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Archbishop says Majerus should be disciplined
[LEFT]By Deirdre Shesgreen and Tom Timmerman
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH[/LEFT]
01/22/2008
[LEFT]St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke said this morning that St. Louis University basketball coach Rick Majerus should be disciplined over his public comments supporting abortion rights and stem cell research.
Majerus made his comments at a campaign appearance for Hillary Rodham Clinton on Saturday night during an interview with KMOV (Channel 4).
During an interview with the Post-Dispatch today in Washington, where Burke is attending the March for Life, he said the coach should be disciplined.
"It's not possible to be a Catholic and hold those positions," Burke said. "When you take a position in a Catholic university, you don't have to embrace everything the Catholic church teaches. But you can't make statements which call into question the identity and mission of the Catholic church."
The archbishop declined to offer specifics of what discipline Majerus should face. "I'm confident it (the university) will deal with the question of a public representative making declarations that are inconsistent with the Catholic faith." [/LEFT]
Burke would deny Majerus holy Communion
[LEFT]By Tim Townsend, Deirdre Shesgreen and Tom Timmermann
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH[/LEFT]
01/23/2008
[LEFT]While Hillary Clinton was courting votes, Rick Majerus was courting trouble.
First, he said he was "not going to go there."
Then, he did.
The Catholic basketball coach for the Catholic St. Louis University looked into the TV camera at the Clinton rally last weekend and said, "I'm pro-choice, personally."
That's when the Roman Catholic coach ran smack into the Roman Catholic archbishop.
On Tuesday, St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke said St. Louis University should discipline Majerus for comments he made at the rally. Burke also told the Post-Dispatch that he would deny Majerus holy Communion if the coach did not change his positions on abortion rights and embryonic stem cell research.
"I'm very much an advocate for stem cell research," Majerus told KMOV-TV at the Saturday rally at McCluer North High School.[/LEFT]
Majerus defiant -- with respect
[LEFT]By Bernie Miklasz
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH[/LEFT]
01/23/2008
[LEFT]Surprised by the reaction to his pro-choice, pro-embryonic stem cell research comments made Saturday night at a Hillary Clinton political rally, St. Louis University basketball coach Rick Majerus spent part of Wednesday morning on the phone, trying to calm his elderly mother.
"She was upset, thinking I was going to be excommunicated from the Catholic Church, and that I would be denied Communion during Mass," Majerus said Wednesday night, in his first public comments over a controversy that included a strong rebuke from St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke. "But she told me to keep doing what I thought was right, just as my parents taught me."
This week, Burke said St. Louis University should discipline Majerus for comments he made at the rally. Burke also said he'd deny Majerus holy Communion if the coach did not change his positions on abortion rights and embryonic stem cell research.
But if Burke is expecting an apology or silence from Majerus, it won't happen. If Burke hopes Majerus will fall in line with the Roman Catholic church's official positions on these two issues, it won't happen.
During an exclusive 90-minute conversation Wednesday, Majerus was civil and respectful in his comments made about Burke. But make no mistake: Majerus is unyielding, and defiant. [/LEFT]
STLtoday - Sports - Columnists (broken link)
I understand it's a Catholic school, but personally I think Majerus has a right to his own opinions.
Talk about a contentious issue! I initially read about this unfolding story a few days ago on the Post-Dispatch's website; and an article about Majerus and Archbishop Burke even appeared in the sports section of our mid-sized local newspaper, The (Santa Rosa, California) Press Democrat.
I ask the reader of this post in advance for your forgiveness if I come across as at all overbearing or overly opinionated. The last thing we want is for this thread to turn into a flame war with the moderator having to make us stifle ourselves or whip out the ol' padlock and close it down totally! I'm essentially going to side with Archbishop Burke on this issue as long as he makes it very clear to Rick Majerus that God is merciful and forgiving, and that the Catholic Church wants to have him in good standing again.
I don't think Burke has much of a choice regarding this situation. Look at the terrible damage that has been done to victims of the priest sex abuse scandals and their family members because too many bishops and archbishops either tried to deny that there was a serious problem with pedophile and pederast priests, or privately acknowledged there was but chose to avoid confronting it directly. Clearly, this was allowed to go on for far too long.
Keep the above in mind when I now encourage you to focus on this statement by Burke: "...you can't make statements which call into question the identity and mission of the Catholic Church." And I would say, not just oral or written statements, but actions as well. Majerus chose to not only identify himself as "pro-choice" and in favor of the kind of stem cell research that sacrifices the lives of untold numbers of human embryos in a vain attempt to improve the quality of life for those who have already been born (Not one cure--NOT ONE--has been achieved by using embryonic stem cells. 72 cures have been achieved through adult stem cell research the Catholic Church very strongly supports). Majerus has also openly supported a candidate for President who is very outspokenly pro-abortion while at the same time being identified as a prominent member of a Catholic university.
