Our New Archbishop Elect - and Harry Potter
The Post Dispatch, in an article today states Archbishop-Elect Raymond Burke
drew attention last year when he criticized the popular novels featuring the English schoolboy-magician Harry Potter. He sent all the schools and the seminaries in his diocese a letter saying that Potter "may not be suitable for young Catholic readers."
However, the Lacrosse Tribune back in Dec of 2002 said
Asked about reports that a letter was sent to all diocesan parish schools concerning the books, Burke said he did not write or have any letter sent out. He said the director of diocesan schools, who was visiting family and not available, might have sent out a letter advising schools that the matter was being studied.
and
He said the only question that has come up is this: "Does Harry Potter do evil things to accomplish good?" Committing acts of evil, even for good purposes, is against Catholic teachings, Burke said.
So while Burke has come out as saying that Rowling's books might be against Catholic teachings if they imply the ends justify the means - he *apparently* was not the one to send out a letter to that effect.
Reading other news stories - at no time did he order or suggest the books be removed from church libraries. The most he did was suggest the books might not be appropriate, and that the inidividual parish schools should make their own decisions. Not exactly horrific.
(Note: Nobody is not a member of a Catholic church, FWIW)
