aymondL.BurkewasbornonJune30,1948toMarie and Thomas Burke in Richland Center, Wisconsin. He attended parish schools in Richland Center and
Stratfordforhisearlyeducation.Hishighschoolandcollege years were spent at the Holy Crosse Seminary in La Crosse until1968atwhichtimeheattendedtheCatholicUniversity of America where he completed his BA and MA degrees in philosophy. In 1971 he studied theology at the Pontifical GregorianUniversityinRome.HewasordainedonJune29, 1975,byPopePaulVIinSt.PeterBasilica.
AfterordinationhewasassignedtoSt.JosephtheWorkman Cathedral parish and taught at Aquinas High School in La Crosse.In1980hereturnedtotheGregorianUniversityand earned his licentiate and a doctorate in Canon Law in1984. He was named as the first American Defender of the Bond of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura in1989. On December 10, 1994 he was appointed as bishop-elect of the La Crosse Diocese, was consecrated to the episcopate on January 6, 1995 in St. Peter Basilica, Rome and was installedastheeighthbishopoftheDiocesseofLaCrosseon February22,1995.Duringhistenureasbishop,heconvened the Fifth Synod, oversaw the building of the Shrine of Our
LadyofGuadalupe.OnDecember2,2003hewasnamedas ArchbishopofSt.LouisandinstalledonJanuary26,2004. InJuly2006hewasappointedasamemberoftheSupreme TribunalandonJune27,2008hewasnamedPrefectofthe ApostolicSignaturaoftheSupremeTribunal.OnNovember 20,2010,PopeBenedictXVIelevatedhimtothecardinalate, Raymond Leo CardinalBurke.
TheshieldofBishopBurke’scoatofarmsisthatoftheDe Burgo or DeBurgh family crest, his ancestors whosettled in Ireland in the 12 century. Legend has it that Richard the Lionhearted gave the arms to a DeBurgo ancestor in recognitionofhisbraveryinfightingtheSaracensduringthe Crusades.Theredcrosswascarriedbythecrusadersinto battle. The gold field on which the cross rests issymbolic ofgenerosity.Theredcrossisasignoffortitudeandrefers to the cross of Christ from which alone comes salvation. Therampantlion,blackincolor,symbolizescourageand constancy.Hismottoistakenfromaninvocationinabook giventohimupontheoccasionofhisordinationbyPope Paul VI. O bone Jesu, facut sim sacerdosecundumCorTuum,OgoodJesus,makemeapriestafterYourownHeart.