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	St. Stanislaus to Archdiocese: Thanks, but No Thanks Fox 2 August 9 2010 http://www.fox2now.com/news/morningshow/st-stanislaus-parishioners-vote-reconciliation-archdiocese-080810,0,2726698.story [with video] ST. LOUIS MISSOURI - It could have been a landmark day. A long-standing feud between the St. Louis archdiocese and St. Stanislaus Kostka church in north city could have been put to rest Sunday. But the congregation voted against moving forward with a reconciliation deal offered by Archbishop Robert Carlson. 415 members of St. Stanislaus cast a ballot, and there was applause in the Polish Heritage Center when the board of directors announced the results. 158 voted to continue talks with the archdiocese. 257 voted no. "We made it! It's just, it's the most wonderful thing that has happened to us," said Betty Augustyniak, a member of St. Stans for more than 50 years. Marek Bozek is the pastor. "The people have spoken, in ancient Rome the Christians used to say 'Vox populi, vox dei,' which in Latin means the voice of the people is the voice of God," he said. "And I do believe members of this church have expressed their strong opinion that most don't wish to go back to the diocese." The old Polish congregation on North 20th street had long fought with the Catholic church over control of money, and property. In 2005, board members hired Bozek on their own as their priest. Shortly thereafter, the pope excommunicated Bozek and the board members. St. Stan's was no longer considered a Roman Catholic parish.Now Archbishop Carlson offered a compromise: St. Stan's board would continue to own the parish property and assets as it does now, but a second board would be set up to lease the church and the rectory. "It's exactly what we wanted," said former board member Bob Zabielski, who was excommunicated but has sense reconciled with the church. Though Zebielski and others said the deal offered by the archbishop was more than fair, the majority of members voted to side with their pastor, who operates well outside the lines of common Catholic practices, saying women should be allowed in the priesthood; priests should be allowed to marry; and even non-Catholics should be invited to receive communion. "It's not about the power and the money anymore, it's about the priest," said Zabielski, "and I don't think he's taking his church in the direction of a Roman Catholic church anymore."The voting took place on paper ballots, and there was even controversy over who was allowed to vote. Some members who stopped attending St. Stanislaus to remain with the archdiocese claim they were not allowed to vote. Richard Bach was in favor of reconciliation. He is the spokesperson for a group called Concerned Parishioners of St. Stanislaus Kostka. "Roman Catholicism has always been my religion and my faith," said Bach. "It's involved in the history of Polish people and Polish culture, and it needs to remain if we want to preserve the church and preserve the heritage in the St. Louis and Missouri."Augustyniak said she never trusted the archdiocese, and she did not want to rejoin. "We don't trust any of them, and we will always be Roman Catholic regardless of what they tell us," she said. "We are so happy! In fact on the back of the ballot I wrote that if father [Bozek] has to leave, I'm leaving too."
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