Skip to content

We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away.

Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you.

Help Now >

An Open Letter To His Excellency The Most Reverend Raymond Leo Burke, D.D., The Archbishop Of Saint Louis

Free World Class Education
FREE Catholic Classes

+ J.M.J.+

An Open Letter To His Excellency
The Most Reverend Raymond Leo Burke, D.D.,
The Archbishop Of Saint Louis

by Monsignor Charles M. Mangan

Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes
February 11, 2004

Your Excellency,

Praised be Jesus Christ!

I am sure that I voice for many the sincerest best wishes on the occasion of your appointment by our Holy Father as the new Archbishop of Saint Louis.

Those who know you recognize the varied and multiple gifts that Almighty God has given to you. And you yourself gladly and promptly confess that these derive from the merciful and benevolent hand of the Lord. These precious treasures are meant to be shared--and you have done so admirably as a conscientious bishop, a superb canonist, a pious priest and a faithful Catholic.

Many fondly attest to the incredible accomplishments of Raymond Leo Burke. Some point to your diligent work developing rural life in the United States. Others highlight your encouragement of priests and seminarians, consecrated religious and consecrated virgins. Still others emphasize your indefatigable labors to teach the fullness of the Catholic Faith in the Diocese of La Crosse and beyond.

What you have done recently, however, in identifying for Catholic elected officials their grave duty to defend human life, including that of preborn children, merits special mention. Your Excellency, you have imitated several other Bishops who, over the years, have enunciated clearly--despite hostile reaction from some quarters--what is expected of Catholic elected officials pertaining to the Herculean effort to protect our preborn brothers and sisters.

Already your well-considered remarks about the pressing responsibility of Catholic legislators have heartened some and dismayed others. But you have heralded precisely what the truth is and what it demands.

Although I can profess no expertise in the political arena, I dare to say that there is at least a possibility that in the near future our nation will elect to its highest office a Catholic who ardently insists that he is "pro-choice." (The voting record of the legislator that I have in mind proves his shameless claim.) Such a reality would assuredly mean, for example, that the door would be opened even wider for sundry initiatives aimed at increasing the opportunity to have and procure abortions. This outcome would be most regrettable; the diabolical strategy of those who promote the killing of preborn boys and girls would be furthered.

Your Excellency, your comments to Catholic elected officials have reminded them that their actions bring consequences. A Catholic legislator who knowingly and willingly fosters abortion by voting to make it even more available than it is currently must not receive Holy Communion.

You have helped not only Catholic elected officials but also all of us to recall that both human life and the Most Holy Eucharist are sacred! We cannot treat either the bodies of our preborn brothers and sisters or the Body and Blood of the Son of God and Son of Mary with contempt.

Furthermore, you have assisted us indirectly in realizing again that when Catholic legislators neglect to defend human life, then we must ponder carefully our response to that noticeable failure vis-ŕ-vis the voting ballot.

Your Excellency, thank you for charitably and firmly proclaiming the truth, regardless of the personal cost, by standing up for the beauty and splendor of human life and for insisting on the adoration we owe to the Most Blessed Sacrament. You enjoy our esteem and, most importantly, our prayers as we commend you and your Episcopal ministry to the ever-watchful guidance of the Holy Family of Nazareth.

Ad multos annos!

Contact

Mary's Field
https://www.catholic.org , VA
Monsignor Charles M. Mangan - Official, 390 66616-1125

Email

fathermangan@catholic.org

Keywords

Pro-Life; Most Holy Eucharist

We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away.

Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you.

Help Now >

More Catholic PRWire

Showing 1 - 50 of 4,716

A Recession Antidote
Randy Hain

Monaco & The Vatican: Monaco's Grace Kelly Exhibit to Rome--A Review of Monegasque-Holy See Diplomatic History
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.

The Why of Jesus' Death: A Pauline Perspective
Jerom Paul

A Royal Betrayal: Catholic Monaco Liberalizes Abortion
Dna. Maria St.Catherine De Grace Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.

Embrace every moment as sacred time
Mary Regina Morrell

My Dad
JoMarie Grinkiewicz

Letting go is simple wisdom with divine potential
Mary Regina Morrell

Father Lombardi's Address on Catholic Media
Catholic Online

Pope's Words to Pontifical Latin American College
Catholic Online

Prelate: Genetics Needs a Conscience
Catholic Online

State Aid for Catholic Schools: Help or Hindrance?
Catholic Online

Scorsese Planning Movie on Japanese Martyrs
Catholic Online

2 Nuns Kidnapped in Kenya Set Free
Catholic Online

Holy See-Israel Negotiation Moves Forward
Catholic Online

Franchising to Evangelize
Catholic Online

Catholics Decry Anti-Christianity in Israel
Catholic Online

Pope and Gordon Brown Meet About Development Aid
Catholic Online

Pontiff Backs Latin America's Continental Mission
Catholic Online

Cardinal Warns Against Anti-Catholic Education
Catholic Online

Full Circle
Robert Gieb

Three words to a deeper faith
Paul Sposite

Relections for Lent 2009
chris anthony

Wisdom lies beyond the surface of life
Mary Regina Morrell

World Food Program Director on Lent
Catholic Online

Moral Clarity
DAN SHEA

Pope's Lenten Message for 2009
Catholic Online

A Prayer for Monaco: Remembering the Faith Legacy of Prince Rainier III & Princess Grace and Contemplating the Moral Challenges of Prince Albert II
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe

Keeping a Lid on Permissiveness
Sally Connolly

Glimpse of Me
Sarah Reinhard

The 3 stages of life
Michele Szekely

Sex and the Married Woman
Cheryl Dickow

A Catholic Woman Returns to the Church
Cheryl Dickow

Modernity & Morality
Dan Shea

Just a Minute
Sarah Reinhard

Catholic identity ... triumphant reemergence!
Hugh McNichol

Edging God Out
Paul Sposite

Burying a St. Joseph Statue
Cheryl Dickow

George Bush Speaks on Papal Visit
Catholic Online

Sometimes moving forward means moving the canoe
Mary Regina Morrell

Action Changes Things: Teaching our Kids about Community Service
Lisa Hendey

Easter... A Way of Life
Paul Spoisite

Papal initiative...peace and harmony!
Hugh McNichol

Proclaim the mysteries of the Resurrection!
Hugh McNichol

Jerusalem Patriarch's Easter Message
Catholic Online

Good Friday Sermon of Father Cantalamessa
Catholic Online

Papal Address at the End of the Way of the Cross
Catholic Online

Cardinal Zen's Meditations for Via Crucis
Catholic Online

Interview With Vatican Aide on Jewish-Catholic Relations
Catholic Online

Pope Benedict XVI On the Easter Triduum
Catholic Online

Holy Saturday...anticipation!
Hugh McNichol

Deacon Keith Fournier Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you. Help Now >

Join the Movement
When you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.

Lent logo
Saint of the Day logo
Light Your Free Payer Candle for a departed loved one

What is Palm Sunday?

Live on March 20, 2024 @ 10am PDT

Catholic Online Logo

Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited.

Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.