Important: Abp. Burke appointed to Congregation of Bishops

Good news for the Church in the United States, and the world, as reported by Whispers:

[Yesterday], B16 named the church's "chief justice" Archbishop Raymond Burke to the membership of the Congregation for Bishops, giving the 61 year-old prelate a seat at the dicastery's all-important Thursday Table, whose votes recommend prospective appointees to the Pope.

As a result, Burke's impact on the process and its outcomes could be felt for two decades; normally renewed on a five-yearly basis, Curial memberships automatically cease at age 75 for bishops and 80 for the college of cardinals, which the Wisconsin-born prefect of the Apostolic Signatura is likely to join at the next consistory, expected to take place sometime in mid-2010.

... Though it can only be gauged with time, the emergence of a potential "Burke effect" on Stateside appointments bears watching.

Any move that places Abp. Burke in a more prominent oversight role over the appointment of bishops in the United States is a good thing.

Tip: Abp. Burke in Louisville July 17-18 for Eternal Life Conference

Archbishop Raymond Burke's recent appearance and comments at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast was memorable, to say the least. AmP reader Sandy lets us know where he can be seen next in the states:

Archbishop Burke is scheduled to be in Louisville, Ky, on July 17-18 for the annual Eternal Life Conference sponsored by the Cardinal Mindszenty Foundation, Catholics United for the Faith and Eternal Life, an organization founded by the late Father John Hardon, who was a regular speaker at the conferences until his death in 2000. There will be at least three other speakers including Father Benedict Groeschel. Archbishop Burke has been a frequent speaker at this venue, and past speakers include Cardinal Arinze, Father George Rutler, Dr. Alice Von Hildebrand, and even Mother Teresa. The Conference is held at the Galt House in downtown Louisville. The phone number to get more information is 1-800-842-2871.

I trust AmP readers to find out more information with Google, if they are interested.

No, Abp. Burke isn't going to intervene in Notre Dame "immediately"

update: my apologies to Michael Voris, STB for attributing to him the quote below which is not from him. The quote is actually from Marc Brammer, the Owner of RealCatholicTV.

update 2: RealCatholic TV is disputing the quote originated from Marc Brammer. See changes below.

Many people have emailed me today asking me to substantiate rumors being circulated by "The Vortex" program on RealCatholicTV.com that Archbishop Burke will intervene in Notre Dame "immediately."

{update 2: here is the text I've been receiving, attributed to Marc Brammer}:

"We have it on good authority that The Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura headed by its Prefect Mons. Archbishop Raymond Leo Burke has been duly petitioned and is preparing to deal with the Congregation of the Holy Cross on a number of issues including the awarding of an honorary degree to President Obama."

As I twittered yesterday, I put no stock in these rumors.

What has apparently happened is that someone has "filed a brief" in Rome with "actionable consequences" against Notre Dame. According to my knowledge of canon law, that's about as significant as someone sending a letter to the President - sure, you can send them a letter, but that doesn't mean they have to read or act on it. All this means is that Archbishop Burke('s staff) checks the mail.

Of course, Archbishop Burke could conceivably do something, but we have zero evidence that he will if we're basing them on the rumors circulating right now. Frankly, this doesn't strike me as his style - to rush something out the door with the President coming only a few days away.

The Vortex program also asks people to pray for Pope Benedict, Archbishop Burke and for the Notre Dame situation. I absolutely agree with all that. But let's not make our prayers dependant on or exclusive to invoking a last minute "hail mary pass" from the Vatican. Good things can come about in other ways, too.

Abp. Burke: Catholics "could not have voted for [Obama] with a clear conscience"

Quote of the Day from Kathryn Jean Lopez's interview with Archbishop Raymond Burke. Pay close attention:

LOPEZ: You seemed to make very clear that Catholic voters collaborated with evil when they voted for Obama. If you’re Catholic and did, do you have to confess this now that Mexico City, embryo-destructive funding, among other things, have happened?
ARCHBISHOP BURKE: If a Catholic knowingly and deliberately votes for a person who is in favor of the most grievous violations of the natural moral law, then he has formally cooperated in a grave evil and must confess his serious sin. Since President Obama clearly announced, during the election campaign, his anti-life and anti-family agenda, a Catholic who knew his agenda regarding, for example, procured abortion, embryonic-stem-cell research, and same-sex marriage, could not have voted for him with a clear conscience.

