[Petrosius]

This is reported with great sadness.

[TotusTuus]

Indeed.

Prayers that the people of St. Stan's find their way back to Christ and His Church.

Prayers also for Archbishop Burke and the good people of the Archdiocese of St. Louis.

[solitas]

I find it...interesting...that he never once refers to Scripture but instead enumerates organizational 'laws'.

"Matthew 18:20 - For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them…"
<sarc>...except for months with a K in them pursuant to article 3, section 7, subsection 5, paragraphs 18-F through 19-U inclusive. </sarc>

[PAR35]

The other side of the story:

---

PRESS RELEASE

St. Stanislaus Kostka Polish Roman Catholic Church

1413 North 20th Street

St. Louis, Mo. 63106

December 3, 2005

* Beginning in 2002, the conflict over property and complete control of our buildings and finances began with the archdiocese demands

* In June 2004 against all religious law, and against all justice, the priests of our parish were removed.

* St. Stanislaus has been without Roman Catholic religious leader ship since then.

* During this time we, the Board of Directors and our parishioners have made numerous attempts to resolve this dispute through liberal proposals. People have come to our aid to assist in resolving this conflict; all were rebuffed by the Archbishop

* All proposals, or recommendations made by any lay individual or team have been rejected by the archbishop.

* Regardless of what was written in the archdiocese controlled media and stated from the St. Louis pulpits their words did not match the legal written documentation offered us.

* In August of this year 2005, we, the Board of Directors requested direction from our parishioners as to the course to take.

* They provided us by an overwhelming majority to seek another Roman Catholic Priest that neither may nor may not report to the Archdiocese.

* Approximately 2 weeks ago in a final attempt to come to an acceptable mutual conclusion, our Board of Director Chairman and the Archbishop met.

* The end result of this final meeting resulted again in a negative response from the archbishop. There would be no acceptance of any of our proposals.

* This conflict is over.

* St. Stanislaus Kostka has obtained a priest who is presently Roman Catholic, unmarried, and bi-lingual to permanently serve our religious needs.

* Commencing on 20 December, Reverend Mark B. Bozek will become our pastor. He is from the Springfield Mo. Diocese.

* His first mass as the Pastor at St. Stanislaus will be on Christmas Eve at 10:00 PM. He will celebrate mass on every Sunday and religious holiday thereafter.

* We welcome this brave, religious and non political individual into our parish family.

* To ST. Louis, the surrounding region, to those across this great land and to those in Poland and in Rome that have attempted to assist, thank you for your continued support and please come join us, we welcome you with open hearts.

http://www.saveststans.org/PRESS_RELEASE_120305.html

Background:

http://www.saveststans.org/page2.html

[Falconspeed]

From the Save St. Stan's web site (Thanks Par35): The parish operates without the financial support of the Archdiocese and has done so for its entire existence.

Getting excommunicated for doing "business as usual" seems harsh.

[Salvation]

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[Iris7]

There is work that must be done in obedience and in honor. Let us pray that each of us may discharge the work given to us by the Lord of All without wavering.

The Archbishop has done his duty. May his courage and fidelity never fail us. May the Lord give him strength and comfort. May we not fail ourselves by forgetting him in our prayers.

"It is my prayer that Father Bozek will respond to Bishop Leibrecht's direction, in accord with the promise of obedience, which he made, in Bishop Leibrecht's hands, to Bishop Leibrecht and his successors on the day of his ordination. Please pray for the same intention."

[netmilsmom]

I thought St. Louis was a great place to be Catholic. Very orthodox.

Oh my!

[NYer]

Prayers for this priest and the parishioners.

[NYer]

Thank you for posting this announcement. My heart goes out to Archbishop Burke. He has devoted two years to resolving this matter.

 Having attempted to address the situation through fraternal correction and other means of pastoral solicitude, including the pastoral visit of the Most Reverend Ryszard Karpinski, auxiliary bishop of Lublin in Poland and the delegate of the Polish Conference of Bishops for Polish faithful living outside their homeland ...

The Archbishop left no stone unturned, even arranging for this pastoral visit. This parish has acted out of willful defiance. Through sheer pride and arrogance, they have forfeited all and gained nothing.

How painful for any bishop to declare a parish in schism and issue a writ of excommunication against a beloved priest and community. How much more so during Advent as we prepare for the joyous birth of our Lord.

These folks are not thinking with a clear mind. It's a building! It could burn down tomorrow and then where will they be? What will they do when this priest dies? I suppose they have the option of aligning themselves with the Polish National Church but that just seals the schism.

[Tax Government]

I have very good memories of times I visited & attended Catholic churches. But this kind of story makes the purpose of Protestantism clear.

What I see as the key question is: Do average people require the service of intercessory humans (i.e., a specific organized church, its saints, prophets, etc.) to get closer to God? My answer: no.

[Dionysius]

My knowledge of the matter is that Archbishop Rigali had been approached by parishioners of St. Stanislaus desirous of an accounting by the lay board whom had been functioning in a rather heavy-handed fashion when it came to the parish funds. Our local secular-humanist fish wrap, the Post-Dispatch, is virulently anti-Catholic and has taken the part of the board in a trumped up cause celebre which largely ignores the position of the Archdiocese as well as the fact that the majority of the parish families have left to attend Polish services at another church designated for this purpose. Archbishop Burke is acting totally within his prerogatives and has displayed remarkable patience with the recalcitrant board that seems to be using the church and its considerable wealth as its own private preserve. They appear to be more fearful of oversight than of the peril to their souls. This is the root cause of the schism, not anything that can be placed on the archbishops plate.

[frogjerk]

* St. Stanislaus Kostka has obtained a priest who is presently a rogue Roman Catholic, unmarried, and bi-lingual to permanently serve our religious needs.

That's better...

[victim soul]

"Let us, through the intercession of Our Lady of Czestochowa, implore our Lord Jesus Christ, the Divine Mercy, on behalf of the reconciliation of those who have gone into schism. Christ, Divine Mercy Incarnate, accomplishes all things. Let us place the dolorous situation of St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish into all-merciful and loving heart."

[Clemenza]

Up the Magisterium!