Corrections…
to the [Roman] Catholic Answers Forum on the subject of the PNCC.
I do not post in forums, learned my lessons in that regard long long ago. To break this down and to correct a few of the misleading statements posted there:
- The Roman Church considers the PNCC to be schismatic, not heretical (for those who care about such things. 99.9% of PNCC members don’t — they don’t even think about it).
- The PNCC has not changed its name — it is still the Polish National Catholic Church (no you don’t have to be Polish to join™).
- The PNCC does indeed allow its priests to marry. We do not see marriage as an impediment to the priesthood or priesthood as an impediment to marriage.
- As with any Church we hold talks with the Roman Church. That doesn’t mean reconciliation is immanent. Just like Orthodoxy, that won’t happen unless Rome changes its view of the papacy.
Yes but more than one parish is (re)named ‘St ___’s National Catholic Church’ which of course means ‘you don’t have to be Polish’.
The PNCC adopted the Old Catholic view of the Pope shortly after the split which was not about theology.
Correct, Just a note of the Parish names: While they may use “National Catholic Church” in their signage etc., all incorporating and legal documents must note that they are ‘St. _____’s Polish National Catholic Church.
I personally prefer the use of Polish National Catholic Church or at a minimum “National Catholic Church, PNCC” so as to eliminate confusion with various vagantes. Additionally, it is the standard by which we are historically known.
I agree with you that “I do not post in forums, learned my lessons in
that regard long long ago” – especially with Catholic Answers Forum
which claims to be Catholic but has apologists who do not accurately
describe Catholic teaching or officially speak for their Church. Plus,
when you correct them by citing official RCC writings, they get rude
and nasty and claim to know better than their own bishops. I removed
myself from that Forum for those reasons.
However, I sometimes wish that educated and articulate members of the
PNCC such as you would at least respond to incorrect statements about
their Church on Roman Catholic forums. Roman Catholics and other
Christians need to have honest, accurate information about the PNCC
from its members not just RCC scholars who study the PNCC. No need to
engage in polemics. Simply state the facts and perhaps refer readers
to PNCC documents or publications.