Cardinal Burke and the True Pastors of the Church

Recently, Cardinal Burke, former Archbishop of St. Louis now Cardinal Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, was in St. Louis to give the Mass of Thanksgiving for his elevation to the position of Cardinal. After the Mass, hundreds and hundreds waited in line to meet him. My good friend David Williams and his family, 4 small kids in tote, waited in line but simply could not keep all the little ones happy long enough to actually meet him. I totally understand. God bless him for even trying!

The next day, David penned a heart felt letter of gratitude for the truth of the Catholic Church, Her teachings on the dignity of human sexuality and life with regards to contraception, and for his personal installation of St. Gianna Parish in Lake St. Louis, MO. David gave the letter to the rector of the Basilica in St. Louis, Msgr. Pins, to give to Cardinal Burke if possible. It made it to him.

Two months later this is what he got in return via Italia:

Imagine waiting in line for anyone of more than regional significance. Even a do-nothing actor or actress. You leave, like David, and write them a letter and pass it along to a local with connections. Do you think you would get a letter back? Not a chance.

Through schism, heresy, and all matter of betrayal, somehow Christ is still perfecting his Bride--the Church. May we all rejoice that he has given us such great pastors to lead us through the this dark night of evil in our day. As Catholics we are proud to call them "Father". Or to put it another way, in the words of St. Paul:

Even if you should have countless guides to Christ, yet you do not have many fathers, for I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 

-1 Corinthians 4:15