I attended the Central Diocesan Clergy Conference this past Tuesday.

The Holy Mass offered by Prime Bishop Nemkovich was beautiful and prayerful. Being together with my brothers, praying and singing, united to our Bishop, is always a wonderful thing.

A lot of normal business was covered during the meeting. My brother priests received the newly minted Missals, and the revised Service of Worship and Holy Communion for deacons will be off the presses shortly. Prime Bishop Nemkovich kindly showed me his copy. It is really well done with well defined rubrics.

The most interesting tidbits come from the discussion on PNCC —“ Roman Catholic relations.

The latest twist is that some R.C. clergy are now attempting to re-baptize members of the PNCC.

There’s other one-off silliness such as the diatribe against the PNCC contained in a weekly bulletin from the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus R.C. Church in Wallington, New Jersey. It appears that the Very Rev. Canon Felix R. Marciniak and company, having control over a parish of some 2,300 families, a school, and a whole bunch of organizations and activities, feels threatened by poor Transfiguration of Our Lord PNCC in Wallington.

Quoting the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus website (Parish History page):

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish is a living, breathing and growing sign of God’s love in our community and in our lives.

…as long as there are no PNCC parishes in our community.

In addition to the above, PNCC members are still being denied the Holy Eucharist in some R.C. parishes.

If you are a PNCC member, please remember that when attending Mass in a Roman Catholic parish (only when a PNCC parish is not nearby) you should come prepared with a copy of a Roman Catholic pew missal.

You can point out the text on the back cover to the local priest, showing him that you are allowed to receive the Eucharist. If that’s not enough (especially in cases where he wishes to re-baptize you), bring a copy of Journeying Together in Christ: The Report of the Polish National Catholic-Roman Catholic Dialogue (1984-1989) which clearly outlines the fact that the R.C. Church accepts our Baptism and Confirmation, Eucharist, Orders, and Anointing.

Remember, you still must fast two hours before receiving the Holy Eucharist and you may not take the Eucharist into your hands. Try to get in the line so that you may receive the Eucharist from a Priest or Deacon (which is not always possible, because they may be sitting to the side while the ‘Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist’ distribute communion*).

To play on the old adage: If everyone else is profaning the Eucharist are you going to profane it too?

Oh, and let me add one: You, like some PNCC members, may experience having R.C. priests attempt to proselytize you while you are in the hospital. Just show them the missalette and ask for the Eucharist.

*Which is not supposed to happen. These folks are only to be used in extraordinary situations, they are not to appear, act, or behave like clergy, and according to the most recent pronouncement from the Vatican they may not purify the vessels used for Holy Communion. Just like the prohibition against using profane materials for sacred vessels, these guidelines are often ignored by local R.C. clergy and bishops.