Archdiocese, parishioners sue St. Stanislaus

ST. LOUIS -- The Archdiocese of St. Louis and several parishioners sued St. Stanislaus Kostka parish Wednesday, seeking to regain control of the Polish-heritage parish.

The lawsuit seeks to have the parish revert to its 1891 bylaws, which would give the Roman Catholic bishop authority to name the pastor and the parish corporation's board.

The move also would allow the St. Stanislaus corporation to continue maintaining control of the building, finances and other assets.

Filing the suit in St. Louis Circuit Court were Bishop Robert Herman, the archdiocese's interim administrator, and six St. Stanislaus parishioners, including three who served on the parish's board.

Archbishop Raymond Burke, who was at the center of the fight, officially no longer oversees the archdiocese, although he is still in St. Louis. He begins his new post as head of the Vatican's supreme court next month.

Attorney Bernard Huger, representing the plaintiffs, said court approval of their request would provide something for both the archdiocese and the parish.

"It puts on the table what everyone was asking for," Huger said at a news conference.

The Rev. Marek Bozek, whom the parish board hired in December 2005 and the archdiocese does not recognize, said the lawsuit proves that "we were right all the time."

"It shows the 1891 agreement should be respected," he said. "That was our story from day one, that the parish owns the title and deed and that financial governance is overseen by the board of directors."

The parish has been at odds with the archdiocese since 2003, when it refused to conform to the same parish-governance structures as others in the archdiocese.

Burke ultimately stripped the parish of its priests, declared it was no longer part of the official Catholic church and excommunicated its board and Bozek. Four of them recently reconciled with Burke and were reinstated in the church.

The lawsuit says the archbishop has the right to appoint the pastor and the board.

Huger said he wants a hearing and at least a temporary decision by Aug. 5 because St. Stanislaus parish is scheduled to elect a new board at the annual parishioner meeting Aug. 9 and 10.

Bozek said he and parishioners are willing to meet with Bishop Herman to "look for a compromise." The lawsuit recognizes Bozek as board president, but archdiocesan officials said Wednesday that Bozek has no standing in the church.

They said if the courts rule in their favor, they are ready to name a Jesuit priest, the Rev. Michael Marchlewski, to St. Stanislaus as administrator.

Bozek, who is from Poland, said Marchlewski is not fluent in Polish, and appointing him would mean the Polish Masses would cease. "That was one of the major issues when they hired me," he said. "They wanted someone to minister to the (Polish-speaking) congregation."

St. Stanislaus' battle with the archdiocese has caused some longtime Polish members to leave, and other disenfranchised former Catholics to find a new home there.

Bozek has attracted new members, especially among divorced Catholics, gays and lesbians, and people unhappy with church hierarchy.

It's unclear how many would stay if the archdiocese wins the lawsuit, names a new pastor and board, and forces Bozek out.