Will U.S. Cardinal Raymond Burke be the next Pope?

Pope Francis’ health is causing growing concern, and the succession battles have already begun openly among Vatican circles.

The scenario of electing a new pope is no longer a distant speculation, but a process taking place in the background, with ideological divisions within the Catholic Church at its center.

In this atmosphere, American Cardinal Raymond Burke, one of the prominent leaders of the conservative opposition, is receiving special attention. According to a report by the German BILD, the White House is pushing Burke’s candidacy to lead the Catholic Church, a move that could fundamentally change the face of the Vatican.

If elected, Burke would become the first American pope in history.

Burke is considered one of the harshest critics of the current Pope Francis, and he leads the ultra-conservative current in the church. Since being removed from his post as head of the Vatican’s highest court, he has been an uncompromising voice against papal reforms, which he sees as endangering the religious foundations of the church. He is known for his staunch opposition to immigrants and liberal reforms such as the legalization of same-sex marriage and easing the sacraments for the divorced.

Donald Trump, who has forged strong alliances with the Christian right in the US since taking office, sees the struggle within the Vatican as an integral part of the broader culture war he is waging.

Trump has attacked Pope Francis in the past, mainly for his pro-immigrant stances and his opposition to nationalism. 

Now, according to BILD reports, the Trump administration is continuing to cultivate support for Barak out of a broader interest in influencing the ideological direction of the Catholic Church. Despite the apparent support from Washington and Burke’s popularity among conservatives, his chances of being elected are not high.

Since the beginning of Francis’s term, the number of progressive cardinals in the Vatican has increased, and they now constitute a majority in the conclave, the body that elects the next pope. Most cardinals tend to choose a unifying candidate rather than a polarizing figure like Burke, whose election could lead to a deep rift within the church. When a pope dies or resigns, the process of choosing his successor is conducted according to The rules are clear.

Meanwhile, the struggle behind the scenes continues. While Burke and his conservative supporters seek to lead a sharp change of direction in the Vatican, Francis’ camp is trying to ensure that his reforms continue after his term.

In the midst of this struggle, the figure of Trump — who for years has turned religion and nationalism into powerful political tools — could turn the religious arena into a new stage of confrontation, in which not only the cardinals determine the direction of the church, but also international political forces.

AUTHOR

Dr. Kobby Barda

Kobby Barda was born and raised in Holon, Israel and is an expert on US-Israel relations and a contributor for Israeli TV. Dr. Barda is a senioe fellow at the Haifa Laboratory for Religious Studies, University of Haifa,Israel. Dr. Barda was the head of the “Gal Program” for Political Leadership at The Academic Center for Law and Science, Hod Hasharon, Israel. Barda holds a M.A. degree from Haifa University where his dissertation focused on AIPAC, and currently is P.HD Candide at Haifa University.

Kobby is the Author of the books:

The Key to Understanding Donald J. Trump

In order to understand the phenomenon of President Trump, Barda uses his experience spanning over 20 years as a media consultant and communications expert where he has served as a political campaign manager and advisor to Israeli government ministers, Israeli Parliament members and Mayors.

Barda was the man who alerted the world to the highly offensive cartoon of President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in The New York Times.

AIPAC’s Grassroots Path to Congress: How Isaiah Kenen Built AIPAC to Be A Powerhouse

This book looks at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s origins, foundations, and organizational structure.Isaiah “Si” Kenen, AIPAC’s founder and long-time leader, created what can be described as the organization’s three-dimensional inverted pyramid, giving it far-reaching influence and impact.

Following Kenen’s work through AIPAC’s inception and reaching into the mid-1970s, the book looks at key moments and decisions in the years under Kenen’s leadership. These decisions helped a small lobby with minimal manpower and resources become a well-established network of organizations, individuals, and communities spanning the entire United States and advancing American relations with Israel.

From Israeli and American archival materials and protocols, interviews, news articles, and academic papers, the book analyzes Kenen’s decisions and AIPAC’s structure. Using the lens and language of management and human resources, the author sheds new light on the topic in this adaptation of his Thesis dissertation. The dissertation was awarded top honors on the Dean’s List for 2020.

Kobby is married to Michal and the father of Ronny, Jonathan and Gili.

RELATED ARTICLES:

Who is Raymond Burke, the cardinal Donald Trump wants to be the next Pope

Mother Angelica and Cardinal Burke: Two Miracles

EDITORS NOTE: This Newsrael column is republished with permission. ©All rights reserved.

Download the Newsrael App: Google PlayAppStore