Archbishop Burke minces no words: in his estimation, a Catholic who voted for Obama could not have done so with a clear conscience.

Note also how Archbishop Burke evaluates Obama as not only anti-life, but also anti-family because of his positions on same-sex marriage.

On a related note, Fr. James Schall, SJ unpacks Archbishop Burke's keynote address which he gave last Friday at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast.

Text: Archbishop Burke's Keynote Address on the teachings of the Catholic Church

Life Site News has the full text of Archbishop Burke's keynote address delivered yesterday at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast. As I said yesterday: "I think Abp. Burke has provided Catholics in America with a comprehensive manifesto for action in the coming year. I think his speech will have wide, beneficial consequences, or at least I pray that it does." I think it's required reading for Catholics in America.

Report: 2009 National Catholic Prayer Breakfast

This morning I attended the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast. You can read my Twitter play-by-play here. And yes that's me with Archbishop Burke and Justin Aquila of the Susan B. Anthony List.

I was very impressed by Abp. Burke's keynote address. The audience liked it too - they were constantly interrupting it with applause and standing ovations. In fact at times it was difficult for him to work in a complete sentence.

One comment of Abp. Burke's in particular, where he called Notre Dame's decision a "source of the greatest scandal", was greeted with thunderous and prolonged applause.

But apart from the "radioactive lines" and headline-grabbing soundbites, I think Abp. Burke has provided Catholics in America with a comprehensive manifesto for action in the coming year. I think his speech will have wide, beneficial consequences, or at least I pray that it does.

I will provide a link to the text as soon as it is officially released.

update: EWTN will be broadcasting the entire prayer breakfast at 1 p.m., Sunday, May 10; 5 a.m., Monday, May 11; and 9 a.m., Saturday, May 16.

update 2: Life Site News has the full text on their website.

[photo credit: David Cory.]

Between Wuerl and Burke, who is right on Communion?

My father Canon Lawyer Ed Peters attempts an adjudication:

I often tell my students, the answer to a canonical question is seldom found in a single canon.

Two prominent American prelates, Abp. Donald Wuerl of Washington DC and Abp. Raymond Burke of the Apostolic Signatura, are the lead figures in a significant disagreement over admitting certain pro-abortion Catholic politicians to holy Communion.

Wuerl basically believes that, under Canon 916, Catholics, including pro-abortion politicians, should determine their own eligibility for reception of Communion.

Burke argues that, beyond Canon 916, Canon 915 requires ministers of holy Communion to withhold the Eucharist from some pro-abortion politicians if they don't refrain from approaching on their own.

Both sides can't be right, and I suspect that the more compelling case is made by reading the two canons together instead of reading one to the exclusion of the other.

He sorts it out here.

Ruse: "Randall Terry Is Not the Spokesman for Catholic Orthodoxy"

Randall Terry is a bit persona non grata on AmP after setting-up Archbishop Burke last week.

Austin Ruse attempts to separate good from bad when it comes to this divisive character:

First things first: Randall Terry is a very talented guy. I am told he is a riveting speaker. He is utterly fearless. And he has a remarkable ability to project himself and his convictions into the mainstream press.

... [but] Randall Terry cannot be allowed to represent himself as the voice of Catholic orthodoxy. The press in its essential anti-Catholicism would much rather quote someone like Randall Terry than more responsible people like George Weigel or George Rutler or Michael Novak or Robert Royal or Jody Bottum or any one of dozens of important voices. The press love it that the P.T. Barnum of the pro-life movement is now front and center in defending the Catholic Church. (CNA)

Reviewed: DC to remain "green zone" for reception of the Eucharist by pro-aborts?

An update on the Archbishop Burke saga from last week (here and here):

[Correction: Bishop of Arlington] Loverde said on Friday that individual Catholics must determine their fitness to receive Communion.

