Member of St. Stan’s Vote to Keep Control of Church; Parishioners Send Message; Bishop Responds by Denying Funerals; St. Stanislaus Parishioners voted to turn down an archdiocese proposal to handle its property and assets....Feb 2005

Polish-American Journal
www.polamjournal.com

     ST. LOUIS, Mo.-The congregation of St. Stanislaus voted 299 to 5 to keep control of their Polish American parish and deny a Vatican decision to surrender the church to the diocese.

     The vote, Sunday, Jan. 9, was to decide whether parishioners should accept an Archdiocese of St. Louis proposal to take control of St. Stan's. A lay board of directors controls the assets and property. But for the last two years, the archdiocese has put pressure on the church's board of directors to turn over the property. Many at St. Stanislaus believe it's the $9 million bankroll the archdiocese really wants. Last year, Archbishop Raymond Burke, who has a record of closing parishes where he is assigned, removed their priest, leaving many to suspect he will close their historic church if they give up control.

     So on Jan. 9, church members voted to either join the archdiocese-and get their priest back-or remain independent. "The outcome was decisive," said KPLR radio, which is following the power play. "Vote after vote-was no to the archdiocese."

     The Polish spirit of solidarity filled the air after the vote. "We have 99 percent say no, one percent say yes," board member Bill Bialczak announced to the cheering congregation. "When you look around this room, this is what solidarity is all about. Polish people trying to keep their church," church member Connie Donius said.

     Officials at the archdiocese say the vote really doesn't mean much to them. "The question posed was do you want the archbishop to take all your money and property. And who wouldn't vote no? The archbishop would answer no to that question," spokesperson Jamie Allman said. He said all the church's money would go into an irrevocable trust fund. And the church would never be closed as long as parishioners supported it. "The archbishop is clearly committed to saving St. Stanislaus," he said.

     In response to the vote, Archbishop Burke, who already threatened to deny sacraments to six members of St. Stan's board, announced funeral services will not be held at the church until the matter is resolved. The archdiocese is giving St. Stanislaus officials until February 4 to comply. Allman wouldn't say what penalties the church might face, but didn't rule out the possibility of a lawsuit to force compliance.

     On January 11, Burke issued a news release saying there is a "misunderstanding" among people, parishioners, and the Board concerning the Archbishop's previous demands. [This] "... is not accurate," said parishioner Richard Bach. "The Board and parishioners of St. Stanislaus Kostka are acutely aware and very knowledgeable of the demands and various proposals recommended by the Archbishop."

     Board members say they prefer to discuss the matter with Burke in person, rather than by media releases.

-Compiled from press reports. by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, KPLR radio, The Boston Globe, and from members of St. Stanislaus parish.

There is a website devoted to the efforts to save St. Stanislaus, (St. Stanislaus Kostka).

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