Time Magazine on Archbishop Burke
Archbishop Raymond Burke outside the St. Louis Cathedral Basilica before the 2005 Final Four. Photo by Huy Richard Mach, St. Louis Post-Dispatch
It’s always interesting when the national media “finds” a story that local hacks have been covering for years. That’s not exactly what’s happening with the American press’s recent discovery of St. Louis emeritus Archbishop Raymond Burke - after all, the archbishop began making headlines before he was even installed here in 2004 - but it’s close.
Since his move to Rome to lead the Vatican’s version of the Supreme Court, Burke’s profile has heightened. Over the last 18 months, he’s made some public statements - mostly either to gatherings of Catholics, or the the Catholic press - that have caused momentary stirs in both the Catholic and political worlds.
Amy Sullivan has written a piece for Time, called “A Tale of Two Priests,” comparing Burke to Boston’s Cardinal Sean O’Malley, though the story is really about Burke. Sullivan’s thesis is that Burke is “a bull in a china shop,” as one of the story’s subheads puts it.
The Burke vs. O’Malley debate, as refracted in the storm over the late Sen. Ted Kennedy’s Catholic funeral, comes down to “the divide is over who decides what it means to be Catholic,” says Sullivan.
With the help of Trinity’s Mark Silk, Sullivan agrees with the many who disliked the Burke era in St. Louis, and who contend he was “kicked upstairs” by the Vatican:
The Archbishop’s outspoken comments did not go unnoticed in Rome. In June 2008, Burke was unexpectedly transferred to the Vatican. The move was widely interpreted as a way to put some distance between Burke and the political contest in the States. “It was not unrelated to issues of political timing,” observes Mark Silk, a professor of religion at Trinity College.
Sullivan is a great writer about religion and politics, and a well-known challenge for national correspondents is to convey the nuances of a story to national audience after parachuting onto the local scene. While it’s a little bit easier with an analysis piece like this one, it’s still going to be a tough sell in the communities that are the subject of the report - in this case to Catholics (and journalists) in Boston and St. Louis who both know their prelates better than anyone from the outside.
An example is Sullivan’s description of O’Malley. She calls the cardinal “temperamentally Burke’s opposite, a shy man who dislikes celebrity and shuns politics.” I agree that Burke has a special interest in politics. Many of the stories we did about him during his tenure here revolved around politics, politicians, voting, etc.
But after covering the man closely for four years, I can confidently say I’ve never met a bishop who is more shy, and who dislikes the spotlight more. A cringe-inducing photo-shoot, involving a basketball to promote the 2005 Final Four, comes to mind. I’ve also not met a bishop with a drier sense of humor. It’s hard for a lot of people to believe, by Archbishop Raymond Burke is a stitch.
And as evidence that Pope Benedict XVI prefers a softer, more diplomatic, approach from his lieutenants, Sullivan reports that “O’Malley was named to the Pontifical Council for the Family, a minor and expected appointment, but also a reminder that the Boston Cardinal has friends in high places.” She quotes a “Vatican insider” who says that “from the point of view of doctrine, Benedict has absolute firmness. But he does not want to see it play out in a confrontational way.”
Rome, Sullivan says, has been silent about Burke’s most recent public statements. But if Vatican appointments are evidence of Benedict’s approval, Sullivan has missed a big one. Last month, Burke was named to the church’s Congregation for Bishops, one of the most influential offices in the Vatican.
Tim Townsend has been the religion reporter at the Post-Dispatch since June 2004. He previously covered personal finance and consumer news for The Wall Street Journal. He holds master's degrees from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and Yale Divinity School. In 2005 he won the Templeton Religion Reporter of the Year Award, given by the Religion Newswriters Association. 
Bull in a china shop. He is simply so far behind the times, he is one that has caused the Catholic church to dwindle in numbers.
Has anyone ever considered the fact that the Pope knows Archbishop Burke, obviosly likes Archbishop Burke, and has put him in just about the highest positions any bishop could possible get? Putting Archbishop Burke onto the Congregation of Bishops at his age, lets everyone know what kind of bishops that the Pope is looking for, for those who were hoping that Archbishop Burke was “kicked up” his most recent appointment proves that to have been a myth ! Archbishop Burke is maybe one the most admired bishops around the world it is a shame that both American Catholics and non-catholics alike missed his greatness, most of the world has not !
