What is behind the confrontation between the Pope and the ultra-conservative leaders in the US hostile to his reforms?

The tension between Pope Francisco and the powerful ultraconservative faction of the Catholic Church in the United States is at maximum levels.

The pontiff decided this week to evict the retired American Cardinal Raymond Leo Burkeopenly critical of his management.

LOOK: Pope Francis’ unprecedented decision to evict critical Cardinal Raymond Burke from his Vatican residence

He did so just three weeks after dismissing another fierce critic who opposed his approaches and reforms: Joseph Strickland, who was bishop of Tyler, Texas.

Both actions represent another twist in the ideological struggle between the Pope, who promotes a more open and inclusive vision of the Catholic Church, and the ultra-conservative sectors of the institution, which are committed to a strict application of its traditional doctrines and ideas.

We analyze what happened and what is behind all this.

Cardinal Burke

Raymond Burke, an influential figure in the Catholic Church, openly criticized Pope Francis on several occasions, positioning himself as a central figure in the ultraconservative resistance within the institution.

His vocal opposition to various papal initiatives, especially those advocating progressive reforms, as well as his disagreement with the Pope’s progressive approach to Church doctrine and practice, have been a major source of tension in recent years.

Burke, 75, openly challenged the Vatican’s approach on issues such as its stance towards the LGBTI community – more open during Francis’ papacy – or the role of the laity in Church affairs.

He also participated in ultra-conservative Catholic movements that openly dispute the established leadership.

In response, Francis decided to evict him from his Vatican apartment and revoke his salary, a measure that is unprecedented in the Argentine’s decade of papacy.

“Burke was punished after 10 years of harassing Francisco and trying to position himself as a moral authority superior to the Pope“, tells BBC Mundo the American theologian and canonical lawyer Dawn Goldstein, specialized in the Catholic Church.

A Vatican source, for its part, explained that the decision was not a personal punishment and was based on the belief that a person should not enjoy cardinal privileges while criticizing the head of the Church.

Bishop Strickland

On November 11, Pope Francis removed Bishop Joseph E. Strickland of the diocese of Tyler, Texas, after he refused to resign following a Vatican investigation.

The investigation, which determined irregularities in Strickland’s management of finances, concluded that he should not continue in office.

“No criminality was found, only mismanagement. In the case of any other bishop, would not have been deposed“says Goldstein.

For the theologian, the real reason for the bishop’s dismissal was his open opposition to Francis.

“Not only was Strickland mismanaging his diocese, he was also spending an inordinate amount of time on the Internet asking the faithful to ignore the Pope and accusing the pontiff of undermining the deposit of faithwhich is the faith transmitted by Jesus through the apostles,” he explains.

Goldstein argues that making such an accusation “is in effect declare schism regarding the Pope”.

“And, if he was also a bad administrator, it is perfectly understandable that the Pope wanted Strickland to leave,” he concludes.

Appointed by the late Pope Benedict in 2012, Strickland launched a series of attacks against the pontiff’s attempts to update the Church’s position on social and inclusion issues such as abortion, transgender rights, and same-sex marriage.

The ecclesiastic has been particularly active on social media, often using it as a platform to express his disagreement with the current head of the Vatican.

Precisely this week, the ecclesiastic announced the opening of your own YouTube channel in which he will predictably try to amplify his views on Catholicism.

Pope Francis

It should be noted that Pope Francis’ disciplinary actions with Cardinal Burke and Strickland are administrative and not criminal. Neither has been charged with a crime.

“But both have shown in their own way that they have not acted as befits a bishop, that is called to act only in union with the Popenever against him,” says Goldstein.

And he adds that “the ideal response would be repentance and humility on the part of each bishop, for the sake of the unity of the Church under the Pope. But whether that actually happens or not is up to Burke and Strickland.”

In any case, Pope Francis has shown more and more openly his opposition to the ultra-conservative sectors of the Catholic Church.

The pontiff pointed directly to the hardline of the institution in the United States during a meeting with Jesuits at a meeting of Catholic youth in Lisbon (Portugal) in August.

“In the United States the situation is not easy: there is a very strong reactionary attitude. It is organized and shapes people’s belonging, even emotionally,” she stated.

“You have been to the United States and you say you have felt a closed climate. Yes, this climate can be experienced in some situations,” he told those present.

And he stated that when “ideology replaces faith, membership in a sector of the Church replaces membership in the Church.”

The Pope invited his critics to understand that “there is an appropriate evolution in the understanding of questions of faith and morals” and that It is “useless” to look back.

As an example, he alleged that centuries ago some pontiffs were tolerant of slavery.

These types of comments have fueled, among the ultra-conservatives of the Church, a deep distrust – if not open opposition – towards its leadership.

The hardline of the US

Both the cardinal and the bishop whom the Pope disciplined are aligned with the increasingly powerful hardline sector within the Catholic Church in the United States.

In this country of more than 330 million inhabitants, Catholics represent approximately 20% of the population and, according to studies, there is a certain balance between the number of faithful with progressive positions and those who defend conservative ideas.

The American ecclesiastical hierarchy is made up of 434 active and retired bishops, including 16 cardinals.

And, increasingly, the high command of the Catholic Church in the country adheres to the hard line, defending traditional doctrines of the institution in the face of the Vatican’s attempts at reform in liturgy and morality under the leadership of the Argentine Pope.

“I don’t know if those who oppose Francis are the majority, but they have more power and have controlled the United States Episcopal Conference for years,” says Dawn Goldstein.

These ultraconservatives espouse restrictive views on issues such as sexuality, same-sex marriage, birth control, and abortion.

And, although they traditionally support papal authority, for years they have raised their criticism of the head of the Church for approaches that they perceive as too liberal, especially with regard to inclusion and adaptation to contemporary social realities such as the treatment of LGTBI community.

They also differ from Francis on issues such as climate change, immigration, social justice, gun control and the death penalty.

Goldstein explains that it is a very powerful group, with support in the business world and that controls a vast media network in which he amplifies his ideas and his criticisms of the Pope.

“They have been working for many years, particularly in the United States, for their media to be the speakers of Catholics and for their narrative to be the authorized narrative,” says the theologian.

He argues that, among other issues, the always controversial issue of abortion has played a fundamental role in radicalizing American Catholic elites.

While the Catholic Church as a whole declares itself “pro-life” or anti-abortion, the ideological position favorable to women’s right to choose has been consolidated in the American Democratic Party.

This, according to Goldstein, has allowed the conservative Republican Party positions itself as the defender of Catholics and establish itself, with the support of the ultra-conservative bishops, as the main political ally of the Church, encouraging both institutions to align their ideological and moral positions.