Rebel St. Louis parish to affiliate with Episcopal diocese?

September 03, 2013

A rebellious parish that broke off legal ties with the Catholic Church earlier this year after a long legal battle with the St. Louis archdiocese is now exploring affiliation with the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri.

The parish of St. Stanislaus Kosta had entered into legal conflict with the St. Louis archdiocese in 2001, when the lay board of the parish refused to recognize the right of the archbishop to appoint a pastor. After the board resisted pleas from the archdiocese to amend the parish bylaws, then-Archbishop Raymond Burke suppressed the parish in 2004. Parishioners appointed a new pastor, Father Marek Bozek, in 2006, in defiance of the archdiocese; he was eventually excommunicated. Finally, in February of this year, the archdiocese relinquished its effort to regain control of the parish property, with the understanding that the parish “will not hold itself out as affiliated in any way with the Archdiocese of St. Louis or the Roman Catholic Church.”

Now Episcopal Bishop George Wayne of Missouri has revealed that the parish is actively exploring the possibility of affiliation with the Episcopal diocese. Bishop Smith pointed out that the Anglican communion has friendly ties with the schismatic Old Catholic communities. Father Bozek has reportedly studied in an Old Catholic theology program in the Netherlands.

 

---

For all current news, visit our News home page.

---

 
Further information:

• St. Stanislaus in discussions to join Episcopal Diocese of Missouri (Post-Dispatch)
• St. Louis archdiocese settles lawsuit, rebel parish splits from Church (CWN, 2/14)