Archbishop Raymond Burke: Obama Advancing Anti-Life Agenda

WASHINGTON — A powerful Catholic leader on Friday accused President Barack Obama of pushing an anti-life, anti-family agenda and called Notre Dame's invitation for him to speak scandalous.

Archbishop Raymond Burke, the first American to lead the Vatican supreme court, said Catholic universities should not give a platform, let alone honor, "those who teach and act publicly against the moral law."

Notre Dame has asked Obama to deliver the commencement address on May 17, an invitation that has drawn criticism from a number of Catholics. The university has said the president will be honored as an inspiring leader who broke a historic racial barrier.

"The proposed granting of an honorary doctorate at Notre Dame University to our president, who is so aggressively advancing an anti-life and anti-family agenda is rightly the source of the greatest scandal," Burke said to applause from the crowd at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast.

Obama supports abortion rights and embryonic stem cell research. He also repealed a policy that denied federal dollars to international relief organizations that provide abortions or abortion-related information. And he backs legislation that would prohibit state and local governments from interfering with a woman's right to obtain an abortion.

Burke called the confirmation of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, a Catholic who supports abortion rights, "the source of deepest embarrassment for Catholics."

Burke, who formerly led the Archdiocese of St. Louis before leaving for the Vatican, has made headlines in the past. In 2004, he said he would deny Communion to Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, a Catholic who supports abortion rights as part of public policy.

In 2007, Burke indicated he would so the same to then-Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani. He also protested singer Sheryl Crow's appearance at a benefit for a Catholic children's hospital over her support for embryonic stem cell research.

In January 2008, Burke called on Saint Louis University, a Jesuit school, to discipline college basketball coach Rick Majerus for publicly supporting abortion rights.

Burke said if Catholics are not willing to stand up for the church's teachings, "we are not worthy of the name Catholic."

Comments

[StephJH]

Is this the same Catholic church that:

- persecuted Copernicus
- declared Galileo a heretic
- persecuted Columbus
- did not do anything about nazi's attempts to exterminate the Jews in the holocaust (and now embrace churchmen who deny the holocaust)
- claimed the Jews killed Jesus
- is absent from climate change reversal/e­nvironment­al protection efforts
- are more interested in controlling women's bodies than they are in stemming the overwhelming tide of divorce, that leaves families in ruins and children being raised by single parents.
- covered up (and continues to cover up) priest sexual abuse
- condemns gays and lesbians while being a haven for gay men in the priesthood

THAT Catholic Church?! Soooo relevant! Sooo right about consistently being wrong!

Where's the outrage?

[Troyxx]

Read Jesus, Interrupted by Ehrman. Great book by a gifted biblical scholar.
Religion is a virus that destroys everyone/thing it comes into contact with. I would like to believe that Jesus did exist. If he did, he was a gifted rabbi who preached love, mercy, etc. The creatures who inhabit the Vatican have absolutely nothing in common with Jesus. They're merely pretenders who are running a money racket in his name. They should be terrified that he will return because he's going to kick some ass like he did to the money changers in the Temple.

[joeyfoto]

The comments by Archbishop Raymond Burke betray essential contradictions between being a "Catholic" and being an American citizen.

First, if Archbishop Burke were actually "powerful," as this author stated, his demands to control the behavior of Roman Catholics in public office would require every Catholic in Congress or the Supreme Court either to renounce the Church, resign from office or face arrest for treason. The operative "Moral Law" in a pluralistic democracy does not, and can never, come from from a foreign state, especially one with an explicit history of support for regimes that repressed the will of the people. Here elected officials owe their loyalty to the Constitution never to the conscience of a bishop.

Second, if anyone wanted to research what an "Anti-Life agenda" means, they should study the unexpurgated version of Church History, where violent disrespect for the lives and liberty of non-Catholics has been a dominant theme for millennia.

It is no wonder that this man called the confirmation of HHS Secretary Sebelius, a pro-choice Catholic, "the source of deepest embarrassment for Catholics." This reactionary archbishop has the audacity to assume that it is an honor for a citizen of a free nation to be called a "Catholic." If Archbishop Burke's extremely anti-democratic opinions define what it means to be a Roman Catholic --- a person whose conscience comes in a package from the Vatican --- then, to be called "Catholic" is an insult?

[Diogenes2010]

There is only one solution to the Archbishop Burke nonsense. All American Catholics need to quit sending their $s to the Vatican. If Pope Benedict XVI cannot put a muzzle on Burke, then we need to stop giving our good dollars to support such uncharitable and bad behavior. Burke has a very large ego and a mouth that is just as big, and the Pope needs to get a bit and bridle on this horse before he alienates every Roman Catholic in the USA. Since when has Burke become a spokesman for how we Catholics "in great love and charity" must worship the Lord in our Church-- despite the sexual shenanigans and financial ineptitude of our episcopal leaders. As a top official of the Vatican, Burke now holds dual citizenship in the USA and the Vatican. Let's ask him to turn in his American one and stay over there for good.

