Home » Vatican News » Head of Vatican court describes ‘VatiLeaks’ as ‘most grave crimes’
Head of Vatican court describes ‘VatiLeaks’ as ‘most grave crimes’
Tags
Related Posts
About the author
Cardinal Raymond L. Burke
The head of the Vatican’s highest court described the spate of leaks of confidential Vatican documents as “most grave crimes” and warned that those responsible must be discovered and “appropriately sanctioned.
Cardinal Raymond L. Burke, prefect of the Supreme Court of the Apostolic Signature, said the confidentiality of Pope Benedict XVI’s communications must be respected in order for the pope to carry out his work in service of the church.
“It is not a question of hiding anything but of respecting conscience,” the U.S.-born cardinal told reporters following his address to the Fifth Fota International Liturgy Conference.
He added that he was appalled by what had happened in the events dubbed “VatiLeaks” by the Italian media.
“I am trusting and praying that these people will be discovered and they will be properly sanctioned,” he said.
Speaking July 9, the final day of the three-day conference focusing on the theme “Celebrating the Eucharist: Sacrifice and Communion,” Cardinal Burke discussed the Eucharist as sacrifice in canonical history.
The cardinal particularly mentioned Canon 818, which safeguards against a priest celebrating Mass introducing his own wording, prayers or preaching according to his own judgment.
Asked about a priest in the Diocese of Belleville, Ill., who in June was removed as a pastor because he introduced new wording in the liturgy to make it “more meaningful,” Cardinal Burke explained that any priest who took such liberties would have been warned by his bishop. Only if the priest persisted, he explained, would sanctions be imposed.
“The priest is the servant of the rite. Christ has given us the sacred liturgy in his church and the priest serves. He is not the protagonist,” Cardinal Burke said.
“It is absolutely wrong for the priest to start making changes to make it more interesting because he wants to make the liturgy better,” he added.
Cardinal Burke also warned against excessive use of the concelebration of liturgy and called for the practice to be reviewed where it is used repeatedly. He told the conference that excessive use of concelebration could result in priests losing sight of the fullness of their office and an understanding of the Eucharist as a sacrifice.
After his presentation the cardinal spoke with Catholic News Service about the U.S. bishops’ “fortnight for freedom,” commending the nationwide campaign to address what church officials consider government infringements on religious freedom. [more]
SOURCE
CNS
Leave a Comment
Photo Archive
-
May 22, 2013 1:37
Tornadoes exact deadly toll; region needs ‘a lot of prayers right now’
-
May 22, 2013 1:32
State Dept. report says countries have repressed religious freedom with laws
-
May 22, 2013 1:23
2 lawsuits filed against Maine Catholic church
-
May 21, 2013 1:32
Church Whistle-Blowers Join Forces on Abuse
-
May 20, 2013 5:17
Maine Catholic church closing its doors
-
May 20, 2013 5:14
Muslim leaders in US facing challenges inside and outside the faith
-
May 17, 2013 5:43
Archbishop clarifies remarks about Cuomo
-
May 17, 2013 5:40
Fr. Gary Meier goes public with clergy experience
-
May 17, 2013 5:37
Predator priests paid to pray for unsuspecting families
-
May 16, 2013 1:56
Cleanup of Bridgeport, Conn., diocese begins in earnest
10 Comments
“The head of the Vatican’s highest court described the spate of leaks of confidential Vatican documents as “most grave crimes”…. I can think of a lot much more “grave” crimes than someting that’s imply embarrassing like leaking documents to the press, e.g., all those clerical child abuse crimes that were perpetrated and then covered up for decades! If the pope is so concerned about leaks, perhaps he should consider locking his documents up in a fire-proof safe bolted to his bedroom floor.
No sympathy for the pope for whom your prayed this morning, Recovering? For your prayers to work to your benefit, you have to open your heart to the truth and see your cynicism and bitterness for what they are.
No sympathy at all for the pope, Recovering. I’ll try to remember you again in prayer at the next Mass I attend.
Recovering — we really can’t take you out in public, can we? You open your mouth, and promptly insert your foot.
Not impressed at all, Recovering.
Indeed, not at all.
In perso, and in the videos I have seen of Burke he come across as an arrogant Pompus Ass. I admit it is a very subjective opinion but never the less my opinion. Some projection? Perhaps. But hat doesn’t take away from his pomposity.
Tony — two things: (1) I appreciate your admission of the possibility that some of your perception may be influenced by projection. Humility is always attractive. (2) you must concede the logical possibility that all (not just some) of Cardinal Burke’s perceived pomposity might actually be 100% projection.
In a monastery very close to me and in several Other religious houses they have a daily conselabrated celebration of the Eucharist it is I think a great reminder of the unity of the priesthood and that ther is really one Priest, Jesus Christ, and all the others SHARE in His priesthood.
Burke strikes me as a pompous sort of guy who likes to draw much attention to himself.
Tony — that’s interesting, because I read the exact same piece you did, and I did not see any pomposity in Cardinal Burke’s comments. Now that’s interesting: the piece is the same, but the conclusions are different — the only thing to explain the difference is differences in the readers. Projection is a real phenomenon — we see in others what is true for ourselves.