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Christian Witness, Perspective, PNCC, ,

The stages of becoming PNCC

I read with interest an article by the Fr. J. Guy Winfrey (PadreTex – thanks to the Young Fogey for the link) under the title Romophobia in the WRV. The article makes several valid points, and closely follows what I have experienced as both a member and clergyman of the PNCC. The line that stood out for me was:

…but of those who are serving in our Western Rite parishes… [h]ow many of them checked their assumptions at the door as they came into Orthodoxy, rather than becoming simply “propositional Orthodox” (they just change conclusive propositions from their former way of life and don’t let go of their primary assumptions)?

People who leave their original tradition, be it Roman Catholic or Anglican/Episcopal carry a lot of baggage with them. The process of becoming PNCC or Western Rite Orthodox (or anything else) somewhat follows the five stages model. As you may recall, Elisabeth Kí¼bler-Ross in her 1969 book, On Death and Dying identified the five stages of grief, a process by which people deal with grief and tragedy, especially when diagnosed with a terminal illness or when facing a catastrophic loss. The common progression of states is: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance. A change in something as deeply experienced as one’s faith tradition can put you through a series of changes that might mimic this progression. While not exactly parallel, the Kí¼bler-Ross model of conversion might follow these stages:

  1. Conversion – the euphoric stage during early conversion where the individual’s new faith community is perceived as a place of acceptance, simple perfection, and love. This is further enhanced when the convert must enter through a formative process of some type. The achievement, post catechesis, amplifies the honeymoon nature of this stage.
  2. Need for the Recognizable – a period where the individual attempts to find parallels between their former faith community and their new community. They might say, ‘It’s just like Brand X, except.” This provides a comfort level; touchstones and recognizable furnishings in the new home. The problem can be exacerbated when the converted person is a member of the clergy, and they attempt to meld their former touchstones into the new community. At its extreme, the attempt to fit old theology into the new home turns out to be a disaster. The old color and style are all wrong and it makes it look like an amateur built a house using seven different architectural styles. The convert can face extreme discomfort when truths formerly recognized as absolute are now being defined as untrue or suspect.
  3. Anger – a period where everything old is wrong. The individual begins to understand that their new home is unlike their old home, in theology, liturgy, polity, and many other ways great and small. The new home isn’t just dissimilar, but diametrically opposed. These differences explode with the brightness of revelation and become magnified beyond reality. The Bishop of Rome, from being misguided in his Church’s assumptions of personal infallibility and universal jurisdiction, now becomes satan’s child. A lot of convert idealism is found in this stage, and I think the anti-Romanism Fr. Winfrey mentions. The answers are all found in the errors of the old way rather than in the rightness of the new.
  4. Integration – the new community becomes home. It is seen for what it is, distinctive with both good and bad. Attempts at external integration of the old fall away. Anger becomes muted. The individual begins to see clearly and is ready to resume the faith journey.
  5. Journeying – the faith journey resumes full force. The individual finds that they are indeed neophytes who need to learn about their faith. They begin the climb toward God guided by the truth of their new community, and the learning process. There is comfort and a natural confidence in the new community’s life.

For other takes on the conversion process see:

Current Events, Perspective, PNCC, ,

What will happen next?

From The Plain Dealer: Parishioners, priest from closed St. Peter Catholic Church defy bishop, celebrate Mass in new home

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Defying the authority of their bishop, parishioners and their priest from the closed St. Peter Catholic Church in downtown Cleveland celebrated Mass Sunday in leased commercial space they transformed into a church independent of the Cleveland Catholic Diocese.

The move by the new Community of St. Peter puts members in danger of excommunication because they had been warned by Bishop Richard Lennon, who shuttered St. Peter’s in April, not to hold worship services in places without his approval.

Still, about 350 people, joined by their spiritual leader, the Rev. Robert Marrone, gathered for their first Mass and communion in their new home — a newly renovated, century-old building on Euclid Avenue and East 71st Street.

“This feels real good,” said parishioner Bob Kloos of Cleveland Heights. “This is the handiwork of hundreds of people over many, many months.”

Group leaders emphasize that they see themselves as traditional Catholics and are challenging the closing of St. Peter’s, not the tenets of their faith.

“Here, enlightened by Christ . . . we can renew our dedication to the traditions of our faith which we hold as precious,” Marrone said in his sermon. “Today is a day for action, not reaction; imagination, not fear.”