It has been bad enough for certain Catholic priests, bishops and archbishops to lead people badly astray as far as the sex abuse scandals are concerned. Either they've actually abused victims or they've taken a "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" stance that allowed this extremely serious problem to fester for as long as three decades. Some people are actually now under the impression that the Catholic Church regards pedophilia as OK! As horrible as pedophilia is, no one is killed as a result, which can't be said about abortion. Archbishop Burke is trying to fight these two societal evils that have caused tremendous confusion about the Catholic Church's identity and mission. He is also responsible as a church descendant of the 12 disciples to allow God to work through him to share the Gospel and keep as many people as possible from "going astray like sheep" when it comes to their relationships with God.
I'm tremendously grateful that Burke is not taking this responsibility lightly. Getting back to Majerus, I think it's a question of how much St. Louis University wants to be identified as a Catholic university. In no way is Burke suggesting that Majerus be denied his First Amendment rights. Contrariwise, Burke cannot deny that there is a serious conflict between St. Louis University's mission as a Catholic institution of higher learning and Majerus' decision to partake in behavior that is absolutely at odds with Church teaching.
Look at it this way: A librarian who works in a public library system in America must make it as easy as possible for anyone regardless of economic or societal background, and regardless of social, religious or political views, to access information. If such a librarian refuses to do this, the library system has every right to engage in disciplinary action against him or her, and expect an immediate correction in the way he or she carries out the mission of the library system. To close, Majerus can certainly say he's "pro-choice," pro-Hillary, and pro-embryonic stem cell research. But he can't say these things AND expect to avoid being in serious sin and hurting his good standing with the Church, which has an unqualified interest in protecting human life and preserving the dignity of human life.
As a subscriber to the St. Louis Review, which is the weekly newspaper of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, I would like to see how its coverage of this situation contrasts with that of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, which absolutely loathes Burke.
Last edited by northbayeric; 01-27-2008 at 09:41 PM..
1) Your thread title should read that Burke is at odds with Majerus and not the other way around. Majerus isn't at odds with anyone. It's the other way around.
2) SLU is a school not governed by the Catholic Church. Burke, also, has no jurisdiction over Saint Louis University.
3) Larry Biondi, SLU's Catholic Priest Jesuit President, doesn't take orders from anyone when it comes to SLU. Burke included.
4) The coach was in his personal time at an off campus event and answered a question posed to him by someone else.
......For any and all of these reasons there won't be a reprimand for Majerus by Biondi. And all have moved on with their lives. A University is a place for learning, debate, and presenting all sides. It is possible to attend SLU and take all Theology courses in classes that have nothing to do with Catholicism. Even the Jesuits, of which SLU is affiliated were long persecuted by the Catholic Church for their positions on education.
5) There would be a lot of echos in those empty Church pews if only those who agree w 100% of Catholic Church teachings and positions attended Mass weekly. Many Catholics freely discuss, and question their faith daily, and disagree with many issues in Catholicism and the Church.
6) Part of the Archbishop's job is to lead, and be a leader, and he has failed to do so in a productive manner in repeated fashion.
7) It's Saint Louis University, not St. Louis University as many many people and media get wrong daily.
Well, on point #7, you've got me--I do stand corrected on Saint Louis University, just as St. Louis Symphony Orchestra sounds totally dissonant too.
Assuming you're correct on point #2, then Saint Louis University should seriously consider not calling itself a Catholic university. The sanctity of innocent human life is a settled issue. On this and all the other points, we'll just have to agree to disagree, and go in peace.
They don't call themselves a Catholic University. They call themselves a Jesuit University.
That being said, it's not uncommon for employers to restrict employees from choosing sides in political issues. County employees can't put up campaign posters in their front yard. I'm not sure I completely agree with that policy, but if Majerus was told he wasn't supposed to do that and he did it anyway, then I can see why people could be upset. If that was never made explicitly clear, however, then i don't see how he's done anything wrong. Many people who go to SLU aren't Catholic; why should the entirety of their staff be required to be?
When U.S. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., ran for president, Archbishop Burke instructed all those who would listen not to vote for Mr. Kerry. That appeared to be a violation of the tax-exempt status his church enjoys. Once he tried to influence the political process, the tax-free status granted churches should have been revoked. Burke can't have it both ways.
I hope the coach isn't reprimanded and I doubt he will be. The free exchange of ideas and philosophies is vital if SLU hopes to maintain it's standing as a university of the first order. Besides, the Jesuits have a strong tradition of dissidence. Growing up, the difference in tone between the parish priest and the Jesuits was always fairly marked.
