the truth. As Card Burke continues to speak, hopefully so will Archbishop Gänswein.
Hopefully everyone. Something needs to puncture the stubborn pride of Francis. Just last night I tuned to a Catholic channel and watched the midpoint of what appeared to be the Angeles address read by an aide, with Francis sitting beside him, televised to the ever decreasing assemblies at St. Peters. Near the last paragraph Fracis, energetic and agitated, prodded his aide to allow him to now read what was apparently a big laugh and applause line at the finish for the crowd. His ego is always on the line, and this is the real theme of his pontificate, not the service of Our Lord and certainly not the Deposit of Faith. Whatever it takes to make him seem like the greatest pope in history no matter how many reversals in the process are necessary to keep the flames of attention focused on him.
An exceedingly thin-skinned Pope. Its fortunate that the Pope cannot stamp his feet at regular parishioners and make them go away as he does the Cardinal. My guess will be more than a few Catholics have left the church already and more will go, taking their money with them.The Cardinal will head to a more welcoming place, I am sure. Its no secret the Pope dislikes Americans. Except of course those who are breaking church law. What he may NOT know is that Americans have never cared WHO likes us around the world, and that includes the Pope. We have not cared for over 200 years. Shaking in our boots is just not an American “thing”.
And many more are happy and very content in The Church. And as you say and think, people around the world do not care for Americans…but, maybe it is time you do.
Some do not care a whit what men think about us. We do care what God thinks. Which do you think is more important?
Many are happy and content? In what fantasy? Everyone I see at church looks to be over 60 years old, and nobody lives forever. Our church seats 700, and USED to be filled. Now we are lucky to get 120 people at Sunday Mass. What happens when those faithful folks dies? The younger people have defected. Sexually abusive incidents and a Pope who dabbles in radical changes to Catholic theology by making coy remarks ( like, who am I to judge?) absolutely does NOT help build up the church. Neither does attacking those who favor the Latin Mass ( I am not one of them by the way)where attendance is booming.But he sees fit to suppress that. Brilliant.
AS for caring what the rest of the world thinks of us, dont hold your breath honey. We know the rest of the planet are hypocritical enough to want our tourist dollars and our soldiers when needed.But otherwise they have no desire to understand the country or it’s culture. Nor do many of them have enough respect to immigrate here legally, as recent years have shown loud and clear. They too, come for a free hand-out. They are users. So why, exactly, are we supposed to care what ANY of them think?? Newsflash: we don’t. Americans are known to be pragmatic. That holds in this situation as well. I notice that people will risk DEATH to come here, while leaving behind these so-called great countries elsewhere where we are hated. Maybe you should open your eyes a little more to reality.
LJ,
Catholicism is in fact doing well in the Global South even in the face of terrible persecution.
Church memberships are falling in the West for almost every denomination, excepting the Anabaptists. There are pockets of devout Catholics in the US and we’re blessed to live in one of those regions.
Our overall population is ageing so I suppose we should expect to see many more folks over 60 at Mass.Latin Masses may differ.
How much more petty can this Pope get? I would think he fears death and his particular judgment but I guess he believes his vision of the church as an NGO is the way to go.
This Pope is a bully – a street thug sporting a pectoral cross. Christ told us that how you treat others will determine the standard by which He’ll judge you.
Perhaps indeed, the First shall be last.
I am reminded of the statement by that great American, David Horowitz:
“Inside every progressive is a totalitarian screaming to get out.”
It’s certainly true of Bergoglio, one of the less Christlike figures ever to occupy the papacy.
Yes, threatening & so closed to dialogue. So reproachful.
Great point./….I coincide with you 100%
Cardinal Burke is a humble man and a wonderful shepherd. It takes a petty, spiteful, little man to make a public pronouncement of this sort about another prelate and then to follow through with this action. It underscores the division Bergoglio has willfully created within the Church. Really pathetic. His action was very likely a violation of Canon 196 and related canons and Fr.Gerald Murray provided an excellent analysis of this. Of course, thugs don’t care about the rules. This action makes it appear Traditionis custodes was likely nothing more than a revenge shot against Cardinal Burke, et. al. Leo XIII: “Most cunning enemies have filled with bitterness and drenched with gall the Church, the Spouse of the Lamb without spot, and have lifted impious hands against all that is most sacred in it. Even in the holy place where the See of Blessed Peter and the chair of truth was set up to enlighten the world, they have raised the abominable throne of their impiety…”
Hey Randy! I got that about Francis being “spiteful,” but “little” confused me a bit. Then I realized you were talking about his character and his ‘virtue.’ In factual, manifest, visible reality, the man is morbidly obese. IOW, Big. I have read that he likes pasta.
excellent commentary!!