He added, “I know it has not been an easy journey for you as it has not been an easy journey for me. But standing here today, I am filled with gratitude, peace and confidence.”

…

The St. Peter rebellion is unique because unlike in Boston, where five congregations, in defiance of the archdiocese, have been illegally occupying closed churches for up to five years, the Cleveland group has created its own worship space complete with a new altar, baptismal fount and sacred icons.

…

The group’s annual budget for rent, staff and a reserve fund is about $200,000. So far, about 325 people out of 700 parishioners at the old church have made the switch to the Community of St. Peter.

The congregation, made up mostly of suburbanites, had been quietly considering the breakaway ever since Lennon announced in March 2009 that he was closing their 151-year-old church building on the corner of Superior Avenue and East 17th Street.

The bishop’s order was part of a downsizing that saw the closings of 50 churches over the last year because of dwindling collections, fewer parishioners and a shortage of priests.

…

They told Lennon that the non-profit corporation was set up as a means to raise money to continue their social service and education programs after their church closed. The leased commercial space, they said, was for social gatherings to keep the congregation together. They did not tell the bishop they were setting up a church because at the time the community was still exploring the idea and had not made a decision.

Still, the bishop sent letters at the end of March of this year to each member of St. Peter’s, suggesting their salvation was in jeopardy if they conducted worship services outside of a sanctioned church.

…

Despite the bishop’s admonishment, many in the congregation pushed on after their church closed in April, meeting every Sunday at Cleveland State University to pray and collect money for their new space.

But much of the flock was vexed with two gnawing questions:

Will Marrone come with us?

Are we willing to be excommunicated from the Catholic church for breaking off from the diocese in disobedience to the bishop?

Some left the group. Some stood by undecided. Some moved ahead.

But for months, Marrone, who has been on an extended leave of absence from the diocese since St. Peter’s closed, stayed silent, talking only to those closest to him.

At age 63, he had spent his whole life immersed in the Catholic culture. He entered a seminary at age 13, was ordained at age 26 and lived his whole adult life under a vow of obedience to Catholic hierarchy.

Now Marrone had to decide whether to be faithful to the congregation he had inspired and nurtured for more than 20 years, or to the bishop who closed his church.

…

Marrone, in the earlier interview, described the Catholic church as being “in deep conflict with itself” and St. Peter’s split as “a tragic comedy.”

“None of us wanted to be in this position,” he said. “We did not seek this out. There just comes a point when you stand up and say, ‘We can’t do this.'”

“This is a sociological story,” he added, “not just a religious one.”

“It’s an ongoing story. It’s an evolving story. In my last sermon at St. Peter’s I said, ‘The exodus begins. Come, let us go.'”

As a member of the PNCC I absolutely understand the struggle these folks are facing, and on a personal level I know the hurt they feel. Doors will now start slamming and papers will be flying (interdict and excommunications). Smaller hurts will grow into bigger hurts and people will say: “This is Church?” That said, I do hope that these folks are able to hold onto their Catholic faith. I also pray that they find their way through this difficult time to a renewal of their faith.

Now for my prognostications. Based on the evolution at St. Stanislaus in St. Louis, those attending are likely to fall out in three groups — and my prediction is that they will evolve as follows:

Roman Catholics who are angry, upset, and feel stymied by an intractable bishop. These folks love the Am-Church Catholic culture with communion in the hand, the required eucharistic minister (just look at the pictures), and the remainder of the kumbaya experience of the American Church model. That is home for them. This group will eventually fade back into their local suburban parishes once they get tired, or will just stop going because of the hurt. Many will end up as nominal, paper only, Roman Catholics so someday they get the Church wedding for their kids, baptism for their grandkids, or their own funeral. Probably about 65% of the current contingent. They will disappear from the scene.

Liberal Catholics (quasi-Protestants for the time being), those who want to make-over the Church in their image, to suit their agendas. In about a year, they will be joined by other dissenters and will push for womenpriests, gay marriages, and whatever else fits their image of Church. Probably about 25-30% of the current contingent. They will grow.

People with ethnic connections to their faith, and others who have a traditional Catholic understanding, but reject the idea of bishops who can take their property. They will find a home in the PNCC or in other more conservative Churches because it makes sense for them, an infallible Church with solid teaching and a proper bishop, but where they won’t be manipulated and pushed around. The remainder of the current contingent, 5-10%. They will disappear from the scene.

