Archbishop Raymond Burke has formally declared that defiant Rev. Marek Bozek, pastor of St. Stanislaus Kostka Church, is improperly representing himself as a Catholic priest and is recommending his removal from the priesthood.Burke made formal his recommendations after Bozek refused to meet with him Wednesday to discuss the long-running dispute. The archdiocese released the text of Burke's decree in Friday's edition of the St. Louis Review, the local Catholic weekly newspaper.
On Wednesday, Bozek said he would not meet with Burke to answer the charges, saying, "I will not subject myself any more to this humiliating process." Burke said a few hours later that he will proceed with a church judicial process that would lead to Bozek's removal from the priesthood, unless he repents.
Priest takes last stand against archbishop
Bozek said his own church lawyer has advised him "that I am not guilty of any single one of these charges. I believe I am not, and that's my lawyer's advice."
His adviser is the Rev. Thomas Doyle, a Dominican and canon lawyer in Virginia.
He said he will not change his position. "I will continue my ministry at St. Stanislaus and I will continue my appeal to the wider Catholic population," Bozek said.
Msgr. John Shamleffer, the archbishop's adviser on church law, said the decree represents a "finding of guilt" on most of the nine charges against Bozek.
Shamleffer said a tribunal of church law experts from outside Missouri will be empaneled to hear the question of Bozek's removal from the ministry.
Shamleffer said Burke has referred directly to the Vatican his charge that Bozek violated church doctrine by taking part in November in the ordination of two women by a group called Catholic WomenPriests.
In 2004, Burke instructed St. Stanislaus to conform to the same legal and financial structure as all of the other parishes in the archdiocese. The Polish-heritage parish just northwest of downtown had managed its own business affairs since its founding in the 19th century. Parish leaders refused, eventually leading to Burke's removal of the parish priests.
In December 2005, the Polish-born Bozek left his church assignment in Springfield, Mo., without permission there and agreed to become the pastor of St. Stanislaus.
Burke declared Bozek and the parish council members excommunicated and stripped St. Stanislaus of its standing as a Catholic parish.
But Bozek has continued celebrating Mass, administering sacraments and otherwise serving as pastor.
In his decree, Burke declares that Bozek is violating church law. Among the specific findings are simony, or the taking of money, such as Sunday offerings, in exchange for improperly performing sacraments; simulation of the administration of a sacrament; and illegitimate exercise of priestly ministry.
Burke said Wednesday that Bozek has been unable to properly serve his parishioners since he joined the rebel parish.
The tribunal would consider the charge of "schism," which could lead to his dismissal.
Shamleffer said the archdiocese still must empanel the tribunal and didn't know when it would meet.
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