Please, someone, explain.
March 26, 2009, 2:10 pm
Posted by Cathleen Kaveny
This whole thing doesn’t make sense to me. Especially since Randall Terry announced, before he went, that he was going to try to get some “soft” prelates removed.
Doesn’t anyone google in the Vatican?
http://whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com/2009/03/burkxploitation.html
Wherein lies the problem? Whispers in the Loggia is a U.S. outlet for the English TABLET, which is about as anti-papal a journal as one can be.
Oy!
Whispers is about as Churchy, hierachically subservient a media vehicle as you can get.
Of course, the story was aired today by Tom Fox at NCR also -an outlet I’m sure Mr. Austin would find too leftist for his taste.
What’s the problem?
Randall Terry – another example of how ardent one issue pro-lfers alienate many Catholics with this is what has to be done or you’re no good approach.
I suggest it would be nice to drop Mr. Terry and Mr. William Donohue on a desert isle for a while.
I won’t try to arbitrate who’s pro- and who’s anti-papal, but for the record, Gabriel: “Whispers in the Loggia” is a blog written by a fellow who also writes for the Tablet. You seem to be confused about their relationship.
Now that we have that straight: Cathy, I’m guessing it’s not the current top post (about “Catholic New York” and Cardinal Egan) that we’re talking about. Is it this?
http://whispersintheloggia.blogspot.com/2009/03/burkxploitation.html
Actually, Rocco is no longer the US correspondent for the Tablet. (And could someone who is not in a car fix the spelling in the headline of this post? Thanks.)
Wherein lies the problem?
Gabriel,
Well, at minimum, Archbishop Burke has a problem with Randall Terry. What does anti-papal sentiment have to do with this at all? It seems you are leaping to the defense of something or someone, but it is not clear what.
I nevur cud undurstand why there was a “a” in “Please.”
We all know the wurd is said lak “Puleeze.”
On the other hand, I enjoy seeing these rightwingers tripping all over themselves.
I may be wrong here, but I sense that Burke is not apologizing for his criticism of fellow bishops “soft” on abortion — but only for the fact that his sincerely held views were “broadcast” to a wider audience.
Gabriel: your wild unprovable accusations do get to be boring after awhile. The idea that The Tablet is anti-papal is laughable.
Happy to serve as copy editor, Grant. But please don’t tell me that you are reading the blog WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING!!!
Sorry, I was fooled by the bio on the blog, which still begins, “Rocco Palmo writes from America for The Tablet, the international Catholic weekly published in London.” He’s too busy updating the blog to update the bio, I guess!
Grant has a chauffeur. It’s a little-known Commonweal perk.
Okay, thanks for fixing the post. And I think I fixed the link.
The Vatican needs a Chief Googler.
I’d actually contribute to a fund for that.
Cathleen, it seems the mischief here was to share with the media what Burke said. It’s not clear to me what Burke thought was going to be done with his words. The transcript didn’t read like a private, off-the-record conversation.
“The Vatican needs a Chief Googler.”
True, but the title needs a bit of polishing. Can we attach an “apostolic” or “secretary” or “prefect” to it?
Googlelogian
I appreciate the stabs at levity here, but what gives with these bishops? Can we look forward to a “battle of the bishops” televised from Madison Square Garden? “In this corner, Burke and the Canon 912 brigade and in the opposite corner whoever the brigade doesn’t like?”
I pray that neither my children nor any members of their families gets wind of this abomination.
It’s odd that Burke et al. get all the attention, when they represent a minority position not only within U.S. Catholicism but even among the U.S. bishops.
Fr Komonchak makes an important point.
But in doing so he raises an uncomfortable question that everyone seems to be ignoring. That is, “Who made Archbishop Burke the prefect of the Apostolic Signatura?”
This position assures that he will be created a cardinal (most likely at the next consistory) and it thus gives him the right to participate — as elector and possible candidate — in the next Conclave.
More significantly, the archbishop’s appointment as head of the Church’s highest court (!) has emboldened those bishops that “represent a minority position within U.S. Catholicism” to become even more radical and more outspoken.
