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Actually Vlazny and Burke entirely agree on this issue. They are not in disagreement at all about the relationship between parish and diocese in regard to property. The problem is that idiots -- including some here at FreeRepublic and many in the MSM -- have entirely mischaracterized the St. Stan issue as if it were a fight over property when it is a question about proper authority. Parishes are essentially independent in their control of their own property -- both Vlazny and Burke agree on this. What St. Stan would not do is allow the proper parish authority -- THE PARISH PRIEST -- to control the parish INCLUDING THE PARISH'S property.

Vlazny is trying to protect innocent parishes from being robbed of their property just because they happen to be Catholic parishes in a diocese which may lose a series of civil suits against it. Burke is trying to assert proper ecclesiastical authority over a parish in HIS ARCHDIOCESE. HE HAS THE PROPER AUTHORITY TO DO SO. He has already said many times -- and Burke's word is good -- that he would do whatever it takes to convince them their assets would remain part of the parish patrimony.