AN OPEN LETTER TO CARDINAL BURKE AND HIS ALLIES

by Dr Aaron Milavec – 6 December 2021

Dear Cardinal Burke and loyal allies,

Please examine Acts 10. Peter prays and has a vision. Three times he says, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is profane or unclean.” Then, a short time later, Cornelius, a Roman Centurion, invites Peter and six of his companions to visit him. Something changes inside Peter while he is on his way. He knows that, if he accepts to stay with Cornelius, that he will be invited to eat from his table. This is tearing him up. If he takes his stand for the tradition, he cannot eat from this unclean table. Not to accept his hospitality, on the other hand, will be a slap in Cornelius’ face–treating him as someone unclean. So what will Peter do??? When he arrives, Peter greets this Roman Centurion saying, “You yourselves know that it is unlawful for a Jew to associate with or to visit a Gentile; but God has shown me that I should not call anyone profane or unclean.” Yipes! Peter confesses his “change of mind” but now the issue is not just “unclean food” but “unclean associations” as well.  What happened? How could Peter dare to drop the tradition that was held sacred by the Israelites for more than 1200 years?

So, Cardinal Burke, you wish to be counted among those who resist the changes made by Peter. I can understand this. In Acts 11, Peter returns home (Jerusalem) and we learn that the circumcised believers criticized him, saying, “Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?” So you wish to endorse the position of the nay-sayers in Jerusalem.

This is a parable for our times. Pope Francis is being severely criticized by you, just as was Peter in Acts. “Why did you change the liturgy from Latin to the many tongues?” “Why did you allow the faithful to receive the Lord’s body in their unclean hands?” “Why did you permit Catholics to stand when receiving?” “Why are divorced and remarried Catholics sometimes permitted to receive?”  “Why are abortion advocates [like President Biden] allowed to receive?” . . . .

And what can Pope Francis say to defend himself against these accusations? Must he pull rank and say, “The Lord has made me the successor of Peter. I am the one who decides what is to be ‘bound’ and what is to be ‘loosed.’ If you disregard me, you disregard the Lord Jesus.” He could do this, would you agree? Is it not the Catholic tradition to insist that he must do this as defender of the faith???

But NO, HE DOES NOT. This is the mystery. He could and should compel you for it your duty to obey the pope! Yet, he does not. He follows the gentle path taken by Peter. In Acts 11, Peter returns home (Jerusalem) and we learn that the circumcised believers criticized him, saying, “Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?” And what does Peter do. He tells his story in all its details to you. Meditate on Acts 11. Peter is hoping that you would be able to follow him and be able to say, “If I had been there in the house of Cornelius, I would have done what you did. So I stand with you!”

But you are unable to do this. TRADITION for you has become the authoritative norm. CONTINUITY is the only path into the future. So your protests continue: “Why did you change the liturgy from Latin to the many tongues?” “Why did you allow the faithful to receive the Lord’s body in their unclean hands?” “Why did you permit unclean Catholics to stand when receiving?” “Why do you welcome the unclean [LGBT] with open arms?”  So you choose to band together and make an insurrection in the heart of the Catholic community. . . . You will not allow Peter (in Acts) to change! You will not allow Pope Francis, his successor, to change!

So, do you imagine that God approves of what you are doing?

Please ponder these things, Brother Burke, for God needs you and the Church needs you (but now she, Our Holy Mother, suffers because of your insurrection).

Fraternally in JMJ,

Aaron Milavec