The same thing is happening at a parish in the Albany, New York diocese, albeit on a smaller, slower scale. The bishop’s play in Albany was to close an extremely liberal parish and merge it with an extremely conservative parish. Funny bishop. I imagine he’s not there mediating any of the parish council meetings.

Christian Witness, Perspective, PNCC, , , ,

Knowing your [Church] market segmentation

From Captura: The Digital Divide Represents an Opportunity for Hispanic Online Marketers

The recently published report by the Pew Hispanic Center, The Latino Digital Divide: The Native Born versus The Foreign Born, highlights some important facts and opportunities for Hispanic online marketers.

From a high level, the report shows that there is a significant digital divide between Hispanics who were born in the US and those that were born outside of this country. The Pew Hispanic center indicates that 85% of US-born Hispanics use the Internet and 80% use cell phones. Compare this to foreign-born Hispanics where Internet usage currently stands at 51% and cell phone usage at 72%.

…

Although foreign-born online Hispanics represent a smaller, less affluent and less sophisticated segment, they are easier to reach and represent the greatest upside. Foreign-born Hispanics are more likely to use Spanish language website and search engines making them easy to reach. What’s more, the foreign-born segment is growing much faster than the US-born segment and foreign-born Hispanics tend to be more open to online advertising and are more brand loyal. To reach foreign-born Hispanics, marketers should consider creating and advertising trustworthy, culturally relevant and intuitive online user experiences in Spanish.

It is important to point out that these two segments are by no means mutually exclusive or absolute. Many US-born Hispanics prefer Spanish and are novice technology users while many foreign-born Hispanics prefer English and are advanced technology users. What’s more, most Hispanic households likely have both US-born and foreign-born Hispanics in them.

Most of us view the digital divide as an unfortunate social problem. I view it as an opportunity. Only by proactively investing in, engaging with and educating the less fortunate can we begin to bridge the digital divide.

Of course the same type of analysis applies when considering parish outreach. It is important that we understand the demographic and the needs of the people we mister to and who may be in search of a spiritual home.

Christian Witness, Perspective, PNCC,

Don’t avoid clergy burnout, embrace it

From the NY Times: Congregations Gone Wild

The American clergy is suffering from burnout, several new studies show. And part of the problem, as researchers have observed, is that pastors work too much. Many of them need vacations, it’s true. But there’s a more fundamental problem that no amount of rest and relaxation can help solve: congregational pressure to forsake one’s highest calling.

The pastoral vocation is to help people grow spiritually, resist their lowest impulses and adopt higher, more compassionate ways. But churchgoers increasingly want pastors to soothe and entertain them. It’s apparent in the theater-style seating and giant projection screens in churches and in mission trips that involve more sightseeing than listening to the local people.

As a result, pastors are constantly forced to choose, as they work through congregants’ daily wish lists in their e-mail and voice mail, between paths of personal integrity and those that portend greater job security. As religion becomes a consumer experience, the clergy become more unhappy and unhealthy.

The trend toward consumer-driven religion has been gaining momentum for half a century. Consider that in 1955 only 15 percent of Americans said they no longer adhered to the faith of their childhood, according to a Gallup poll. By 2008, 44 percent had switched their religious affiliation at least once, or dropped it altogether, the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life found. Americans now sample, dabble and move on when a religious leader fails to satisfy for any reason.

In this transformation, clergy have seen their job descriptions rewritten. They’re no longer expected to offer moral counsel in pastoral care sessions or to deliver sermons that make the comfortable uneasy. Church leaders who continue such ministerial traditions pay dearly. A few years ago, thousands of parishioners quit Woodland Hills Church in St. Paul, Minn., and Community Church of Joy in Glendale, Ariz., when their respective preachers refused to bless the congregations’ preferred political agendas and consumerist lifestyles.

I have faced similar pressures myself. In the early 2000s, the advisory committee of my small congregation in Massachusetts told me to keep my sermons to 10 minutes, tell funny stories and leave people feeling great about themselves. The unspoken message in such instructions is clear: give us the comforting, amusing fare we want or we’ll get our spiritual leadership from someone else.

Congregations that make such demands seem not to realize that most clergy don’t sign up to be soothsayers or entertainers. Pastors believe they’re called to shape lives for the better, and that involves helping people learn to do what’s right in life, even when what’s right is also difficult. When they’re being true to their calling, pastors urge Christians to do the hard work of reconciliation with one another before receiving communion. They lead people to share in the suffering of others, including people they would rather ignore, by experiencing tough circumstances —” say, in a shelter, a prison or a nursing home —” and seeking relief together with those in need. At their courageous best, clergy lead where people aren’t asking to go, because that’s how the range of issues that concern them expands, and how a holy community gets formed.

