Archbishop Raymond L. Burke met with Rev. Marek Bozek on Tuesday, February 5, 2008. The following materials, while not disclosing what transpired at the meeting, which remains confidential, provide accurate information about the nature and purpose of the meeting.
The materials include a video statement from Archbishop Burke, the text of the video statement, a brief written statement from the archbishop, a series of questions and answers about the meeting, and an article about the meeting, published in the February 8 edition of the St. Louis Review.
- Video Statement of Archbishop Raymond L. Burke
- Text of Video Statement
- Statement of Archbishop Raymond L. Burke Regarding Meeting With Rev. Marek Bozek
- Questions and Answers
- Archbishop Burke Trusts 'God's Grace' for Priest's Reconciliation (St. Louis Review article)
VIDEO STATEMENT OF ARCHBISHOP RAYMOND L. BURKE (Flash Video format)
STATEMENT OF ARCHBISHOP RAYMOND L. BURKE REGARDING MEETING WITH REV. MAREK BOZEK
(Also available for download as a PDF file 70.61 Kb.)
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.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS REGARDING MEETING WITH REV. MAREK BOZEK
(Also available for download as a PDF file 87.01 Kb.)
Q. What is the status of Rev. Marek Bozek?
A. Rev. Marek Bozek has been under suspension from the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau since December, 2005. Bishop John Leibrecht, Bishop of the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, placed Rev. Bozek under suspension after Rev. Bozek abandoned his assignment as associate pastor at Saint Agnes Cathedral in Springfield, Missouri, without permission from the bishop. During ordination, all Roman Catholic priests make a promise of obedience to their bishop.
According to Church teachings, Rev. Bozek was declared to have excommunicated himself from the Church. The excommunication came after the board of St. Stanislaus Kostka Corporation offered the job of pastor to Rev. Bozek, who is not in good standing with the Catholic Church, and Rev. Bozek accepted. Only the archbishop can appoint priests to parishes.
Q. What is the most recent development?
A. The archbishop has been hearing from Catholics who are concerned about the validity of the sacraments they are receiving from Rev. Bozek. Because of the status of Rev. Bozek, any sacraments of Penance and Confirmation performed by Rev. Bozek, and any marriage witnessed by Rev. Bozek, are considered invalid. The archbishop would like to provide the valid celebration of the sacraments for those deceived by Rev. Bozek.
In addition, Rev. Bozek participated in the attempted ordination of two women to the Roman Catholic priesthood in November, and has been making public statements contrary to the teachings of the Catholic Church. The archbishop has insisted on meeting with Rev. Bozek. The purpose of the meeting is for the archbishop to indicate the ways Rev. Bozek has broken communion with the Church, and to urge Rev. Bozek to return to his home diocese and seek reconciliation with the Catholic Church.
The meeting is solely focused on Rev. Bozek, and will not address the status of the St. Stanislaus Kostka Corporation.
Q. What is schism?
A. Schism occurs when a baptized Catholic withdraws from unity with the pope or the local bishop and the faithful under him.
Q. What does it mean to be excommunicated?
A. Excommunication is knowingly and willingly placing oneself outside the full Communion of the Catholic Church. A person excommunicates himself/herself. When the archbishop declares an excommunication, its purpose is meant to be healing, and a call for the person to reconsider the action and reconcile with the Catholic Church.
Q. Why is the archbishop talking publicly about this now?
A. The meeting is meant to be private and pastoral, calling the person back to the Church. It is the archbishop's policy not to publicly discuss what is said in a private meeting. However, given the public nature of Rev. Bozek's comments about the meeting, and his actions that are in direct conflict with the teachings of the Catholic Church, it is the archbishop's responsibility to clarify the teachings of the Church, the purpose of the meeting, and to assist those faithful who have been misled by Rev. Bozek.
Q. Why doesn't the Church look the other way?
A. The mission of the Catholic Church is to bring people to Christ. If people are being lead elsewhere, it is the Church's obligation to speak up and correct the situation.
The archbishop has an obligation to correct a priest when the priest's teachings and actions are contrary to those of the Catholic Church. For a bishop to do nothing is a serious failure to the care of the faithful.
Q. What happens next?
A. It is the archbishop's hope that Rev. Bozek will return to his home diocese to be reconciled with the Catholic Church. If Rev. Bozek refuses, the archbishop will be forced to proceed with the canonical process of dismissing Rev. Bozek from the clerical state.
Q. What happens to the St. Stanislaus Kostka Corporation?
A. The meeting focused solely on Rev. Bozek, and did not address the status of the St. Stanislaus Kostka Corporation. The St. Stanislaus Kostka Corporation is no longer a part of the Roman Catholic Church. Six board members were declared to have excommunicated themselves from the Church, after the board members offered the job of pastor to Rev. Bozek, who is not in good standing with the Catholic Church, and Rev. Bozek accepted. Only the archbishop can appoint priests to parishes.
ARCHBISHOP BURKE TRUSTS 'GOD'S GRACE' FOR PRIEST'S RECONCILIATION By Joseph Kenny, St. Louis Review Staff Writer Archbishop Raymond L. Burke said February 5 that he is "safeguarding the unity of the Church" by insisting that a suspended and excommunicated priest associated with the St. Stanislaus Kostka Corp. meet with him.
Father Marek Bozek was suspended in December 2005 by the bishop of the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau for abandoning his assignment and his diocese. The St. Stanislaus Kostka Corporation hired him for the position of pastor of their church, which had served people of Polish heritage but is no longer a part of the Roman Catholic Church.
Archbishop Burke said he has been hearing from Catholics who are concerned about the sacraments they are receiving from Father Bozek. Because of the priest's status, any sacraments of Penance and Confirmation he performed or any marriages he has witnessed are considered invalid.
In addition, Father Bozek participated in the attempted ordination of two women and has been making statements contrary to Church teachings, according to archdiocesan officials. The purpose of February 5 meeting with him was to urge him to return to his home diocese and seek reconciliation.
"As archbishop, I cannot permit individual priests, like Father Bozek, to damage the unity of the Church and so to harm the faithful and give scandal to people in general," Archbishop Burke said in a statement aired on the archdiocese's website. "I speak to you out of the deepest concern for the soul of Father Bozek and the souls of all the faithful who may be confused or be led into serious error because of his activities in the archdiocese."
In an interview with the Review, the archbishop noted that he is concerned for Father Bozek. "He's a child of God, a member of the Church, and is an ordained priest. I've been telling him since the day he arrived, 'You need to go back to your own diocese to be reconciled.'"
As it stands now, Father Bozek does not represent Catholic teaching and practice, Archbishop Burke said.
