For Our St Louis Readers: Bishop Takes Pawn

Even prior to the arrival of Archbishop Raymond Burke his stance on various issues was made clear and he enjoys the limelight as the center of controversy. From regulating the religious aspects of the lives of our secular politicians to his disdain for alternative life styles, he has clearly demonstrated that he is a force to be reckoned with. While we as Catholics may choose to agree or disagree with his approach, we are obligated to follow his dictates according to Church Law. He is the Shepherd of the Flock for the St. Louis Archdiocese and supposedly well versed in the Canon Law of the Church.

But is the Canon Law so entrenched in concrete as to make it immune from viable interpretation and debate? Our Constitution, the secular law of the land, is constantly open to change based upon the whims of nine Justices. Please spare me the argument of separation of Church and State on this point. Bishop Burke also works on whims.

Now Bishop Burke wants to take on the little Polish Parish, St. Stanislaus, on the North Side. The little church with a gigantic following. While only a handful of active parishioners remain, its strength lies in its heritage and the support of those who have physically moved beyond the boundaries however left their hearts within. When the Church hierarchy refused to assist in the
rehabilitation of the property, the little engine found ways to keep its wheels on the track and continue on its uphill struggle. While other more well-to-do parishes in the region constantly bemoan their parishioners to dig deeper into the purses and wallets, yet never seem to show a rise in the bottom line, the little Church pulled its way up by its bootstraps and now Goliath wants revenge.

The Bishop of any diocese has a primary responsibility to care for the
spiritual needs of his people showing among other things compassion and
charity. This is the very foundation of the Canon of the Church. Now Bishop Burke wants to resort to a spiritual extortion in an attempt to wrest away a $9 million parcel of land. Show me the money or I take away your priest. No Priest equates to no mass, baptism, weddings, funerals, etc. But is this about more than just a deed to a parcel of land?

The idea that all property, temporal or religious in nature, is Church property is nothing new to the area. Former Archbishop, now Cardinal, Rigali became embroiled in a bitter fight with the Jesuits, St. Louis University Hospital and Fr. Lawrence Biondi over the sale of the Hospital to Tenet, a for profit corporation. Rigali's argument: the Hospital belonged to the Archdiocese since it was situated in it. SLU had a secular board and was thus out of the bounds of Rigali said Biondi. Secular v. Religious argument? Separation of Church and State? The deal closed, but only after the diocese's coffers were well blessed.

Is it absurd to consider the possibility of a sale of St. Stan's property to a commercial/industrial developer after the deed is turned over? Might the $9 million potential value of the property be earmarked for a settlement account fund? Or maybe just a dress rehearsal for a takeover of assets at SLU?

My prayers are with all of you at St. Stan's.

THE TRUTH IS...

The Truth Is.. How ironic is it that our first taste of truth leaves us with a bitter taste. We soon learn there is a fine line between punishment for telling the truth and the punishment meted out for actual behavior. We soon learn of the double standard of adult and child. White lies, embellishments and the income tax forms. Children are chastised; adults are applauded.
The Truth Is... the legal system supposedly charged with the search for the truth is hard pressed to find the truth. Does it favor the factual truth- physical evidence or legal truth- the law itself? Which outweighs the other? Do the white rich fare better than the black poor with the truth of the matter finishing a distant third? Negotiations and compromise decided over lunch rather than the courtroom are the norm. Appellate decisions void of any logic or legal reasoning are far too common. We all suffer.

The Truth Is.. The media's search for the truth is limited to a few talented journalists with the guts to speak as they see the truth. The corporate suits fearful of the loss of advertising dollars stymie most. So-called journalists lose track of their obligation to inform the public of the facts of an issue. They choose to sensationalize rather than place the true story of all sides involved. Headlines sell; truth is mundane. At times they just outright lie.

The Truth Is... the mother of all oxymorons is truth and politics. Truth is nonexistent. Campaign promises are made to gain votes. Empty words for which excuses will eventually follow. Issues are sidestepped with vague and ambiguous oratory. Truth is gauged by the number of zeros preceeding the decimal place on a contribution check. PACS have a greater voice than the constinuency Political pary preference be damned, it’s all the same.

The Truth Is...this site will serve the truth. No opinions without facts will be allowed. Emotions prohibited. Partisan politics disallowed. Logical and reasoned analysis is the necessity. However ugly it becomes, we must remember that the truth is not always pretty. But it is the truth and contrary to what Mr. Nicholson had to say, it can be handled.