The Board did not exert control over who was priest, and how the priest conducted services in the church. They controlled the assets of the corporation only. In short, they were the landlord offering up the place rent free with utilities paid. Can Burke bounce a priest who is not hired by his archdiocese? Can he bounce a priest not on his payroll for conducting mass in a place he does not approve? That is what I wonder about. I guess in time I will find out.
Dear Torie,
"In short, they were the landlord offering up the place rent free with utilities paid."
Well, if they saw it that way, then they'd kind of ceased being a Catholic parish some time ago. That isn't how it works.
"Can Burke bounce a priest who is not hired by his archdiocese?"
It isn't likely that a priest in good standing with the Catholic Church will agree to come say Mass or otherwise provide sacraments, as the moment he does, he becomes liable to cease being a priest in good standing with the Catholic Church. At least as far as the folks who actually run the Catholic Church are concerned.
Specifically, Archbishop Burke could order any Catholic priest to refrain from providing the sacraments to this organization. As well, offering the sacraments knowingly to persons under interdict would itself be a serious violation of Canon Law.
Ultimately, failure to abide by the instructions of the ordinary could lead to the priest's excommunication and laicization.
However, the folks at St. Stan's have already tipped their hat. They will go outside the Church to get their priest. They've as much said so on their website.
Really sad.
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