Profiles in Cowardice

Courageous stand

St. Stanislaus Kostka parish directors and the Rev. Marek Bozek have joined an interesting group of excommunicators: Martin Luther and Galileo are among the firebrands who have not agreed with the Catholic Church on something. But I can't remember who excommunicated them.

Galileo excommunicated? Revisionist history, no doubt. And poor old Martin, did he not excommunicate himself...?

I'm sure 50 years from now, St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke will not be remembered, but St. Stanislaus will be very much a part of their church community because their spirit and beliefs are definitely in the right place. They have done nothing but show respect and dignity in this whole ordeal.

On the contrary, Archbishop Burke will be remembered as a true shepherd and faithful servant of the Church in the hearts and minds of all faithful Catholics as well as having his place of honor in the Cathedral in St. Louis. The St Stanislaus rebellion will be remembered as the defiant and schismatic act that it was. The import of the rebellion might be diminished if, at some time in the near future, the board members come to their senses and renounce their acts of defiance and disobedience.

If I were a member of their church body, I would recommend we start a new Catholic Church -- one in which the center of our commitment would be taking care of our fellow men and women as Christ taught us.

This is exactly what Archbishop Burke is trying to do - help his fellow men and women. This is abundantly clear from his concern for their immortal souls. What purpose does it serve to start another 'church' when Our Lord already established His Church for all who wish to be true to Him? Do those who engage in such activities know something which Jesus Himself did not?

A church committed to preservation of assets and, at all cost, complete control so the masses don't get out of line is wrong. But a church that would welcome people like Burke for fellowship and good deeds regardless of the wrongs and poor judgments he has made is right. It would be a church that embraces its followers and not one that demands and commands.

While Jesus embraced His followers did he not also make demands of them and issue commands to them?

I present to Bozek and the members of St. Stanislaus the Jesus Badge of Courage.

Chuck DeLorme
Lebanon

Some might be curious where Mr DeLorme obtained this "Jesus Badge of Courage" which he so generously awards to a group whose ecclesiastical crimes resulted in their excommunications.

As repeated far too many times before, the actions of Marek Bozek and the board are not examples of courage but of cowardice - cowardice of the worst kind - the type of cowardice that causes scandal to the faithful and inflicts untold damage, and possible spiritual death, on the souls of the unwary.