Ministry is a profession in which the greatest rewards include meaningfulness and integrity. When those fade under pressure from churchgoers who don’t want to be challenged or edified, pastors become candidates for stress and depression.

Clergy need parishioners who understand that the church exists, as it always has, to save souls by elevating people’s values and desires. They need churchgoers to ask for personal challenges, in areas like daily devotions and outreach ministries.

When such an ethic takes root, as it has in generations past, then pastors will cease to feel like the spiritual equivalents of concierges. They’ll again know joy in ministering among people who share their sense of purpose. They might even be on fire again for their calling, rather than on a path to premature burnout.

I do not believe it is solely a problem in Churches with a democratic nature, nor solely among Protestant congregations. The cause is, as is typical, in sins of pride, selfishness, and blindness — both the congregations and ours.

I have seen this sort of thing in many different settings, and have heard many a tale of woe. These experiences, and the stories I’ve heard, have spanned the spectrum of Churches, from Protestant, to Oriental, to Roman Catholic. In fact, my earliest recollection was of division in the Roman Catholic parish in which I was raised. A certain faction was fighting over the removal/reassignment of an assistant priest. Of course it caused some to leave the parish, and perhaps the Church. I’ve seen it among pastors who have given it, who have watered down their message, tickling the ears of the congregation with the messages they want to hear. Of course the PNCC gets its share of the problem too. Being a “democratic Church,” on occasion leads one group of parishioners or another to shop for clergy, especially if they do not like what they hear or experience from the current pastor.

While identifying the issue is a start, we as clergy need to find a way to get past the problem to the root causes. We cannot play whack-the-mole with sinfulness. Rather, we need to gently, yet firmly stay on the message that transforms. At the same time, we must avoid the urge to run away from the problem when it rears its ugly head over and over. Vocation is in part about self-sacrifice, as well as leadership by example. Take the time needed to refocus, spend time in prayer, recollect Christ’s commitment (sure, He got burned out and was saddened by people’s failure to respond — but He kept on message), and lean on the support of family, fellow clergy, your Bishop, and those who “get it.” In time, burn out will lead to renewal.

The Young Fogey covers his take on the issue in More on Clergy Burnout. Valid points.

Christian Witness, Poland - Polish - Polonia, Political

Do not manipulate the cross

The Roman Catholic Primate of Poland, Archbishop Józef Kowalczyk, speaking at the Częstochowa Shrine on August 15th, called on his countryman to stop using the cross as a political symbol. Now if only the politicians, politicos, and the easily manipulated of all countries would heed the message. More information and background on this issue is available from Reuters in: Warsaw archbishop calls for memorial cross removal

From Wiadomosci: Prymas Polski: nie angażujcie się w tę manipulację krzyżem!

Blisko 100 tys. osób uczestniczyło w niedzielę na Jasnej Górze w uroczystościach święta Wniebowzięcia Najświętszej Marii Panny. Prymas Polski, abp Józef Kowalczyk, apelował w homilii o zaprzestanie gorszącej manipulacji symbolem krzyża. Wzywał, by krzyż nie był narzędziem przetargu politycznego…

Roughly translated to: Polish Primate: do not join yourselves to this manipulation of the cross!

Nearly 100 thousand people attended the celebration of the [R.C.] Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Sunday at the Marian Shrine of Jasna Gora in Poland. The Polish Primate, Archbishop Józef Kowalczyk, appealed in his homily to end the scandal of the manipulation of the cross. He urged that the cross was not a political tool up for bid.

Art, Christian Witness,

The Fount of Life is placed in the grave, and the grave doth become the ladder to Heaven

Coptic icon of the Dormition and Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Also remember: at many PNCC Parishes, today is the blessing of flowers, vegetables, and herbs. For instance, at my Parish, Holy Name of Jesus in Schenectady at 9:30am and at St. Mary’s Polish National Catholic Church which will have a blessing of the harvest in honor of the Dormition-Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary today before the 8:30 and 11 a.m. Masses at the church, 200 Stephenson St., Duryea, PA. Check with a PNCC Parish near you.

You are invited and encouraged to bring an item from your garden (vegetables, flowers, and herbs) to be blessed as a way of giving thanks to God for the bounty of the Earth.

