The following questions and answers were issued by the Archdiocese of St. Louis on March 5, 2008:
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.
Only a bishop can lawfully appoint priests to parishes in a diocese. According to Church teachings, Rev. Bozek was declared to have excommunicated himself from the Church after the Board of St. Stanislaus Kostka Corporation offered the job of pastor to Rev. Bozek and Rev. Bozek accepted. In accepting that offer, Rev. Bozek committed the canonical offense of schism. When he committed schism, Rev. Bozek automatically excommunicated himself from the Church.
Q. What is the most recent development?
A. 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 teachings of the Catholic Church. The archbishop insisted on meeting with Rev. Bozek last month. The purpose of the meeting was for the archbishop to indicate the ways Rev. Bozek had broken communion with the Church, and to urge Rev. Bozek to return to his home diocese and seek reconciliation with the Catholic Church.
Since Rev. Bozek has publicly refused to return to his home diocese and seek reconciliation with the Catholic Church, church law requires the archbishop to proceed with the canonical process for the dismissal of Rev. Bozek from the clerical state.
Rev. Bozek refused to take part in the hearing on March 5, 2008, showing thereby his further contempt for the requirements of communion with the Church. Archbishop Burke has expressed again his deepest pastoral concern for Rev. Bozek and the faithful he is leading away from the Church.
Q. What happens next?
A. It has always been the archbishop's hope that Rev. Bozek would return to his home diocese to be reconciled with the Catholic Church.
Since Rev. Bozek has refused to return to his home diocese, there are procedures in Canon Law that outline the next steps.
Rev. Bozek has the right to a canonical penal trial, during which the Archdiocese of St. Louis will present proof that Rev. Bozek's actions require his dismissal from the clerical state. Rev. Bozek will have the right to present his defense, and use the services of an approved canon lawyer. The process will be conducted by three judges, who, by Church law, are required to be priests who are experts in canon law. These judges will be appointed by the archbishop, and the archbishop has already assured Father Bozek that all three judges will be from outside the archdiocese, St. Louis, and the Province of St. Louis, which covers the whole state of Missouri.
After deliberating the facts, the judges will render a decision. Depending on the decision, the judges can impose a penalty, up to asking for Rev. Bozek to be dismissed from the clerical state. If he is found guilty and the penalty of dismissal from the clerical state is imposed upon him, the archbishop can also seek from the Holy See the release from the vow of celibacy for Father Bozek.
Both sides can appeal the decision of the three judges to the Roman Rota, which is the appellate judicial court of the Catholic Church.
Q. How does Archbishop Burke respond to Rev. Bozek's claim that the process followed in his case is "a parody of justice"?
A. Archbishop Burke is following strictly the process indicated in the Code of Canon Law for such cases. It is a process which has been developed over many centuries of the Church's life and is directed to protecting the rights of both Rev. Bozek and the Church.
Q. What about Rev. Bozek's claim that Archbishop Burke will not permit him to be represented by a canon lawyer of his choice?
A. The only canon lawyer whom Rev. Bozek has proposed to represent him publicly dissents from Church teaching and discipline, and has shown open disrespect for the Church's highest authority. He, therefore, could not be accepted as Rev. Bozek's canonical legal representative (advocate). Rev. Bozek was invited to name another qualified canon lawyer as his advocate, and assistance was offered to him in finding an advocate. Rev. Bozek has refused to name another canon lawyer to represent him. As a result, Archbishop Burke named a highly qualified canon lawyer ex officio to represent Rev. Bozek's interests.
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 astray, 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 in the care of the faithful.
Q. What happens to the St. Stanislaus Kostka Corporation?
A. The process of dismissal from the clerical state focuses solely on Rev. Bozek, and does not address the status of the St. Stanislaus Kostka Corporation.
Since December 29, 2005, the St. Stanislaus Kostka Corporation is no longer a part of the Roman Catholic Church. The six directors of the Board, along with Rev. Bozek, were declared to have excommunicated themselves from the Church on December 15, 2005, after the directors offered the job of pastor to Rev. Bozek, who already was not in good standing with the Catholic Church. Rev. Bozek accepted the offer, and thereby committed schism. In the Catholic Church, only a bishop can appoint priests to parishes. In this case, by removing themselves from the authority of the lawful representative of the pope, Rev. Bozek and the Board of Directors separated themselves from the Catholic Church.
Click here for Archbishop Burke's statement regarding the status of Rev. Marek Bozek.
Click here for additional documentation regarding Rev. Marek Bozek.
