Pope Francis Demotes US Cardinal After Calling Pontiff's Leadership Like 'A Ship Without a Rudder'

In a resounding message that he will not tolerate moves that could undermine his leadership of the Roman Catholic Church and obstruct his reformist thrusts, Pope Francis removed conservative U.S. Cardinal Raymund Burke from a top post in the Vatican.

This was actually the second time in less than a year that the pontiff had demoted Burke, who previously was the highest-ranking American prelate in the Vatican.

Last December the pope did not reappoint Burke from the Vatican's Congregation for Bishops, which had given the cardinal a powerful position to appoint bishops around the world.

On Saturday, Pope Francis removed Burke as the head of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, the Vatican's highest court, and appointed him instead as Patron of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, a largely ceremonial post overseeing charity to the elderly.

The demotion was significant, according to the National Catholic Reporter. "The position is usually given to a retired cardinal, or as a second task to an active cardinal," the Reporter says. "It has almost no responsibilities."

Burke has publicly opposed Pope Francis a number of times since the latter assumed the papacy in 2013.

During the recent synod, the outspoken US cardinal denounced an interim document that appeared to show the Church's willingness to accept homosexuals for the first time in history. Burke later used his influence in the synod to revise and tone down the document, calling same-sex relationships "intrinsically disordered" and harmful to children.

Last month, he compared Pope Francis' leadership to "a ship without a rudder" during an interview with a Spanish magazine.

The pope saw Burke as leading a "culture wars" among Catholics that the pontiff wants to avoid, according to Vatican sources.

Burke appeared not surprised by the pope's decision. Last month he said he would be disappointed to leave his Vatican post but would obey the pontiff's orders.

Vatican watchers say the latest action taken by Pope Francis was a major setback for the conservatives in the Church as the reformist and progressive faction in the Church continues to gain strength.

"The conservatives had it all their way for about 30 years, and now the shoe might be on the other foot," says the Rev. Paul Sullins, a priest who teaches sociology at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. "Now they feel on the outside a little bit, which is exactly how the progressives used to feel."

Sullins was referring to the era of Pope John Paul II (1978-2005) and Pope Benedict XVI (2005-13), two conservative popes who opposed talks on such issues as ordination of women and compulsory priestly celibacy.

Regardless of the reaction among conservatives to Burke's demotion, Pope Francis is expected to continue leading a campaign to reform the Church.

Last month when he beatified Pope Paul VI, who also held progressive church views like him, Francis said: "God is not afraid of new things."