"If you are Catholic, you have the responsibility to think carefully about what it means to present yourself for Communion," he said. "You should present yourself for Communion when you are in harmony with the church's teaching, free of mortal sin and living your life accordingly, and not receive when you are not."

Susan Gibbs, spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Washington, said Friday that the U.S. bishops overwhelmingly decided in 2004 to allow individual bishops to determine a Communion policy for their diocese.

Wuerl's policy is "to respect the pastoral directives and guidance given to a public official by his or her own bishop while the official is working in Washington, D.C.," Gibbs said. "That individual's bishop presumably would know the person and the situation best and, therefore, be in a position to make a judgment about or a request concerning the person's worthiness to receive Holy Communion." (Religion News Service)

A friend of mine has said that this solution in effect sets up a "Green Zone" for pro-abortion politicians to receive communion while in Washington DC despite what their hometown bishops may have decided.

Sebellius is coming....

Flash: Abp. Burke clarifies he was misled about Communion interview agenda

I was worried about something like this happening. Looks like Randall Terry lied to Archbishop Burke about how his interview would be used, and Burke has issued a statement today to clarify:

ROME, Italy - In response to the March 25, 2009 press conference of Mr. Randall Terry in Washington, D.C., the Most Reverend Raymond L. Burke, Archbishop Emeritus of Saint Louis and Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, issued the following statement:

“Recently, Mr. Randall Terry and some of his associates visited me in Rome and asked to videotape an interview with me to share with pro-life workers for the purpose of their encouragement. The interview was conducted on March 2, 2009.

“Sadly, Mr. Terry has used the videotape for another purpose which I find most objectionable.

“First, Mr. Terry issued a media advisory which gave the impression that I would be physically present at the press conference during which he played the videotape, when, in fact, I was in Rome.

“Second, I was never informed that the videotape would become part of a press conference.

“Third, I gave the interview as a Bishop from the United States to encourage those engaged in the respect life apostolate, not as the Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura.

“Fourth, I was never informed that the videotape would be used as part of a campaign of severe criticism of certain fellow bishops regarding the application of Canon 915 of the Code of Canon Law.

“If I had known what the true purpose of the interview was, I would never have agreed to participate in it.

“I am deeply sorry for the confusion and hurt which the wrong use of the videotape has caused to anyone, particularly, to my brother bishops.”

Once again, this situation could have been avoided if Abp. Burke's assistants had done their homework. (News flash, people: USE GOOGLE.) After all, Terry advertised this DC press conference several days in advance ... and yet no one in Rome apparently took notice of the things Terry was claiming (Second news flash, people: USE GOOGLE to keep tabs on what the media is saying about your boss). Rome shouldn't be the last one to know.

I was surprised that Abp. Burke had consented to giving Terry an interview, but I naively presumed that Abp. Burke knew what he was getting into, and was aware of Terry's hardcore approach to pro-life activism.

That said, Abp. Burke is not taking back his words. He is taking back the way they were used by Terry.

update: Michael Sean Winters pounces on the opportunity to snipe Abp. Burke: "... the Archbishop does not retract the statements he made in the interview but he does voice regret at the way the interview is being used. That is what passes, in this age of moral relativism, for an apology."

No sir, yours is what passes, in this age of liberal journalism, for an attack.

Ph/t: Whispers.

Abp. Burke in interview says pro-aborts are to be denied communion

Flash: Abp. Burke clarifies he was misled about Communion interview agenda

This is very newsworthy.

Terry Randall of Operation Rescue went to Rome recently and conducted an interview with Archbishop Burke, who is completely uncompromising in his interpretation and application of Canon 915. He hits the ground running:

"Mr. Terry: For the umpteenth time, I and the others are asking, under Canon 915 what should or should not be done?

Archbishop Burke: The Canon is completely clear, it is not subject in my judgment to any other interpretations. When someone is publicly and obstinately in grave sin we may not administer Holy Communion to the person. And that, basically, for two reasons: number one, to prevent the person himself or herself from committing a sacrilege, and secondly, to protect the sanctity of the Holy Eucharist. In other words, to approach, to receive our Lord in Holy Communion, when one insists on remaining in grave sin, is such a violation of the sanctity of the Holy Eucharist, so that Communion must not be given to people who are publicly, obstinately, in grave sin.

