Media: SCHISM BREWING BETWEEN POPE FRANCIS AND CARDINALS...

Media heralds growing rift between Pope Francis, conservatives, but is it really happening?

Catholics are concerned that a conservative coup is brewing in the Vatican, brought about by Pope Francis' liberal theology. Popular media has made much of comments by Cardinal Burke and others, suggesting that some high-ranking Vatican clerics are opposed to Pope Francis and his teaching.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Working in Catholic media, one of the most frustrating things is reading secular coverage on quintessentially Catholic matters. While every subject is a Catholic subject, for Catholic is a universal worldview that encompasses literally everything, it's annoying to see outsiders attempt to co-opt Catholic teaching to promote secular agendas.

The latest claim that a coup is brewing in the hierarchy of the Church is an example of muckraking. Several media outlets have run with comments from Cardinal Raymond Burke that he would "resist" liberal changes in the Church and that "One must be very attentive regarding the power of the pope." The comments were given to a French news team a few months ago.

The pope's power, Burke explained, "is not absolute. The pope does not have the power to change teaching [or] doctrine."

Burke is of course, correct. And Burke might have an axe to grind since he was allegedly demoted by Pope Francis from the Vatican's highest court. For the record, Pope Francis denied that he demoted Burke, saying instead that he needed him elsewhere.

The much-trumpeted rivalry between Pope Francis and Cardinal Burke is almost certainly contrived by the media. The two men can have differences of opinion, as any two parish priests might have, and they can have preferences and grievances even. These realities aren't unique to the Church, they exist in every job and in every household. And just as every disagreement in a house doesn't end in divorce, every grievance in the Vatican does not a schism make.

But a reading of pop media would give one the impression that a coup is brewing, and the only thing missing are the AK-47s.

The problem isn't between Francis and Burke, it's between the secular media and their audience. Media likes to impose secular labels on the Church. Pope Francis, whom we would all agree is very Christ-like, has the "liberal" label slapped on his every comment. Since when was Jesus liberal? The Son of God never registered to vote.

And Burke isn't "conservative" either. Catholics aren't registered into the American Republican party at birth. Some staunch conservatives might even object to some of Burke's very Catholic positions on the issues.

The Church's affiliation is God. Pope Francis' call to be inclusive and to share gifts and wealth with the poor and disenfranchised isn't socialism. Not that socialism is bad either, for not all socialism is communism. People who think socialism is some kind of evil force don't understand socialism, they should think about that when they cash their social security checks. So when Pope Francis calls for the wealthy to care for the poor, he isn't a closet communist, he's simply reminding us of what's said in the Gospels.

When Pope Francis asks us to love our neighbors, he isn't condoning homosexual activity or proclaiming divorce to be acceptable, or even saying that all atheists go to heaven. Instead, he's reminding us that the commandment "love thy neighbor" doesn't have any exceptions.

Likewise, when Cardinal Burke fields questions about how the Papacy works, he isn't plotting a coup, he is just answering questions, even if he may have a grievance against Pope Francis. What's happening is Cardinal Burke provides the answers and the media provides the schism.

The point is, the world needs to spend more time listening and less time speculating. The Church is doing just fine and so are Pope Francis and Cardinal Burke.

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