Friday, December 09, 2005

Polish Priest’s Action Saddens his Bishop

A priest of the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, in disobedience to his bishop, has been hired by the board of directors of the civil corporation of St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish in North St. Louis.
. . .
"Father [Marek] Bozek’s action saddens me greatly," Bishop [John] Leibrecht wrote in a letter to parishioners at St. Agnes Cathedral. He noted that Father Bozek has been suspended from priestly ministry.
Archbishop Burke reminds Catholics, especially those considering attending Mass at St. Stanislaus "that to participate knowingly and willingly in the celebration of the Mass by a suspended priest is gravely sinful."
As a suspended priest, Father Bozek’s celebration of the Sacrament of the Eucharist would be considered valid, but also illicit. . .But if a priest acts out of communion with his bishop, that means the sacrament is illicit. The illegal action is considered a mortal sin. . .

Other sacraments, including marriage and reconciliation would be considered invalid. According to canon law, the priest does not have the faculties from his bishop to validly assist at marriages and give absolution in confession.
So what "spiritual" needs does this priest think he is able to provide, besides leading all of them away from Christ and His Church? If particpation in illicit acts are mortal sins and if the "unfaithful" cannot validly marry or receive absolution in the Sacrament of Penance, what, exactly, is he to do?

And in an apparent display of utter confusion and a loss of words,
Roger Krasnicki, a board spokesman for St. Stanislaus, declined to comment for this story.
All emphasis above is mine.

From the "Restricted Access" St. Louis Review here.

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