[AGarcia]

The Pope is speaking out against exploiting religious differences for political agendas.

Archbishop Burke, are you listening?

[DingoDave]

I wonder what the good archbishop makes of these statistics on spontaneous miscarriage, also known as spontaneous abortion.

"Miscarriage refers to a pregnancy that ends at any period during the first twenty weeks of pregnancy. The medical term for miscarriage is spontaneous abortion...
Spontaneous Abortion Incidence Rates:
Between twenty and fifty percent of pregnancies end in miscarriage. The vast majority of spontaneous abortion cases occur during the early weeks of the pregnancy. In most cases, signs of miscarriage during the initial stages of pregnancy are undetectable, and the woman may not even be aware she was pregnant, or that she had a miscarriage.
Once pregnancy is detected, approximately ten percent end in miscarriage. Most diagnosed miscarriages occur during the seventh to twelfth weeks of pregnancy."
http://www.pregnancy-facts.com/articles/pregnancy-complications/miscarriage-symptoms.php

Based on these figures, it would appear that the god Burke worships is the world's biggest abortionist by far. Perhaps he should be directing his outrage at Jehova, rather than Obama and the medical profession.

[patriot47]

I have news for Burke. I am a Catholic. I am a faithful Catholic that sends my kids to Catholic school and goes to Church every Sunday. I voted for Obama and would do so again in a heartbeat. Your ilk may be in power now but I pray for MY Church that your kind will be ousted before long. You do not speak for the flock and your sanctimonious air reminds no one of Jesus. Start doing God's work by helping mankind instead of trying to foist your political views on the masses. I applaud Fr. Jenkins and Notre Dame for doing what you are to ignorant to understand - - "The respectful exchange of ideas is what changes people's minds and loving one another as God loved us is what changes people's hearts"

[davedoc]

Lets see here. One of these guys was best of his class at Harvard, became a top lawyer, a senator and rose to become President. The other has studied only one book throughout his entire life. It is a book that is about as provable as fact as Star Wars is. Oh right and he's a leading member of an organization that protected some of it members for the rape of thousands of children. Anyone who would listen to a quack priest over the President (unlike the former president who didn't believe in science) should be banned from a voting booth. It is time for the catholic church to go the way of the mormons, and become a laughable belief. Catholicism is just as irrational as judiasm, islam, mormonism, and scientology. I can find more lessons in life by reading The Dirt (Neil Strauss' bio of Motley Crue and their antics) than by reading the Bible. I mean come on. People waking up from the dead, a virging being zapped pregnant by an invisible spirit, and my personal favorite, parting the Red Sea with a blessed stick. RELIGION IS F***ING RETARDED AND IT HAS TO END BEFORE IT ENDS US.

[Greg White]

I've said this before, 'religion is a belief that concerns the beliver and their God, its not any of my business, as my religious beliefs are none of anyone else's business, and is not any of the governments business. The religious right wing nuts have been trying to force their radical anti-democracy dogma on the American people. Take for example the religious controversity at the U.S. air force Academy and the military pushing right wing religious beliefs on the troops and having them proselytize in the war in Iraq and Afganistan, its not the militay's provenous to spread any religion.The religious right have come up with litmus tests to attack anyone any politian who isn't of their religious persuastion. Isn't that the same sort political policies as the Taliban, religous dogma over the sectularism.
I'll parapharse President Monroe : Religion flourishes in greater purity without the aid of government" and "The purpose of the seperastion of Church and State is to keep forever from these shores the ceaseless strife that has soaked the soil of Europe". This is in reference to the Reformation and the Religious wars that plagued the countries of Europe for nearly two hundred years.
Our Democracy is more important than anyone's religious fanaticism.

[FebM]

On what basis does a bachelor man living off peoples contributions accuse a husband and father of two girls of being anti-family and anti-life?

[bluerthanblue15]

"On what basis does a bachelor man living off peoples contributions accuse a husband and father of two girls of being anti-family and anti-life?"

Actually, none.

Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely ... Lord Acton

[highwatereverywhere]

One additional point. In the last election the majority of Catholic voters went with Obama. What does that tell us about the distance between teh Catholic leadership and the people? Certainly no Conservative Bishops are requiring that communion be withheld from their congregates who voted for Obama. To be consistent, they should.

[RagingJerseyBoy]

Basically here's the message: You can be a devout Catholic and a staunch Republican, who supports every extreme Social Darwinist and neocon unilateralist policy that the right advocates, no matter what the consequences are for millions of human beings who are supposedly children of God, guilt free; you may occasionally hear some mild guidance from a sermon on Sunday that asks you to consider this, but not that often and with nowhere near the urgency given to the 'life' issue, which is defined almost exclusively by abortion, euthanasia, contraception and sexuality, not casualties of war, poverty, healthcare or curing disease. You, the staunch Republican, can take away that you are in God's favor, a stalwart defender of traditional family values and morality, while those liberals are on the wrong track; Archbishop Burke said so, right? By contrast, Catholics who voted for Obama are forced to consider whether they need to choose between their faith and their politics. Pope Benedict has said that maybe a smaller Church would be the logical outcome of his papacy, after he cleans house and gets rid of the heretics who dare to question a black and white worldview, and that he is comfortable with that. So, apparently, is Archbishop Burke.

