From the full story at STLToday:
The Rev. Marek Bozek, pastor of St. Stanislaus Kostka church, said today he will not appear before Archbishop Raymond Burke to defend himself against the likelihood that the Catholic Church would remove him from active priesthood.
Bozek was to meet with Burke at midday today. But Bozek held a press conference at 11 a.m. at St. Stanislaus, just northwest of downtown, to announce that he wouldn’t attend and will take no further part in any review by Burke and the Archdiocese of St. Louis.
"I will not subject myself any longer to this process, which does not even attempt to appear fair," Bozek said.
In a statement released early this afternoon, Burke said he had begun the process of dismissing Bozek from active priesthood. Burke said Bozek's refusal to attend the meeting scheduled for today at the chancery office was a "further act of contempt for the requirements of communion with the church..."Burke also wrote, "The situation of Rev. Bozek is sad for the whole Church. It is cause of great concern for me as Archbishop. Please join me in praying that Rev. Bozek will be reconciled..."
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Today was to have been a follow-up meeting. Instead, Bozek sent Burke a letter saying in part, "...You have proven that you do not even attempt to appear fair and unbiased... My participation in this parody of a legal process is uncalled for and causes me and the people entrusted to my spiritual care unnecessary physical, emotional and spiritual stress."
On Sunday, parish members overwhelmingly supported Bozek in the face of protests by several speakers, who said Bozek was taking the parish away from Catholic dogma and tradition, in part by publicly supporting the ordination of women and in offering communion to anyone, not just Catholics.
Today, Bozek represented himself as a reformer willing to take on church authority and tradition. But he insisted that he and St. Stanislaus are Catholic in belief and practice.
"Some laws are unjust and abusive and need to be changed and need to be broken to bring about reform within the institution," Bozek said.
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How far is Bozek willing to go with the sentiment expressed in that last statement? We can all stop paying taxes because the government funds abortion or embryonic stem cell research? The law against stealing is unjust because I can only get the cool electronic gadgets I can afford-- so I am free to rob Best Buy? Seriously, this is his best effort at logic?
Laughable. Sad, but laughable.
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2 comments:
Uh - is that a witch hat the celebrant (I am assuming it is a celebrant) wearing?
It's not a Bishop's mitre.
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