But shortly after Fr. Perez’s death, a lay board rose up asserting its legal authority to appoint the next “pastor” of this parish. Iwant to be clear in stating that (w/o pointing a finger at them) this is Lutheranism pure and simple.Laypeople could never have the ecclesial power or jurisdiction to appoint or create a pastor. That they may have a legal right is not the same as having a divine right.
That's a bit of a tricky situation given the crisis. Of course lay people don't have jurisdiction to appoint or create a pastor, but neither do Trad priests somehow have jurisdiction by some kind of divine right or can be given jurisdiction from a Trad bishop. Given the circuмstances, I don't see anything wrong with a practical situation where the lay people who perhaps built and funded the chapel, would have some say over who their Traditional priests (note, NOT pastors) are. In the early church, bishops were often selected and elected by popular acclaim from the people, and there are stories of lay people driving out scoundrel (or heretical) bishops and then asking the Church to "send [them] a new one". While it was never the case that these priests or bishops received their authority from the people, formally, nevertheless, it seemed common practice for the people to (materially) designate their pastors. Given the situation here, where in either case there's no jurisdiction involved, I don't see the problem with it in principle. Whether or not how they treated Father Starbuck was just or in conformity with charity is a separate issue (and I haven't followed the details closely to be able to comment on that).