The second most powerful man at the Vatican, Cardinal Raymond Burke, has been ousted by the Pope in an explosive shake-up.
In an article on thenewcivilrightsmovement.com, they report:
‘American Cardinal Raymond Burke, a darling of conservative Catholics who is virulently anti-gay, has confirmed … he will be demoted by Pope Francis from the head of the Roman Catholic Church’s version of the Supreme Court to a figurehead role as the Patron of the Knights of Malta, a chivalrous order known for its work among the sick.’
Vatican’s pro-gay stance – uncomfortable for some.
Cardinal Raymond Burke recently told an interviewer that legally-married gay family members should be shunned from family celebrations, saying:
“What would it mean to grandchildren to have present at a family gathering a family member who is living [in] a disordered relationship with another person?”
Burke has spoken out about homosexuality in the past. According to his Wikipedia page, in an interview in October 2014, Burke referred to gay relationships as “profoundly disordered and harmful”. He is a staunch critic of Pope Francis’ moves to soften the church’s stance on homosexuality.
In an interview with Buzzfeed Burke has said:
“The pope, more than anyone else as the pastor of the universal church, is bound to serve the truth … The pope is not free to change the church’s teachings with regard to the immorality of homosexual acts or the insolubility of marriage or any other doctrine of the faith.”