07-29-2021, 07:08 PM
Cdl. Burke: There are ‘many in the Church’ who are in ‘practical apostasy’
The former head of the Vatican’s highest court declared that many in the Church
‘contradict the most fundamental truths of the faith’ by their lives.
ASHBURY, New Jersey, July 27, 2021 (LifeSiteNews) — In a fiery homily, Cardinal Raymond Burke described the events to which the third secret of Fatima is referring as occurring currently, pointing to the “practical apostasy of our time, that is, the going away from Christ by many in the Church.”
The American cardinal delivered his homily at the National Blue Army Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima on July 13.
The American cardinal delivered his homily at the National Blue Army Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima on July 13.
The prelate noted how the third secret of Fatima, entrusted to Sr. Lucia by Our Lady in 1917, was “about the practical apostasy of our time, that is, the going away from Christ by many in the Church.”
These “many,” continued Burke, might not be formally heretical, but would “reject” the truth in their actions and through their very lives: “While they may not directly espouse heretical teachings, in practice they reject the truth and love which flows unceasingly and immeasurably from the glorious pierced Heart of Jesus, in order to embrace the falsehood and violence of contemporary culture. Their lives contradict the most fundamental truths of the faith.”
These “many,” continued Burke, might not be formally heretical, but would “reject” the truth in their actions and through their very lives: “While they may not directly espouse heretical teachings, in practice they reject the truth and love which flows unceasingly and immeasurably from the glorious pierced Heart of Jesus, in order to embrace the falsehood and violence of contemporary culture. Their lives contradict the most fundamental truths of the faith.”
Abortion and LGBT ideology
Cardinal Burke highlighted the many aspects of the rejection of the “truths of the faith” which are exhibited by those falling away from Christ. He pointed first to abortion, decrying the “daily and widespread attack on innocent and defenseless human life with the resulting unprecedented violence in family life and in society, in general.”
In addition to this, the former Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, the Church’s highest court, mentioned the “ever more virulent gender ideology.” This ideology has led to “total confusion” about even the human identity as “male and female,” added Burke.
With even just these first two points, Cardinal Burke might have referred to President Joe Biden, a self-professed “Catholic” who openly supports abortion as well as gender ideology. Biden’s promotion of abortion as an “essential health service” and wish to enshrine abortion into federal law, is in addition to his promotion of homosexuality and LGBT ideology.
Cardinal Burke highlighted the many aspects of the rejection of the “truths of the faith” which are exhibited by those falling away from Christ. He pointed first to abortion, decrying the “daily and widespread attack on innocent and defenseless human life with the resulting unprecedented violence in family life and in society, in general.”
In addition to this, the former Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, the Church’s highest court, mentioned the “ever more virulent gender ideology.” This ideology has led to “total confusion” about even the human identity as “male and female,” added Burke.
With even just these first two points, Cardinal Burke might have referred to President Joe Biden, a self-professed “Catholic” who openly supports abortion as well as gender ideology. Biden’s promotion of abortion as an “essential health service” and wish to enshrine abortion into federal law, is in addition to his promotion of homosexuality and LGBT ideology.
A current ‘denial’ of freedom of religion
Burke further pointed to modern society’s attacks on “freedom of religion,” describing the “denial” of this freedom as an attempt to “snuff out completely, any public discourse about God and our necessary relationship with Him.”
Concomitant with such a societal change is the move to “force God-fearing individuals to act against their well-formed conscience, that is, against God’s law written upon the human heart.” Taking aim at the “supposedly free countries,” the cardinal commented how such a title was inaccurate.
[T]he government forces upon society practices of abortion, sterilization, contraception, euthanasia, and lack of respect for human sexuality, even to the point of indoctrinating small children in the iniquitous “gender theory.”
Meanwhile, as such promotion of policies contrary to “God’s law” sweep through society, “the embrace of atheistic materialism and relativism leads to the unscrupulous pursuit of wealth, pleasure and power, while the rule of law, dictated by justice, is trampled underfoot.”
Such a situation Burke described as “a pervasively disordered cultural condition” in which “the faith is abandoned, hope is lost, and love grows cold or is even extinguished.”
Burke further pointed to modern society’s attacks on “freedom of religion,” describing the “denial” of this freedom as an attempt to “snuff out completely, any public discourse about God and our necessary relationship with Him.”
Concomitant with such a societal change is the move to “force God-fearing individuals to act against their well-formed conscience, that is, against God’s law written upon the human heart.” Taking aim at the “supposedly free countries,” the cardinal commented how such a title was inaccurate.
[T]he government forces upon society practices of abortion, sterilization, contraception, euthanasia, and lack of respect for human sexuality, even to the point of indoctrinating small children in the iniquitous “gender theory.”
Meanwhile, as such promotion of policies contrary to “God’s law” sweep through society, “the embrace of atheistic materialism and relativism leads to the unscrupulous pursuit of wealth, pleasure and power, while the rule of law, dictated by justice, is trampled underfoot.”
Such a situation Burke described as “a pervasively disordered cultural condition” in which “the faith is abandoned, hope is lost, and love grows cold or is even extinguished.”
‘Catholic’ politicians give ‘scandal’ for violating ‘fundamental truths’
Once more, the 73-year-old American prelate took aim at Biden, Nancy Pelosi, and indeed any self-professed Catholic politician who does not adhere to Catholic teaching, noting the “scandal of Catholic legislators rebuking the Bishops of our country for seeking to apply the universal law of the Church regarding the worthy reception of the Holy Eucharist.”
His words come in light of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) proposed Eucharistic document, which Biden pre-emptively declared would not deal with the issue of pro-abortion politicians receiving Communion. Indeed, days later, the USCCB’s head of the Doctrine Committee, Bishop Kevin Rhoades, announce that the planned document would indeed not be instituting a “national policy on withholding Communion from politicians.”