[RagingJerseyBoy]

It is obvious that just as there is a hierarchy within the Catholic Church, with authority emanating from the Pope, who is considered infallible, to the bishops, then the priests, then the faithful flock, there is a hierarchy among the Church's moral teachings, with abortion clearly at the top. Catholics, members of the 'faithful flock,' are supposed to obediently follow the Church's teachings without question, or at least pray about it, which should ensure that they come to the 'right' conclusion and abide by anything and everything in the Catechism. This is the traditional sentiment that has been inculcated into every Catholic almost from birth; it has been toned down a bit post Vatican II, but anyone who was raised Catholic, such as myself, understands what pull statements from a high ranking cleric have; if we disagree, our disagreement engenders a lot of guilt. That's why the Archbishop's statements concern me. He is sending a message, loud and clear, about where the Catholic Church apparently stands politically: In opposition to Obama. I have not heard of any such strong statements about Bush or the Republicans from a bishop, only occasional lukewarm suggestions that Bush and the Republicans should pay more attention to the needs of society's more vulnerable members, or work for peace.

[RagingJerseyBoy]

Actually, the Catholic Church has social justice teachings: You know, feed the poor and the hungry, health care should be a right, work for peace, etc., all of which the Bush administration deemphasized, ignored, or particularly in the latter case, took the opposite action. During the lead up to the Iraq invasion, Pope John Paul II spoke out against the impending war and urged Bush to use any necessary means to avoid war and resolve the conflict through diplomacy if possible. We all know that Bush had no such intention and had contempt for the notion of not going in there with guns blazing. Did Burke chastise Bush for not acting in accordance with the Church's social justice teachings? No, his churches and pulpits were filled with Bush supporters and many prominent Republicans, such as then-Senators Santorum and Brownback, are Catholics who could be considered in good standing, as they avidly pursued a solidly social conservative agenda. By contrast, considerable pressure is exerted by the hierarchy on Catholics such as John Kerry and Ted Kennedy, who differ with the Church on abortion and gay rights.

[RagingJerseyBoy]

His Eminence's statements exemplify why I do not go to church, why I am not a particularly religious person, and why I am more an agnostic secular humanist. I believe in the power of scientific knowledge, technological advance and political and social progress, and the freedom of individual conscience, all of which Obama embraces. This contrasts with the archbishop's political grandstanding and histrionic rhetoric, which fuels my doubt and encourages me to think of the Catholic Church in particular, and the Christian religion in general, as relics of a simpler, less sophisticated time, with beliefs based on tradition, myths, dogmas and appeal to authority, not observable reality, reason, individual conscience and compassion.

[YeahDonkey]

OH I'M SORRY, DID THE CATHOLIC CHURCH HAVE AN OPINION ON SOMETHING?

LET ME GET IN MY TIME MACHINE SO I CAN GO BACK A COUPLE OF HUNDRED YEARS SO I CAN FIND SOME ONE WHO ACTUALLY CARES.

PACK IT UP ROMAN CATHOLIC INCORPORATED, YOUR TIME ON THIS PLANET IS DONE.

[bluerthanblue15]

Burke's real problems??

Obama won the election, and Bush's minions McCain and Palin lost.

Catholic women think independently and are no longer influenced, particularly in sexual matters, by Burke and others who, when all is said and done still want men to maintain iron-clad control over women and their reproductive capacities.

Not going to happen any longer, Burke. All the grandstanding, fist pounding and foot stomping on your part will not change the fact that Catholic women have and are continuing to find their own voices inside and outside the church.

Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely ... Lord Acton

[foofoolaroo]

The church needs to do an internal investigation on continued practices of protecting and hiding pedophile priests. The policies of this particular religion are archaic and unrealistic. Before pointing fingers at others they should clean their own house and update policies.

[redkim]

I agree to an extent, in theory. But the reality is that the Church shouldn't remain silent on moral issues, even if she has failed to live up to them in such a dramatic and terrible way.

So long as the Church does not remain silent, we at least know that She knows what ought to be done. Silence, otherwise, would bring complicity and moral amibiguity.

[bluerthanblue15]

'I agree to an extent, in theory. But the reality is that the Church shouldn't remain silent on moral issues, even if she has failed to live up to them in such a dramatic and terrible way.'

No one's listening, precisely because of the message itself and the source from which it arrives.

And that's what frustrates and angers Burke and the rest as they continually expect their 'flocks' to bend over and clasp their ankles. It's ecclesial loss of control and influence over the 'masses' that has many bishops riled and angry and it shows in their words, body language and any other form they choose to communicate their frustrations.

Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely ... Lord Acton