So far, Archbishop Burke’s superiors have not quieted him…
What I think is odd is that Apb. Burke didn’t foresee (and someone didn’t foresee for him) that Terry intended to use him for his own purposes.
You know why they seek all the attention? They want it, need it, live it…
A very familiar disease is wanting to get your media fix… worse than ‘blow’.
say hello to RNC chairman Steele
Burke is a perfect example that street smarts are not necessary to advance high into the ranks of the hierarchy; alleged orthodoxy is.
Sometimes the minority position within US Catholicism is also the favored position in Rome. Cf liturgical translation.
Someone please step up to the plate.
Who put Burke at the Apostolic Signatura? And why?
The Holy Father made the appointment.
http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2008/08-097.shtml
Btw, he is Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura. I believe he was a judge on the Supreme Tribunal for a couple of years before being made prefect.
Archbp Burke is in a minority position, as is Bp. Olmsted (at least as far as writing to Jenkins and publishing it) but they do represent a significant minority, and one that has powerful backers in Rome. That is to a degree how a minority of “orthodox” Catholics and Catholic neocons have been able to gain such a platform, and a hearing. It’s the way it is. What is disturbing is how much this contributes to division and polarization. This kind of thing give encouragement to many who want to divide the sheep and goats themselves.
As far Burke’s “apology,” methinks he protestech too much. He knows Terry, knew what he was getting in to–he gave a TV interview after all–and he was repeating tropes he has used before. I think he was understandably upset at how Terry exploited him (well, duh) and I strongly suspect someone made it clear his statements and real and perceived criticisms of his brother bishops (and he did take them to task, as he has before) were not appreciated.
Another reason that Burke and his like get attention is that they speak out. Got to hand it to them. If someone in the hierarchy came out in support of Jenkins and Notre Dame, that would be newsworthy, to be sure.
Kathy,
You needed to click on the “permalink” to get the URL for the specific Burke story. Otherwise, your link will keep showing whatever the most recent story is at Whispers. I’ve fixed the problem for now. One of the challenges is that clicking on Rocco’s titles does NOT give you the permalink. You have to scroll down to the bottom and click on the time stamp.
Rocco, this is a major usability issue that you should fix in your next release…:-)
Robert et. al.,
I think John Allen did a good job teasing out the issues around Burke’s appointment to the Signatura:
http://ncronline.org/node/11940
http://ncronline.org/node/11959
It’s difficult to imagine that Burke is not familiar with Randall Terry and his reputation as a loose cannon (to say the least). However, I suspect that Burke took him at his word that the video was going to be used among pro-life groups, not to help Terry trash Burke’s fellow bishops. I think Burke would not deliberately cross that line in the way that Terry wanted him to. I disagree with Sean Winters that Burke’s failure to explicitly defend bishops who do not read Canon 915 his way was tantamount to throwing his episcopal colleagues “under a bus.”
Mr. Mickens – some links suggesting who had a role in naming Archbishop Burke:
http://ncronline.org/node/1321 – looks like Egan, Levada, etc. may have had a role in this. Sambi made the call for the pope.
Comment by NCR editors at time of his appointment – interesting points but it does not seem to be happening. If you look at the last section of the first article, it predicted that Burke’s new position would keep him in the background????
http://ncronline.org/node/1390
From the Beacon’s Pat Rice: “The Signatura is the court of last resort within the church, its Supreme Court. Its prefect is its administrator and something like a chief justice who has one vote along with the 20 other judges. Appointing an American to that post seems like common sense. Since 2002, many of the cases being appealed are brought by priests from the U.S., Ireland and Australia. They are men whose bishops want to laicize them — take away their rights of ministry — because of sexual abuse of minors. An English speaker who has seen how the scandal has ravaged the church and dispirited both the clergy and laity would have an advantage.
The post is an important Vatican desk job, although the leader is not much in the public eye — barring a rare hullabaloo over a case. Until 2002, this tribunal mostly handled appeals of marriage annulments.”
From Thomas Reese: “”The appointment is going to make every pro-choice Catholic politician very worried,” said the Rev. Thomas Reese, author of “Inside the Vatican” and a Jesuit priest. “After all, he made his name as a canon lawyer denying communion to pro-choice politicians.”
