Pope punishes leading critic Cardinal Burke in second action against conservative American prelates

By NICOLE WINFIELD
Associated Press

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has taken measures to punish one of his highest-ranking critics, Cardinal Raymond Burke. According to two people briefed on the measures, Francis has yanked his right to a Vatican apartment and salary. One of the people said Francis had reasoned that Burke was a source of “disunity” in the church. Calls and emails to Burke and his secretary weren’t immediately returned Tuesday. Francis fired the 75-year-old canon lawyer as the Vatican’s high court justice in 2014, and since then he has become one of the most outspoken critics of the pope. On the eve of Francis’ big meeting of bishops last month, known as a synod, Burke presided over a counter-synod of sorts just steps away from St. Peter’s Square.