A new book of theology by the head of the Vatican’s Apostolic Signature, Cardinal Raymond L Burke, has been publicly endorsed as “a great way to introduce yourself to the teachings of the Church on the Eucharist,” by the papal nuncio to Ireland, Archbishop Charles Brown. Speaking in Cork on his first visit to the city since his arrival in Ireland in February, Archbishop Brown urged the Irish faithful to read and engage with Divine Love Made Flesh, which draws from two papal documents on the Eucharist.
He formally launched the new book at the closing session of the three-day Fota International Liturgy Conference and described the work as, “accessible,” and providing, “a study guide to two incredibly important documents of the Magisterium; the final encyclical of John Paul II on the holy Eucharist: Ecclesia de Eucharistia and, Sacramentum Caritatis, Pope Benedict’s apostolic exhortation.”
"What Cardinal Burke has done, in a very beautiful and at the same time easily digestible and yet profound way, is write a commentary on these two documents," the former CDF official said.
He added that the book, "summarises and helps us as priests and lay people to penetrate more deeply the profound theology of the Eucharist as given by these two great Holy Fathers.”
"The book is not simply about the liturgy, it is about the theology of the Eucharist. It is good for every single Catholic – Irish or non-Irish – to deepen their faith in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. It is a very important topic,” he said.
Describing the Church in Ireland as at an, “interesting,” and, “intermediary,” period in its history, Archbishop Brown urged parishes, priests and the lay faithful to study the book as part of the Year of Faith.
“We are between the Eucharistic Congress which has just finished and we are about to begin the Year of Faith in October, and in that intermediary period I think there is really no better tool to guide us than this book by Cardinal Burke,” the papal nuncio said.
He suggested that if the book was, “read widely in Ireland and the USA and other places in the English-speaking world, it will have a great effect on the Church’s life and love for Jesus in the Eucharist,” because it translated and made very digestible and accessible the teachings of the late John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI on the Eucharist.
Cardinal Burke’s new book was launched by the Papal Nuncio in the presence of scholars from a number of countries, including Professor Dr Klaus Berger of Heidelberg, who earlier spoke on Liturgical Allusions in John’s Apocalypse.
In his address, given in German, Professor Berger said it is, “high time, in view of the noticeable impoverishment of the liturgy in many places, to rediscover the elements of resistance in John’s Apocalypse.”
He recalled that it was these elements that assured the survival of early Christianity, “despite the attempts to choke it by state cults.”
The German theologian said John’s Apocalypse shows that liturgy, “is political because politics are liturgical.”
Speaking to ciNews following his keynote address on the final day of the conference which focused on the theme Celebrating the Eucharist: Sacrifice and Communion, Cardinal Burke warned that it is impossible for politicians to publicly support abortion and yet claim they are practising Catholics.
His comment was made as indications emerged that Fine Gael might be considering supporting a change to the country’s abortion law.
The US-born prelate, who has advocated refusing communion to pro-choice politicians, said, “It is impossible for a Catholic or any person of good will to publicly support abortion which is against the natural moral law.”
He referred to Canon 915, which states that a person who absolutely persists in grave sin after being admonished cannot be given Communion.
On his new book, the Cardinal, who heads up the Vatican’s Supreme Tribunal which supervises about 1,000 tribunals from around the global church as well as dealing with administrative issues such as the closing of parishes and the removal of priests or religious from ministry, said he hopes his, “little book might be some contribution to the new evangelisation,” in the Church.