Saturday, November 09, 2013

O'Toole to Plymouth and Burke as VG in Edinburgh


Everyone has been taken up with the excellent news that Mgr Mark O'Toole has been appointed as Bishop of Plymouth they have overlooked the fact that it seems the extremely able Mgr Patrick Burke at present at CDF is returning to these islands to become Archbishop Cushley's Vicar General in his own diocese of Edinburgh and St Andrews. Obviously his talents are going to be used to heal and cleanse after the Cardinal O'Brien fiasco but it also means that he will be able to use his considerable talents to address other issues in Britain.
Mgr Burke was a key figure working discreetly behind the scenes with the former Anglican bishops and Pope Benedict to set up the Ordinariate. He was the editor 'Faith Magazine". He is a committed evangelist and as can be seen from the video doesn't put up with nonsense.

My congratulations to both Mgr O'Toole and Burke on their new crosses and my congratulations to the two dioceses on their good fortune too.

22 comments:

Physiocrat said...

It must be good if Odone is against it.

Dorothy B said...

How interesting, and encouraging.

I found this potted biography of Mgr Burke on the website of St Patrick's College, Maynooth, where he was listed to give a talk:

"Monsignor Patrick Burke, author of Reinterpreting Rahner, A Critical Study of His Major Themes, (Fordham University Press, New York, 2002), will address us on the topic: 'Rahner: End or Beginning?' Biography: Msgr. Patrick Burke was born in Zimbabwe. He came to England in 1969 and was educated in London. Msgr. Burke did his undergraduate studies in Philosophy and Theology at St. Andrews, before continuing his studies at the Gregorian University in Rome where he did his STL in Dogmatic Theology. After Ordination in 1991 for the Diocese of St. Andrews and Edinburgh, Msgr. Burke did his doctoral studies in Munich and Rome. Between 1997 and 2005 he edited Faith – a theological and pastoral periodical published in England. In 2005 he was asked by then Cardinal Ratzinger to come to work in the Doctrinal Section of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Msgr. Burke also currently teaches Dogmatic Theology at the Gregorian University. Msgr. Patrick Burke currently works in the Doctrinal Section of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and also teaches Dogmatic Theology at the Gregorian University in Rome."

johnf said...

Thank you for this post Father. I am in the Plymouth Diocese and Mgr O'Toole will be my Bishop. Knowing nothing about him myself, it is good to read your encomium.

I recall the snippet you posted of Cristina Odone ranting against Pope Benedict and Fr Burke, and recall Fr Burke's point that the first duty of the Pope is to keep the faith.

Looking back at that snippet she comes across as an apologist for the LCWR or ACTA. At that time I was told that CMOC used to refer to her as 'the odd one'.

But she seems to have calmed down over the years and become more orthodox. (Well we all do).


Francis said...

Does this mean that the derogatory theological term "South Coast" is now obsolete -- except for a couple of stretches from Bognor to Worthing and Telscombe Cliffs to Hastings?

John Nolan said...

Under the editorships of Stanford and Odone the Catholic Herald was so dire I stopped buying it. In 1998 William Oddie stepped in and turned it around almost overnight.

Sadie Vacantist said...

Odone married a divorced man and she herself is from a broken home. Some Catholic journalists use the Catholic press in order to get on in their careers. Damian Thompson springs to mind in that regard. Neither strike me as talented.

Nicolas Bellord said...

The appointment of Mgr Patrick O'Toole is hugely to be welcomed. I think he will be very relieved to leave a very arduous job at the CDF where he did excellent work. He has always had my prayers.

Of O'Toole I know very little so cannot comment!

Nicolas Bellord said...

Help! Typo! I meant Mgr Patrick Burke NOT a non-existent Mgr Patrick O'Toole.

nickbris said...

A lot of the more scurrilous comments on your Blog come from nitwits who hide behind silly names

Chrissy said...

Get a life Nickbris .

parepidemos said...

Chrissy @ 2:25pm Trading insults is not of Christ. Sadly, you have just proved the point that Nick was making. Peace and blessings be to you.

Amfortas said...

O'Toole is orthodox in an unfussy way, quite bright but with very little pastoral experience outside seminary. The appointment will be a stretch for him. Cormac has clearly had a hand in this.

ACC92 said...

I'd heard months ago that Burke was getting the VG's job, but has there now been confirmation?

Anonymous said...

Is Msgr. O.T the one who was formerly Secretary to CMOC?
If so it does not bode well,imho.

Hughie said...

Mgr Patrick Burke has been back in his home Archdiocese of Saint Andrews and Edinburgh officially since Thursday, October 10. Officially, there has still, as far as I am aware, been no official statement released as to Mgr Pat's appointment but it is a done deal. On the archdiocesan website it still states: "Vicar General : awaiting nomination". BUT we also find: "Archbishop’s Engagements: OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2013: Wednesday 23rd: 11.00 am: Meeting of Vicars General, Gillis Centre."

Note the plural "VicarS General" which implies that the Auxiliary, Bishop Robson, and Mgr Pat will be co-VGs.

Mgr Pat's return from Rome at Mgr Leo's personal request, emphasises how seriously Rome is taking the problems Cardinal O'Brien has left behind. We can but pray that at the consistory in February His Eminence resigns from the Sacred College for the good of the archdiocese, of Scotland and himself.

NonAngelusSedAnglus said...

I was a seminarian many years ago at Alllen Hall where I got to know the then Fr Mark O'Toole. He was a holy and orthodox priest although years later he was to receive Tony Blair into the Church without any public recanting of his crimes against children (legalizing abortion up to birth, closing Catholic adoption agencies, illegal wars etc)

Praying for him in his new role and ministry.

MmeScherzo said...

Well, now, since she's agin it, I'm a gonna be fer it! Good on y'all!

JARay said...

A very interesting appointment. I watched the Odone interview and have long known that she belonged to the liberal ilk. She makes a living as a "journalist" and not as a 'c'atholic so no surprises there. He came across as just what is needed. Ad multos annos.

fr paul harrison said...

Just a reminder that Monsignor Burke is not the VG of Edinburgh and St Andrews. The position is still vacant!

Fr Paul Harrison

Frederick Jones said...

"Go they way and sin no more" and also "Let him who is pure and sinless cast the first stone". Mgr Burke and the great Pope Benedict would appear to echo the Lord. Christina Odone would appear to say carry on sinning and the church will condone.

Hughie said...

Dear Fr Paul, if the position is still vacant, how come Archbishop Cushley held a meeting with his "Vicars General" at 11 am on Wednesday, October 23, at the Gillis Centre in Edinburgh? I am aware that no official announcement has been made. I am unaware of why it has not been made. Greatly though I admire the many talents of my former colleague and, I would hope, friend, Mgr Leo, he can't have meetings with people who don't exist.

fr paul harrison said...

Hughie - all very simple, the previous VG's have been reappointed until further notice. Thus, Monsignor Burke is still not the VG in the diocese.

Fr Paul Harrison

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