The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-09-30
PRIEST REFUSES
To OBEY BISHOP.
Father Maszotas Retains Pastor
ate Despite Order of His
Superior.
PENSIONERS MAKE CHARGES
Dissension in East st. Louis
Church May Be Aired in
Court-Demonstration at
Parochial Residence.

The Reverend Father Joseph Maszotas.
who for the last two years has been rec
tor OF the East st. Louis Lithuanian
Church, has been ''silenced' by Bishop
Jansen of Belleville since July /.
Father Maszotas refuses to obey the
Bishop and also refuses to give up the
parochial residence, insisting on perform
ing his duties as pastor of the church. 1t
may be necessary for the Bishop to take
legal steps 20 GUST the priest.
1t was stated at Bishop Janssen's resi-
dence last night that it was thought tina
the priest would give ur the parochial
residence and that the matter would be
amicably adjusted.
A demonstration by members of. the
church unfriendly to Father Maszotas.
and who desire him to leave, was made In
front of his home Monday evening. There
was considerable loud talking, and neigh
hors became frightened and the
police.
Some OF the parishioners are determined
and say that they will Gust the priest If
they have to force the doors OF his resi-
dence and carry him out
Refusal on, the part of the priest to be
transferred 10 another church because Of
dA1tA blo pdllSAlOUG-S dI
the way ths church was being conducted
marked the beginning of the trouble be-
tween the priest and the Bishop. This was
followed by the order or Bishop Jansen
'silencing'' the priest, but the latter re-
fused to accept the order.
The Lithuanian Church is attended by
the Poles and L~ithuanians of East ST.
Louis. Almost all are. poor persons and
0rn PmnlnyGn at fha nacIinn-b N,,-oc 4, &ha
National Stock Yards and other factories
about East st. Louis.
The church is rot considered wealthy, |
and it is said that dissatisfaction first
arose because Father Maszotas failed To
collect as much money as was expected.
Other charges were made that he was not
running the business affairs of the PARISH
rs tney snoIld DC and that he Was lax
ABOUT attending 10 his parishioners.
TheSe protests. at first verCal, were later |
laid before Bishop Jansen in writing. |
Father Maszotas was called before the
Bishop; and after an extended investiga-
tlon Bishop Jansen came TO the concfi-
sion that he had better secure another |
priest for the church and SO stop the IN
ternal d~issension,
and 1t is claimed that he in |
ferred. $3.50
On July 1 Bishop Jansen issued his edict |
"silencing" Father Maszotas. He also de-
manded possession of the church and the |
parochial residence. Father Maszotas ig-
nored the order Of Bishop Jansen.
Bishop Jansen. according to other MEN,
bers of the clergy, has been lenient with
the priest in that he has not forced him
10 abdicate. 1t Is said to be the wish of
Jansen to hhv Father Maszotas |
removed as quietly as possible and with
the least amount of friction.
Sunday several member Of the congre-
cation learned that Father Maszotas. had
been "silenced." but that he persisted in
attending to his priestly duties. The news
quickly spread and the demonstration of
night occurred. Last evening there
WAS another demonstration, but 1t was
not as large as the previous one.