“They didn’t accept my concerns,” Burke said. April 26, 2007
Posted by reformedville in : culture, Government, Media, Theology , 1 comment so farThank God there are still men willing to stand up for what they believe in and take their responsibility before God for their actions in leadership of the church seriously! Kudos to Archbishop Burke for his stand!
I could really care less about how people feel about the Catholic Church (actually I do care, this is just not a forum for that ); believers need to stand in support of Archbishop Burke for standing for biblical principles in a time that the church is under attack, and one that comes at a cost.
I am not the music police, and if you like Sheryl Crow, I won’t lose a moments sleep. If you put her music on your blog, again, it would never phase me. But there is a chasm of difference between listening to her music, playing her tracks, and engaging her as a performer at a event remotely associated with a church.
We are in an age of a non-offensive gospel, and a political and social correctness has entered our churches to the point leaders in the church are bastardized for upholding biblical principles . Burke comes to mind for his stand on Kerry and communion. Many called that political, what is political is to serve him communion while under the rebuke of the church, because it creates confusion.
We are at a point in history, with a Protestant President who claims he is a Christ follower, during which time which preaching the gospel may well be declared hateful and hate speech. I think it may come slowly in the form of IRS violations as the article below hints denying communion was political, so could be deemed political speech and endorsement of a candidate. We need to support our Catholic brothers in this time for taking a stand. We understand our difference but we need to recognize that our unity is in Christ and we need to back one another in tough times, pray for one another and be supportive of this man in an hour of personal crisis.
St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke denounced a Catholic charity for scheduling singer Sheryl Crow to perform at a benefit concert because of the singer’s support for abortion rights.
Burke submitted his resignation as chairman of the board for the Cardinal Glennon Children’s Foundation, saying the decision to let Crow sing on Saturday left him no other choice.
“It’s very painful for me,” Burke said during a news conference Wednesday. “But I have to answer to God for the responsibility I have as archbishop.
“A Catholic institution featuring a performer who promotes moral evil gives the impression that the church is somehow inconsistent in its teaching,” Burke said.
Crow is set to appear at the 19th annual benefit for the Bob Costas Cancer Center at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center. Costas will host the event, which will also feature comedian Billy Crystal.
Event organizer Allen Allred said he was disappointed with Burke’s decision, but that Crow would appear as scheduled.
“This is not an event that’s about ideology,” Allred said. “This is about helping kids.”
Burke made national news during the 2004 U.S. presidential campaign, by saying he would deny Communion to Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry, a Catholic who supports abortion rights.
He later clarified the statement to say Catholics can vote for such candidates if they believe the candidate’s stance on other moral issues outweighs the abortion-rights stance.
Burke said it was a “scandal” to let Crow sing at the event and amounted to an act that could lead others to evil. He cited Crow’s support for stem cell research and “procured abortion.”
Burke said he became aware of Crow’s participation in the cancer benefit in February and asked other board members to cancel her appearance.
“They didn’t accept my concerns,” Burke said.
Allred said board members did not honor Burke’s request because they did not want to play politics with performers at the annual event.
Costas, a prominent TV sportscaster, released a statement supporting the board’s decision.
“I have never applied a litmus test, Catholic or otherwise, concerning the politics or religious beliefs of any of the generous performers who have come to St. Louis to help this worthy cause, nor do I intend to …” Costas wrote
Criticism of the Catholic foundation is reminiscent of some earlier statements by Burke, who has been outspoken in his public condemnations of Roman Catholics who dissent from church teaching.