In the Catholic world the scandal connected with Frank attempts of the state bodies of the USA to interfere in Affairs of the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) gains momentum. The American administration, which does not accept the presence of several poles of influence in the world, is making active attempts not just to interfere in the internal Affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church, but also to promote its own interests through the Vatican.
In fact, a picture emerges in which the de jure secular state-the United States-is trying to exert pressure on one of the Christian churches, which have a large religious and economic autonomy, through the tools available to it.
The scandal manifested itself against the background of more than sharp (for Catholic dignitaries) statements by representatives of the American segment of the RCC to Pope Francis. One such critic of Francis was the American Curial cardinal Raymond Burke (Raymond Burke). We are talking about the same Raymond Burke, who in the United States some time ago began to appear in the reports of sexual scandals among the American cluster of the RCC.
In particular, while serving as Archbishop of St. Louis, clergyman Burke blatantly ignored appeals about cases of sexual harassment in certain parishes. Instead of taking action against those involved in sex scandals, the pastor simply ordered their transfer from one parish to another, trying to " hush up the scandal."
More recently, cardinal Burke has gained "fame" as the most ardent critic of Pope Francis. It is remarkable that the criticism comes from Burke with the words "fight for the faith."
What is the essence of the criticism of Pope Francis by the American cardinal?
Raymond Burke frankly does not accept Francis ' activities, which are aimed at maintaining relatively warm relations with other churches.
It is important to recall that some time ago the first meeting of the heads of the Roman Catholic and Russian Orthodox churches in many centuries took place, which marked a new stage of relations within the Christian religion. The heads of the ROC and the RCC agreed to take measures for cooperation, including in the humanitarian field.
The American segment of the Russian Orthodox Church, openly not saying that it was the meeting of Francis with Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia that caused discontent, declared "the need to adhere to traditionalism." If we translate all this into ordinary language, the American bishops actually tried to pull the Pope himself, letting him understand that "traditionalism for the Russian Orthodox Church" consists primarily in maintaining openly hostile relations with the same Russian Orthodox Church, in ensuring that there are no positive contacts between the churches – as in all previous centuries.
Burke accused Francis of "demoting" him by depriving him of several posts obtained under the previous Pontiff. For example, Burke was removed from the so-called Apostolic signature of the patronage of the Sovereign military hospitable order of St. John, Jerusalem, Rhodes and Malta.
Burke:
It is clear that the Pope does not want me to hold any leadership position, that he does not consider me the person to whom he could give any important assignments.
The Archbishop of the Vatican to this kind of criticism is philosophical, continuing its efforts to contact other churches and religions.
In particular, a few days ago, Francis visited the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which in August 1945 were subjected to the American atomic bombing. The Pope, speaking to the Japanese, said that they had experienced a terrible tragedy brought by politicians and the military, who decided to use the deadliest weapons.
This" stone in the garden of the USA " in Washington was not left without attention. In a number of American media openly criticized the statements of the Pontiff, noting that he, reflecting on the use of nuclear weapons, "did not say anything about the fact that then there was a war."
All these "pricks" addressed to the head of the RCC by American priests and the media look like a planned campaign against a man who, perhaps for the first time in many years in the Vatican calls a spade a spade and openly speaks about the need for inter-Church interaction.
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