Let us beseech God that he would divest us of the old man, because he alone is able to take away sin from us, they being stronger than us that have taken us captive, and detain us prisoners in their own kingdom. But he has promised to rescue us from this sore bondage. As when the sun shines, and the wind blows, the sun indeed has a distinct nature of his own, and the wind likewise another nature, and yet no man is able to make an actual separation of the wind from the sun unless God alone shall make the wind to cease, that it may blow no longer; even so is sin blended with the soul, although both retain their own nature. It is impossible therefore to separate the soul from sin, unless God make a calm and put a stop to this evil wind which dwells in the soul and body.
And again, as a man that sees a bird flying may desire also to fly himself, but not having wings, it is impossible he should fly; just so a man may be willing to be pure, and without blame, and without spot, and to be always with God; but he has not wherewithal to compass it. He is willing to fly up into the divine air, and into the liberty of the Holy Spirit; but, unless he receive wings for his purpose, he can never do it.
Let us therefore beseech GOD that he would give us “the wings of the dove”, his Holy Spirit, that so “we may fly to him and be at rest”; and that he would separate the evil wind, and cause it to cease from us both in soul and body: for he only is able to bring it to pass. It is only ” he Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.” He alone it is that showed this mercy to them that believe in him, that they are redeemed from sin. And for those that wait for him, and hope in him, and seek after him, will he work this unspeakable salvation. — Homily 2, para. 1-3, That God alone is able to deliver us out of the bondage of the wicked ruler.
This is my 2,001st posting. It took 2 years and 10 months to get here.
All-in-all I feel pretty good about this accomplishment and the fact that I have been strengthened in my knowledge and love of the Church through this effort. Of course there are things I’ve said that could have been said better – and at times not at all. It’s definitely been a lesson in charity and focus. I pray that our Lord will act mercifully toward me, will wash away my sins, and recognize the love I bear for Him even though my efforts in witnessing to Him are poor.
I would like to thank you, my readers, and all who have written to me personally expressing support, entering into discussion, or who have asked questions about the PNCC. I pray that vocations have been and will be fostered through these efforts and that many will come to know and love the Polish National Catholic Church as a bulwark of Christian faith, both in these uncertain times and into the future.
As can be seen in its content, the Declaration of Scranton of 2008 is modeled heavily on the Declaration of Utrecht written in 1889 by the Old Catholic Churches. This is true not only in its content, but also in the reason for its coming to fruition.
The Declaration of Utrecht was written in 1889 as a statement of faith for the Old Catholic Churches. The Churches that were involved in its writing were the Old Catholic Churches of Holland, Germany and Switzerland. Its decisions were later accepted by the Church of Austria which was also in existence at the time. The Declaration of Utrecht served as a model of union for these Churches and from it the Union of Utrecht was born. From that point forward, the Declaration of Utrecht served as a point of focus for those churches which approached the Old Catholics for acceptance into the Union of Utrecht as well as to seek consecration of bishops to become new national Churches.
In 1907 before his consecration, Bishop Francis Hodur was required to assent to the tenets of the Declaration of Utrecht and subsequently it has served as a basis of the faith for Polish National Catholics up to the present time.
Unfortunately, many of the Old Catholic Churches have begun to look upon the Declaration of Utrecht as merely a historical artifact and not as a document of faith. This view has led to these Churches deviating from the faith of the ancient church, which was expounded in the Declaration of Utrecht, by the ordination of women to the priesthood and the solemnization of same-sex marriages.
Because of this situation within the Union of Utrecht, the Polish National Catholic Church is now separated from the other Churches of the Union. As it would seem, the Polish National Catholic Church is the only remaining Church that still holds the Declaration of Utrecht as a true document of faith for Old Catholics.
In the time period around this separation from the Union of Utrecht, the Polish National Catholic Church had been approached by other Church bodies that wished to retain the traditional Catholic beliefs and practices of the ancient church including the Polish National Catholic view of the papal office. In doing so they are hoping to become new national Churches.
The Polish National Catholic Church now finds itself much in the same position the Church of Holland did in 1889. That Church had existed since 1724 and had remained constant in their profession of the traditional catholic faith. When they were faced with other Churches that wished to unite with them in that understanding but have separate autonomous churches, they needed a document that would formulate this understanding between them.
