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Year: 2008

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Christian Witness, Perspective, Poland - Polish - Polonia

A Polish monk and his couple’s “guide”

From the Courier Mail: Catholic monk’s sex guide

A CELIBATE Polish monk has established a website [Akt małżeński]The site is being heavily trafficked because of this article. I wouldn’t try visiting for a few days. And for those with prurient interests – it’s all in Polish so good luck… offering a guide to good sex for married couples, dubbed the ‘Catholic Kama Sutra’.

Father Ksawery Knotz’s site gives graphic lovemaking hints and describes sex as a deeply spiritual act in which the couple can experience God.

“In Catholic teaching, the conjugal act is presented as a meeting that occurs not only between a husband and a wife who love each other, but also between the married couple and God,” he said.

The Franciscan monk, who runs the site with the help of a panel of married couples, is also the author of a book titled The Marriage Act: A Chance to Meet God in Your Marriage Partner.

He said on his website sex should be seen by couples as a gift from God…

This sort of fits with one of the current trends in some churches that offer sex courses and advice in order to attract people to the church. It is an interesting marketing phenomenon (see an MSNBC article about Joe Beam for instance). One of our local evangelical churches, a member of the Lifechurch network offers courses like this.

The problem with many of these is that they are perspective based. I would think that Father Knotz’s advice follows Roman Catholic teaching on the subject, which is highly regulated, so much so that people miss the core message, and focus rather on guilt for missing the regulatory mark. Minister Joe Beam’s activities appear to reach down to the level of pandering as part of marketing. How does a Christian make sense of it all?

I personally think that any message in regard to sexuality and the Christian life has to flow from the basic tenants of the Christian life. This discussion cannot be boiled down to rules with do’s and don’ts because rules are formulaic and process oriented – they are not relational. Christianity is relational and is all about community, including the family as community.

Frankly, I like that way Christianity Today covers the issue in Christian Sex Rules by Melissa and Louis McBurney, M.D. This makes sense because their message meets the standard of Christian practice. Faithfulness to essential truths, freedom in non-essentials. Sexual practice is not the core issue or problem in people’s lives (excepting the few who have physical or mental issues which inhibit them), it is rather focusing on how every aspect of married life goes to fulfilling the humanness of the couple, their mutual giving, their ability to sacrifice beyond themselves, and their ability to meet God in every aspect of their life.

Homilies,

Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time

how much more did the grace of God
and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ
overflow for the many.—¨

Frankly, I struggled with this homily. So much in today’s first reading is negative. Everyone is hating Jeremiah. He doesn’t have a good word for anyone in Israel. All those around him want to either turn him of kill him. It’s an ode to ends justify the means. Please, let’s do anything we can do to stop him, to quiet him, to shut him down. Jeremiah doesn’t have a friend left in the world; all he has is God.

All those who were my friends
are on the watch for any misstep of mine.—¨
‘Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail,—¨
and take our vengeance on him.’—¨

The psalmist too, he is outcast, apart from his people, insulted and rejected, even by his children, because he is faithful to God.

For your sake I bear insult,
and shame covers my face.
I have become an outcast to my brothers,—¨
a stranger to my children

With words like those I could launch into a preachy homily all about how faithfulness to God, in the face of every bad thing, is more important than home, family, friends, and reputation. I could tell you that God demands that we sacrifice everything and come to Him empty so He can fill us with every good thing.

I could do that, but I want to tell you about an amazing thing. In the face of all the bad Jeremiah and the psalmist faced they erupted into praise. Jeremiah says:—¨

Sing to the LORD,
praise the LORD,—¨
for he has rescued the life of the poor

The psalmist exclaims:

—See, you lowly ones, and be glad;
you who seek God, may your hearts revive!—¨
…—¨
Let the heavens and the earth praise him,—¨
the seas and whatever moves in them!”—¨

Brothers and sisters,

Jeremiah and the psalmist knew that God is the God of constant hope. He is the God of fulfillment. He is God who keeps His promises and cares for us.

I began by quoting from St. Paul:

how much more did the grace of God
and the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ
overflow for the many.—¨

Praise be God because we have the grace of God. Our Holy Church and this parish are encompassed with God’s total love and commitment. His Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, dwells with us. His Spirit enlightens, motivates, and strengthens us. He has drawn us together, a people of many opinions, many life stories, and many backgrounds in a testament to His wisdom. We are here for a reason. We are here because we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ, and because we wish to take the fruit of that faith and turn it into the good works, into caring and loving relationships with each other, all of which will bring people to Christ.

Jesus gave us complete assurance when He said:

—Fear no one.
Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed,—¨
nor secret that will not be known.—¨
What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light;—¨
what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.—

I also began by saying that I struggled with this homily. It was a struggle because it is often difficult to see the hope God offers. It is difficult until God’s grace opens our eyes to Jesus’ assurance.

It is assurance and a call to hope. What we have — faith — cannot be destroyed. Certainly, like Jeremiah and the psalmist, we will face difficulty. We will feel abandonment, loneliness, the anger of others, disparagement. Then something miraculous will occur. We will erupt into praise because we know Jesus’ promise to us. We know that He will acknowledge [us] before [His] heavenly Father.

St. Paul told the Romans that the gracious gift of the one man Jesus Christ overflows for the many. He told them that because it is true – and it is true today. We have God’s grace, the very same grace Paul spoke about, and we will never be emptied or apart from God because of it. We will never see things in the same way, or speak in the same way again – because of faith, because of grace, because of the constant hope of God Who folds us into His arms, His care, and His protection. Let us praise Him. Alleluia! Amen.

