The Solemnity of Pentecost
Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven
staying in Jerusalem.
At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd,
but they were confused
because each one heard them speaking in his own language.
Welcome to the Polish National Catholic Church. Whenever Father Andrew or I go somewhere people inquire about our parish. When we tell them we are from the Blessed Virgin Mary of Czestochowa Parish they say: ‘Oh, the Polish church.” Then they typically start asking us about various Roman Catholic prelates and priests. We gently tell them we are clergy of the Polish National Catholic Church. The typical response we receive: ‘Oh, do you have to be Polish to belong to that Church?’
Some are annoyed at having to explain that the Polish National Catholic Church is truly catholic, that is, universal. Personally I appreciate the opportunity to engage folks in a dialog. Each question is an opening and an opportunity to talk about our faith and beliefs.
The Polish National Catholic Church was established over 110 years ago to do one thing, to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. At its inception it certainly ministered to Polish immigrants, in a language they could understand. It spoke to them in the same way the Apostles spoke to the gathered crowds in Jerusalem on Pentecost day. Those Polish immigrants proclaimed their joy. Like the inhabitants and visitors to Jerusalem they said:
“…yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues
of the mighty acts of God.—
While ethnic identity played a significant role in the Church’s early life, more so did Bishop Hodur’s message of reform.
The heroes of the PNCC, Jerome Savonarola, whose commemoration we celebrated this past Wednesday, and Jan Hus, among others, are all marked by their efforts at Church reform. Savonarola and Hus are martyrs to reform. That message of reform and renewal is the same message people long to hear today. Our history provides us with an opportunity to take up that mantle.
Along with the message of reform, Bishop Hodur and his successors proclaimed the Holy Spirit’s action in our conscience. As Bishop Hodur said:
In the life of a free Christian the voice of conscience is important and is the only healthy standard of human actions. Our conscience, therefore, is our master, our judge and our chastiser. This voice cannot be muffled with impunity. Human conscience can only be influenced by good example, that means, that humanity should be educated in moral matters not by the threat of punishment in hell, not only anathemas or torture but only by the proper education of man. I strongly believe in Divine light, the light of man’s reason and the light of humanity.
Today we speak English, Spanish, Polish, Lithuanian, Norwegian, French, and many other languages. We work on three continents. We are alive solely by the power of the Holy Spirit who is active in each thing that we do.
Our charism and spirituality are something we bear before all people. As St. Paul reminds us:
There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit;
there are different forms of service but the same Lord;
there are different workings but the same God
who produces all of them in everyone.
We are not brand A, B, or C. We are the PNCC, a strong catholic witness to the Catholic faith. A faith that cannot be restrained within the walls of a church, nor within charitable institutions. It is a living and breathing faith that must be proclaimed in what we say and do each day.
Jesus didn’t intend for us to sit in a comfortable place. He calls all to change, grow, and develop, holding true to what is true, and reforming what is broken. He calls all to the challenge of proclaiming the gospel. The challenge of bringing God’s light to the conscience of mankind.
Jesus said to them again, —Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you.—
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
—Receive the Holy Spirit…”
Yes, each of us, when we reached sufficient age and education, received that gift. On our Confirmation Day the Bishop extended his hands over us and said those very same words: “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
The Holy Spirit was breathed into us and we took up the commission: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.—
We have certainly tripped along the way, we have been weak, we have failed in our courage and conviction. Yet He waits. Yet the Holy Spirit continues to call us back and energizes us.
—Receive the Holy Spirit…”
…and do something powerful with what you have received.
Speak to the crowds with the languages you have been given. Speak to the people and make use of the gifts you have received. Speak truth and power, and proclaim the name of Jesus Christ.
I understand your position, but the natural response
of an outsider is: “If you accept everyone who wants
to believe and practice a Catholic Faith such as
yours, why not OFFICIALLY change your Church name to
something less Polish and ethnic like ‘National
Catholic Church’ or ‘American Catholic Church’? That
would be more inviting and accurate. After all, the
German and Scandinavian Lutherans, Dutch Reformed,
and other Protestant national churches did so.”
I know, some local PNCC do so “unofficially”, but the
PNCC should officially do it too. Then, your argument
would have some validity.
I guess I must have misrepresented the point of the homily. It was to move through history showing the Holy Spirit’s continuous action in the life of the Church and our call to respond to the Spirit’s promptings.
The funny thing about homilies is that regardless of the homilist’s intent, the Holy Spirit uses our language to speak the message the Spirit intends.
This homily, beyond its mere words, implies various messages, such as the need to understand that the things that prompted Bishop Hodur went far beyond mere ethnicity.
His message was one of reform and trust in the Lord’s ability of inspire the conscience of mankind, not as in Protestantism, apart from the Church (i.e., personal revelation and interpretation), but in unison with the Church. It is not just God and man, but God, man, and the Holy Church.
We have to remember the day and age Bishop Hodur lived in. This was a natural reaction to the absolutism of the time.
I also believe that Bishop Hodur saw ethnicity as a gift, with its own cultural constants that can be used to glorify and serve the Lord. That’s a good question to ask even today: How can ‘American’ culture be used to serve the Lord?
As to the whole name issue, it is a non-starter, and a sort of straw man. It doesn’t particularly bother the pluralistic group of people in my parish, and I’ve only seen it used in a few parish meetings as an argument made to detract from more important matters – like serving the Lord, proclaiming His name, and serving each other.