In the same way the Polish National Catholic Church has been in existence since 1897 and has always stood strong in its acceptance of the traditional catholic faith. Now that we are being faced with other churches and ecclesial bodies that are approaching the Polish National Catholic Church to share in its understanding of the faith and seeking to have separate autonomous national churches of their own, the Polish National Catholic Church found it necessary to expand the Declaration of Utrecht to make clear some points of catholic understanding that were not a part of the original declaration, especially those dealing with the issues that brought about the fracture in the Union of Utrecht. It was for this reason that the Polish National Catholic Bishops have accepted this present Declaration of Scranton and hold it as a point for future agreements with those who wish to share our understanding of the traditional catholic faith…
A Profession of Faith and Declaration formulated by the Polish National Catholic Bishops Assembled at Lancaster, New York April 28, 2008
We faithfully adhere to the Rule of Faith laid down by St. Vincent of Lerins in these terms: “Id teneamus, ubique, quod semper, quod ab omnibus creditum est; hoc est etenim vere proprieque catholicum.” (We hold that which has been believed everywhere, always, and of all people; for that is truly and properly Catholic.) For this reason we persevere in professing the faith of the primitive Church, as formulated in the ecumenical symbols and specified precisely by the unanimously accepted decisions of the Ecumenical Councils held in the undivided Church of the first thousand years.
Therefore, we reject the innovations of the First Vatican Council that on July 18, 1870 promulgated the dogma of papal infallibility and the universal Episcopate of the Bishop of Rome, which contradict the Faith of the ancient Church and which destroy its ancient canonical constitution by attributing to the Pope the plenitude of ecclesiastical powers over all dioceses and over all the faithful. By denial of his primatial jurisdiction we do not wish to deny the historic primacy which several Ecumenical Councils and the Fathers of the ancient Church have attributed to the Bishop of Rome by recognizing him as the Primus inter pares (first among equals).
We also reject the dogma of the Immaculate Conception promulgated by Pius IX in 1854 in defiance of the Holy Scriptures and in contradiction to the Tradition of the first centuries.
We further reject the dogmatization of the Catholic teaching of the bodily Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary by Pius XII in 1950 as being in defiance of the Holy Scriptures.
We reject the contemporary innovations promulgated by the Anglican Communion and the Old Catholic Churches of the Union of Utrecht. We also regard these innovations as being in defiance of the Holy Scriptures and in contradiction to the Tradition of the first centuries, namely: the ordination of women to the Holy Priesthood, the consecration of women to the Episcopate and the blessing of same-sex unions.
Considering that the Holy Eucharist (Holy Mass) has always been the central point of Catholic worship, we consider it our duty to declare that we maintain with perfect fidelity the ancient Catholic doctrine concerning the Sacrament of the Altar, by believing that we receive the Body and the Blood of our Savior Jesus Christ under the species of bread and wine. The Eucharistic celebration in the Church is neither a continual repetition nor a renewal of the expiatory sacrifice which Jesus offered once for all upon the Cross, but it is a sacrifice because it is the perpetual commemoration of the sacrifice offered upon the Cross; and it is the act by which we represent upon earth and appropriate to ourselves the one offering which Jesus Christ makes in Heaven, according to the Epistle to the Hebrews 9:11,12, for the salvation of redeemed humanity, by appearing for us in the presence of God (Hebrews 9:24). The character of the Holy Eucharist being thus understood, it is at the same time, a sacrificial feast by means of which the faithful in receiving the Body and Blood of our Savior enter into communion with one another (1 Corinthians 10:17).
We hope that Catholic theologians, by maintaining the faith of the undivided Church, will succeed in establishing an agreement in regard to all such questions that have caused controversy ever since the Church became divided.
We exhort the priests under our jurisdiction: to teach the essential Christian truths by the proclamation of the Word of God and by the instruction of the faithful; to seek and practice charity when discussing controversial doctrines; and in word and deed to set, in accordance with the teachings of our Savior Jesus Christ, an example for the faithful of the Church.
By faithfully maintaining and professing the doctrine of Jesus Christ, by refusing to accept those errors that have crept into the Church by human fault, and by repudiating the abuses in ecclesiastical matters and the tendency of some Church leaders to seek temporal wealth and power, we believe that we will effectively combat the great evils of our day, which are unbelief and indifference in matters of faith.
