Archbishop Ray Burke is an outstanding American Churchman who shows that Love of God which true Christians know as Charity and his actions reflect the ”Splendor of Truth” which could only emanate from The Word Himself. His departure for The Vatican will mean that Saint Louis will no longer have this one great apostle of Our Lord Jesus who Pope John Paul II gave as His special gift and legacy. We must pray that His Successor will have that same degree of Faith, Hope and Love, as well as Fortitude, Piety and Wisdom with which Almighty God has endowed this Archbishop. Long live Raymond Leo Burke!

The church has clear positions on abortion, the roles of women, gays, and stem cell research. It also has clear positions on the death penalty, the war in Iraq, economic justice and people of other faiths and other variants of Christianity.(They are damned.) It rings a little hollow to hear someone refer to “cafeteria Catholics” when so few are in accord with the church in all its positions. President Bush was very well recieved by the Pope recently. This is the man who personally signed more death warrants then any other man in American history, who found it within himself to mock Karla Faye Tucker while sending her to the death chamber. This is a man who has approved torture and launched a war deemed unsupportable by the church, against a nation that posed us no threat. There has actually been some talk of Bush becoming Catholic as did Tony Blair. Should this happen, will the church allow him Communion?

Archbishop Burke has been a great Archbishop of St. Louis. As a young Catholic (25), I appreciate his loyalty to the Holy Father, his zeal in encouraging young men to enter to the priesthood , his holiness and devotion to Catholic traditions including the ancient Tridentine Latin Mass, his firmness in dealing with radical liberal dissenters( including women “priests”, and lay people taking over a parish against Church law).

He has reluctantly excommunicated those people ( women “priests” and others) who would promote an agenda contrary to the teachings and traditions of the Catholic Church.

Now Archbishop Burke is being rewarded by the Pope. He will soon be a Cardinal. He deserves this promotion. It’s not a lateral or horizontal promotion in the Church…….this is a BIG promotion.
I hope we get a new Archbishop exactly like Archbishop Burke, or even more traditional.

Saint Louis deserves far better than what they got in Burke. Hopefully, the archdiocese will get a pastor, not another blowhard clerical politician.

It is appalling to me that someone who has obviously no tact or skills in public relations can be “promoted” to a higher standing in the Church. Perhaps, hiding him away in Rome and out of the public eye is a wise decision to lead the marriage tribunal area in the Vatican. The thought of “elevating” him to a position of a Cardinal, or “Prince of the Church”, is disheartening. Sometime ago, I found out from a friend who was “elevated” to Monsignor that he had to send a rather substantial “stipend” to Rome for the “elevation.” I could not believe this when I heard it! He further told me that this is kept quiet but it is also done when one is “elevated” to the position of bishop and cardinal. It would appear that perhaps Martin Luther was correct when he condemned Church practice of selling indulgences. It would appear that not much has changed and that the Catholic Church is still a business after all. I wonder if Jesus expected “stipends” from his chosen when He offered them the opportunity to “Come, and Follow” Him? He most certainly did not do so. It makes me glad that I am Greek Orthodox and no longer Roman Catholic.

As for the comments above criticizing “cafeteria Catholics”, look no further than the departing Archbishop for a classic example of the same. Raymond Burke condemned those in public life who did not take up the banner of the Church’s teaching on abortion, and he attempted to wield the withholding of sacraments like a weapon against those same office-holders he perceived as defying Church doctrine. Conversely, I do not recall an instance when he did the same to public officials who espouse wars which the Holy Father has condemned (i.e. Iraq), or the death penalty, also condemned by Pope Benedict XVI. If lay Catholics cannot “pick and choose” which Church teachings to follow, how can Archbishop Burke pick and choose which Church doctrines to enforce? His glaring inconsistency in this area always made it seem like his motives were political rather than spiritual.

It’s a great day for the Archdiocese of St. Louis, but surely not for the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature or the Church as a whole.

What an honor for Archbishop Burke!
To be able to serve the Church while in Rome in an area only few are qualified to do. I personally will miss him.
This is always a time of wonder and excitment as we wait to see who the next Shepard of St. Louis will be.
God bless Archbishop Burke and God bless the people of St. Louis.
Chris

One of the problems this underscores is too much turnover in the clergy-hierarchy. Better perhaps that Burke never came here in the first place, nor should any other bishop who doesn’t really want to be a shephard for this local community.
The appointment should be for a minimum of 10 years with no possibility of promotion, and if need be they should elect a local, caring priest for the job who really cares about St. Louis, and means to work for the betterment of the church here,

I was a supporter of Burkes until he went after St Stans…this was a clear effort to get their assets. Someone had to pay for the lawsuits and St Stans had millions.
Good Ridance.

Burke was one of the few bishops with the courage to stand up to the Catholic upper middle class. Hurray for him.