Cardinal Burke out at Congregation for Bishops, +Wuerl in, oh boy....

Source

.... I think we all knew this was a real possibility, even probability after this election.

Well no doubt now, +Wuerl is the new "kingmaker."  

Be grateful if you got a "Burke bishop" because they won't be going anywhere anytime soon.  I feel sorry for Chicago.  When +George is gone, there's absolutely no way it will be Bishop Perry. 

Possibly if +Burke did receive conclave votes, there would be a major concern over his influence, and God forbid election, in future conclaves as well.

via Deacons Bench

Quoting David Gibson

After last month’s annual meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, I wrote a story handicapping the four American churchman who enjoyed growing influence in the new(ish) pontificate of Pope Francis.
They were Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston, who is one of the eight members of Francis “kitchen cabinet” of advisors on reforming the Roman Curia; Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, who was elected vice-president of the USCCB and is the likely incoming president in three years; Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington, whose advice the Vatican has tapped and who was rumored for an important curial post; and Cardinal Raymond Burke, head the Vatican’s canonical court system and more importantly a member of the Congregation for Bishops. That latter role gave Burke a decisive voice in pushing through a number of key stateside appointments, sometimes against the wishes of U.S.-based bishops.
Burke was something of an outlier on that list — a very conservative holdover from the Benedict XVI era and a fan of the kind of high liturgical finery that Pope Francis does not take to, at all.
Today the calculus of the “Top Four” list changed, perhaps decisively, as Francis dropped Burke from the Congregation for Bishops and added Wuerl. The two cardinals are not known to be allies, to say the least. It’s even less likely now that they’ll be exchanging Christmas cards this year.
Wuerl will remain as Archbishop of Washington but the new appointment means he will make regular trips to the Vatican to vet candidates for bishop in the U.S. and around the world — perhaps the most important way that Francis can secure his legacy.

This is terrible news for the US Catholic Church

Will +Burke be ousted as the Apostolic Signatura?  In my opinion, yes. The now will be the opportune time with the reforms going on. 

If we are to believe reports, +Wuerl .... um, does not like ....  +Burke.  Rocco reposted his old article on the topic.   Also Francis' Flush – At Bishops' Table, Pope Runs the Wuerlpool   Note, Palmo doesn't like Cdl. Burke either. 

Rorate reporting:

You can read the official announcement from VIS here that, while it shows Wuerl being added, does not mention Burke rolling off.  

I'm sure Adfero knows better than I, but the list appears to be a list of appointments assuming that the congregation started with zero appointees.

Update:
Thomas Peters: Reality check: Burke’s star will shine on

There is absolutely no sign the Congregation for Bishops is about to reverse the 70 or 80 streak of conservative Episcopal appointments to U.S. dioceses we witnessed under the reign of Pope Benedict. This massive swell of young conservative bishops is already having a huge impact on the Catholic Church in America.

It was these bishops who upset precedent and elected Cardinal Dolan over Bishop Kicanas for USCCB President, and just elected Archbishop Kurtz.

If we want to see anything significant in today’s news, it should be that Pope Francis confirmed Cardinal Marc Oullet as the Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops! A more conservative Cardinal you couldn’t ask for.

If liberal Vatican-watchers want to read tea leaves, they should wake up and smell what’s brewing!

And as for this false meme that Pope Francis doesn’t like conservatives, well, the pope’s interview with La Stampa just poured more cold water on that than I could ever hope to.

So let nothing you dismay. Cardinal Burke’s star will shine on in the Eternal City for another 10 years at least. American liberal Catholics should go take a cold bath. Orthodoxy is here to stay.

I think a bit too optimistic.  This is the most influential congregation for shaping the future of the Church.  This move limits +Burke's influence in the the Church in the United States - and was a consequence of his appointments which ruffled many prelates feathers stateside.  It also shows how much influence +Wuerl really has, something that surprised me.  I don't think there's any reason to spin this, or to Read Francis Though Benedict.  The message is pretty clear, and tradition minded Catholic need not sugar coat it.

Update2: This isn't just about +Burke

Francis also dropped from the Congregation two other cardinals, both Italians, considered allies of Benedict XVI — Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, 69, described by one Vatican-watcher as “one of the former pope’s most conservative appointments in the Roman Curia,” and Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, 70.

Update3: Remember this??

Italy's media dub Wuerl 'pope-maker' of conclave

La Repubblica, Italy's largest-circulation daily newspaper, reported on Friday that Wuerl led a coalition of American cardinals and those from other countries in supporting the candidacy of Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 76, of Argentina.

Bergoglio was elected the 266th pope of the worldwide church on Wednesday and took the name of Francis.

The center-left newspaper and two Italian websites said American cardinals, “under the leadership” of Wuerl, considered Bergoglio “the right man to ‘purify and reform' the church and the Roman Curia.”

Update4: Heterodox Michael Sean Winters on the move

Those of us who were disappointed by the appointments in San Francisco and Portland, Oregon, and Denver and, most recently, Hartford, could discern the influence of Cardinal Burke – and behind him Cardinals Harvey and Law – in those appointments.   

Update5:  From last week: Preliminary Result of Papal Reconstruction of the Curia -- Nine Members of the Congregation for Education Dismissed

Campaign against Cardinal Burke: "Too Conservative and Traditionalist"

The Congregation for Education after Pope Francis is therefore less Italian (minus three) and less European (minus four), but more Latin (Plus two) and Asian (plus three).

How it proceeds to the other Departments, is likely to show in the coming months. Meanwhile, the progressive National Catholic Reporter has launched a campaign with the Pope Francis, for the dismissal of the American Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke as Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, the reason being because he is "too conservative and traditionalist".  So far, Pope Francis has proved very resistant to campaigns. The final decision on the confirmation or removal from office of the Bishop of Limburg Tebartz van Elst will give a final answer.