Archbishop Burke delivers a homily on December 30, 2006 at Assumption Grottoand another series from December 2006
Archbishop Burke has long been counted among the bishops with backbones. Last week, he acted wisely in stepping down from the chairmanship of the Cardinal Glennon Foundation when the board remained obstinate in wanting to bring in Sheryl Crow for entertainment. The entertainer is pro-abortion and advocates embryonic stem cell research.
This week, we see him exercising his episcopal authority by informing St. Joseph's Academy in the diocese of St. Louis via a phone call from the education office, that culture-of-death senator Claire McCaskill may not speak at her daughter's graduation ceremony. The offer was promptly rescinded by the school, but it seems the sister responsible doesn't quite get it. It's also sad to note that students at a Catholic school would want a pro-abort senator to speak. What have they learned about the culture of life and the culture of death in that school???
I don't know how long the news source will leave the article up, so here it is in full from News-Leader.com
(AP) ST. LOUIS Sen. Claire McCaskill was uninvited from speaking at her daughters Catholic high school commencement because her positions on abortion and embryonic stem cell research are at odds with those of the church.
Students at St. Josephs Academy in the St. Louis suburb of Frontenac wanted to have McCaskill speak at their graduation this month, McCaskill spokeswoman Adrianne Marsh said Tuesday.
But the offer was rescinded last week. The senator was told by the school that the decision came from St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke, Marsh said.
Marsh said the senator, a Catholic, understands that her positions supporting abortion rights and stem cell research are different than those held by the church, but shes made peace with them.
The Democratic senator had seen the chance to speak at commencement as a special opportunity because her daughter is one of the graduates, McCaskill said in a statement.
The president of St. Josephs Academy, Sister Michaela Zahner, said she made the decision to rescind the invitation to McCaskill after receiving a call from the archdiocesan education office.
She was told of an archdiocesan policy that forbids providing a public forum for speakers who do not hold to truths as they are presented by the Catholic Church. Zahner said the policy clearly reflects Burke's position.
She said McCaskill was not asked to give a political speech, but was chosen to address the class because she is a woman who has served Missouri well and faithfully for over 30 years.
It was a very hard decision, Zahner said. She personally believed having McCaskill speak was going to be a good choice for the girls. My personal belief could not affect the good of the institution, she said.