St. Louis, Mo., Mar 11, 2009 / 15:37 pm
A Missouri bishop has announced that Pope Benedict XVI has dismissed Marel Bozek from the clerical state since he has persisted in leading a group of breakaway Catholics.
Originally from Poland, Marek Bozek had been leading St. Stanislaus Kostka Church, which broke from the Archdiocese of St. Louis after refusing to conform to canon law requirements which forbade its operation under the lay-run St. Stanislaus Kostka Corporation. Breakaway leaders had hired Bozek, a former priest of the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, to act as their pastor.
Bishop of Springfield-Cape Girardeau James V. Johnston in a Monday statement announced Pope Benedict’s dismissal of the former Fr. Bozek, who had already been excommunicated along with St. Stanislaus’ board members.
“His status in the Catholic Church as a cleric is now a thing of the past,” Bishop Johnston explained. “This decision is the result of the actions that he took in late 2005, when in disobedience to my predecessor, Bishop John Leibrecht, he abandoned his assignment and entered the employment of a parish in the Archdiocese of St. Louis without permission of the Archbishop. His actions have caused great harm, scandal and sadness within the Church.”