And that's just a start. Read the full transcript here.

Archbishop Burke will address the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast on May 9th.

Rumor: Abp. Burke's St. Louis replacement

(And before we get started, do note that the current apostolic administrator of St. Louis is not being idle.)

Whispers has the scoop:

Over recent weeks, three independent sources in divergent locales have indicated a surprise front-runner for the vacant archbishopric of St Louis: Bishop Salvatore Matano of Burlington.

A native of Providence ordained to lead Vermont's statewide diocese of 150,000 in 2005, the 62 year-old prelate was a Roman classmate and remains a close friend of the prior head of the 550,000-member Gateway City church, Archbishop Raymond Burke, now the prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, the Holy See's highest court. A product of the North American College and the Gregorian, he was ordained a priest at the Vatican in 1971.

... While it's of prime importance to remember that, as always, nothing is assured until the file makes its way through the standard trail of the Congregation for Bishops and the papal apartment, the sudden emergence of the New Englander's name atop a wide swath of the trans-continental buzzmill implies two things: first, that the process leading to a St Louis appointment has been fast-tracked and, second, that in keeping with Benedict's precedent for the three other diocesan bishops he's called to lead Curial dicasteries, Burke will likely have, at the very least, a strong say in the selection of his replacement.

[More.]

Running second in the rumor mill? Auxiliary Bishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Diego.

Although I really hope Bp. Cordileone gets promoted within California. He is needed.

Have you heard anything about Bp. Matano?

Oh ... so that's what that is

(Informative title, eh?)

Yesterday I admitted to not knowing what the Vatican's "Commission for Advocates" actually does, and so the news that Archbishop Raymond Burke was it's new head had little effect on me.

Turn's out it's their bar association.

As the saying goes, "a burke post a day keeps heresy away." ;-)

Archbishop Burke's Vatican takeover continues

The Pope gave him 'smore responsibility today, from the Vatican bulletino:

"The Holy Father appointed Archbishop Raymond Leo Burke, prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, as president of the Commission for Advocates."

Okay, I'll admit to having no idea what this commission does.

Arcbishop Burke: Democrats becoming "party of death"

Archbishop "Pulls-No-Punches," well, doesn't:

The Democratic Party in the United States "risks transforming itself definitively into a 'party of death,'" said U.S. Archbishop Raymond L. Burke, prefect of the Vatican's highest court.

An interview with the former archbishop of St. Louis was published in the Sept. 27 edition of Avvenire, a daily Catholic newspaper sponsored by the Italian bishops' conference.

... "At this point the Democratic Party risks transforming itself definitely into a 'party of death' because of its choices on bioethical questions as Ramesh Ponnuru wrote in his book, 'The Party of Death: The Democrats, the Media, the Courts and the Disregard for Human Life.'"

Archbishop Burke said the Democratic Party once was "the party that helped our immigrant parents and grandparents better integrate and prosper in American society. But it is not the same anymore."

Pro-life Democrats are "rare, unfortunately," he said.

On denying communion to pro-abortion politicians:

Archbishop Burke also was asked about being one of a few U.S. bishops to publicly ban Catholic politicians who hold positions contrary to church teaching from receiving Communion.

"Mine was not an isolated position," the archbishop said. "It was shared by Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Denver, by Bishop Peter J. Jugis of Charlotte (N.C.) and by others."

"But it is true that the bishops' conference has not taken this position, leaving each bishop free to act as he believes best. For my part, I always have maintained that there must be a united position in order to demonstrate the unity of the church in facing this serious question," he said.

"Recently, I have noticed that other bishops are coming to this position," he said, especially after Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware, the Democratic vice-presidential candidate, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., "while presenting themselves as good Catholics, have represented church teaching on abortion in a false and tendentious manner."

Ka-boom.

update: for those who are interested, the book Archbishop Burke mentions: "The Party of Death: The Democrats, the Media, the Courts, and the Disregard for Human Life"

For those interested in finding the bishops to whom Archbishop Burke is referring, see: "Joe Biden" in recent AmP posts.

