1. To all of those disaffected Catholics whom Burke caused to become alienated from a church founded on doctrine and canon law, most any protestant denomination will gladly welcome you.

2. Burke represents the same small-minded legalism found in all religions, which we decry especially when used against women, Catholicism should not be given a “pass”. The “Peter Principle” still applies.

Many of you so far have posted snide comments about Burke. It leaves me wondering, how many of you “Catholics” actually know your faith? How many of you claim to be Catholic and go to church only on Easter and Christmas, and maybe a few other holidays during the year? How many of you “Catholics” respect the Church’s teachings? Do you merely acknowledge what the Church says and chalk it up to ignorance, or do you remedy your own ignorance and attempt to figure out WHY the Church teaches what it does? Did you know that the Vatican does not excommunicate members, but that the excommunication is the act that separates the member from the larger Body of the Church? In fact, all the Vatican does is proclaim that the member has separated, or is in an excommunicated state.

I love the Church, and I will die a Catholic. That is the only thing I can state with 100% certainty. But it sickens me when I learn what most people think it means to be Catholic. It’s not picking and choosing which teachings you want to follow. It’s having the courage to understand why the Church has taught what it has taught for the past 2000 years and defend it. If you live up to this responsibility, please go elsewhere. There are plenty of other religions that require neither a backbone nor a true understanding of your beliefs.

Burke was a good priest, and deep down, many of you know this. However, it was easier for you to follow the media and ridicule him, because it was the path of least resistance. His responsibility first and foremost is to be a good Catholic, and he stood up for the Church, mostly at the expense of himself. When I see people writing that they want “a healer”, what I read is they want an archbishop who isn’t going to ruffle any feathers. Would you prefer an archbishop who rolled over for politicians who only say they are Catholic? Think about what it means to be “a healer” in a spiritual sense, and you might realize that Burke wasn’t as far off as everyone would have you believe.

“Ding Dong, the witch is dead”? “Rot in Hell, Burke”? I’d be willing to bet that not one single person who is posting these cruel, un-Christian comments about this holy bishop has NEVER knelt in prayer for Archbishop Burke! It’s usually the loudest whiners who never pray for their priests or bishops. It is a sin to attack a priest! When St. Francis Asissi was asked to chastise a local priest who was living in sin with his mistress, he went to the priest’s house and knelt down, kissing “the hands that give me my Lord in the Eucharist.” I think all of you unkind smart-alecks need to get to confession and confess the sin of detraction. Shame, shame, shame on all of you! 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!

Thank goodness he’s gone! The man was too insensitive to the needs of the St. Louis archdiocese. The way he bullied the St. Stan situation just proves what kind of person he is. I’m not so sure we are completely out of the woods with him, yet. If he is moving closer to the Pope and Rome, he will have more power to abuse. We have all seen what he does with his power. As a whole, the Catholic Church needs to heal and to retrieve all the lost sheep. This will take time and the right kind of person to do it. I think we may have that with our Pope. Let’s pray that God will guide Pope Benedict to select a good archbishop for our diocese who will be sensitive and effective and stick around for awhile.

We all know why he bullied St. Stan. It was not about its people or its teachings. It was about the millions of dollars they have in the coffers. Once again, Religion is a BUSINESS… its about the mighty dollar (or as of late, not all that mighty) and thats it.. WAKE UP PEOPLE…

THINK FOR YOURSELF for a change

“Would you prefer an archbishop who rolled over for politicians who only say they are Catholic?”

I would actually prefer an Archbishop who respects the very American separation of Church and State and who does not presume to tell me how to vote in civil elections.

Great, I don’t believe he has been a positive force in St. Louis, and the Catholic community is much better of with out him. Of course, there is always the issue of the devil you know, VS the one who may come later.

Many citizens of the United States are also Catholics. However, if Catholics are genuine about their faith, their faith won’t be threatened by performing their civic duty of voting or vice versa. I don’t think the separation of church and state requires that citizens (including Catholic priests) compartmentalize their faith when they enter the voting booth.

Second, Neal, please show me where Burke *ever* told you who to vote for. Priests don’t speak on candidates–they speak on issues. Your faith should inform where you stand on the issue. Also, in stating that he would deny politicians communion, Burke was speaking on HIS relationship with politicians, not yours. You have absolutely no impact on whether or not he gives them the Eucharist.

Apparently you feel that a clergyman discussing political candidates is a violation of the Establishment Clause. However, if you read another part of the SAME Constitutional Amendment (the First), you will see that citizens also retain the right to free speech. Contrary to what you may thing, a priest doesn’t forfeit his First Amendment rights once he becomes ordained.

Arcbishop Burke To Head Apostolic Signatura, Church’s Highest Court
The following is the text of Archbishop Raymond L. Burke’s statment regarding his appointment as prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura. To view a video statement from Archbishop Burke, click on the play button (►) in the video window below. The appointment was announed at the Vatican on Friday, June 27, 2008.

Today, at noon in Rome (5 a.m. CDT), it was announced that His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, has named me prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, effective immediately. With the announcement, I ceased to be the Archbishop of St. Louis.

I am deeply humbled by the trust which His Holiness has placed in me, and, in priestly obedience, I have pledged to serve our Holy Father to the best of my abilities. Although you will no longer pray for me as your archbishop, especially during the celebration of the Holy Mass, I ask your prayers for me, that I may faithfully and generously cooperate with God’s grace in fulfilling my new responsibilities.

Leaving the service of the Church in the Archdiocese of St. Louis is most sad for me. It has been an honor and gift for me to serve the archdiocese over the past four years and five months. It had been my hope to serve here for a long time, but, as the bishop who called me to priestly ordination often remarked, “Man proposes, but God disposes.” I trust that doing what our Holy Father has asked me to do will bring blessings to the Archdiocese of St. Louis and to me. St. Louis is a great archdiocese which will always have a treasured place in my heart.

In a particular way, I am saddened to leave my fellow priests, whom I have so much grown to esteem and love. Often, I have spoken about the remarkable unity and loyalty of our presbyterate. For me, it has been a special grace to work with them in the service of God’s flock in the archdiocese. I thank them for the priestly fraternity which they have always shown me, and for the generous obedience with which they have responded to my pastoral care and governance of our beloved archdiocese.

With regard to the governance of the archdiocese, the College of Consultors will meet to elect an archdiocesan administrator who, with the help of the consultors, will govern the archdiocese, until the new archbishop is appointed and installed. Please pray for the College of Consultors and for the archdiocesan administrator whom they will elect.

Again, I ask your prayers. You can count upon my daily prayers for the Archdiocese of St. Louis, always.

Like MLK said, quoting the famous black spiritual, “Thank God, we’re free at last!”

Sounds like he got promoted to the Court of the Inquisition, which isn’t a good thing for the worldwide church, but birds of a feather and all that stuff. If he plays his cards right, he can go down in Catholic history…like Torquemada did.

I’m not hopeful that our next archbishop will be a saint, but Burke did more to ‘uncatholic’ St. Louis than anyone else in our 400 year history.

Attendance down 20%? I believe it. I guess they noticed the gate receipts quit coming in, so they needed to move him on. If they want to get the disaffected 20% back, they are going to need a Vatican II raised ecumenically friendly uniter, not someone mumbling in Latin and trying to drag the faithful back to the days of interdict, persecution and cloister.