February 21, 2005
To all Parishioners and Friends:
The attempt to live in harmony with the Archdiocese in a similar role prior to their attempted takeover is finished. We must move on.
From all legal counsel, clergy, and lay people with expertise in Canon Law and prior dealings with the Archbishop we will be unable to reach a mutual resolution to the current situation; regardless of what is offered. The ArchbishopÕs sole interpretation of Canon Law and his continued demonstrated behavior in the matter continues to prevent this.
To deprive a parish and individuals of all religious guidance and celebrations over a property dispute is not in religious doctrine. Yet it is acceptable and enthusiastically embraced through clergy made law, called Canon Law.
The BOD, with advice from many has agreed that it is time to grasp the obvious that there is no hope for a timely mutual resolution. Our religious needs, time, support and funds will diminish our position, wear us down and continue to break and wreck havoc in our community. We, your representatives cannot allow that. After 2+ years of this struggle the insults to our Parish coupled with the disgrace, in depriving us of all religious guidance and celebrations are at an end.
That being said, the BOD has unanimously voted that during this most holy Easter season, to seek interim religious guidance and celebrations from an order of priests or an individual priest outside the authority of the Archbishop of St. Louis. We will do our best to obtain a Roman Catholic Priest with Polish Heritage and who speaks the Polish language. Please bear with us, as this will be difficult, but it may be our ultimate future.
We realize this is a major decision and may come as a shock to some but as the leaders in this conflict we believe it is for the good for the intermediate life of the parish.
We again want to emphasize it is only a temporary move. We will keep the door open to the Archdiocese for dialogue, but only as you direct.
If in the near future, a permanent move outside the Archdiocese is decided in the best interests of the parish, a parishioner vote will be required.
We solicit you religious understanding and continued support in this undertaking. God bless us in these momentous times. We must regain religious leadership and guidance and live with dignity. Mass schedules will be sent to you in the near future, but until then our religious service will continue to be at 9:30 AM in Polish and English.
Mr. Bill Bialczak
Chairman Board of Directors
These people were operating in the green and not bothering anyone for over a century, then along comes scandals and apostasy (as in all other US diocese) causing massive bleeding of funds. Then all of a sudden the 9 million dollars worth of Polish parish assets starts looking good.
While these folks operate at a profit, Raymond Burke is shutting his parishes down because the American church has forgotten how to bring and keep faithful Catholics.
Dear Torie,
"That being said, the BOD has unanimously voted that during this most holy Easter season, to seek interim religious guidance and celebrations from an order of priests or an individual priest outside the authority of the Archbishop of St. Louis. We will do our best to obtain a Roman Catholic Priest with Polish Heritage and who speaks the Polish language."
Well, you know the whole thing about words meaning just what the speaker says they mean, and all.
A real, live priest in communion with the Bishop of Rome, but outside the authority of Archbishop Burke who came to publicly provide the sacraments in his see would automatically come under his authority, that is, until the time the Archbishop Burke brought about his dismissal from the clerical state and the Catholic Church.
However, there are plenty of folks wandering the countryside calling themselves Catholic, and even Roman Catholic, priests who are not in communion with the Bishop of Rome over whom Archbishop Burke has no authority, and, in that they are no longer in communion with the Roman Catholic Church, will not come under that authority.
sitetest