Homilies

Solemnity of the Dormition and Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

First Reading: Revelation 11:19 and Revelation 12:1-6,10
Psalm: Ps. 45:10-12,16
Epistle: 1 Corinthians 15:20-27
Gospel: Luke 1:39-56

Christ has been raised from the dead,
the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.—¨

How like, how unlike?

Today we are celebrating the Dormition and Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We celebrate that moment in Mary’s life where her earthly body died, followed three days later by the the Lord’s taking of her, body and soul into heaven. This was Mary’s moment of resurrection.

The question before us, or perhaps better, the confusion, is about Mary. Is Mary like us? Is Mary unlike us, different or set apart from us? Is there any way we can relate to Mary except from giving her due honor as the mother of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ? Does the mere fact that we honor her thus prove that she is unlike us.

Difficult to define:

All of this is very difficult to define, hard to understand. Looking at our first reading from Revelation, it is easy to draw parallels with Mary, the heavens opened and the ark of His covenant could be seen in the temple. A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet.

The problem is that this is much too simple an explanation. It is also fraught with the danger of misunderstanding.

What is key is that we see God as having opened heaven to us. The heavens opened and the ark of His covenant could be seen. The seeing of the ark, as our class of first communicants can tell you, is our ability to be in the presence of the Lord. We come here to greet Him each week. We receive him each week. We are not separate from Him, but in a relationship with Him that is personal and intimate.

Artists have made the woman represented in Revelation into Mary, its an easy parallel. Look at her depictions, with a crown of stars, etc. But the woman depicted in Revelation, with the crown of twelve stars, is all of us. We are the totality of what she represents, the chosen people, the tribes of Israel which gave birth to the Messiah, and all of us who now follow Him.—¨

See how difficult it is to get a clear picture of Mary. How easy it is to make her so unlike us, different and apart from us. We cannot see ourselves in Jesus’ presence, but its easy to put Mary there. It is impossible to see ourselves as the bearers of the Messiah, but it is easy to see Mary as bearing the Messiah. Shouldn’t we give up and just concede that Mary is too different from us?

Church errors (make her so unlike us):

Certainly, the Roman Catholic Church has done more that its share to contribute to differentiating Mary from us. There are Roman Catholic believers who wish to make Mary equal to Christ, calling her co-redemptrix and mediatrix of all graces. This means that Jesus was not enough, that without Mary, God would have accomplished nothing. It also means that Mary herself can grant all graces. There is a petition with Rome to solemnly declare this as an absolute truth. This is supported by 550 bishops and 42 cardinals. The Popes have even used such terminology. They have even raised certain traditions and honors given to Mary to the level of dogma.

Do you know what a dogma is? It is an established belief to be held by all believers that is authoritative, not to be disputed, doubted, or diverged from. Dogma is a fundamental element of religion, and any divergence from a dogma means that a person no longer accepts the given religion as his or her own. Our dogmas include everything in the creeds, the fact that we must believe that Jesus is the Son of God, the second person of the Holy Trinity, and that He is both man and God.

Now do not get it wrong. We honor, cherish, and esteem Mary, her role as the God bearer, we seek her intercession before her Son in heaven, and we place our trust in her prayers for us. We honor every tradition in her regard, but we do not separate her from us by defining dogmas or by entering into heresy by calling her co-redemptrix and mediatrix of all graces. Rather we rightly understand Mary.

Do you think that we in the Holy Polish National Catholic Church, as well as our brothers and sisters of the Orthodox and Oriental Churches better understand Mary and the fact that she is more like us than unlike us? You would be right.

People’s errors (make her so unlike us):

People too have created error and misunderstanding about Mary. Do the names Fatima, Lourdes, LaSalette, Medugorje, Garabandal, and others sound familiar. They are alleged apparitions of Mary, where she shows up in some out-of-the-way place to give secret messages.

Our Roman Catholic brothers have deemed some of these and others genuine. While their laws do not require that people believe in them, they do state that the reports of individual believers apparitions are worthy of Church-wide belief. They have an entire apparatus set up for judging apparitions.

Do you see how Mary can be made so separate from us, as she floats above a tree or causes the sun to spin around?

Again, we must always honor, cherish, and esteem Mary in her role as the God bearer. We seek her intercession before her Son in heaven. We honor every tradition in her regard, but we do not separate her from us by defining her as a floating spirit come to give us new or secret messages of impending doom. We rightly understand that Mary, whom we love and trust, is more like us than unlike us.