Fathers, PNCC

June 22 – St. Macarius the Great of Egypt from the Spiritual Homilies

For in this do true Christians differ from the whole race of mankind besides: they have their heart and mind constantly taken up with the thoughts of heaven; and, through the presence and participation of the Holy Spirit, do behold, as in a glass, the good things which are eternal, being born of God from above, and thought worthy to become the children of God in truth and power; and being arrived, through many conflicts and labours, to a settled and fixed state, to an exemption from trouble, to perfect rest, are never sifted more by unsettled and vain thoughts. Herein are they greater and better than the world. Their mind and the desire of their soul are in the peace of Christ, and the love of the Spirit; and they have passed from death to life. Wherefore the alteration peculiar to Christians does not consist in any outward fashions, but in the renovation of the mind, and the peace of the thoughts, and the love of the Lord, even the heavenly love. Herein Christians differ from all men besides. The Lord has given them truly to believe on him, and to be worthy of those spiritual good things. For the glory, and the beauty, and the heavenly riches of Christians are inexpressible, and purchased only with labour, and pains, and trials, and many conflicts. But the whole is owing to the grace of God. — Homily 4, para 4: There is a wide difference between Christians and the men of this world.

Fathers, PNCC

June 21 – St. Macarius the Great of Egypt from the Spiritual Homilies

The world of Christians, and their way of life, and their mind, and discourse, and practice, is one thing; and that of the men of this world, another. And the difference between them is very wide. For the children of this world are tossed to and fro by unsettled seasonings, by earthly desires, and a variety of gross imaginations, whereby Satan is continually sifting the whole sinful race of men.

For the word that was spoken to Cain by his Maker, “You shall go mourning and trembling, and be tossed about upon the earth”, is a type and image of all sinners, as to their inward state. For thus is the race of Adam tossed about with the incessant suggestions of fear and dread, and every kind of disturbance, the prince of this world tossing to and fro the soul that is not born of God; and variously disturbing the thoughts of mankind, as corn that is continually shifted about in a sieve; and shaking and ensnaring them all in worldly deceits, and the lusts of the flesh, with fears and troubles.

As from one Adam the whole race of mankind was spread over the earth, so one taint in the affections was derived down into the sinful stock of men; and the prince of malice is sufficiently able to shift them all in restless, and gross, and vain, and troublesome reflections. For as one and the same wind is enough to stir, and shake all plants and seeds whatever, so the prince of wickedness, as an hidden and blustering wind, tosseth to and fro all the race of men upon earth, and, carrying them about with unsettled thoughts, enticing them with the lusts of the world, fills every soul with ignorance, blindness, and oblivion, if it is not born from above. — Homily 4, para 1-3: There is a wide difference between Christians and the men of this world.

Fathers, PNCC

June 20 – St. Macarius the Great of Egypt from the Spiritual Homilies

As in a dark and cloudy night a boisterous wind blows, and searches and shakes every plant and seed, so man also, when he is fallen under the power of the devil, and is in the midst of the night and darkness, is ruffled, and shocked, and tossed about by the dreadful wind of sin that blows. It moreover searches his whole nature, his soul, his thoughts, and mind. And all the members of his body share in the commotion; and nothing is left free from it; neither is there the least part, either of soul or body, but what suffers from the sin that dwells in us. There is also the day of light, and the divine wind of the Holy Spirit, that breathes upon souls, and refreshes them that are in the light; and pierces through the whole substance of the soul and its thoughts; and withal gently fans and refreshes all the members of the body with divine and inexpressible rest.

The Lord has also put on them the raiment of the kingdom of light, surpassing all description — the garments of faith, of hope, of love, of joy, of peace, of goodness, of kindness — and all the other robes of light and life; the divine, living robes of that rest which is unspeakable: that as God himself is love, and joy, and peace, and kindness, and goodness, so may the new man be through grace.

And as the kingdom of darkness and sin are hid in the souls of sinners, until the day of the resurrection, at which time their very bodies also shall be covered over with the darkness which lies now hid in the soul, thus also does the kingdom of light now enlighten and reign in the souls of the saints; but is hid from the eyes of men ’til the day of the resurrection; at which time the body itself shall be covered and glorified by the light of the Lord, that the body may reign together with the soul; which even now is actually refreshed and enlightened with the light eternal, Glory be to his mercies and tender compassion, for that he has pity on his servants, and enlighteneth and delivers them out of the kingdom of darkness, and vouchsafes his own light to them, and his own kingdom: to whom be glory and power, for ages! Amen. — Homily 2, para. 4-6, That God alone is able to deliver us out of the bondage of the wicked ruler.

Fathers, PNCC

June 19 – St. Macarius the Great of Egypt from the Spiritual Homilies

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.

Christian Witness, Perspective, PNCC

2,001 and representin’

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.

PNCC

An excerpt from a “Short Context and Commentary on the Declaration of Scranton”

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…

Christian Witness, PNCC,

The Declaration of Scranton

A Profession of Faith and Declaration formulated by the Polish National Catholic Bishops Assembled at Lancaster, New York April 28, 2008As published in God’s Field, the Official Organ of the Polish National Catholic Church, Vol. 86, Number 11, June 10, 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

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