Goodbye and good riddance. I left the Catholic Church after feeling pressure from this man to vote Republican. He has been an embarrassment to this city for far too long.

As I have been reading other people’s posts throughout the day, it saddens me to see just how hateful people have been to Archbishop Burke. If we claim to be Catholics, Christians, or (in some cases) “good people”, we shouldn’t be saying such horrible things about a man who was doing everything for his Church. It also saddens me that people are so ignorant to say that Burke was trying to “reclaim St. Stan for financial gain” or they “will help Burke pack for Rome.” It pains me to hear that people leave the Church or whose faith was greatly shaken by somebody. We should never let a person get in the way of our faith. BURKE IS NOT PERFECT. He has never claimed to be.

I also worry that so many of those hurt by Burke are expecting Jesus Himself to come in the form of a new Archbishop and bring those fallen Catholics back. Guess what? That is not going to happen. We will have a new sheppard that will be flawed, who will make mistakes, and take stances that some may not agree with. So instead of waiting to find this great, almighty person that will replace Burke, why not focus that negative energy (that so many of you have) and put it towards prayer? Why not put it towards supporting the CHURCH rather than condemning a person. We are a community. A community called to serve Christ and to serve each other.

As my Polish ancestors before me I feel the same joy as they when liberated from the concentration camps and from under the rule of the sickle & hammer.

As Dr. Martin Luther King said :

Free at last ! Free at last ! Thank god almighty, we are free at last

It always seemed as though Burke was very ambitious in his career, making big moves and taking big, messy controversial stands on things. You can call it following canon law, but Rigali was better-loved by the entire community, he set a good example for area Catholics, helped bring Pope John Paul to our humble city, and never shunned entire parishes and took punitive stands on his own flock the way Burke has. Most of my Catholic friends have been disappointed by this guy and were not proud to call him their local leader. They are happy he is leaving and are looking forward to a more inclusive, benevolent leader who focuses more on helping the church and the community than excluding and calling out “wrongdoers.”

Burke had begun to make a name for himself nationally by denying his parishoners the eucharist in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, then continued his crackdown crusades in the huge Catholic population center St. Louis - and now he has made the big leap to Rome! Next stop - the papal throne? No matter what you say about the guy, he’s definitely cut out for his upcoming role on this “tribunal.”

Glad to see him leave; now maybe the Church can finally heal and follow things like the Ten Commandments, the Beattitudes and the Golden Rule — which all pre-existed Cannon Law — and move forward together. Must ditto “slamfist” — sad thing is his departure feels a little like we’re in the same position as we were after the Carnahan-Ashcroft election.

Archbishop was Catholic. And for that, people hated him. I sincerely hope and pray we get another Catholic Archbishop.

Finally the “Era of Burkism” is OVER. In the short time Burke has been in St. Louis, he has done great harm the the Catholic Church of St. Louis. I did not always like what the other Archbishop did, but I respected them. This man lost respect and damaged the St. Louis Church.

The word “catholic” means “universal”. In order for something to be universal, it must be generally accepted and apply to all. You move towards universality by emphasizng those things that all can agree upon, not by erecting fences, nor by drawing smaller and smaller circles to exclude non “true believers.”

You draw the conclusions.

If I were a betting man, I’d put money on the next Abp of St Louis having a Polish last name.

Time to heal the St Stan’s thing…

Listecki, Paprocki (Chicago-born Bps) might well be on the list.

“It is a sin to attack a priest!” I thought this was a joke.

But then you say, “I’d like to see how you hate-filled cynics would fare next to Abp. Burke on Judgment Day! You will be accountable for EVERY evil word and thought you’ve ever done. Shame on you ignorant, cruel, selfish people!

Attitudes like this are just frightening. I’m glad I left the Catholic church. And yes, I’m sure you’re glad I left too. Fortunately I don’t think you speak for the majority of Catholics who have been holding their breath, waiting for Burke to leave.