Most Rev. Robert M. Nemkovich
Rt. Rev. Thomas J. Gnat
Rt. Rev. Thaddeus S. Peplowski
Rt. Rev. Jan Dawidziuk
Rt. Rev. Sylvester Bigaj
Rt. Rev. Anthony Mikovsky
Rt. Rev. Anthony D. Kopka
Rt. Rev. John E. Mack
June 18 – St. Constantine the Great, A prayer that all may be Christians, but that none be compelled
My own desire is, for the common good of the world and the advantage of all mankind, that thy people should enjoy a life of peace and undisturbed concord. Let those, therefore, who still delight in error, be made welcome to the same degree of peace and tranquillity which they have who believe. For it may be that this restoration of equal privileges to all will prevail to lead them into the straight path. Let no one molest another, but let every one do as his soul desires. Only let men of sound judgment be assured of this, that those only can live a life of holiness and purity, whom thou callest to a reliance on thy holy laws. With regard to those who will hold themselves aloof from us, let them have, if they please, their temples of lies: we have the glorious edifice of thy truth, which thou hast given us as our native home. We pray, however, that they too may receive the same blessing, and thus experience that heartfelt joy which unity of sentiment inspires.
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O God and Lord of the Powers, and Maker of all creation, Who, because of Thy clemency and incomparable mercy, didst send Thine Only-Begotten Son and our Lord Jesus Christ for the salvation of mankind, and with His venerable Cross didst tear asunder the record of our sins, and thereby didst conquer the rulers and powers of darkness;
Receive from us sinful people, O merciful Master, these prayers of gratitude and supplication, and deliver us from every destructive and gloomy transgression, and from all visible and invisible enemies who seek to injure us.
Nail down our flesh with fear of Thee, and let not our hearts be inclined to words or thoughts of evil, but pierce our souls with Thy love, that ever contemplating Thee, being enlightened by Thee, and discerning Thee, the unapproachable and everlasting Light, we may unceasingly render confession and gratitude to Thee: The eternal Father, with Thine Only-Begotten Son, and with Thine All-Holy, Gracious, and Life-Giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
O Master and Lord, Jesus Christ our God, who art longsuffering towards our faults and hast brought us even unto this present hour, in which, hanging upon the life-giving Cross, Thou hast opened unto the good thief the way into Paradise, and destroyed death by death:
Be merciful to us, Thy humble and sinful and unworthy servants. For we have sinned and transgressed, and we are not worthy to lift up our eyes and look at the height of heaven, since we have forsaken the path of Thy righteousness and have walked according to the desires of our own hearts. But we pray Thee of Thy boundless goodness, spare us, O Lord, according to the abundance of Thy mercy, and save us for Thy Holy Name’s sake, for our days have been consumed in vanity. Pluck us from the hand of the adversary, forgive us our sins, and kill our fleshly lusts, that putting off the old man, we may put on the new, and may live for Thee our Master and Protector; and that so, following Thine ordinances, we may attain to eternal rest, in the place where all the joyful dwell.
For Thou, O Christ our God, art indeed the true joy and gladness of those who love Thee, and unto Thee we ascribe glory, together with Thy Father who is without beginning, and Thy most holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto the ages ages. Amen.
Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person,
though perhaps for a good person
one might even find courage to die.
But God proves his love for us
in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
…and isn’t that what Father’s Day is all about? Father’s Day is a day that honors sacrificial love.
Let’s take a few minutes to recall what fathering is about. Certainly it starts with children, but frankly anyone and anything can turn out babies. Even plants pollinate. So it isn’t necessarily about turning out babies. Fathering also includes things like setting an example, teaching, giving up poker night so you can stand in the middle of a driving rain at a soccer game, or giving up that fishing trip so you can sit through your daughters umpteenth dance recital. There’s a lot there. There is a lot of duty and most importantly, sacrifice.
Fatherly sacrifice does not mean that we give up our masculinity, our strength, or our guiding hand. Our wives and children need that. Those things are a gift from God – and are meant to strengthen and uphold the family. They are the means by which we render loving service as fathers. Service and sacrifice always founded in love and respect for those we were given.
On this day on which we honor fathers, on which we honor their sacrificial love, the Holy Church reminds us that the call to sacrifice is a call to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.
