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A Synod on the Word

From America: Synod on the Word of God

More than 40 years after the Second Vatican Council, the Bible still does not figure at the center of Catholic life the way the Eucharist does. When they meet in synod at the Vatican in October, bishops from around the world will address one of the great unfinished works of the council—”namely, how Catholics can make the word of God their own. Even though the Catholic Lectionary for Sundays was re-designed in 1969 to use a three-year cycle of readings in order to promote greater familiarity with the whole of Scripture, Catholics do not yet own the Scriptures the way many Protestants, especially evangelicals, do. In assigning —The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church— as the topic for the coming 12th Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, Pope Benedict signaled his recognition not only of how important proclamation, prayer and study of the Scripture are to the church, but also of his awareness that the church has far to go to complete the council’s reforms…

I posted the following comment a few days ago. It hasn’t appeared yet as the magazine’s editors must review and approve every comment – something exceedingly difficult when otherwise busy running a magazine:

An interesting fact: The Polish National Catholic Church (of which I am a member) considers the Word of God to be a sacrament. The [Roman] Church found agreement with our understanding as noted in the joint publication: Journeying Together in Christ: The Report of the Polish National Catholic-Roman Catholic Dialogue (1984-1989).

We believe and state that the proclamation and preaching of the Word confers sacramental grace. The Church has recently published a pamphlet on this issue – available from the PNCC Bookstore for anyone interested.

What our understanding does in the practical sense is that it encourages due seriousness in the preparation and delivery of homilies. It also encourages the faithful to proactively participate in the Church’s understanding of the Word. More so, to understand that the sacrament brings about change – a growing closer to our Lord and Savior – and a life lived in accord with His way.

I wish you the best in your upcoming Synod and prayerfully hope that the Sacrament of the Word take its rightful place in the life of the [Roman] Church.

What I find so amazing is that the work and reforms of the PNCC (actually a re-claiming of Catholicism) are much in the same as the efforts undertaken by the Roman Church in Vatican II 60 years later. In my opinion the PNCC achieved those reforms without the damage that resulted from Vatican II (to me the things that Benedict, Bishop of Rome is trying to correct and re-reform). This may be due to the fact that the PNCC effort took place in a different time, that reforms that might have gone awry were kept in check by the inherent conservatism of the Polish diasporaSomething the Young Fogey has pointed to numerous times, or most likely that the Church’s understanding was simply in line with the faith of the first thousand years. I think this Synod is another step in the Roman Church’s process of finding the reforms of the PNCC as faithful and true to what the Church teaches.

Christian Witness, PNCC,

Polish Day at the Shrine

From the Albany Polish American Community Center maillist: Polish Day, Sunday August 24, 2008 at the National Shrine of the North American Martyrs, Auriesville, N.Y.

Religious Services beginning at 2pm including Stations of the Cross, Recitation of the Rosary, Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, Confessions in Polish and English. Concelebrated Mass in Coliseum at 4pm

Principal celebrant and homilest will be the Most Rev. Francis R. Reiss, D.D., Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit, Michigan

This event is sponsored by: Polish American Congress, Central Division of New York State.

I have attended in the past. It is a beautiful event and Polish National Catholics should not refrain from attending. Simply remember your obligations when receiving the Blessed Sacrament (fasting for two hours prior to receiving, make every attempt to receive from a clergy member, and receive on the tongue — not in the hand).

PNCC

Your prayers please

From the Buffalo News: Weather indignities: Lake-effect rain and lightning strikes

Lightning strikes and lake-effect rain became the latest by-products of our wet and nasty early days of August, but relief could be on the way, at least by the end of the week…

…lightning struck at least twice over the weekend, damaging a Lackawanna church Sunday afternoon, after a Chautauqua County man was struck by lightning while cutting his grass Saturday evening.

The Lackawanna lightning strike sparked a steeple fire at the Polish National Catholic Church, at Pulaski and Franklin streets in Lackawanna. City firefighters responding to the 2:50 p.m. alarm put the fire out quickly. Moderate damage was reported to the church.

On Saturday night, Amos N. Byler, 41, of the Town of Chautauqua, was struck on the back of his head and neck at about 7:45 p.m., while cutting his lawn with a sickle, officials said. He was taken to Westfield Memorial Hospital, then transferred to an Erie, Pa., hospital for further treatment.

I ask your prayers for Holy Trinity Parish, its people, and its pastor, the recently ordained Fr. Gary Spencer, as well as for the health and healing of Mr. Byler.

