May 19, 2012. (Romereports.com) The Eucharist is the central part of Catholicism. Every day, millions of Catholics from around the world receive the Sacrament during Mass. But years ago, American Cardinal Raymond Burke, who serves as the Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, noticed something.


Cardinal Raymond Burke
Prefect Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura
“I was able to observe how there was a crisis in Eucharistic faith and practice.”

So to inspire readers to strengthen their faith, he decided to write a book titled “Divine Love Made Flesh.”  It includes reflections on how the Eucharist relates to the Sacraments and moral transformations in general.  Burke says he was also inspired by Benedict XVI and John Paul II.

Cardinal Raymond Burke 
Prefect, Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura
“He declared a year of the Eucharist. He wrote his last encyclical on the Eucharist. He also called for a Synod of the Bishops, which he didn't call to preside at, but Pope Benedict XVI did.”

Cardinal Burke,  heads the Vatican's Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, which supervises about 1,000 tribunals from around the world. Among other things, the tribunal makes sure, that first judges, who at a local level are bishops and their respective tribunals are  following the Church's teachings.

Cardinal Raymond Burke 
Prefect, Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura
“The great part of these cases that are heard by the tribunals are cases of marriage nullity . Therefore, the urgency of the correct administration of justice of the tribunal is very clear because the tribunal is touching the life of the Church in its very first cell: marriage and the family.”

The Apostolic Signatura also deals with administrative issues, like closing of parishes, or the removal of priests and religious from ministry. He has a full schedule, but he says that without a doubt, his source of strength is the Eucharist.

Cardinal Raymond Burke 
Prefect, Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura
“If it were not for the Holy Eucharist , if it were not for the living presence of God in the Holy Eucharist, it would be difficult for me to conceive how I could carry out the responsibilities given to me.”

Cardinal Burke says he hopes his book will be a way to trigger the New Evangelization. The book will be published  in the U.S at the end of May. Eventually, the Vatican Publishing House will  translate it to Italian.


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