Now that Burke has been promoted to Rome, it will make some American bishops “much more sympathetic” to Burke’s efforts, Reese said. “Burke now will become a voice in Rome for cracking down on pro-choice Catholics.”
“The appointment shows Pope Benedict has reached deep into the American church to find people to help run the Vatican,” Reese said.
Another reason for the Burke choice expressed by Rocco Palmo: “While this morning’s appointment brings the number of US curial chiefs to three, with 75 year-old Cardinal James Francis Stafford’s retirement as head of the Apostolic Penitentiary (i.e. the Vatican’s Mercy Czar) likely around the corner, as previously forecast on these pages (…and not without reason), the Holy See has now ensured that the figure wouldn’t drop below two, thus maintaining a custom that’s been in place for nearly a quarter-century”
Robert Mickens:
I do not know if this is the plate you are looking for, but wasn’t Burke moved to Rome because he is too extreme and openly criticized American bishops, who did not share his interpretation of Canon 915? The answer to your question may be: the American hierarch(s) (Cardinal[s]) who had the power and influence to get him out of the country. Then, of course there are further questions about why he was given a job that may result in his becoming a Cardinal. Was the Pope playing the trump card?
David:
I agree.
I think that the ARchbishop having to make these qualifications to statements strongly suggests that he has been advised to be much more circumspect.
He probably should have just left well enough (or bad enough depending on your view) alone.
St. Ignatius once said something about a confessor being aware that whatever they say in the confessional to a penitent will be broadcast. the moral is to be careful of what in fact is said and do
Someone posted a list of responsiblities of the Signatura, mostly resolving disputes between diocesan tribunals and last chance marriage annulments. I was not impressed. Reminded me of a pompous colleague who bragged to us all that he was now in charge of the archives.
We mailed him a rake…
My comment was cut off.
Ignatius said that one should not be scandalized when things like this occur.
Beside, the fact of the matter is, as David mentions, the sentiments Burke expressed are, in fact, convictions, the Archbishop has now, had had in the past and will have in the future. And yes – this WAS know by Rome when he was selected.
I am not up on the entire Vatcian apparatus but I am not sure that Archbishop Burke’s appointment can be interpreted as being “kicked upstairs” as some of the posters are suggesting.
George D,
Good points.
When Archbishop Burke finally creates a serious crisis (perhaps this is it?) should we expect a letter from someone here in Rome, explaining that the Holy See was never aware the archbishop’s extremist tendencies?
The problematic and disastrous result of Archbishop Burke’s promotion as prefect is that it has emboldened a number of groups and individuals — including a growing number of bishops — that are, for lack of a more accurate description, ideological and intransigent conservatives.
Kicked upstairs? Archbishop Burke has been moved to the head of the class. He has not been sent to detention hall.
And this symbolic move has been understood well by those clerics who know how to discern the ecclesiastical signs of the times.
“It’s odd that Burke et al. get all the attention, when they represent a minority position not only within U.S. Catholicism but even among the U.S. bishops.”
Could that be because the rest of the bishops don’t have the cojones to speak up in disagreement? We’re always in danger of talking one line and living another.
As Yeats put it: “The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity.” — William Butler Yeats, The Second Coming
Then there is the Bard: “Tis the time’s plague when madmen lead the blind.” W. F. Shakespeare.
Could that be because the rest of the bishops don’t have the cojones to speak up in disagreement?
I don’t think it is that so much as a desire not to sever the bonds of unity. The Archbishop’s perspective is a legitimate one, it just is not the consensus approach in US. As a matter of ecclesiology, national conferences do not have the authority to bind Bishops. They should strive for consensus positions in terms of pastoral approaches on matters such as this. I think for the most part they are able to – like on poverty issues for instance which by the way are not being seriously addressed by legislators. Homelessness and growing income disparity REMAINS an issue. It hasn’t magically disappeared when Obama was sworn in.
On the matter of Catholic politicians supporting expanding access to abortion, etc, no consensus has been reached – therefore latitude is given for each Bishop to make whatever pastoral decision they deem appropriate.