John J. Burke
Encyclopedia
John J. Burke was a Paulist priest and editor of the Catholic World
from 1903 to 1922.
A central point of Burke's writing and lecturing concerned the supernatural element of charity. Burke told the 1915 graduating class of New York's College of Mount Saint Vincent
-on-Hudson that, for two
millennia, the Church has pursued as her "one great purpose" to lead souls to the love of God. "Whatever other claims she makes as to her mission," he insisted, "are at best but secondary."
Burke warned Catholics about the modern superstition that "experts in the social sciences might well be trusted with our social betterment"~a view that encouraged the trend towards making of religion "a private and an almost secret matter."
Burke was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal
by the U.S. War Department for his service as chairman of the Committee on Special War Activities (CSWA) of the National Catholic War Council.
When the National Catholic Welfare Council
superseded the National Catholic War Council, Burke was appointed its general secretary.
. Burke worked closely with Dwight Whitney Morrow, U.S. ambassador to Mexico, to broker an end to the conflict.
Catholic World
Catholic World was a periodical founded by Paulist Father Isaac Thomas Hecker in April 1865. It featured many articles by Orestes Brownson, including the May 1870 essay "Church and State", which described Brownson's understanding of the proper relationship between the Church and the state.-...
from 1903 to 1922.
A central point of Burke's writing and lecturing concerned the supernatural element of charity. Burke told the 1915 graduating class of New York's College of Mount Saint Vincent
College of Mount Saint Vincent
For the university in Halifax, Nova Scotia, see Mount Saint Vincent University The College of Mount Saint Vincent is a Catholic liberal arts college located in the northeast corner of the Riverdale section of The Bronx, New York, adjacent to the Yonkers border. It is the northernmost location in...
-on-Hudson that, for two
millennia, the Church has pursued as her "one great purpose" to lead souls to the love of God. "Whatever other claims she makes as to her mission," he insisted, "are at best but secondary."
Burke warned Catholics about the modern superstition that "experts in the social sciences might well be trusted with our social betterment"~a view that encouraged the trend towards making of religion "a private and an almost secret matter."
National Catholic War Council
Burke was the main force behind the creation of the National Catholic War Council. Burke had long argued for a national outlook and sense of unity among the country’s Catholics. In 1917, with the backing of Cardinal Gibbons and other bishops, Burke called for a meeting of Catholic representatives from across the country at Catholic University to establish a National Catholic War Council.Burke was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal (United States)
The Distinguished Service Medal is the highest non-valorous military and civilian decoration of the United States military which is issued for exceptionally meritorious service to the government of the United States in either a senior government service position or as a senior officer of the United...
by the U.S. War Department for his service as chairman of the Committee on Special War Activities (CSWA) of the National Catholic War Council.
When the National Catholic Welfare Council
National Catholic Welfare Council
The National Catholic Welfare Council was the annual meeting of the American Catholic hierarchy and its standing secretariat; it was established in 1919 as the successor to the emergency organization, the National Catholic War Council....
superseded the National Catholic War Council, Burke was appointed its general secretary.
Cristero War
In 1929, Archbishop Pietro Fumassoni-Biondi, apostolic delegate to the United States, named Burke his agent in matters pertaining to the Mexican religious conflict known as the Cristero WarCristero War
The Cristero War of 1926 to 1929 was an uprising and counter-revolution against the Mexican government in power at that time. The rebellion was set off by the strict enforcement of the anti-clerical provisions of the Mexican Constitution of 1917 and the expansion of further anti-clerical laws...
. Burke worked closely with Dwight Whitney Morrow, U.S. ambassador to Mexico, to broker an end to the conflict.