UNITED STATES
NBC News
By Tracy Connor and Aaron Mermelstein
Four years ago, the former archbishop of St. Louis, Raymond Burke, was caught on tape saying that the head of the Washington archdiocese, Donald Wuerl, and other moderates were “weakening the faith” by refusing to ban pro-choice politicians from receiving communion.
Burke had to apologize for the remark, but it didn’t diminish his profile in Rome under former Pope Benedict, who had appointed him head of the Vatican’s equivalent of the supreme court and given him a coveted spot in the influential Congregation of Bishops.
Now, there’s a new pontiff in town.
Pope Francis this week shook up the bishops panel, replacing the conservative Burke, now a cardinal, with none other than the moderate Wuerl, also a cardinal, in a move that could have a far-reaching effect on church leadership.
“This is one of the most significant moves so far,” the Rev. Thomas Reese, author of “Inside the Vatican: The Politics and Organization of the Catholic Church,” said of Monday’s big announcement.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.