73-year-old Catholic Cardinal Raymond Burke confirmed last night that he has tested positive for covid-19.
The American cardinal gave the update in a tweet on Tuesday evening.
“Praised be Jesus Christ!” he wrote.
“I wish to inform you that I have recently tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. Thanks be to God, I am resting comfortably and receiving excellent medical care. Please pray for me as I begin my recovery. Let us trust in Divine Providence. God bless you.”
Praised be Jesus Christ! I wish to inform you that I have recently tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. Thanks be to God, I am resting comfortably and receiving excellent medical care. Please pray for me as I begin my recovery. Let us trust in Divine Providence. God bless you.
— Cardinal Burke (@cardinalrlburke) August 10, 2021
According to Monsignor Sheckel, the Cardinal is also experiencing “a bad sinus infection.”
Burke, who is often seen as the de facto leader of the Church’s traditionalist wing, frequently clashes with Pope Francis on what he sees as the liberalisation of the church as regards social and political issues, such as LGBT matters and divorce.
US Cardinal Raymond Burke hits out at Pope Francis for sowing 'confusion' among Catholics by endorsing same-sex unions https://t.co/RzDZig495p pic.twitter.com/9tskIwf1N8
— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) October 23, 2020
Does @Pontifex not recognize the people of Taiwan?
Cardinal Burke criticizes Vatican for thanking China but not Taiwanhttps://t.co/gXiz03Tdkv
— Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) April 25, 2020
He is also a strong proponent of the more traditional Tridentine Latin Mass, questioning Pope Francis’ recent restriction on the liturgy, and describing the pontiff’s move as “severe and revolutionary.”
"The severity of these documents naturally generates a profound distress and even sense of confusion and abandonment," Cardinal Burke said of papal restrictions on traditional liturgies. https://t.co/O7YdRSZ372
— Catholic News Agency (@cnalive) July 23, 2021
However, Burke insists he is “not an enemy” of the Pope, adding: “I have never, in anything I’ve said, shown disrespect to the papal office, because the Catholic Church doesn’t exist without the office of Peter.”