06.27.2008 7:46 am

Burke leaving St. Louis for Rome; what’s next for the local Catholic church?

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

After a relatively brief, and somewhat stormy tenure as archbishop of the Catholic church in St. Louis, Raymond Burke is leaving. He’s expected to remain until a bit later in the summer, when he moves to Rome for his position as “Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature.”

Burke’s time in St. Louis has been marked by a number of controversies. He has condemned the ordination of “women priests” by another faith community. He has been in a battle over control of St. Stanislaus Church in St. Louis. He said he would not offer communion to politicians who do not stand by Catholic church doctrine.

What does his departure mean for the church here now? What are the qualities you’d like to see in his successor?

241 comments

Comments are closed.

Blog Comments: Rules of the Road

Please note that there are suddenly two Tom’s again. I guess I need to change my name on here after this long.

— Tom

9:22 am June 27th, 2008

So does this mean that Burke could be presiding over the hearing to laicize Fr. Marek? Or is that duty performed by a different group?

— TheObserver

9:26 am June 27th, 2008

G.K.Chesterson said “I don’t need a Chruch to tell me I’m wrong when I know I’m wrong. I need a Chruch to tell me I’m wrong when I think I’m right.” Archbishop Burke understood his role as bishop to protect and teach his flock according to the defined teachings of the Catholic Church, and to tell many of us we were wrong when we thought we were right. He was persecuted and hated by some because of this, but he had the courage to do what a bishop is required to do, again to teach, protect, and defend the defined teachings of the Church. When he first arrived in St. Louis, a reporter ask him “are you a liberal or a conservative bishop?” Archbishop Burke answered “I am a Catholic Bishop”. We pray that his successor will be a “Catholc Bishop”.

Bob Keeney

— Bob Keeney

9:28 am June 27th, 2008

Gene’s comment is right-on. Burke is a good and godly man unable to project the image of who he truly is because of his belief that church law, in which he is an expert, can be used to solve human problems. PBR’s charge that Pope Benedict XVI is a “Nazi” is preposterous. His policeman-father took early retirement to protest Hitler. In his 1999 autobiography, “Milestones”, then Cardinal Ratzinger writes about the Nazis with biting sarcasm. — ST. LOUIS PRIEST

— John Hughes

9:33 am June 27th, 2008

Burke did a poor job here in St Louis. Hopefully he will find his calling in Rome. The good news for St Louis is no matter who we get he won’t be worse.

Being an Archbishop is about being a pastor to people— not sitting in an ivory tower with a rule book.

— Celticmuse

9:34 am June 27th, 2008

Gina’s comment (above) says it all. We’re looking for a fair, honest, holy leader who is comfortable enough with himself to serve St. Louis with an open mind and a kind heart.

— Ryan On The Euphonium

9:40 am June 27th, 2008

The Archbishop is a highly regarded canon lawyer, and his new appointment plays directly to that strength. I wish him well in his new role, and thank him for his service to us in St. Louis. I am confident the Holy Father, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, will send us a shepherd that will lead and serve us well.

— 7dez7

9:40 am June 27th, 2008

How can it be said that a man who lives in such an opulant ivory tower surrounded by sycophantic bootlicking yes men is persecuted? In all his time here, did he ever once get the soles of his shoes dirty? The very nature of the organization is that he is right and everyone under him must abide. the man has never shown an iota of self doubt. He believes he is God ordained. He lives by the maxim, if God is with you, what does it matter whom is against you? I seriously doubt he ever gave a second thought to any criticism directed his way from people he thinks are going to spend eternity in the fires of eternal damnation.

— Tom

9:45 am June 27th, 2008

I am shocked by these comments from all of you in STL. I have not lived in the city for over 15 years but I have kept up on the Catholic church situation and Raymond Burke in STL. This is a great man! He is a priest who speaks the truth about the teachings of our church and of Jesus Christ. If you do not like it - leave!
I am tired of hearing complaints about the things that AB Raymond Burke did. What he has been doing is right. All Catholic politicians, famous people, etc. should not be spouting anti-Catholic rhetoric. If you are pro-death, pro-gay, pro-fetal stem cell research and if you are in the public eye, you should not voice your ideas as a Catholic. Deal with those things between you and God. And do not tell me that I have to accept them in my coutry or church.
You all do not know what you had with him being the AB of such a great diocese. Check out churches in other diocese to see what is happening. We are being overtaken by the devil, and nobody cares.
I applaud this great priest. I am also tickled to see that you think that this is the last you have heard from Burke. What do you think about Pope Raymond Burke?

— Milton

9:46 am June 27th, 2008

This is exciting news! Archbishop Burke has been a faithful bishop giving St. Louis the truth of the Church.

The state of the Church in St. Louis is better off today than it was when His Grace arrived a few years ago. This former liberal (anti-Catholic) movement that has swept through the Chruch since the 1970ies is dead! The Archdiocese is a stronger, more faithful See than it was when he arrived.

He is a holy man doing what Our Lord has called him to do. I look forward to meeting our next Archbishop. May he be as faithful as His Grace, Arhcbishop Burke.

Its exciting that with his new appointment His Grace can continue what he started here in St. Louis. What is really cool about this is, NOW he is REALLY IS the final word!

Catholics in St. Louis…Straighten up!

— Ray

9:48 am June 27th, 2008

Pages: 1 2 3 [4] 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 … 25 Show All

Burke leaving St. Louis for Rome; what’s next for the local Catholic church?

Other ways to comment