,,,folks are interested in Burke v. Crow. Four emails already! I’m on it!
Rock singer Sheryl Crow was coming home to Missouri this weekend to sing her polished, roots-rock songs at the Fox Theater to help raise money for children with cancer.
But St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke was not interested in Crow’s altruism. He was interested in her activism — specifically her support for embryonic stem cell research, which the Roman Catholic church believes is akin to abortion. On Wednesday, Burke said Crow "promotes moral evils."
Burke felt so strongly that Crow’s performance supporting the Bob Costas Cancer Center at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center would be wrong that he resigned from the hospital foundation’s board earlier this week. He believes Catholics — even those who have already bought tickets to the show — should think hard before attending.
For the archbishop, the matter was simple. He had a moral responsibility to avoid the appearance of entangling church teaching and the views of a public figure who supports abortion rights. Burke said he could not allow someone who "publicly espouses the mass destruction of innocent human beings" to raise money for a Catholic hospital.
"What if, for instance, there were someone appearing who we discovered was openly racist and who made statements and took actions to promote racism?" he said at his first news conference in years. "Do you think that I would let that go on?"
Crow, from Kennett in Missouri’s Bootheel, is a well-known activist for liberal causes. Last week, Crow and Bush administration official Karl Rove got into an argument about global warming at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. She has performed at Rock 4 Choice concerts, and last fall she taped an ad supporting Missouri’s Amendment 2, which protects embryonic stem cell research in the state. Crow also supported Claire McCaskill’s senatorial campaign last year. McCaskill, who is Catholic, also supports abortion rights.
Allen Allred, chairman of the planning committee for the fundraiser and a board member of the Cardinal Glennon’s Children’s Foundation — the fundraising arm of the hospital — said Crow is not coming to make speeches.
"This event is about helping sick kids," he said. "I’m disappointed and saddened there are people in our community who are attempting to use this event to further a political agenda. If we go down that road, do we start asking doctors for their positions on abortion? Do we quiz every single donor what they think of embryonic stem cell research before accepting their money?"
Burke had asked the foundation’s board to drop Crow from Saturday’s lineup. The board refused, and earlier this week Burke stepped down as the board’s chairman.
Burke described the decision as painful. "I have to answer to God for the responsibilities which I have as archbishop," he said. "For me to remain silent in this situation would be the gravest scandal, because people would get the impression that their spiritual leader also thinks this is just fine."
Here is the Q & A from the Archdiocese about the situation. As it loads, you’ll also hear an audio from Archbishop Burke.
Archbishop Burke on YouTube here. Props to whoever runs the St. Louis Communications office. They’re on top of things, clearly.
Q. Why is the Archbishop concerned about Sheryl Crow performing?
A. Sheryl Crow is an outspoken abortion advocate and campaigned for the passage of Amendment 2, which created the right to clone human beings and destroy human beings, as embryos, for research. She continues to speak on behalf of legislation in support of abortion and destructive embryonic stem cell research.
Her performance for the SSM Cardinal Glennon Medical Center is contrary to the identity and mission of the Catholic institution. In addition, the Church sees the action as giving scandal, which is defined as “an attitude or behavior which leads another to evil”. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2284)
Scandal becomes a grave offense if the action leads another to commit a grave offense. Her performance will give the appearance that the Church is not consistent in its belief and practice for the protection of innocent human life.
According to the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services, it is the responsibility of the Archbishop “to ensure the moral and religious identity of the health care ministry in whatever setting it is carried out in the (arch)diocese.” (General Introduction)
Q. What is the Church’s teaching on abortion?
A. “Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2271)
Q. What is the Church’s teaching on embryonic stem cell research?
A. “It is immoral to produce human embryos intended for exploitation as disposable biological material.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2275) The production of stem cell lines using human embryos requires the destruction of the embryo, a violation of the moral law against killing the innocent.
Q. Since the performer is just singing and not promoting her beliefs, why don’t we allow her to help raise money for a medical center that helps children with cancer?
A. Our judgment in the issue does not rest on the nature of the performer’s beliefs, but on the public advocacy for actions which result in the deliberate killing of innocent human beings. The performer’s appearance at an event whose principal purpose is to raise funds for a health care apostolate “guided by the moral tradition of the Church” (Ethical and Religious Directives, no. 1) casts doubt on the consistency of the commitment of the Church to the fundamental right to life. When that inconsistency occurs, the Church is required, through the Archbishop, to clarify or correct the misunderstanding out of respect for the spiritual well-being of the members of the Church and others. This is the motivation for his public statement.
Q. Why is the Archbishop coming out against it now?
A. As soon as he was made aware of this event, he began private conversations with the president of the Medical Center and the President of the Board of Governors of the Cardinal Glennon Children’s Foundation. Only after the Board of Governors of the Foundation informed him they would not address the issue did it become necessary that he carry out his pastoral responsibility to communicate to the local Church and community about the matter.
Q. Will this position alienate Catholics?
A. By teaching the truth, the action taken by the Archbishop is meant to unify the faithful and preserve Communion with the universal Church. The Church’s particular directives governing the administration of Catholic health care services state the Archbishop stands at the center of unity in the archdiocese and is coordinator of ministries in the local Church. It is his responsibility to address moral and pastoral matters in Catholic health care and assist Catholics in understanding the healing ministry of the Church. (Ethical and Religious Directives, General Introduction)
Q. Why is the Archbishop withdrawing from the Board of Governors of the Cardinal Glennon Children’s Foundation?
The Archbishop believes he cannot be publicly associated with the event taking place. He has made his objections known to the Board, and he feels by remaining as a member of the board, he would be lending his support to the event.
I have to say this is really a model response on the part of the Archdiocese. The Q & A is clear and to the point. The Archdiocesan statement makes clear what the article glosses over – that there is an inconsistency here. Whether or not the Archbishop’s total resignation from the board was the best course of action, who knows. But his strong statements and refusal to participate in the event itself are good to see. And note – his resignation was not from the hospital’s board of directors, but, as Julia notes in the comments, from the foundation’s board.
The article takes a swipe at la previous event headliner, Tim McGraw, by noting that his song "Red Ragtop" is "about a couple who decides to get an abortion." The song is actually, from the point of view of the man, a song about regret over an abortion.
Look. The world needs to get its story straight. Are we supposed to be consistent or not? Church publicly stands up for principles: insensitive to the needs of the times. Church is quiet about principles: Hypocrites! Sunday-only believers!
Which is it? Huh?
Here’s the comments board at the St. Louis paper – add yoru two cents.
Read Previous Post