A St. Stanislaus Update?

Recently, someone wrote:

What's going on over there in Saint Louis with Saint Stanislaus Parish?? An update might be helpful.

All I can tell you is that it seems that the group moves closer and closer to becoming completely schismatic everytime they meet and vote. Recently, they held an election to vote for board members and on the question of going outside the purview of the Archbishop and finding a priest themselves. Here are the results:

For Board of Directors:
Bill Bialczak 242 35%
John Baras 206 30%
Richard Bach 139 20%
Greg Koltuniak 105 15%

To find priest:
Yes 260 77.4%
No 76 22.6%

On a side note, it seems as if Richard Bach was campaigning all the time while he was spewing hatred and slanders against Archbishop Burke. Apparently, that is what it takes to be elected (or nominated) to the board these days.

A month ago or so, an article appeared in the St. Louis Post Dispatch questioning whether this voting to find a priest may have caused the board members to be automatically excommunicated. Abp. Burke had warned them prior to the vote that they would be excommunicated automatically if the vote occurred.

But being the brave and independent souls that they (the dissident St Stanislaus folk) are, the board members proceeded with the vote, basically ensuring their excommunication. The confused thinking of those in agreement with the board is best summarized by Board member Robert Zabielski who said he didn't believe he was excommunicated. He said, "We've done nothing to break with the church." I suppose what he really meant to say was, "We've done nothing to break with the Church except break with the Church."

The fact is, they broke away from the Church when they refused obedience to the Church and the Archbishop and when they made themselves the final authority in matters which rightly belong to the Archbishop.

Lastly, the schismatic St. Stanislaus group is planning on celebrating the 125th Anniversary of St. Stans on Saturday, October 1st with a Mass of Celebration at 5:00 pm and on Sunday, October 2nd with a Mass of Celebration at 11:00.

It's interesting to note that no priest in the archdiocese is authorized or permitted to celebrate Holy Mass there, yet in less than a week, 2 Masses will be said. Who is the mysterious renegade priest who is coming in to openly defy Archbishop Burke? For this, we must wait and see, I suppose.

Of course, these confused individuals needs our prayers. Repentance is sometimes very difficult - I know full well. I still have difficulties. We should pray for humility and docility in matters such as these. Pride is a tool of the devil and he delights when our pride blinds us.