In a move guaranteed to prompt much speculation, Pope Francis last weekend formally removed the conservative US Cardinal Raymond Burke from his position as head of the Vatican’s Apostolic Signature, the Holy See’s Supreme Court.
Although Cardinal Burke (66) has long espoused a traditional hardline Catholic teaching, it was only at last month's groundbreaking synod of bishops that secular international public opinion identified him as "the face of the opposition" to Pope Francis's seemingly reformist agenda.
He was one of a number of cardinals who strongly defended church teaching in relation to the ban on divorced and/or remarried Catholics receiving the sacrament of Communion. Furthermore, he totally rejected an interim synod document which called on Catholics to welcome homosexuals, with their “gifts and qualities”, into the Christian community.
This call appeared to contradict current Catholic teaching which defines homosexuality as an “intrinsic disorder” and considers the practice of homosexuality a mortal sin.
In an interview with religious news agency Aleteia last weekend, Cardinal Burke argued that he was not leading any opposition group to the pope but, rather, defending traditional church teaching at a moment when many Catholics were confused.
Calling the interim synod document a “disaster”, Cardinal Burke said Catholics could welcome homosexuals “as brothers and sisters of Christ” without welcoming their lifestyle. It was important that Catholics understood that a homosexual relationship was not “morally right”. He said confusion at the synod had led to the impression that there could be “good elements in mortally sinful acts”.
“They [homosexuals] must understand that even though they have this attraction, it is an attraction to disordered acts and that they need to seek the healing and grace needed and to order their lives correctly and to deal with this suffering, and it is a very profound suffering.”
Such words would suggest that Cardinal Burke is hardly on the same page on this issue as Pope Francis who famously replied: “Who am I to judge?” when asked about homosexuality on a flight back from Brazil last summer.
Cardinal Burke, whose removal from office has been expected for some months, becomes the patron of the Order of the Knights of Malta.
His old job goes to French archbishop Dominique Mamberti, the current papal foreign minister.