Archbishop Raymond Burke of St. Louis has been chosen by Pope Benedict XVI to be the Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, the highest court in the Vatican. He will hear appeals of decisions issued by lower Church courts. A canon lawyer, Archbishop Burke has been a champion of orthodoxy in St. Louis since he became the archbishop in January 2004. He was previously the bishop of La Crosse, Wisconsin.
Archbishop Burke garnered national attention in 2004 when he declared that pro-choice politicians should not present themselves for Holy Communion. He further stated that he would deny the Eucharist to the Democratic nominee, John Kerry, due to his support of abortion.
We wish Archbishop Burke well and know that he will be a great success in this new position!
