Sometimes I bark

Here is a really good article on Archbishop Burke of St. Louis. Here are some excerpts:

t is that sense of confidence that some perceive as dictatorial.

"He is compelled by the Gospel in his religious convictions," said Monsignor Vernon E. Gardin, archdiocesan vicar general and a clinical psychologist. "Unfortunately, people sometimes confuse religious conviction with emotional rigidity. He is a man of moral integrity and he can’t equivocate on the teachings of the church."

…"You have to pray a lot and be courageous," he said last week. "The fact of the matter is that the church is in the world."

Burke sees his role as protecting the church and his flock.

Like a dog who doesn’t bark when a thief approaches, he said, "a shepherd who doesn’t shepherd is useless."

"Sometimes I bark," he said.