What are we celebrating (Mary, herbs, flowers)?

Today we bring herbs, vegetables and flowers to the Church. We ask Mary to intercede with her Son to bless these gifts of the earth. Interesting, that Mary would understand our need for sustenance and flavor in life. Can you see her cooking with these vegetables and herbs? Can you see her bringing cut flowers into her home in Nazareth? Interesting that Mary, who stands before her Son, interceding for us, would somehow know our hearts and minds. It sounds like she is a lot like us.

Today we honor Mary’s passing from life, her entombment. Do you think that as she was passing from this life to the next she passed with faith in the resurrection of her Son? She did indeed! She would have no awareness of what the Lord would do for her in three days, but she did trust that He would fulfill His promise, that because she believed in Him she would be raised from the dead. She died like us and was raised as we will be raised. It sounds like she is a lot like us.

Today we celebrate the fact that Mary is very much like us. She is like us in life, in the choices we have to make, and in death. She is like us, for we too shall be raised from the dead.

How like us:

How like us is Mary. How much Mary trusted. How she saw that the salvation of the world, the blessings and graces the world was to receive, the fulfillment of all of God’s promises, were to be found in her Son.

Yes, Mary is like us. Like us, Mary plays an essential and vital role in the history of salvation. Her witness was exactly like ours is to be. If Mary did it, we too can do it. We have that same call to bear witness, to play a vital role in the history of salvation.

God asked Mary, she said yes. When we are asked, what will we say? She traveled to see Elizabeth, and then got on that donkey and went to Bethlehem, then on to Egypt trusting in God’s word to her. Will we trust in God’s word to us? She pointed to her Son at Cana and said listen to Him, do as He says. Do we do that? Do we point others to Jesus, telling them to listen to Him and to do as He says? Mary stood witness on the road to Calvary and before the life giving Cross. Are we ready to bear the difficult Calvary road, and to witness to the life that the Holy Cross gives?

She is like us:

The totality of Mary is in her humanity, her likeness to us. She is humanity cooperating with God to bring about the Kingdom of God. Mary’s role and yes is essential, and that makes her like us. It also glorifies and magnifies her.

Jesus is here, and we are in the presence of the Ark of the Covenant, nothing will separate us from Him. Mary witnessed the reality of Jesus present to us. She not only saw, but saw with faith His birth, death, resurrection, the coming of the Holy Spirit, and the resurrection of the body.

All of what Jesus taught, did, and promised can be seen through Mary’s faith and witness. Because she is like us, she is our example. Our faith and witness must be like hers. We are like Mary, Mary is like us. She has been treated no differently than we will be treated. God did not take one woman and did not make His new covenant with her alone. His covenant is with all of us.

Look to Mary! Pray, asking her to interceded for you. Ask her to help you in saying yes to God, in trusting Him, in following Him, in pointing to Him, in witnessing to Him. She will do it because as the perfect mother she does it for all of her children. Honor, cherish, and love Mary. Love her for her yes, her life, her death, and her resurrection. Love her and resolve to follow in her footsteps so that what she has experienced, what she has been given we may also experience and receive. Amen.

Christian Witness, Mac, Media, PNCC, , , , , ,

Internety, bloggy, softwarey stuff

Several readers have written to me and have noted that they enjoy the new blog design. Thank you. The theme is from Theme Sheep. Of course like the sheep reference – we are the sheep of His pasture (Psalm 100:1-3 or Psalm 95:6-9).

Fr. Jason opines on the state of the PNCC on the Internet. St. Stanislaus Cathedral has done a wonderful job on their redesign. It is really beautiful, and offers all the great interactivity necessary for parishioners and seekers. I believe it is based on Joomla, which like WordPress is all about providing content.

As I tell the pastors and parishes I work with, people want to know you. They want to know you as pastor, teacher, community, fellow workers, and companions. The only way to do that is to show who you are, how you know Jesus, and how you teach Him. How do you celebrate Him, and each other as part of Him? It doesn’t take a ton of work, only being who you are and telling your story. Think of the video I posted from Sta. Sunniva Parish in Norway… Who are they? Would you want to be part of that community?

Some cool stuff for your iPad, iPod, iPhone from Twitter friends, DivineOffice and Just 1 Word:

Just 1 Word has a new mobile app for various platforms so that you can read the Bible anytime, anywhere on your mobile device. Various versions of the Bible are available and the apps are suitable for the iPad, iPhone, Android, and Blackberry.

