Pope removes Cardinal Burke from Congregation for Bishops

[FakePigtails]

More good news from Rome! http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/17/world ... tw-nytimes

Pope Francis moved on Monday against a conservative American cardinal who has been an outspoken critic of abortion and same-sex marriage, by replacing him on a powerful Vatican committee with another American who is less identified with the culture wars within the Roman Catholic Church.

The pope’s decision to remove Cardinal Raymond Burke from the Congregation for Bishops was taken by church experts to be a signal that Francis is willing to disrupt the Vatican establishment in order to be more inclusive.

Even so, many saw the move less as an effort to change doctrine on specific social issues than an attempt to bring a stylistic and pastoral consistency to the church’s leadership.

“He is saying that you don’t need to be a conservative to become a bishop,†said Alberto Melloni, the director of the John XXIII Foundation for Religious Studies in Bologna, a liberal Catholic research institute. “He wants good bishops, regardless of how conservative or liberal they are.â€

...

“The Congregation for Bishops is the most important congregation in the Vatican,†said the Rev. Thomas J. Reese, a Jesuit priest and the author of “Inside the Vatican: The Politics and Organization of the Catholic Church.â€

“It decides who are going to be the bishops all over the world,†he added. “This is what has the most direct impact on the life of the local church.â€

To replace Cardinal Burke, Francis chose Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington, an ideological moderate with a deep knowledge of the Vatican but also with pastoral experience. Father Reese noted that Cardinal Burke had been a leader of American bishops arguing that Catholic politicians who support abortion rights should be barred from receiving communion, while Cardinal Wuerl had taken an opposite tack.

[PennySycamore]

This is good news! Way to go, Pope Francis!

[August]

I'm thinking more and more he might not be evil. Let's hope he manages to completely reform the church without coming to an untimely end.

[louisa05]

I'm thinking more and more he might not be evil. Let's hope he manages to completely reform the church without coming to an untimely end.

This is a good step as this committee chooses bishops. He also needs plenty of time for appointing like minded cardinals.

I've said many times over since March, I am hearing a change of tone from the pulpit already. One of our priests has been empowered to talk about social justice again and the other has been challenged to let go of some of his own legalism. He abruptly ended a promised series of homilies in April that I had named "why you are all bad Catholics". The first two installments had featured a lecture on how we take communion wrong (no politics or sin--we apparently don't stand right or hold our hands right in the line), that we should all be in mass every weekend (that was a head scratcher since he was talking to the people who are), and how we are badly dressed--sloppy men and immodest women... He also regularly lectured on contraception and abortion. Not a word about either since April. And he now quotes the pope and talks about how his words challenge us to be different.

[MamaJunebug]

I'm thinking more and more he might not be evil. Let's hope he manages to completely reform the church without coming to an untimely end.

That's my hope as well. Remember the Pope who served for like, 23 days in-between Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II? If memory serves his name was Pope Paul - thus why Cardinal Karol Wotyla chose "John Paul" as his name. Yes, Paul may simply have been ill. But the Vatican remains a political power as well as a religious headquarters. It's just the way of the world.

[sunshine]

Sad news.

[Coconut Flan]

It's time to return to the real church and I'm glad to see it. :clap: :clap:

[formergothardite]

Sad news.

Why?

Maybe there is hope for the Catholic church after all.

[nokidsmom]

Why?

Maybe there is hope for the Catholic church after all.

Same here. When he was first elected, I thought it would be the "same ol' same ol" but it's been a pleasant surprise and hope it continues.

[formergothardite]

If God is real I highly doubt that fighting gay marriage and abortion are at the top of his list of priorities. So good job for dumping a guy who makes them a priority. Care for the poor, sick and needy. I think that is what God would care about.

[RosyDaisy]

Sad news.

How so? I'm asking sincerely.

[Rachel333]

I kind of hate to admit it, but I like this new pope. He keeps impressing me.

[Hane]

That's my hope as well. Remember the Pope who served for like, 23 days in-between Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II? If memory serves his name was Pope Paul - thus why Cardinal Karol Wotyla chose "John Paul" as his name. Yes, Paul may simply have been ill. But the Vatican remains a political power as well as a religious headquarters. It's just the way of the world.

[Hane]

That's my hope as well. Remember the Pope who served for like, 23 days in-between Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II? If memory serves his name was Pope Paul - thus why Cardinal Karol Wotyla chose "John Paul" as his name. Yes, Paul may simply have been ill. But the Vatican remains a political power as well as a religious headquarters. It's just the way of the world.