Nothing will suppress the Tridentine Mass; the love its adherents have for it is so strong, that it will be celebrated in rented halls, people’s homes and elsewhere if totally outlawed by Pope Francis. I can’t imagine a Novus Ordo equivalent to Archbishop Lefevbre if the new rite were suppressed.
“The Successor of Peter is the rock which guarantees a rigorous fidelity to the Word of God against arbitrariness and conformism.”
This is the clear teaching declared by the then-CDF headed by then-Cardinal Ratzinger in 1998.
“I can only express my respect for him and my gratitude for his courageous witness to the faith.”
This is the confession of support by Cardinal Burke in the drama intended to smear Pope Francis now revealed to have been staged and financed by Taylor Marshall in the stealing of that indigenous statue from a Roman church and its throwing into the Tiber river.
This is Cardinal Burke who presents himself and enabled by the hard rightist Catholic media like the anti-Pope Francis EWTN media empire (of which CNA is a part of) as the voice of orthodoxy in contrast to a heterodox pope.
Compare and contrast the CDF teaching and Cardinal Burke’s position.
It is just and proper that he be stripped of his Vatican housing and salary. He should instead be paid by the likes of EWTN, or perhaps by CWR.
Gosh, those two cherry-picked quotes taken entirely out of context sure changes my mind! And Taylor Marshall is such a bogeyman, isn’t he? Thank you so much, “Deacon Dom”!
“..financed by Taylor Marshall in the stealing of that indigenous statue from a Roman church and its throwing into the Tiber river.”
I think I would have contributed a few dollars towards pitching that idol in the Tiber if I’d been asked to.
🙂
I’d like to have been the one to not only have thrown the pachamama into the drink but some inhabitants living near where they threw it into the Tiber with it.
That tree in the back garden of the Vatican in the name of pochamma also needs to be thrown in the Tiber. My concern is the silence coming from fellow cardinals , bishops and clergy.
Deacon Dom, all due respect, but your pinball machine got all its circuits crossed and is going wowzers cancelling its points! Some new kind of binary!
Indigenous statue … smear campaign … should be paid … by EWTN … arbitrariness … conformism … guarantee … heterodox Pope … DNA drama!
Take your pick here.
THE WHO!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHc7bR6y06M
LONNIE IRVING
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAD_0Cd7MS0
Clever, Elias. I like it!
Yours sounds like a “hard leftist Catholic” screed. It’s tough when the Pope needs apologists to help get this papacy out of the gutter.
In reply to Dom:
Unfortunately for the Church, in light of the history of an ample number of previously recognized bad pontiffs, being “the successor of Peter” doesn’t necessarily mean much.
No one likes cherry-pickers, Dom. Nevertheless, I’ll take my cue from you, teacher that you pretend to be: Here’s a cherry I picked just for your edification. “The term DOM is slang that refers to an older man who engages in inappropriate behavior, particularly towards younger women. It is commonly used in the workplace to describe a man who makes unwelcome advances towards younger female colleagues. The term carries a negative connotation and is not something one would want to be associated with.” (FluentSlang.com)
Having said that, here is the fuller context and more complete textual tree from which you chose your cherries:
“The Roman Pontiff – like all the faithful – is subject to the Word of God, to the Catholic faith, and is the guarantor of the Church’s obedience; in this sense he is servus servorum Dei. He does not make arbitrary decisions, but is spokesman for the will of the Lord, who speaks to man in the Scriptures lived and interpreted by Tradition; in other words, the episkope of the primacy has limits set by divine law and by the Church’s divine, inviolable constitution found in Revelation.”