Tim, This was a great commentary on how National media likes to “uncover” what local reporters have considered old news for a while. After covering the Archbishop for several years, I know you had a great understanding of his persona and that was well represented here. He is a kind and gentle man who dislikes being in the spotlight, but will brave the controversy for the sake of sharing the Gospel. The is the whole point of vocation of priesthood really. If there are people who don’t find his work controversial or hard to live, then he isn’t doing his job of challenging people to live the way Christ taught. As Christ himself was killed on a cross for his political incorrectness of the day, so must his priests work to set the record straight. Archbishop Burke knows his vocation and sacrifices his image and reputation to do what is right. He truly lives to imitate Christ with a deep conviction. Thank you for helping the online readers to see that.
I commend Tim Townsend for his accurate portrayal of Archbishop Burke. Amy Sullivan of Time magazine has shown herself to be a lazy reporter. She should have contacted those who know Archbishop Burke the best — and that would not include Professor Mark Silk of Trinity College. By what authority does Mr. Silk conclude that the Archbishop’s Vatican appointment was intended to remove him from the U. S. political scene? The primary responsibility of a Catholic bishop is to teach the Catholic Faith to those who wish to be Catholic. Archbishop Burke takes this solemn responsibility most seriously. If so-called Catholics choose not to accept the teachings of the Church, they should move on and not call themselves Catholic. It’s unfortunate that all Catholic bishops do not possess the moral courage of Archbishop Burke.
And you also believe in the tooth fairy?
This man is exactly why the Church, Known by its Powers to be, as the TRUE CHURCH, (find that in the bible) is losing followers daily and why the Vatican know has turned toward other religions to fill the void in new Priests, even allowing (OH MY) married priests of other faiths to become Catholic priests.
You must be kidding, he was moved up to get him out of circulation, it is called the St. Peter Principle.
The Catholic Church has dwindled in numbers because we haven’t had courageous bishops like Arch Bishop Burke. Men want to lay down their life for a virtuous cause, they want something more than what this world has to offer them. For years no one has offered it. If the Church is dwindling in numbers ( I work with teens and young adults, so I don’t actually believe that), this question which I repeatedly hear from the youth and young adults I work with will tell you why, “how come nobody ever told me that?” We haven’t taught the faith, we haven’t believed the faith, we haven’t lived the faith, and due to the lack of on fire witnesses it has become unattractive. Not because it isn’t the most beautiful thing in the world. Rather, because young people can’t find parents, grandparents, godparents, who know the faith are teaching it at home and also living it. Everybody wants a shortcut..everybody wants to fit in. Arch Bishop Burke simply rejects the idea that fitting is the call of the gospel. He embraces the idea that to live the gospel may mean a little persecution every now and then. Praise God for AB Burke!
Greyshark, to steal a line from one of my favourite comedies, “Your head is as empty as a eunuch’s underpants.”
Mizzmonsoon,
Obviously one of the blind followers, who does not question, but I appreciate your comedic line, as do I appreciate the comedy of blind sheep.
Maybe we should call the Right Rev. back to St. Louis to tend to the Poor souls who were recently thrown out of the Park by “St. Patricks Center”, and the Rangers. I am sure a prayer stating that GOD shall provide will make things all better. Or maybe the Pope can sell some of the original painting in the vatican and donate the money to build a shelter.
Very few “Want” to be catholic. Most who are and are under 60 are there through fear and not feeling supported enough to try out somethng else. I am basing this on living in STL for 43 years and being with catholics all the time. My wife is very intelligent and it has taken me almost 20 years to have her admit that she won’t burn in hell for missing church on a sunday becuase something more important like a funeral or a family issue has come up. that is not a safe and secure feeling instilled in her. Catholic belief is the only part of her that is so fragile. something that no group should be proud of. this is the same with the men i talk to regarding catholism and how they fear so much. burke is the leader of the supreme court of Catholics. Who cares. that means ummmm he is the ruler of the water buffalo meetings when ruling have to be made. It just doesnt matter. Stay away from church spend time with your family and friends and follow the golden rule. burke should be out teaching children to read and feeding the poor, nothing else.
To paraphrase an atheist friend of mine, “If you have a problem with Archbishop Burke, your problem isn’t with him–it’s with the Catholic Church. All he does is what Rabbis, Imams, and others like them do–uphold the rules and laws of their faiths. Nobody ever seems to have a problem with those other groups.”
Regardless of the extremely opinionated (I suspect) non-Catholics and anti-Catholic who have already and who will, undoubtedly, post their pithy commentary here (you’ll like this Greyshark, I’m reminded of another great line: “Criticize things you don’t know about…”) the fact of the matter is that Tim Townsend–and I can’t believe I’m saying this, quite frankly–got it 100% right about Archbishop Burke. Kudos and thank you, Tim.
Meanwhile, 2000 years and over 1.31 billion members later…the Catholic church will survive the nit-wittery expressed on this blog.