New Priest Introduced At St. Stanislaus Kostka Church, Despite Ban By Archdiocese

KSDK ^ | 12/21/2005

[I Believe It's Not Butter]

For 17 months, the St. Stanislaus Kostka Church has been without a priest. Wednesday, that changed. Father Marek Bozek left his post in Springfield, Missouri to come to St. Louis. Archbishop Raymond Burke promptly excommunicated him for his decision, as well as the lay board that hired him.

Father Bozek says, "It causes me a lot of pain, a lot of fear. But I believe that this is a very unjust decision. And I pray that our appeal will be successful and we can be fully reconciled."

He hopes for reconciliation between St. Stanislaus and the Archdiocese, ending a longstanding feud over chuch assets. Father Bozek says he labored for a year over the decision to come here.

In the end, he says he was guided by his values, his ideals, and his faith. He says, "When Jesus describes a shepherd he talks about the one who leaves the 99 well to do sheep and follows the one who needs him the most."

Bozek says he's needed here. Saturday he will lead his first mass at St. Stanislaus. Archbishop Raymond Burke has already said that anyone who attends will be committing a mortal sin.

Bozek is outspoken in his disagreement. "I do not believe that anybody who will come to St. Stanislaus will commit a mortal sin, especially by receiving our lord Jesus Christ in holy communion."

[jecIIny]

This is getting old. The matter is settled. They can do what they want. They are not in communion with the Church.