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Cardinal Raymond Burke Hospitalized With COVID, Breathing With Ventilator

Reports: Cardinal Contracted Virus While In Wisconsin

By
Cardinal Raymond Burke
In this Sept. 6, 2018 file photo, Cardinal Raymond Burke applauds during a press conference at the Italian Senate, in Rome. Cardinal Burke, one of the Catholic Church’s most outspoken conservatives and a vaccine skeptic, said he has COVID-19 and his staff said he is breathing through a ventilator. Burke tweeted Aug. 10 that he had caught the virus, was resting comfortably and was receiving excellent medical care. Alessandra Tarantino/AP Photo

One of the Catholic church’s top officials and fiercest critics of Pope Francis has COVID-19 and is breathing through a ventilator.

Cardinal Raymond Burke tweeted Aug. 10 that he had caught the virus and was resting comfortably.

His staff tweeted Saturday that he has been hospitalized and is breathing through a ventilator.

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The Washington Post and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported Burke caught the virus while visiting Wisconsin and is hospitalized there.

Burke was born in Wisconsin and served as bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse from 1995 until 2004.

The diocese referred questions about Burke’s location and condition to a shrine he founded in the city. A message left there wasn’t immediately returned.

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