Fathers, PNCC

August 11 – St. Ignatius from the Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians

Now the virginity of Mary was hidden from the prince of this world, as was also her offspring, and the death of the Lord; three mysteries of renown, which were wrought in silence by God. How, then, was He manifested to the world? A star shone forth in heaven above all the other stars, the light of which was inexpressible, while its novelty struck men with astonishment. And all the rest of the stars, with the sun and moon, formed a chorus to this star, and its light was exceedingly great above them all. And there was agitation felt as to whence this new spectacle came, so unlike to everything else [in the heavens]. Hence every kind of magic was destroyed, and every bond of wickedness disappeared; ignorance was removed, and the old kingdom abolished, God Himself being manifested in human form for the renewal of eternal life. And now that took a beginning which had been prepared by God. Henceforth all things were in a state of tumult, because He meditated the abolition of death. — Chapter 19.

Fathers, PNCC

August 10 – St. Ignatius from the Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians

Let my spirit be counted as nothing for the sake of the cross, which is a stumbling-block to those that do not believe, but to us salvation and life eternal. “Where is the wise man? where the disputer?” Where is the boasting of those who are styled prudent? For our God, Jesus Christ, was, according to the appointment of God, conceived in the womb by Mary, of the seed of David, but by the Holy Ghost. He was born and baptized, that by His passion He might purify the water. — Chapter 18.

Fathers, PNCC

August 9 – St. Ignatius from the Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians

For this end did the Lord allow the ointment to be poured upon His head, that He might breathe immortality into His Church. Be not anointed with the bad odor of the doctrine of the prince of this world; let him not lead you away captive from the life which is set before you. And why are we not all prudent, since we have received the knowledge of God, which is Jesus Christ? Why do we foolishly perish, not recognizing the gift which the Lord has of a truth sent to us? — Chapter 17.

Fathers, PNCC

August 8 – St. Ignatius from the Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians

It is better for a man to be silent and be [a Christian], than to talk and not to be one. It is good to teach, if he who speaks also acts. There is then one Teacher, who spoke and it was done; while even those things which He did in silence are worthy of the Father. He who possesses the word of Jesus, is truly able to hear even His very silence, that he may be perfect, and may both act as he speaks, and be recognized by his silence. There is nothing which is hid from God, but our very secrets are near to Him. Let us therefore do all things as those who have Him dwelling in us, that we may be His temples, and He may be in us as our God, which indeed He is, and will manifest Himself before our faces. Wherefore we justly love Him. — Chapter 15

Fathers, PNCC

August 7 – St. Ignatius from the Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians

Take heed, then, often to come together to give thanks to God, and show forth His praise. For when you assemble frequently in the same place, the powers of Satan are destroyed, and the destruction at which he aims is prevented by the unity of your faith. Nothing is more precious than peace, by which all war, both in heaven and earth, is brought to an end.

None of these things is hid from you, if you perfectly possess that faith and love towards Christ Jesus which are the beginning and the end of life. For the beginning is faith, and the end is love. Now these two, being inseparably connected together, are of God, while all other things which are requisite for a holy life follow after them. No man [truly] making a profession of faith sins; nor does he that possesses love hate any one. The tree is made manifest by its fruit; so those that profess themselves to be Christians shall be recognized by their conduct. For there is not now a demand for mere profession, but that a man be found continuing in the power of faith to the end. — Chapters 13 & 14.

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quasi-Vagantes of the PNCC

For those who might not know the PNCC has its own vagantes. It’s really an interesting phenomenon. Frankly, if the bishops gathered at Nicea had known about vagantes they might have included their existence as one of the marks of the Church. ‘One, holy, catholic, apostolic, and has vagantes.’

One of the reasons I decided to cover this issue was the fact that one of the groups reached out to me with the simple request, “Potrzebujemy kontaktu z Wami!” Not likely… Also I refer to these folks as quasi-Vagantes because none of them has ventured to obtain episcopal orders. As soon as they start adding Archbishop-Metropolitan and Catholicos to their titles then they’ll have achieved — well nothing but fancy titles.

Some of the notables are:

The “Very Rev.” Thomas Rudny who claims to pastor the Holy Cross PNCC of New York. As far as I can tell there is no existing church building but he has been known to hold services at Holyrood Episcopal Church at Fort Washington Avenue and 179th Street in New York City.

