Free Republic

In a defiant challenge to Archbishop Raymond Burke’s authority as the leader of the St. Louis archdiocese, the board of directors of St. Stanislaus Kostka church have hired a Roman Catholic priest from the neighboring diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau to be its parish pastor. The Rev. Marek B. Bozek, associate pastor of St. Agnes Cathedral in Springfield and Polish native, will take over at St. Stanislaus without Burke’s consent. Bozek, 30, will celebrate his first Mass at the church on Christmas Eve. “I am deeply saddened by this action, which causes further damage to the the Church, not only here...

Authorities in Jefferson County announced Wednesday morning that a new task force comprised of 17 police officers is taking over the investigation of a missing pregnant woman last seen Sunday evening. Lt. Col. Steven Meinberg said the task force met for the first time at 8 a.m. Wednesday. The announcement was made at morning press conference that was supposed to be held at the main meeting room of the sheriff’s office. The briefing had to moved outdoors, because the task force has taken over the meeting room to accommodate officers assigned to the unit from five other Jefferson County police...

EDWARD K. BRAXTON was installed as the Roman Catholic bishop of Belleville last week, and I think the good folks of Belleville are in for a treat. His appointment has not been without controversy. In fact, more than 75 percent of Belleville's active diocesan priests signed a letter to Cardinal Francis George of Chicago expressing their displeasure at the process by which Braxton was appointed. I know nothing about that. A lot of folks have also expressed dismay at Braxton's request for diocesan money to renovate the bishop's residence. That request was, I'll admit, a bit awkward. The rule of...

On Valentine's Day, a dozen or so Belleville priests gathered to discuss what kind of bishop would best be suited to lead their diocese. Belleville's former bishop, the Rev. Wilton Gregory, had been installed as the new archbishop of Atlanta just a month before. The members of the Presbyterial Council had been asked by Cardinal Francis George of Chicago to assess three things: the qualities they would like in their next bishop, the current state of the Belleville diocese and the future needs of the diocese.

For a soft-spoken guy, Raymond Leo Burke has had a lot to say since he was installed as the eighth archbishop of St. Louis one year ago this week. Burke presided over some of the biggest St. Louis headlines of 2004 - from election controversies over politicians and voting, to a battle with St. Stanislaus Kostka church. But those who know him best, people who work with him each day and others who have been friends of his for years, say the Ray Burke that St. Louis got to know this year through the news is not the same Ray...