Bozek's 'Deal' to Archbishop Burke Expires in 72 hours...

What a guy!

ST. LOUIS -- After an hour-long meeting with St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke Tuesday morning, the Rev. Marek Bozek, pastor of St. Stanislaus Kostka church, told 250 supporters outside the Catholic Center on Lindell Blvd. that he'd made an offer to Burke during their meeting.

Bozek, 32, handed out copies of a letter he'd presented Burke stating that if the archbishop were to "revoke all canonical penalties...i.e. the penalty of interdict, the penalty of excommunication, the suppression of the Parish," promise to keep St. Stanislaus open, provide the parish with a priest and "respect the current status quo of the governance of the ownership title and temporary goods" of the church, Bozek would "seriously consider" leaving St. Stanislaus and returning to his own diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau "or live monastic life in a Benedictine Abbey of my choice." He also said he would be willing to repent and publicly apologize as Burke has requested.

Bozek gave the archbishop 72 hours to accept his offer. Burke's reaction, Bozek said later at a lunch with his supporters, "was negative."

Bozek knows he has no grounds to fight laicization and seeks a one-sided "reconciliation" in a publicized effort to prolong the inevitable, all while seeking support from more confused people.

Archbishop Burke's statement (Text and Video) can be seen here.
He says, in part:

This situation of Rev. Marek Bozek is a matter that weighs heavily on my heart. As Archbishop of St. Louis, it is my responsibility to safeguard the unity of the Catholic Church and protect the souls of the faithful.

I have met with Rev. Marek Bozek, who works for the St. Stanislaus Kostka Corporation. What transpired during that meeting is meant to remain personal between Rev. Bozek and myself. The purpose of the meeting was to indicate the ways Rev. Bozek has broken communion with the Church, and to insist Rev. Bozek to return to his home diocese and seek reconciliation with the Catholic Church.

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 with the Church and that the great harm which has been caused to the Church, with the help of God's grace, will be healed.

We could not agree more. It's sad that Bozek chose to make this event a public spectacle. Such actions are not indicative of a man who wishes reconciliation or repentance.