St. Stanislaus Kostka Church parishioners heard details Sunday morning of a possible settlement with the Archdiocese of St. Louis that, if accepted, would return the church's standing as a Roman Catholic parish.

Emotions ran high at the closed meeting, the first of two that will take place before parishioners take a survey Aug. 8 on whether they like the proposal. Final approval will come down to a vote by the church's board of directors.

The possible agreement would allow St. Stanislaus to continue to own its property and financial assets. However, the church would have to lease its building and rectory to a "Parish Corporation" organized and staffed by the archdiocese, according a release by George von Stamwitz, an attorney representing St. Stanislaus. The Parish Corporation would be run by a priest selected by the archbishop.

The church's board of directors also would continue to be elected by parishioners, but the archbishop must give final approval.

Feelings about the proposal were mixed and passionate, parishioners said after the meeting. Some expressed approval because they desire official Catholic standing, while others were fearful the lease agreement would lead to the archdiocese closing the church. Another faction wants the current pastor, the Rev. Marek Bozek, to remain.

"Any deal that doesn't concern Father Bozek isn't a deal," said Melissa Kirkiewicz, 35, a lifelong member. "We were disowned by the Catholic Church, how long ago? And we're doing fine. We don't need them."

In 2004, former St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke demanded that St. Stanislaus conform to the same legal and financial structures of all other parishes, despite having managed its own finances and property since its founding in 1891.

The church's lay board refused, and Burke pulled the church's priests. A year later, the lay board named Bozek its pastor. Burke declared Bozek excommunicated and stripped the church of its standing as a Roman Catholic parish.

The archdiocese, along with some former St. Stanislaus board members, filed a lawsuit in July 2008. If it wins, the Roman Catholic Church will regain the authority to assign the church's pastor and approve its board. A trial date in St. Louis Circuit Court has not been set.

Many consider Bozek a hero for leading the church during the controversy, and the congregation has grown since his arrival. While they would hate to see him go, some feel maintaining control of property and assets is foremost. Their trust of the archdiocese, they say, has been broken.

"They can control the priest, I don't care about that, but why do we need that lease?" said Irene Usciak, 62. "The property is what we've always fought about. We want to be the owners, and we don't want anyone to take it away from us."

Attorneys for St. Stanislaus tried to alleviate members' concerns about the lease agreement. If the archbishop decides to remove the priest, according to Stamwitz's statement, the real estate and financial assets would remain owned by St. Stanislaus.

St. Stanislaus board Chairman Richard Lapinski called the proposal a "win-win" for both sides. "It will bring an end to this insanity," he said.