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.