Have you swallowed that yet? There is more:
“The Successor of Peter is the rock which guarantees a rigorous fidelity to the Word of God against arbitrariness and conformism: hence the martyrological nature of his primacy.” (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, The Primacy of the Successor of Peter in the Mystery of the Church, October 31, 1998, n. 7).
Spot on!!!
So how do you reconcile the indisputable rigorous hatred of many tenents of the Catholic faith and those who give it faithful witness by Francis with his responsibility to not hate the Catholic faith and those who give it faithful witness?
Jesus had “enemies” too but he loved them; he did not condemn them
Amen….. it is just so sad that we don’t have a wonderful Pope like St. John Paul!!!!!My daily prayers for the wonderful Cardinal Raymond Burke.
The Pontiff Francis act is vindictive and contemptuous, revealing himself, once again, as having no spiritual or moral authority, having reduced himself to nothing but a petty tyrant.
The contemptuous acts of the Pontiff Francis against abuse victims, faithful laity, priests, bishops and Cardinals, is no surprise whatsoever, as the same Pontiff Francis signaled his contempt for anyone who opposes him, and his contempt for any authority except himself, when he orchestrated the Pachamama idolatry event.
The Pontiff Francis has shown that he is disoriented from Christ the Head of the Church, and disoriented from the Holy Spirit.
Holy Mary Mother of God, St. John the Baptist, St. Michael the Archangel, and all saints and martyrs: Pray for us, for the Church.
As to what Chris writes above, ditto for me.
Amen to that! Is there any chance our next Pope could be more in line with the God’s Word and the Catholic Church? Or is the fix in to have a like successor?
Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Mary and Joe was born in a stable with shepherds, and companion species for company. Guys out there need to ponder, meditate, reflect, and contemplate the life and times of Jesus the Savior.
+Burke won’t lack for money and lodgings given his popularity. There will likely be a helpful backlash against Bergoglio and his malcontents that will last through the next conclave. So consider this petty, mean-spirited move a likely productive blessing.
I am a senior citizen who attended Catholic schools in the 1950s. We were always taught the importance of charity, love of neighbor, seeing Christ in people.
From what I see, this pope isn’t interested in any of these things – witness, Bishop Strickland, Archbishop Ganswein, those who worship at the Latin Mass. And now we have Cardinal Burke.
How can people who have said so many Masses and prayers act this way? Hardly a great testimony for evangelization. Who would be inspired to join a church like this?
You certainly speak for me as well Francy. Well said.
Frankly, the Pontiff Francis is an utterly appalling priest, bishop and pontiff.
Last week a priest reminded his congregation that Judas was a disciple. God has his reasons for allowing evil to prowl about the world, seeking the ruin of souls. We faithful should take note, take courage, and take The Word for ours.
It is not Cardinal Burke who undermines the Chair of St. Peter, but its current occupant.
When I see Francis, and the dwindling crowds at the Vatican, I also see the closing scene from The Godfather III, with an elderly Michael Corleone, sitting by himself, alone, having vanquished his enemies, yet with no true friends by his side. He knows no loyalty or honor, only resentment and unquenchable urge for control. He is, in the final analysis, an object of pity.
The reality is that the Pope’s broadcasts affirm people in their bad ways and their determination to stand by error; and then, now, in the name of the Pope. This is happening with people who have no care for sideline issues like Pachamama but make it useful reference for their schemes.
False corroboration is a witness in the sense that it proves that wrong can only ever be wrong. Indigenous people and the like who have had true conversion would have keen insights on this in faith and in common sense. The Pachamama affair in Rome would be the more acute for them.
Pachamama is a deity/false god. It is not a child’s doll you take for a blessing at Christmas. Would you bless an effigy of the Greek’s pan or the Chinese pangu? Of course not.
In Trinidad and Tobago they have fused the Hindu goddess kali into the celebration of La Divina Pastora and they freely use the Hindu designation for the resulting persona, “suparee mai”. Catholic priests proclaim with complete assurance it “simply” means “she is mother”. Well you should research what kind of mother kali represents to know the absurdity of it! More than 100 years already and counting.
In addition, what “suparee mai” actually translates to, from Hindi, by active sense, is, as any honest Hindu will admit, “kali’s true devotee”. At the celebration on the parish grounds Hindu men were performing the kali rituals and placing their “offerings” to the statue. Called local tradition.