St. Paul reminds us that God sent His only Son to be sacrificed, sacrificed so that we might say no to sin and yes to eternal life. God sacrificed so that we might be reconciled. As St. Paul says:
we also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have now received reconciliation.
That’s the baptismal choice, the saying of yes to God and no to sin. What’s more, it is the opportunity to grow up and to model our behaviors, our lives, on the example of Jesus. Sacrificial love.
Let’s face it, it is hard, still very hard, to sacrifice, to give up one’s worldly reputation, to set aside one’s needs, to die to ourselves so that we might live for others. To die to ourselves so that we might live by the Way, Truth, and Life which is Jesus Christ.
Brothers and sisters,
We sit here each Sunday and listen. Today Jesus asks for two things.
First that we pray. Each day we are faced with the world’s reality – a lack of sacrificial love. We live in a me culture, gods that are me, Jesus who is really just like me. We find it easy to fashion our own personal Jesus – who is the image of ourselves, the image of our wants and needs. Our god is us – the one we find it easiest to worship. The ATM through which we easily slide our credit cards. In light of our selfishness, in light of the needs of the world, the sheep without a shepherd, the troubled and abandoned, our own sinfulness, we must pray. Master, send us laborers who will guide us in Your path. Send us good and holy fathers, priests, and deacons. Master, take our selfishness away and use us as You see fit. If we pray first our need for right guidance and counsel will be granted.
Second, we must act.
“Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons.
Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.—
We must act because we are God’s holy nation. We are His Holy Church. God told Moses to impart these words to the people:
“You shall be to me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation.——¨
…and so we are.
My friends,
We must live up to God’s choosing us. That starts with prayer and ends with action. We are not here by accident or by mistake. We are called and we must get up and go. We must look at each and every person, every man and woman in this world, regardless of color, religion, or nation and we must be prepared to pray for them and sacrifice for them. Sacrifice out of God’s love, out of God’s Law. This is the sacrifice of parents, fathers, priests, deacons, mothers, servicemen and women, missionaries, and all workers in God’s field. The sacrifice of the people who model themselves after Jesus’ reality.
while we were still sinners Christ died for us
So too for us who must take after Christ. Life as a Christian is all about prayer and sacrificial love. It is dying to sin. We were buried in baptism. We went down into the water. Now we are reborn – regenerated into new men, new women. We are the new and everlasting Israel. We died to live a new life – eternal life. That is the promise we have received. That is what we are to pray for and sacrifice ourselves for – for God’s way – the only way. The way to heaven. Amen.
(47) To keep death before one’s eyes daily.
(48) To keep a constant watch over the actions of our life.
(49) To hold as certain that God sees us everywhere.
(50) To dash at once against Christ the evil thoughts which rise in one’s heart.
(51) And to disclose them to our spiritual father.
(52) To guard one’s tongue against bad and wicked speech.
(53) Not to love much speaking.
(54) Not to speak useless words and such as provoke laughter.
(55) Not to love much or boisterous laughter.
(56) To listen willingly to holy reading.
(57) To apply one’s self often to prayer.
(58) To confess one’s past sins to God daily in prayer with sighs and tears, and to amend them for the future.
(59) Not to fulfil the desires of the flesh.
(60) To hate one’s own will.
(61) To obey the commands of the Abbot in all things, even though he himself (which Heaven forbid) act otherwise, mindful of that precept of the Lord: “What they say, do ye; what they do, do ye not”.
(62) Not to desire to be called holy before one is; but to be holy first, that one may be truly so called.
(63) To fulfil daily the commandments of God by works.
(64) To love chastity.
(65) To hate no one.
(66) Not to be jealous; not to entertain envy.
(67) Not to love strife.
(68) Not to love pride.
(69) To honor the aged.
(70) To love the younger.
(71) To pray for one’s enemies in the love of Christ.
(72) To make peace with an adversary before the setting of the sun.
(73) And never to despair of God’s mercy.Behold, these are the instruments of the spiritual art, which, if they have been applied without ceasing day and night and approved on judgment day, will merit for us from the Lord that reward which He hath promised: “The eye hath not seen, nor the ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love Him”. But the workshop in which we perform all these works with diligence is the enclosure of the monastery, and stability in the community.