Drama is definitely unfolding in the Vatican City.
In an intriguing turn of events, Pope Francis decided to demote Cardinal Raymond Burke, an American conservative who has been vocally critical of the Pope’s tenure and actions. Burke will now be working with the Knights of Malta, a charity group for which Burke will serve as a ceremonial chaplain.
Interestingly, this is not the first time that Pope Francis has demoted Burke. From The Daily Beast:
Burke was head of the Holy See’s supreme court; last year, he was taken off the Vatican’s powerful Congregation for Bishops, which dealt with the appointment of bishops worldwide.
Prior to his most recent demotion, Burke was the highest ranked American to serve in the Vatican.
Burke was known to voice his disagreement with Pope Francis’ leadership. He was very specific about how he felt the Catholic Church was being misguided under Francis when he declared that “the church is like a ship without a rudder.”
Burke was also at odds with Francis over gay marriage and homosexuality. While Francis called for a softer tone on this matter, Burke was defiant and referred to homosexuality as a “suffering,” even suggesting that he doesn’t discuss it because he doesn’t believe people can be defined entirely by that characteristic.
Raymond Burke also claimed that Secretary of State John Kerry and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi should be denied Holy Communion for being pro-abortion Catholics.
Pope Francis’ time as the leader of the Catholic Church has been marked with a departure from tradition, earning both fervent criticism and praise.
Obviously, Pope Francis and Cardinal Burke may have disagreements that extend beyond the ideological. It is not conclusive that Burke was demoted because of his conservative views. When it comes to the secretive Vatican, its operations are always difficult to discern.
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