Also, I have cross-posted this to CatholicVote.com, which is doing well.

Photo credit: "Geerlingguy"

John Allen on why Abp. Burke wasn't kicked upstairs

I agree:

Since news of St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke’s appointment as prefect of the Apostolic Signatura was announced June 27, I’ve received numerous telephone calls and e-mails, from both sides of the Atlantic, posing some version of the following question: Was this a case of what the Italians call promuovere per rimuovere … promoting someone in order to get rid of him?

... my hunch is that this is not a case of promuovere per rimuovere, but what one might call “promotion for multiple motives.” In no particular order, I suspect that at least the following four considerations were at work. [Read them.]

Flash: Archbishop Raymond Burke of St. Louis assigned high-level post in Rome

The notification from today's Vatican news bulletin:

The Holy Father appointed Archbishop Raymond Leo Burke of Saint Louis, U.S.A., as prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura.

This is big news. It is a gain for the universal church on the one hand, and a loss for the Church in America on the other. But that's just a start. (For previous coverage of stories related to Abp. Burke, click here).

Related links:

• CNS: Pope appoints U.S. Archbishop Burke to head Vatican's highest court
• St. Louis Catholic: Holy Father Tabs Archbishop Burke as Prefect of Apostolic Signatura
• STLToday: Burke leaving St. Louis for Rome; what’s next for the local Catholic church?
• AMDG: St Louis Loses Archbishop Burke to Rome
• AP: St. Louis Archbishop gets Vatican post

Update, more links:

• Whispers: The "Chief Justice": A St Louis Cardinal
• John Allen: Burke to head Vatican's supreme court
• Ed Peters: First thoughts on Abp. Burke's promotion to the Signatura

Update 2, more links and news:

• CNS: Pope appoints U.S. Archbishop Burke to head Vatican's highest court
• Whispers: More Burke (read the screed quoted from Fr. Thomas Reese)

Finally, at the Archdiocesan website, the following announcement:

he Archdiocesan College of Consultors―a seven-member board of advisors made up of priests of the Archdiocese of St. Louis―has elected the Most Rev. Robert J. Hermann, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, to serve as archdiocesan administrator.

In this role, Bishop Hermann will oversee the day-to-day operations of the archdiocese until the installation of a successor to Archbishop Raymond L. Burke.

You can also find a bevy of information (and video!) at the St. Louis Archdiocesan website about Abp. Burke's appointment, including a Q & A, the official news release (PDF), and his biography.

With all this St. Louis buzz in the air, I hope my readers will especially appreciate the exclusive post I have planned for tomorrow.... stay tuned!

[I'm trying to see if I can embed the video of the Archbishop below. If you don't see anything below, it didn't work, and you can find it right here (scroll down).]

Breaking: Abp. Burke excommunicates *two more* persons today

Wow. Archbishop Burke is on a roll:

I have communicated with both Mr. Rozanski and Ms. Krauze that the Board of Saint Stanislaus Kostka Corporation is in schism, the parish had been suppressed, and that if they joined the board, they would be knowingly joining a sect that held and professed views outside the communion of the Catholic Church. Because they joined the board knowing this information, they excommunicated themselves from the Catholic Church. Church law requires me to publicly declare the excommunication.

The situation of Mr. Rozanski and Ms. Krause is sad for the whole Church. It is cause of great concern for me as archbishop. Please join me in praying that both will be reconciled with the Church and that the great harm which has been caused to the Church, with the help of God’s grace, will be healed.

A Q&A for this set of excommunications has been available here.

That brings it up to five excommunications in two days. Someone decided to clear off his desk before Easter.

Ph/t: TheTimman of St. Louis Catholic, who has much more on the story.

Abp. Burke excommunicates three women involved in attempted ordination

update: Archbishop Burke has excommunicated two more persons today, more on that story here.

original story: Archbishop Raymond Burke of St. Louis has today excommunicated three women of the archdiocese who participated in an attempted ordination on November 11th, 2007.

