Burke is mistaken on changes in Catholic church

Frank Freeman
Letters, St. Louis Dispatch
September 12, 2015

Archbishop Raymond Burke says that the pope cannot change doctrine. He is right, of course. Change in the Roman Catholic Church is much more seminal.

Long ago, the Jew, Boaz, married Ruth, a Moabite woman. The marriage represented a cultural change because, technically, the marriage was illegal. Naomi, Ruth’s Jewish mother-in-law, brought them together. Her son had died, but she still wished for grandchildren and recognized an opportunity for this to happen.

In the story, Boaz returned to his farm after yet another fruitless discussion with the city fathers about their problems. He was down. Then he greeted his workers saying, “The Lord be with you.” The phrase is important. Boaz actually used God’s name, which is not used in print. We still use that same expression in church when the sacrament is done and when the Scriptures are read. The words haven’t lost any of their power.

Apparently, God takes it from there, and Burke is mistaken if he thinks he can stop all this. This apparently illegal but very loving marriage gave us King David, who was their great-grandson. That's change.