He is reuniting with the Pope.
Cardinal Raymond Burke, a prominent figure in the conservative American wing of the Catholic Church, recently had a private audience with Pope Francis after a seven-year hiatus. This encounter followed reports suggesting that the pontiff had ceased Burke’s salary and effectively terminated his residency in the Vatican.
Burke, clad in black attire, briefly mentioned to reporters that he had met with the Pope, stating, “Well, I’m still alive,” but offered no further insights into the meeting’s specifics. His secretary mirrored this stance, expressing that Burke had no comment to share at that moment.
The Vatican confirmed the meeting through a press release but refrained from divulging additional details.
This rendezvous occurred approximately a month after sources claimed that during a meeting of Vatican office heads, Pope Francis announced the withdrawal of Burke’s subsidized Vatican apartment and his retired cardinal’s salary. The reason cited was Burke’s alleged misuse of his cardinal privileges against the Catholic Church, purportedly causing “disunity” within the denomination.
While Francis purportedly mentioned Burke as an adversary, denying labeling him an “enemy,” reports indicate that the Pope expects Burke to vacate his Vatican residence by the end of February. An insider familiar with the Pope’s perspective remarked that subsidizing someone actively critical of him and the Church seemed unwarranted, particularly considering Burke’s financial stability from sources in America.
Cardinal Burke, elevated to cardinal status in 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI, has been an outspoken critic of Pope Francis’ leadership within the Catholic hierarchy. His demotions during Francis’ papacy, including removal from significant positions within the Vatican, highlight their ideological differences.
Burke’s critiques extended to questioning the Vatican’s restrictions on the Traditional Latin Mass in 2021, expressing concern about the Pontiff’s authority to alter established Church practices. Additionally, he was part of formal requests for clarity on various doctrinal matters, to which Francis did not provide direct responses.
His disagreements with the Pope’s approach to family matters, synodality, and doctrinal interpretation have underscored the divisions within the Church hierarchy.
Throughout these events, Burke’s position as a vocal conservative critic of Pope Francis’ policies and decisions remains a significant point of contention within the Catholic Church’s internal dynamics.