Burke, as his info page describes, is truly "one of the world’s foremost authorities on Roman Catholic Canon Law," and he has chosen to use the medicinal penalty of excommunicaton to "safeguard the unity of the Catholic Church and protect the souls of the faithful."

From the Archdiocese of St. Louis website:

As Archbishop of St. Louis, it is my responsibility to safeguard the unity of the Catholic Church and protect the souls of the faithful.

I have communicated with Ms. Fresen, Ms. Hudson, and Ms. McGrath, and informed them that if they participated in an attempted female ordination, they would be excommunicating themselves from the Catholic Church. In the apostolic letter Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, Pope John Paul II reaffirmed that the Catholic Church has no authority to confer priestly ordination on women. This teaching is to be held definitively by all the faithful as belonging to the deposit of faith. Because they participated in the attempted ordination, Church law requires me to publicly declare the excommunication.

The situation is sad for the whole Church. It is cause of great concern for me as archbishop. Please join me in praying that both will be reconciled with the Church and that the great harm which has been caused to the Church, with the help of God's grace, will be healed.

• Declaration of Excommunication of Patricia Fresen, Rose Hudson, and Elsie McGrath (621.44 Kb PDF file)
• Questions and Answers Regarding Excommunication of Those Involved in Attempted Ordinations

update: expert commentary from Canonist Ed Peters:

I would like to say that Abp. Raymond Burke's excommunication of three women who recently participated in a pseudo-ordination in Saint Louis is a "text-book illustration" of how (non-judicial) excommunication is supposed to be applied in the Church today, but I can't say that: Why not? Because Abp. Burke's attention to juridic detail and his provision for the pastoral care of the people in his care so exceeds what the textbooks teach, that it is the textbooks that must copy from him, not him from the textbooks.

[Read why here]

Peters (my father) has also published a book on excommunication, entitled "Excommunication and the Catholic Church: Straight Answers to Tough Questions."

The Archbishop almost immediatly placed the women in question under interdict (AP) after the mock ordination.

He is also taking canonical action against renegade local priest Marek Bozek, who on March 5th refused to show at his hearing, opening him up to be dismissed from the clerical state by Rome. It's a long story.

St. Louis Catholic beat me to the punch on this story by about an hour, and with good coverage.

update: more background....

A picture of Fresen simulating an ordination of Hudson and McGrath:

The event took place, St. Louis Jewish Light reports, at a Jewish synagogue by the name of "Central Reform Congregation." However, "The Jewish Community Relations Council .... released a statement that CRC's decision to host the ceremony does not represent the greater Jewish community." Indeed, they've done everything they can to distance themselves from it.

Not so Pamela Schaeffer of the National Catholic Reporter, who was all agog at the development. Hudson and McGrath are listed on the "Roman Catholic WomenPriests" website as "ordained." At the time, Womens Ordination issued a press release which read: "Over 600 Cheer at Ordination of Two Roman Catholic Women Hosted by a Synagogue in St. Louis."

Finally, Bridget Mary, herself a "woman priest", notifies us that each of the excommunicated women received a decree at their respective homes by a courier. Some justifications for women's ordination she lists?

Recent scholarship affirms that women were ordained in the first twelve hundred years of the church’s history. The first half of the church’s history provides us with images and accounts of the inclusion of women in Holy Orders that contradict the later prohibition. The evidence provides a tradition we reclaim.

With facts like this one, I wonder how they can claim that the Catholic Church is out of touch.

In all seriousness, we should pray for these women that they may realize the gravity of their actions, the peril of their souls, and joyfully be reconciled to the Church. What's really going to get me is when the media reporters chime in and support their delusion. That's no help.

We should support Archbishop Burke because he is bravely performing the duties of his office.

update: the first AP "breaking news" report is accurate and balanced. We'll see what follows it.

Burke's Canonical Bunker Buster for Pro-Abort Politicians

And in this case "Bunker" means "those who think that Canon Law doesn't prohibit pro-choice Catholic politicians from receiving the Eucharist" and "Buster" means "Archbishop Burke's recent article published in the world's leading journal for Canon (Church) Law."

The title of Burke's article: "CANON 915: THE DISCIPLINE REGARDING THE DENIAL OF HOLY COMMUNION TO THOSE OBSTINATELY PERSEVERING IN MANIFEST GRAVE SIN." It is available online in its entirety here.

