Pope Francis has taken significant action against retired Cardinal Raymond Burke, revoking his salary and the right to a subsidized apartment in the Vatican. This move comes amid ongoing tensions between Pope Francis and Cardinal Burke, who has been one of the most vocal critics of the pope’s outreach to the LGBTQ+ community and other liberal initiatives.
The decision to withdraw Cardinal Burke’s financial support and housing privileges was reportedly driven by Pope Francis’ concern over the cardinal’s role as a source of “disunity” within the church, as revealed by an anonymous source cited by the Associated Press. As of Tuesday, Cardinal Burke had not received official notice of these actions, according to his secretary. The Vatican declined to confirm or deny the report when contacted by The New York Times.
Cardinal Burke’s History of Opposition
Cardinal Burke has long been known for his staunchly anti-LGBTQ+ views, aligning with church doctrine that considers gay sex a sin and asserts that gender is fixed at birth. However, his hostility towards the LGBTQ+ community has often set him apart as a more outspoken critic than other Catholic leaders.
In 2003, while serving as a bishop in Wisconsin, Cardinal Burke ordered the Central Wisconsin HIV/AIDS Ministry Project, a church-supported organization, to cease its participation in the state’s AIDS walk and to decline any funds raised from the event. He justified this decision by claiming that some of the other groups benefiting from the walk “actively and publicly promote homosexual activity.”
Cardinal Burke later became the archbishop of St. Louis from 2004 to 2008 and headed the church’s highest court. He was appointed to the court position by Pope Benedict XVI but was removed from the post by Pope Francis in 2014. Even in retirement, he continued to voice his opposition to the LGBTQ+ community.
Ongoing Criticism and Confrontations
Over the years, Cardinal Burke has made numerous controversial statements, including condemning the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act, denouncing a Vatican document that acknowledged positive aspects of same-sex relationships, and blaming gay priests and a “feminized” Catholic Church for the sexual abuse of children by clergy members.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Cardinal Burke encouraged faithful Catholics to attend Mass in person to resist cultural changes, including the recognition of transgender identity. He expressed skepticism about COVID vaccines and even propagated a conspiracy theory suggesting that vaccines contained microchips for monitoring people’s movements. He himself contracted COVID-19 in 2021.
This latest action by Pope Francis against Cardinal Burke follows the removal of Bishop Joseph Strickland as head of the diocese of Tyler, Texas, earlier this month. Bishop Strickland had accused Pope Francis of undermining the faith through his more liberal positions, including his welcoming attitude towards LGBTQ+ individuals. These moves by Pope Francis signal his determination to address internal dissent within the Catholic Church.