That is the question asked by Austin Ruse in a column at the Catholic Thing. Ruse calls Burke a “true pastor and a man who has all the gifts – ecclesial, spiritual, and temporal – to be Bishop of Rome.”
Ruse is hardly the only one to tout Burke’s name. A Catholic editor friend of mine last night spun the unlikely theory that Dolan and O’Malley are being touted as stalking horses for a Burke candidacy. Once the cardinals reconcile themselves to the idea of an American pope, he said, they’ll be more likely to see the particular virtues of one American.
Burke possesses two virtues many view as necessary for the next pope. First, Burke shares Benedict’s desire to deepen the reform of the reform of the liturgy. He frequently celebrates the Latin Mass that Benedict commended to the Church, as well as a reverent version of the often chaotically celebrated Novus Ordo. Nothing could be a more fitting tribute to the pope emeritus than to extend this project so close to his heart.
Burke also shows a willingness to discipline dissent, realizing that the shepherd bears his rod for a reason, and that sparing it can be a failure in charity. As canonist Ed Peters has noted, perhaps no one wields that rod more sensitively than Burke:
I would like to say that Abp. Raymond Burke’s excommunication of three women who recently participated in a pseudo-ordination in Saint Louis is a “text-book illustration” of how (non-judicial) excommunication is supposed to be applied in the Church today, but I can’t say that: Why not? Because Abp. Burke’s attention to juridic details and his provisions for the pastoral care of the people entrusted to his care so exceed what the textbooks teach, that it is the textbooks that must copy from him, not him from the textbooks.
Michael Potemra at National Review, who first floated Burke’s name in 2011, reacts to the speculation: “Is a Burke election likely? No. But is it impossible? No.”
That sounds about right.
Update: Peter Lawler prints a note sent him by “a leading Catholic intellectual”
Since you brought it up, my papal endorsement goes to Burke. I would consider myself a fellow traveler with the “narrow and intense” fan base, but there are also practical reasons why I think of all the Americans he has a real shot. One — languages. He’s got ‘em. Dolan doesn’t. Two — life inside the Vatican. He’s done it. Dolan hasn’t. Seems to me that if the Italians or the Rome-based cardinalate are going to violate the unofficial “no American” rule, it would be psychologically easiest to start with a guy who has been one among them. In addition to which, I’m sure they’re all aware that this is a man that Benedict singled out for promotion.
March 12th, 2013 | 11:11 am
Many of us traddies are and have been praying and hoping for Burke. He is a scholar as well as being a strong leader. Coming from the Midwest, I watched his pastoral career.
It would be great, but it would be a miracle. But, why not?
March 12th, 2013 | 12:49 pm
Why not Burke a stalking horse for Ranjith? I don’t know if Ranjith has Burke’s reputation for applying discipline, but he’s just as solid on the liturgy, and he’s from Asia, etc.
March 12th, 2013 | 1:45 pm
I was devastated when, back in the early oughts, Cardinal Ratzinger penned a letter regarding the application of Can. 915 that was completely ignored by the American episcopate. What’s worse, it wasn’t just ignored, but some prominent churchmen seemed to outright lie about the then-Prefect’s intentions were in the letter.
I think a lot of pro-life people are hungry for leadership that would witness to the sanctity of life in a tangible, credible, and forthright way. It’s hard to imagine a better person to push for this than Cardinal Burke.
One never knows the challenges faced by individuals when they are elected pope, or the changes in perspective such a position allows. But I think a Burke papacy (or an Arinze papacy) allows us the hope that someone will speak clearly and forcefully about the public scandal created by Catholic politicians who identify as Catholic.
March 12th, 2013 | 1:47 pm
Sorry, meant to say “pro-abortion politicians who identify as Catholic”.
March 12th, 2013 | 5:56 pm
I hope it’s Burke taking the name Urban, after Urban II, who saw that Christianity would soon be obliterated if he didn’t call for a crusade. The Muslims had already conquered two-thirds of the Christian world and prior Popes had simply not dealt with continuing Muslim conquests realistically.
The modern “atheocracy,” along with the culture it inevitably creates, has wiped out orthodox Catholicism to the point that abortion and contraception rates among Catholics are the same as the unchurched; openly heterodox “Catholic” universities are tolerated by timid bishops; “Catholic” politicians loudly promote same-sex marriage and abortion, and instead of being excommunicated are welcomed to receive the Eucharist, while priests honestly presenting the Church’s teaching on human life and human sexuality, and obedient to Canon Law regarding those who are to be denied communion, are too often chastised by their Bishops.
Yeah, I’d guess that two-thirds of the Church has once again been obliterated; it is just that we aren’t blatantly confronted with that fact: The buildings are still standing; many (basically worldly) folks still show up for never-challenging, “God is too nice to actually damn anybody, so you be nice, too” homilies on Sunday – enough people to create an illusion of health, yet godless secularism, like a cancer that is ravaging the body without visible symptoms, is nonetheless destroying the Church.
The Church needs to launch a crusade, not of military activity, but of clarity about what is orthodox and what is not, and which politicians and institutions are Catholic and which are not – backed up with discipline. The true, dynamic, charismatic, Spirit-filled Church – but much smaller than you thought – will then be visible and obviously sustained only by God. The New Evangelization can then begin, since the Church will then be…
March 12th, 2013 | 8:44 pm
May Our Lady of Guadelupe pray for and protect her special son whose inspired and courageous leadership has been a great blessing for the Church during this conclave.
March 12th, 2013 | 9:47 pm
Ranjith or Burke would be great, but a brilliant man (summa cum laude in canon law from Lateran Univ) with considerable spiritual depth (read his talks at Ars on ceilibacy in EWTN document library) is Mauro Piacenza.
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