I would highly recommend reading my father's introduction to this article at his blog In the Light of the Law (published today) which fills-in the context surrounding the debate and attempts to prepare the reader for what is, admittedly, technical and demanding language (I'm sure that won't constitute a disincentive to my readers).

He considers it the most important article on canon law published this year.

A friend of mine alerted me earlier this year to Burke's intentions of publishing this article, but he could not specify which journal had accepted it and my efforts to find out proved fruitless. Regardless, it has now reached the light of day and by nightfall I'm fairly certain we can expect some fireworks.

Burke's determined approach

Via AMDG:

The annual Glennon Sunday collection in parishes to benefit Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center will continue, according to Archbishop Raymond L. Burke...[noting] that the Glennon Sunday collection, to be held the weekend of June 2 and 3, "will go directly to the medical center and not the foundation, as it had in the past."

...the archbishop again reiterated the archdiocese’s commitment to the medical center, which was founded in 1956 with the support of the archdiocese.

The archbishop noted that the Glennon Sunday collection will continue to be sent directly to the medical center until the foundation refrains from featuring at its benefit "performers or anyone else who is advocating moral evils or advocating positions contrary to the teaching of the Catholic Church." [More from St. Louis Review.]

Why is Burke doing all this? I'll let the man speak for himself:

"I hold to the Church’s teaching. This is all about the Church’s teaching. It has nothing to do with me personally."

Amen. Do read the article, it's very informative.

Previous posts on related topics:

• Pro-Choice Missouri Senator disinvited to graduation, blames Abp. Burke
• More on Burke Being Backbonely

Pro-Choice Missouri Senator disinvited to graduation, blames Abp. Burke

Abp. Burke is at it again ... or is he?

[The Associated Press:] ST. LOUIS -- An invitation to Sen. Claire McCaskill to speak at her daughter's graduation from a Roman Catholic high school was withdrawn because of her positions on abortion and stem cell research.

Students at all-girls St. Joseph's Academy in the St. Louis suburb of Frontenac wanted to have McCaskill speak at their commencement this month, McCaskill spokeswoman Adrianne Marsh said Tuesday.

But the offer was rescinded last week. The president of St. Joseph's, Sister Michaela Zahner, said she reluctantly made the decision after receiving a call from the St. Louis Archdiocese.

McCaskill narrowly defeated Republican incumbent Sen. Jim Talent last November in a race in which embryonic stem cell research was a key issue. A McCaskill ad featuring actor Michael J. Fox _ swaying noticeably from the effects of Parkinson's disease _ drew nationwide attention.

Marsh said the senator, a Catholic, understands that her positions supporting abortion rights and stem cell research are different from those held by the church.

The senator was told by the school that the decision came from Archbishop Raymond Burke, Marsh said.

"I'm disappointed that the archbishop has made this decision," McCaskill said in a statement. "It does not diminish my respect and admiration for St. Joseph's Academy, their faculty, and students."

A spokeswoman for the archdiocese, Anne Steffens, said the decision was not made by the archbishop. But Zahner said an archdiocese policy forbidding a public forum for speakers who diverge from church teaching clearly reflects Burke's position.

While St. Joseph's is a private, rather than an archdiocesan school, it receives its right to be identified as a Catholic institution through the archdiocese, Zahner said, adding that rescinding the invitation "was a very hard decision."

Clearly we have a disagreement concerning the facts. Whether Abp. Burke personally made an intervention in this decision or not is ambiguous from the report. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch offers some additional reporting here. Certainly, most of the blame against Burke is coming from the McCaskill camp, and it would not surprise me if they are trying to gain some sympathy by tagging Burke with the responsibility. Then again, I doubt Burke would shun ownership of such a prudent and just decision.

Oh, and Sister Michaela Zahner (the president of this school), boo hoo about having to disinvite a pro-choice Senator! You made the decision to disinvite "reluctantly"? It was "very hard?" Please. What's hard about this? You're providing a terrible example to your all-girls school. Be thankful someone helped you remedy your error.