By Matt Sepic, KWMU
St. Louis – St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke says a priest hired by St. Stanislaus Kostka parish in north St. Louis does not have permission to serve in the Archdiocese.
St. Stanislaus is different from most Catholic churches. It's governed by a board of directors in an arrangement that goes back more than a century.
But Archbishop Burke has maintained that St. Stanislaus is in violation of canon law. He removed the priest there last year and said the parish must give control of its assets to the Archdiocese.
Burke also imposed the penalty of interdict on the six board members. It's a step below excommunication, but they are not allowed to receive communion and other church sacraments.
Now the parish board has hired Father Marek Bozek of Springfield, Missouri.
Archbishop Burke said in a statement today that Bozek has no right to serve in St. Louis, and Bishop John J. Liebrecht of the Springfield-Cape Girardeau Diocese says the priest left his assignment without permission.