Cardinal Burke defended bishops who seek to prevent the unworthy reception of Holy Communion, saying that by doing so, they “rightly seek to safeguard the sanctity of the Holy Eucharist, to prevent the faithful from committing sacrilege by the unworthy reception of the Holy Eucharist, and to stop the scandal caused by Catholic politicians presenting themselves to receive Holy Communion, while they obstinately persist in promoting legislation in violation of the most fundamental truths of the moral law.”
“These politicians, while grievously violating divine law, make themselves the law,” continued Burke. “Thus, they are offended by their Bishops, when they exercise their office of teachers of the faith and guardians of sacred discipline.”
Once more, the 73-year-old American prelate took aim at Biden, Nancy Pelosi, and indeed any self-professed Catholic politician who does not adhere to Catholic teaching, noting the “scandal of Catholic legislators rebuking the Bishops of our country for seeking to apply the universal law of the Church regarding the worthy reception of the Holy Eucharist.”
His words come in light of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) proposed Eucharistic document, which Biden pre-emptively declared would not deal with the issue of pro-abortion politicians receiving Communion. Indeed, days later, the USCCB’s head of the Doctrine Committee, Bishop Kevin Rhoades, announce that the planned document would indeed not be instituting a “national policy on withholding Communion from politicians.”
Cardinal Burke defended bishops who seek to prevent the unworthy reception of Holy Communion, saying that by doing so, they “rightly seek to safeguard the sanctity of the Holy Eucharist, to prevent the faithful from committing sacrilege by the unworthy reception of the Holy Eucharist, and to stop the scandal caused by Catholic politicians presenting themselves to receive Holy Communion, while they obstinately persist in promoting legislation in violation of the most fundamental truths of the moral law.”
“These politicians, while grievously violating divine law, make themselves the law,” continued Burke. “Thus, they are offended by their Bishops, when they exercise their office of teachers of the faith and guardians of sacred discipline.”
‘Only the Faith … can save man from the spiritual chastisements’
Returning once more to the description provided by Sr. Lucia of the not fully published third secret, Cardinal Burke highlighted the “martyrdom of those remaining true to Our Lord.”
He noted how “only the Faith,” by which man is united with the “Sacred Heart of Jesus, through the mediation of her Immaculate Heart, can save man from the spiritual chastisements which rebellion against God necessarily brings upon its perpetrators and upon the whole of society.”
Practicing this Faith in today’s “totally secularized culture,” entails a “readiness to accept ridicule, misunderstanding, persecution, exile and even death,” warned the prelate, if one is to “remain one with Christ in the Church under the maternal protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary.”
However, the cardinal, known for his prominent defense of traditional Catholic doctrine and the traditional Mass, also offered encouragement to the faithful. Urging them to remain close to Our Lady of Fatima, he recalled how “the intercession of the Virgin Mother of God and of all the saints will give us the strength and courage in what seems an impossible battle.”
Despite the hardships of which he warned for those wishing to remain true to the “Faith,” Burke closed by asking people to be “confident” and “trusting in the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus.”
The cardinal has previously issued vocal calls for Russia to be consecrated to Our Lady, according to the manner she requested in the apparitions at Fatima. At the 2017 Fatima Centennial Summit, in Irving, Texas, Burke stated: “Recognizing the necessity of a total conversion from atheistic materialism and communism to Christ, the call of Our Lady of Fatima to consecrate Russia to Her Immaculate Heart in accord with Her explicit instruction remains urgent.”
Adding that he did “not doubt for a moment the intention of Pope St. John Paul II to carry out the consecration on March 25, 1984,” the cardinal nevertheless stated that the “explicit instructions” remain uncompleted. As such, Burke declared, “It is evident that the consecration (of Russia) was not carried out in the manner requested by Our Lady.”
Returning once more to the description provided by Sr. Lucia of the not fully published third secret, Cardinal Burke highlighted the “martyrdom of those remaining true to Our Lord.”
He noted how “only the Faith,” by which man is united with the “Sacred Heart of Jesus, through the mediation of her Immaculate Heart, can save man from the spiritual chastisements which rebellion against God necessarily brings upon its perpetrators and upon the whole of society.”
Practicing this Faith in today’s “totally secularized culture,” entails a “readiness to accept ridicule, misunderstanding, persecution, exile and even death,” warned the prelate, if one is to “remain one with Christ in the Church under the maternal protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary.”
However, the cardinal, known for his prominent defense of traditional Catholic doctrine and the traditional Mass, also offered encouragement to the faithful. Urging them to remain close to Our Lady of Fatima, he recalled how “the intercession of the Virgin Mother of God and of all the saints will give us the strength and courage in what seems an impossible battle.”
Despite the hardships of which he warned for those wishing to remain true to the “Faith,” Burke closed by asking people to be “confident” and “trusting in the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus.”
The cardinal has previously issued vocal calls for Russia to be consecrated to Our Lady, according to the manner she requested in the apparitions at Fatima. At the 2017 Fatima Centennial Summit, in Irving, Texas, Burke stated: “Recognizing the necessity of a total conversion from atheistic materialism and communism to Christ, the call of Our Lady of Fatima to consecrate Russia to Her Immaculate Heart in accord with Her explicit instruction remains urgent.”
Adding that he did “not doubt for a moment the intention of Pope St. John Paul II to carry out the consecration on March 25, 1984,” the cardinal nevertheless stated that the “explicit instructions” remain uncompleted. As such, Burke declared, “It is evident that the consecration (of Russia) was not carried out in the manner requested by Our Lady.”