Cardinal Burke speaks to Vatican Radio

In this, the first of a two part interview, Tracey McClure spoke to him about his life and career.

Cardinal-designate Burke says he didn’t have a “light bulb” moment or a flash of recognition when he realized he was destined for the priesthood.

“from the time I was small I was quite attracted to the priesthood. I came from a good Catholic family where the practice of the faith was very important and my parents were very close to the parish priest… a native of Ireland.”

At the age of 14, Burke entered the minor seminary in his hometown of La Crosse, Wisconsin and describes it as “a very positive experience.”

He describes his later years, during the “late 1960’s and early Seventies” as ones with “a lot of turmoil in the seminary, which naturally raised questions.”


“1968 was the symbolic year of the Paris student riots… but that whole rebellion against authority entered into the seminary too and in an unfortunate coincidence, coincided with the implementation of the reforms of the Second Vatican Council.” 

“What happened in my judgement was more of this rebellion (against) authority… than the actual reading and studying of the documents of the Council and following them.”

When asked what childhood incident may have changed the course of his life, Cardinal-designate Burke recounts “when I was seven, my father became very ill… with a brain tumour… the priest would come (to administer the sacraments of Confession and Holy Communion)… and I saw this was sustaining my father very much; it also gave me so much comfort.”

Listen on Vatican Radio