Cardinal Burke drops bombshell on Synod of ideology and schismIn a letter published as the foreword to the book "The Synodal Process Is a Pandora's Box," retired U.S. Cardinal Raymond L. Burke has raised significant concerns about the ongoing synod process within the Catholic Church. The cardinal asserts that the synod process, both globally and at the Vatican, is causing "evident and grave harm" to the Church. He criticizes the adoption of "synodality" and its related terminology as tools for a revolutionary agenda that seeks to reshape the Church's core beliefs and practices.
Cardinal Burke's letter is addressed to the authors of the book, José Antonio Ureta and Julio Loredo de Izcue. The book presents a compilation of 100 questions and answers that highlight perceived risks associated with Pope Francis' reforms of the Synod of Bishops and his vision for a more "synodal" church. According to the authors, these reforms threaten the foundations of the Church itself.
As of August 23, the general secretariat of the synod at the Vatican has not provided any official response to the book or to Cardinal Burke's letter. The Synod of Bishops was initiated by Pope Francis in 2021, involving listening sessions at local, national, and regional levels worldwide. The culmination of this process will be a synod assembly at the Vatican in October, followed by another in 2024, focused on achieving a "Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission."
Pope Francis has highlighted the continued presence of synod structures in the Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches. He contends that the universal Catholic Church should rediscover and embrace synodality to foster genuine participation, effective communion, and shared responsibility among all baptized members.
Cardinal Burke's letter, dated June 16, commends Ureta and Loredo for the Italian version of their book. The authors, associated with the Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property, collaborated with the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property to release the English translation of the book, accompanied by Burke's foreword.
The cardinal's letter emphasizes the Church's traditional identity as "one, holy and apostolic," contrasting this with the present push for a definition based on "synodality." He argues that the term lacks historical grounding within the Church's doctrine and is void of a reasonable definition. Critically assessing the German Catholic Church's "Synodal Path," Cardinal Burke identifies it as a source of confusion, error, and division.
Expressing concerns about the upcoming synod assembly at the Vatican, the cardinal predicts that it could result in similar negative consequences. He asserts that confusion, error, and division may infiltrate the universal Church, much like it has happened during the local-level preparations for the synod.
In Cardinal Burke's perspective, the only effective response to this situation is a steadfast commitment to the unchanging truth of Christ, as passed down through the Church's teachings, practices, and disciplines. He sees this as a way to counter the ideological forces at play, correct any confusion, error, or division, and inspire genuine reform rooted in daily conversion to Christ's teachings and the Church's traditions.
Cardinal Burke's distinguished ecclesiastical career includes his roles as the bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse, Wisconsin (1995-2004), archbishop of St. Louis (2004-2008), and prefect of the Apostolic Signature at the Vatican (2008-2014). Despite his prominent past roles, Cardinal Burke is not among the more than 450 cardinals, bishops, priests, religious, and laypeople whose participation in the upcoming synod assembly was announced in July.
In conclusion, Cardinal Burke's concerns underscore the ongoing debates surrounding the synod process and its implications for the Catholic Church. As the Church navigates this path towards greater synodality, the challenges raised by individuals like Cardinal Burke continue to spark meaningful discussions about the future direction of the Church.