Divine Office’s app provides an audio version of the Liturgy of the Hours, including scripture readings, psalms and prayers for the Hours of each day. The app automatically downloads the day’s audio Liturgy as well as the Liturgy for the days following to your iPhone or iPod Touch over-the-air.

I believe music and chants are also included. I will update as I find out more. Of course, this is the Roman Catholic usage of the Hours. Note to my fellow PNCC members, when I pray the Hours, I make substitutions for any prayers mentioning the Bishop of Rome.

Events, Poland - Polish - Polonia,

Take me out to the ballgame, Polish Night, and poprawiny

Polish-American Baseball Night – ‘A Big Hit’ In Detroit by Raymond Rolak and courtesy of Polish Times/Czas Polski

DETROIT—“ Before the game, the players watched with amaze: both the A’s and the Tiger’s. They watched along with everyone else, the color and the authentic costumes. They watched the Polish folk dancing and listened. The show was spectacular and this all helped to make Polish-American Night at Comerica Park a giant hit.

Coordinated by the Polish American Congress-Michigan Division, the evening was a vision of color and the weather was perfect. For those in attendance, the Polish style music was a hit also. At game time, Comerica Park was standing room only.

The home team lost to the Oakland A’s, 5-4, but the post game fireworks presented by Pepsi got most in attendance in good spirits before they left the stadium. The accompanied Polka music during the fireworks show was a surprise and an added bonus.

It was the 40th Annual Polish-American Night with the Tigers and before the game General Manager, Dave Dombrowski was smiling, —We will have a full house and it will be a great pre-game show.— The Tigers and the Polish-American Night committee hit a home run with the presentation.—

At the Detroit event even —PAWS—, the Tiger’s mascot was dressed in Polish folk costume and the Press Box and staff commissary was serving Polish stuffed cabbage and kielbasa-n-kraut.

Early arrivals to Comerica were treated to the lively tunes of Big Daddy Lackowski & the La-De-Das, The Natural Tones and The Kielbasa Kings. Big crowds gathered outside of Comerica Park before the game and enjoyed the music. WDIV-TV weatherman, Chuck Gaidica highlighted Big Daddy Lackowski on the Channel-4 evening news.

Also, the first 10,000 people entering the stadium got vintage-style wool ‘Olde English D’ Tigers caps with the 1935 World Series highlighted. These were sponsored by the Detroit Medical Center. It is the 75th anniversary of that title. Furthermore, The Tigers and the Polish-American Night Committee presented tee-shirts to those that bought a pre-planned ticket package. Also, the Polish American Congress Foundation got $5 from every Polish Night pre-game ticket package sold.

There were 13 dance troupes and the Polish Scouts performing on the field. Representatives of sponsoring Polish fraternal groups were introduced before the game.

Before the game, Tiger radio broadcaster Jim Price hosted Wally Ozog, currently of Chicago and President of the Polish Roman Catholic Union of America, on his pre-game show. Price highlighted past Polish-American nights at Tiger Stadium. Throughout the Oakland-Detroit game broadcast, Price brought to light, anecdotes about former Major League Polish-American baseball players. He told humorous stories about Tom Paciorek, Frank Tanana, Ron Perranoski and Dick Tracewski. Price, who played for the Tigers said, —We always looked forward to Polish-American Night as we had Polish food in the clubhouse after the game and we always teased —Trixie— (Tracewski), for getting another plaque from the host committee. People forget he was on three World Series winners as a player and another as a coach. That’s four rings. Those are great memories.—

Price also mentioned that former Tiger Jim Northrup and his wife are sponsoring an orphanage in Poland.

On the field, right before the umpires declared, —Play Ball—, Barb Toboy, introduced Robert Szczublewski, who was dressed in traditional Polish costume. He had stirring renditions of the Polish National Anthem and the —Star Spangled Banner—. It transitioned to the honoring of a decorated U.S. Army veteran, Specialist Joe James, who was on leave from Iraq. They got standing ovations

Ceremonial first pitch throwers, Nicole Blaszcak and Jerry Lubiarz did commendable jobs and survived the tremendous applause. The PRCUA Zakopane Polish Folk Dance Group had the distinction of being the color guard.

The Tiger loss dampened a spectacular three home run night by Miguel Cabrera. It was the first time for the Tiger slugger that he had three in one game. Oakland reliever Andrew Bailey earned his 10th save of the year. The A’s are now 9-2, in the all-important, one-run games.

