Pope Francis’s “unprecedented” decision to expel critical Cardinal Raymond Burke from his Vatican residence

Pope Francis has announced that he will expel US Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke, who has been openly critical of his management, from his Vatican residence and withdraw his salary.

Burke is part of a long-standing group of American conservatives They oppose the Pope’s plans to reform the Catholic Church.

A Vatican source told the BBC that Pope Francis has not yet made the 75-year-old cleric’s expulsion effective.

He added that the decision is not intended as a personal punishment and is based on the belief that a person should not enjoy cardinal privileges while criticizing the head of the church.

“Setting a new precedent”

Still, the move is “unprecedented in the Francis era,” Christopher White, a Vatican observer writing for the BBC, told the BBC. National Catholic Reporter.

“In general, Retired cardinals continue to live in Rome after their term of officeand often remain active in papal liturgies and ceremonial duties,” White explained.

In this sense, he indicated that “someone must be evicted from his apartment in the Vatican sets a new precedent”.

White noted that the decision could “provoke a significant reaction” and deepen divisions between the Vatican and the American Church, where there is already “fragmentation.”

Cardinal Burke has not yet commented on the matter and the BBC has contacted his office for comment.

The Pope announced his intention to take action against the cardinal during a meeting with Vatican officials last week.

Maximum tension in the Church

Francis’ frustration with his American opponents, who take a more traditional or conservative view on various issues, appears to be reaching a fever pitch.

Earlier this month, he fired Joseph Strickland, a conservative Texas bishop who had criticized his efforts to move the Church toward more progressive positions. abortion, transgender rights and gay marriage. The dismissal came after an ecclesiastical investigation into the management of the diocese.

A few months earlier, the Pope told members of the Jesuit religious order in Portugal that there was “a very strong, organized and reactionary attitude” in the American Church. which he described as “late”according to Guardian.

Tensions with Cardinal Burke, appointed by Pope Benedict XVI, have been simmering for almost a decade.

“Cardinal Burke’s situation seems to stem from his gradual distance from the Pope,” White interpreted.

“The Pope apparently sees Burke as promoting a cult of personality that focuses on traditionalism or regressive ideas. His action seems aimed at limit Burke’s influence by cutting his ties with Rome”.

Michael Matt, columnist for the conservative Catholic newspaper The remainderwrote that the recent action against Cardinal Burke shows that Francis is “cancelling loyal prelates who provide hierarchical cover for pro-life, pro-family, pro-tradition hardliners.”

He accused the pope of subjecting his critics to “forced isolation.”

Who is Cardinal Burke?

Raymond Leo Burke is one of the most active opponents of the Pope within the Catholic Church.

A strict follower of the guidelines of Catholicism, Burke even told former US Secretary of State John Kerry when he was a presidential candidate that he could not receive communion because he had previously expressed his support for abortion.

The cardinal has devoted much of his life to studying the laws of the Church and wants to ensure that they are strictly enforced.

He believes that this Pope is playing dangerously with the 2000 year old Christian tradition and even threatened to issue a “correction law.” against Francisco.

That would be a very daring and extremely unusual measure, something that has not happened for centuries.

The cardinal lives in a large apartment near St. Peter’s Square in Rome.

From that place, where the Pope wants to deport him, he directs his operation promoting what she calls ‘doctrinal clarity’.

The two clashed six years ago over the dismissal of the leader of the Knights of Malta, an 11th century religious congregation, after it was discovered that the order’s charity arm had distributed condoms in Myanmar.

Burke joined his conservative colleagues in publishing a “statement of truths” in 2019 described the Catholic Church as disoriented and confused under the leadership of Pope Francisarguing that it had strayed from basic teachings on divorce, contraception, homosexuality and gender.

Moreover, he did not agree with Francisco promoting vaccines against Covid.

More recently, last month, the cardinal held a conference called Synodal Babel in Rome, on the eve of the papal synod – or meeting of bishops.

The Pope has demoted Cardinal Burke within the church hierarchy, moving him to positions of less influence over the years. (JO)