Living in a 'free country' does not even factor into this situation. Religious living in communist countries follow the same vows of obedience. Bishop Burke exercised his responsibility as bishop; the priest and Parish Trustees refused to obey. The bishop spent 2 years attempting to resolve this matter, even bringing a Polish bishop to the parish to explain matters in their native tongue. The Parish Trustees remained defiant.
Issuing an edict of Excommunication is a very painful thing for any bishop to do. It was done with a 'heavy heart'. Are you a member of this parish?
The parish is 125 years old and so is its system of management; that is older than Burke and older than the, so frequently mentioned, 1983 Code of Canon Law. Burke should respect that much. He finally resolved in a shepherd's way - "gimme that or go to hell".
***Issuing an edict of Excommunication is a very painful thing***
So painful that Burke had to party before it. Shortly before announcing that six lay members of the board of directors of St. Stanislaus Kostka parish and their pastor had been excommunicated, St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke made a surprise visit to the St. Louis Labor Council Christmas party.