Goodbye Raymond Burke

The AP reports that St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke has been promoted to head the Apostolic Signatura. This panel resolves disputes between Vatican tribunals and is the appeal from the Roman Rota.

This can be seen as a reward and a punishment. It is a reward for towing the party line, and beyond, regarding giving communion to Catholic dissenters (although the USCCB has repudiated his position - thank you Cardinal McCarrick). It is probably the only way for him to receive a red hat (become a cardinal) since it is unlikely he would be moved to another See with that title. If this were to happen, he would have been sent to Baltimore.

This is also the punishment, as he is no longer free to grab headlines in the American press, especially regarding the upcoming election. (See my prior post inviting the Archbishop to excommunicate me). I knew there was a reason I liked Benedict XVI. He has in essence silenced one of the most obnoxious voices on the Catholic right-wing.

See ya, your Excellency. Don't let the door hit you in the rump on your way out.

Harold Ickes Threat

I suspect that Harold Ickes may have cost his candidate the nomination with his remarks yesterday. In order to secure 4 additional delegates he may have lost 40 Superdelegates who want to bring this matter to a quick conclusion. It is time to get beyond the politics of anger.