And, as another poster pointed out, SLU has long accepted students (and tuition and endowments and donations) from people of all beliefs and walks of life.
As for Burke, he's always struck me as a bully. Who is he to deny a sacrament to anyone? Is John Kerry's soul any more soiled than the communicants he gladly offers communion to every day?
As much as he rails about certain topics he conveniently manages to overlook others. Homosexual unions are prohibited in the bible, but so are many, many other things we accept everyday. Lending and borrowing on credit for instance - and we all know how comfortable the church is with that!
He advised his congregation not to vote for Kerry (threatened might be more accurate) because of his stance on abortion. But where is his 'pro-life' stance when it comes to war or capital punishment?
John Paul II condemned the invasion of Iraq. Funny how Burke and the other arch-conservative bishops tend to overlook that condemnation. Tens of thousands of people have been killed in Iraq since our unprovoked invasion - horrific numbers of them children. Saddam was a tyrant but now, thanks in large part to our clumsy intervention, women are being shot in Iraq for not keeping there heads covered. If Bush were a catholic would Burke deny him communion? Whaddya think?
As Governor of Texas George W. Bush approved extraordinarily high numbers of executions. Pro-life? Where are the threats to congregants voting for Bush? What a hypocrite.
Burke has a right to his opinions, but he's also a spiritual leader thousands of people look to for guidance. It's outrageous the way he tries to threaten, condemn and browbeat. Then again, he's a bully. That's what bullies do.
Last edited by anduarto; 02-01-2008 at 10:40 PM..
Reason: spelling
The fact that Archbishop Raymond Burke is an American citizen as well as a Catholic archbishop means that he has the same First Amendment rights as any other American. Burke said you shouldn't vote for Kerry but did not say that you should or must vote for Bush or any other specific individual. Had he done the latter, then yes, a case could be made for revocation of the Church's tax-exempt status.
Anduarto, you state that Bush as governor of Texas "approved extraordinarily high numbers of executions." Did he approve 3,500 executions? Per day? That's how many unborn children are murdered by abortionists in America. And were the individuals on Texas' Death Row more innocent than the unborn children who are murdered by abortion?
1.2 million unborn children killed by abortion in America each year--and to think that this figure reached 1.6 million back in 1990. Before this year is over, roughly 50 million unborn children in America will have been murdered since January 22, 1973. This is a war that we can all be against. Don't you think so?
So who are the real bullies? Archbishop Burke is merely upbraiding Rick Majerus for working in a prominent position at a (supposedly) Catholic (Jesuit) university while shilling for Hillary. At least Burke and Majerus are about the same size physically. George Tiller, on the other hand, has performed partial-birth abortions in Kansas, killing second and third trimester babies who are absolutely defenseless. To me that makes Tiller and other abortion "doctors" the real bullies. If a police officer tries to intervene when he sees a parent abusing a child, does that make the police officer a bully too? No. So there is no way one can accuse Burke of being a bully without also accusing all of the abortionists responsible for killing over a million unborn children in America each year of the same thing and much more.
On the matter of Kerry and his soul, it isn't Burke who is denying Kerry the Sacrament of Holy Communion, it's Kerry himself for not doing anything substantive as a voting member of the United States Senate to reduce the number of abortions that take place or to impose penalties or any regulations whatsoever on those who perform abortions. Burke is merely recognizing this tragic reality and calling on Kerry (and Majerus and others) to move in a different, better direction.
The executions that have taken place in Texas against those who have committed horrible crimes against humanity are strongly opposed by the Catholic Church and by Archbishop Burke (except in those cases where Death Row inmates continue to pose a mortal threat to others). But again, if we cannot agree that the most defenseless members of our society (the unborn) always deserve to live (and Hillary does not, nor apparently does Majerus), then how can we possibly begin to wage a meaningful campaign against unjust wars or the death penalty? We can't. There is no moral foundation to do so.
Last edited by northbayeric; 02-02-2008 at 01:00 AM..
They don't call themselves a Catholic University. They call themselves a Jesuit University.
Jesuit refers to the religious order of which they are governed. Just like other Catholic universities, Notre Dame is Holy Cross, DePaul is Vincentian, Villanova is Augustinian; they are all Catholic institutions.
You needn't explain what a Jesuit university is to me. But Anduarto is correct when he says that Jesuits, while still Catholics, highly value education and free speech. They may well be a Catholic institution, but this is quote different than a Catholic university.
Also, I don't believe this unwarranted foray into politics (which is exactly what all this talk of abortion is) has any place in this forum. Please take your political views to the politics thread.
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A difficult problem for Archbishop Burke
I'm essentially going to side with Archbishop Burke on this issue as long as he makes it very clear to Rick Majerus that God is merciful and forgiving, and that the Catholic Church wants to have him in good standing again.
It's a University first