In the press-box, former Tiger great Willie Horton reminisced how honored he felt when presenting Paciorek into the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame in 1992. —I remember how great the mushroom soup was that evening. I love Polish food. Tom and I were teammates in Seattle. He had good years in Seattle. He always helped keep the clubhouse loose. He is a great baseball broadcaster, always prepared.—

Ray Fosse, former catcher for the Oakland A’s and now their flagship station broadcaster sent glowing reports of the evening to California during his call of the game. Mario Impemba of Fox Sports Detroit also painted the picture of Polish —“American Night with highlights on the Tigers TV-cast. Fox Sports Detroit had great camera work with their High Definition video of the pre-game show. The television camera’s highlighted all the color of the Polish-American Night extravaganza.

Most of the electronic media outlets mentioned the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony June 24, in Troy, Michigan which honored former Phillies Manager Danny Ozark. Ozark led the Phillies to NL-East titles in 76, 77 and 78. He was also a longtime coach for the L. A. Dodgers. Past Philadelphia slugger Greg Luzinski presented for the deceased Ozark (2009). Paciorek, the popular and veteran announcer, was the emcee. He was awarded a sports Emmy for his White Sox and Washington National’s baseball broadcasts.

NPASHF Chairman Jim Conrad said, We also inducted “swimming champion Kristy Kowal of Reading, Pennsylvania and Hamtramck, Michigan native and tennis great Peaches Barkowicz.— NPASHF board members manned an informational table near the right field foul corner.

During an after party (poprawiny) at the Coaches Corner Bar & Grill, in Harmonie Park, former University of Buffalo football player Gerry Ratkewitz over piwa (Polish beer), said, —I remember Al Kaline’s only three home run game, it was in 1955 against Kansas City. Steve Gromek was the winning pitcher.— Detroit native son, Gromek, pitched for the Tigers at the time and was inducted into the NPASHF in 1981.

Polish-American Night, the game and festivities, were dedicated to the memory of Poland’s President Lech Kaczynski and First Lady Maria Kaczynska and the 94 others who lost their lives in the tragic airplane crash of April, !0, 2010 in Smolensk, Russia. They were in route to the 70th anniversary memorial of the World War II, Katyn atrocity.

Polish-American Night in Buffalo was held at Coca-Cola Field on August 3rd, when the Bison’s AAA Team took on Lehigh Valley as part of Polish Fest. Polish American nights were also hosted by the Cleveland Indians, Pittsburgh Pirates, Toledo Mud Hens AAA, Chicago White Sox, and from the first time on August 17th at Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs.

Mr. Rolak reports that Polish Heritage Night at Wrigley benefited the Chicago based Polish American Association.

Prior to the event, Matthew Wszolek, Director of Special Events for the Chicago Cubs stated: —We’re proud to present this as one of our special premium nights at Wrigley Field,— and —With the help of the Pepsi, we hope everyone will enjoy an entertaining night at the ballpark while supporting several community programs in the process. We have some great musical and pregame surprises planned.—

When the Ricketts family bought the Cubs, they had a mission statement of getting more involved with the community. —This is our first heritage night and I expect we will expand the program,— added Wszolek.

Those attending Polish Heritage Night were eligible to receive a special commemorative Cub’s cap embroidered with the Polish flag on its side. The cap was given to each game attendee who contributed $5 to Chicago Cubs Charities when purchasing their ticket.

Chicago Cubs Charities donated 100% of the cap sales to support the Polish-American Association programs.

Larry Flood, Vice President of Chicagoland-Wisconsin Pepsi said. —Pepsi has a great tradition of aligning with the community. We’re happy to partner for such a positive event. This heritage night should welcome many new fans to Wrigley Field and Chicago Cubs baseball.— Pepsi is supplying the embroidered Cub’s hats.

The Polish American Association has been in operation since 1922 helping Chicago’s Polish community. The PAA provides a range of bilingual and cultural programs in the areas of social services, employment, education, and immigration services.

The event also celebrated all the Polish-Americans that excelled in Major League Baseball. Included is Cub’s coach Allan Trammell. He was inducted into the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame in 1998. The NPASHF Museum is in Troy, Michigan. Stan Musial was the first inductee in 1973.

Chicago Black Hawk broadcaster, Ed Olczyk sang —Take Me Out to the Ball Game— during the popular Cub’s tradition at the 7th inning stretch. Olczyk was a NPASHF inductee in 2004.

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