The “Polish National Catholic Church in Poland“The PNCC only recognizes the Polish Catholic Church as the Church founded in Poland by our founder and first Prime Bishop Francisek Hodur. The Polish Catholic Church is a sister church to the PNCC. The PNCC does not recognize, nor does it have any relationship with the Polish National Catholic Church in Poland movement. See the PNCC website for an official statement. which is run by several priests, the “Rev.” Tomasz Rybka the Administrator of Good Shepherd parish outside Warsaw, Poland and who is also the Director of the “Samarytanin” retirement home adjacent to it, his father, the “Rev.” Jerzy Rybka, the “Very Rev.” Franciszek Rygusik and the “Rev.” Ludwik Szumowski. Their Bishop is “Archbishop” Augustyn Bačinskí½ of the Slovak Catholic Church which broke away from the Union of Utrecht shortly after the PNCC did.

It looks like the Slovak Church did not have bishops of its own at the time of their break with Utrecht. It also appears that they moved to seek episcopal orders from Archbishop António José da Costa Raposo, a vagante Bishop in the Costa line who runs the Apostolic Episcopal Church in Portugal. Like many vagantes “Archbishop” Bačinskí½ claims a mixture of Old Catholic and Orthodox orders. He has allied his church with various other vagante movements.

It should also be noted that these various movements have joined together in a loose confederation called the World Council of National Catholic Churches (note that their website seems to have disappeared). Included in this group is the Rybka group, Archbishops Costa Raposo and Bačinskí½ and the “Very Rev.” Anthony Nikolic of the “Canadian National Catholic Church.”

The Canadian church itself is interesting in that the Rev. Nikolic runs St. Anthony’s Mission out of St. John’s PNCC Cathedral in Toronto which was seized by some parishioners in an attempt to break away from the PNCC. The cathedral parish is apparently being run by the Rev. Zbigniew Kozar and Utrecht, up until recently, had recognized the breakaway group at St. John’s as its “official” North American mission. Utrecht provided them with some Episcopal oversight (see Dependent churches and municipalities under the jurisdiction of the IBK) as a slight to the PNCC. However the group may be moving toward the WCNCC and Costa Raposo because the February meeting of the Utrecht Bishop’s Conference concluded: Since 2005 the Bishops’ Conference has sought, together with the Episcopal Church, to encourage groups within the USA who call themselves Old Catholic and who could be taken seriously as a movement to work together. However, it must now be accepted that these attempts have failed as mergers have broken up again and new splinter groups have formed. The Bishops’ Conference has therefore decided to pull out completely from this area and will, in future, refer any requests to join the Union of Utrecht from so-called Old Catholic movements in North America to the Episcopal Church.

The “Reverends” Kozar and Nikolic are not part of the PNCC and seem to be little more than a conglomeration of quasi-vagantes. Because the breakaway elements in the Cathedral have allied themselves with either Utrecht or the Episcopal Church the Episcopal Diocese of Toronto works with them. The PNCC has brought suit for the return of St. John’s Cathedral. The official site of the Polish National Catholic Church’s Canadian Diocese is here.

Oh how the world of vagantes turns…

Fathers, PNCC

August 6 – St. Ignatius from the Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians

And pray without ceasing in behalf of other men. For there is in them hope of repentance that they may attain to God. See, then, that they be instructed by your works, if in no other way. Be meek in response to their wrath, humble in opposition to their boasting: to their blasphemies return your prayers; in contrast to their error, be steadfast in the faith; and for their cruelty, manifest your gentleness. While we take care not to imitate their conduct, let us be found their brethren in all true kindness; and let us seek to be followers of the Lord (who ever more unjustly treated, more destitute, more condemned?), that so no plant of the devil may be found in you, but you may remain in all holiness and sobriety in Jesus Christ, both with respect to the flesh and spirit.

The last times are come upon us. Let us therefore be of a reverent spirit, and fear the long-suffering of God, that it tend not to our condemnation. For let us either stand in awe of the wrath to come, or show regard for the grace which is at present displayed—” one of two things. Only [in one way or another] let us be found in Christ Jesus unto the true life. Apart from Him, let nothing attract you, for whom I bear about these bonds, these spiritual jewels, by which may I arise through your prayers, of which I entreat I may always be a partaker, that I may be found in the lot of the Christians of Ephesus, who have always been of the same mind with the apostles through the power of Jesus Christ. — Chapters 10 and 11.

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