You're talking about John Paul I. He chose his names after John XXIII and his successor Paul VI. As an archbishop, John Paul I was sympathetic and leaning toward OKing oral BC. I am no conspiracy theorist, but the lack of investigation into his sudden death is highly suspicious.

[dawbs]

If God is real I highly doubt that fighting gay marriage and abortion are at the top of his list of priorities. So good job for dumping a guy who makes them a priority. Care for the poor, sick and needy. I think that is what God would care about.

This reminded me of this:

http://boingboing.net/2013/12/04/tom-th ... man-a.html

[Talitha Cumi]

Same here. When he was first elected, I thought it would be the "same ol' same ol" but it's been a pleasant surprise and hope it continues.

I have to wonder what the hell happened over there. First they elected Pope Benedict, who was more conservative than JPII, then he stepped down and now Pope Francis is all about peace and love and helping others. It's like Tool Doug Phillips being replaced by, idk, John Shelby Spong or something. (Okay, not that extreme, but you know what I mean.) What did Benedict do???

[BravaAmica]

I have to wonder what the hell happened over there. First they elected Pope Benedict, who was more conservative than JPII, then he stepped down and now Pope Francis is all about peace and love and helping others. It's like Tool Doug Phillips being replaced by, idk, John Shelby Spong or something. (Okay, not that extreme, but you know what I mean.) What did Benedict do???

The Church is in damage control. Moderates and liberals are leaving the Chruch in droves. This is great spin. There has only been clever sound bites, very public "secret ministering to the homeless," and now this. Like I said, excellent spin but no meat to it. I do like that a major religious leader is talking up taking care of the poor and homeless. But why should he be lauded for saying what he should be saying anyway?

He's saying all the right stuff to woo moderate and perhaps liberal lapsed Catholics back to the Church. And now he's replaced a conservative American bishop with on that aligns with the Pope's talking points. As a lapsed Catholic myself, I am with holding my opinion of him until I see real reform- ordain women, let the nuns do their work in the trenches without being messed with my nosy bishops, lighten up on reproductive health, some people are gay- get over it, excommunicate clergy that sexually abused children (instead of moving them around and not cooperating with relevant legal authorities)- but, knowing how slowly the Church does things (their understanding of time is only a mite faster than, say, a geologist's), no real changes will take place for a few more decades, if ever.

[Palimpsest]

You're talking about John Paul I. He chose his names after John XXIII and his successor Paul VI. As an archbishop, John Paul I was sympathetic and leaning toward OKing oral BC. I am no conspiracy theorist, but the lack of investigation into his sudden death is highly suspicious.

Yep. I'm no conspiracy theorist either, but all the circumstance surrounding John Paul I's death were highly suspicious.

Ratzinger (I refuse to call him Pope) must have really, really, screwed up with the Cardinals for this new Pope with his radical ideas to have been elected. I hope he survives for a while.

Ratty was the power behind JPII's throne, the primary enforcer, and can be found lurking somewhere in every single Vatican scandal for the last 35+ years.

Hope he is enjoying his retirement. Not.

[formergothardite]

This reminded me of this:

http://boingboing.net/2013/12/04/tom-th ... man-a.html

This describes fundies perfectly. They focus on things like gay marriage and abortion while ignoring the suffering of children who are already born.

[formergothardite]

How are the fundie Catholics reacting to this? I can't ever remember which bloggers are Catholic. Are they sad like Sunshine or angry? If the Catholic church goes too liberal I wonder what the super conservative Catholics will do.

[1004srs]

I think he's a breath of fresh air after Benedict. THe whole changing mass thing and messing with the nuns was AWFUL to me.

We needed a break.

[sunshine]

It is sad news because you can't go from consistently saying this is evil, this is wrong for many years and in a blink in the eye say I am changing the game. There is a shoe up there that is going to drop.

[nokidsmom]

It is sad news because you can't go from consistently saying this is evil, this is wrong for many years and in a blink in the eye say I am changing the game. There is a shoe up there that is going to drop.

Interesting take. And this shoe that you expect to drop, what do you think it is?

[formergothardite]

It is sad news because you can't go from consistently saying this is evil, this is wrong for many years and in a blink in the eye say I am changing the game. There is a shoe up there that is going to drop.

There are churches in my are who consistently said for years mixed race marriages were evil. Then in a fairly fast time changed their stance. You find that sad too?

[RosyDaisy]

It is sad news because you can't go from consistently saying this is evil, this is wrong for many years and in a blink in the eye say I am changing the game. There is a shoe up there that is going to drop.

I see your point.