Congratulations Holy Family Parish
On the opening of your Parish home and your Catholic presence in North Java, New York. The former St. Nicholas Parish church, established in 1891, was closed by the R.C. Diocese of Buffalo in 2008. The Roman Catholic Diocese sold the church, along with its land and buildings, including a school and convent, to the people of Holy Family Parish.
In the PNCC, the faithful of the Church hold title to, and fully own their land, buildings, and parish possessions, democratically managing and controlling them.
From the Arcade Herald: North Java church reopens
The Holy Family Parish National Catholic Church in North Java held a service Saturday, June 11, to officially re-open the doors of the church. Empty for two years, the original church was closed as part of the [Roman] Catholic Diocese’s Journey in Faith and Grace downsizing effort, and was recently purchased by the Holy Polish [National] Catholic Church. Parishioners and clergy gathered at the entrance of the building to begin a service in which the church building was blessed and dedicated.
Bishop Thaddeus Peplowski came from Buffalo to conduct the Dedication Mass. A number of parishioners from Peplowski’s church also attended to worship and celebrate, along with about 40 people that had attended the church in North Java on the two previous Sundays. Before the building was purchased, North Java parishioners were meeting at the fire hall for their Mass.
The church will hold Sunday Mass at 10:00 a.m. each week. As it grows and becomes more organized, the parish committee hopes to expand the number of services. The building itself still requires some repair work, and the committee is making plans to move forward with that to make it more suitable for worship.
After the mass on Saturday, the people met outside behind the church building for a picnic reception.
Indeed, congratulations to Holy Family PNCC church and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo for the peaceful sale and transition from RC to PNC parish. Instead of acrimony and attacks, it is good to see proper Christian respect for a congregation’s right of religious belief and worship.
As you can imagine, I have mixed feelings about all this. Like you, I like that a longtime congregation that had its church taken away (as has been happening with parish closings/consolidations due to urban decline/white flight, but in a hierarchical church that’s usually how it works; the bishop is not just a confirming/ordaining machine) is back in business and the idea of a grassroots conservatism/traditionalism (sort of true on the PNCC parish level historically but looking at Hodur’s and other past PNCC bishops’ beliefs, is that really what the PNCC is about? … and I see some PNCC parish sites making a play for liberal RCs: ‘we’re the cool democratic church’, like it’s Episcopalianism for white ethnics). That said, I don’t expect Rome, with its one-true-church claim that all ancient apostolic churches (and even ancient heretical sects) have, to just roll over and hand over/sell a parish plant to what it considers a false church.
Yes, theologically you can have parish ownership and control with the bishop in charge of sacraments and doctrine.
Thank you deacon for your coverage of the great events taking place at Holy Family Parish in North Java. Since the opening and dedication of the parish by Bishop Peplowski, attendance has doubled and increases with each weekend. Aside from the 10:00AM Sunday Mass, a Vigil Mass is now offered on Saturday evenings at 5:00PM. Holy Mass is also offered on Wednesdays at 7:00PM followed by Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. We are in the process of redoing the rectory for our priest. It has not been lived in for quite some time. When he is onsite Holy Mass will be offered daily. The parish will be beginning its official membership drive the weekend of July 16th and 17th. Our parish committee has been very busy organizing work that needs to be done around the parish plant, which is set on a large section of land in this beautiful farming area of western New York State.
Thanks be to God that Catholic worship is again being offered under the auspicies of the Polish National Catholic Church in our historic church; and we warmly welcome all who who would like to visit us and perhaps make Holy Family Parish their home! May Jesus Christ Be Praised! Both Now and Forever!
We soon will be celecbrating our 1st annivesary on May 29th 2012. We look so forward to it. It has been a long struggle,but a very worth while one. We have a wonderful priest Father Matt who brings us the gospel in a wonderful light. He is a bridge builder to the word of God. My husband a life long Catholic said he finally gets it and enjoys listening instead of daydreaming wondering when it will all end. I am a convert and I feel blessed to be part of this transition. We only have mass on Sunday mornings at 10:00am we look forward to also having 5:00pm saturday mass when the weather breaks. All are welcome to join us. Our doors cannot be shut to those who seek the Lord!