For if it be granted, and this alone can be strongly asserted in such matters, that we are far too low to perform the priest’s office before God, and that we can only be worthy of the sanctuary after we have become worthy of the Church, and worthy of the post of president, after being worthy of the sanctuary, yet some one else may perhaps refuse to acquit us on the charge of disobedience. Now terrible are the threatenings against disobedience, and terrible are the penalties which ensue upon it; as indeed are those on the other side, if, instead of being reluctant, and shrinking back, and concealing ourselves as Saul did among his father’s stuff –although called to rule but for a short time– if, I say, we come forward readily, as though to a slight and most easy task, whereas it is not safe even to resign it, nor to amend by second thoughts our first.
On this account I had much toilsome consideration to discover my duty, being set in the midst betwixt two fears, of which the one held me back, the other urged me on. For a long while I was at a loss between them, and after wavering from side to side, and, like a current driven by inconstant winds, inclining first in this direction, then in that, I at last yielded to the stronger, and the fear of disobedience overcame me, and has carried me off. Pray, mark how accurately and justly I hold the balance between the fears, neither desiring an office not given to me, nor rejecting it when given. The one course marks the rash, the other the disobedient, both the undisciplined. My position lies between those who are too bold, or too timid; more timid than those who rush at every position, more bold than those who avoid them all. This is my judgment on the matter. — Paragraph 111 and 112.
On May 23rd Holy Mass was offered at St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr Cathedral in commemoration of the martyrdom of Jerome Savonarola, and to mark the closing of the Savonarola Theological Seminary’s 100th academic year.
In honor of this event God’s Field, the Official Organ of the Polish National Catholic Church published the following prayer, which Savonarola prayed prior to his martyrdom while holding the Holy Eucharist in his hands.
Lord, I know that You are the true God, Creator of the world and of humanity. I know that You are the perfect Trinity, indivisible and inseparable, distinct in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I know that You are the everlasting Word, that came down to earth in the womb of the Virgin Mary, and was crucified to shed Your Precious Blood for us miserable sinners.
I beseech You, Lord, I beseech You, my Savior, I beseech You, my Creator, that the Precious Blood shall not have been shed in vain for me, but will be for the remission of all my sins, for which I ask Your forgiveness, from the day on which I received holy baptism until the present time; and I confess my sinfulness to You, Lord. And therefore, I ask Your forgiveness for anything in which I have offended this city and this people, in spiritual and temporal matters, and for everything in which I may have erred without knowing it.
And I humbly beg forgiveness of all these people here present, and ask that they may pray to God for me, that He may give me strength at my last end, and that the Enemy may have no power over me. Amen.
In regard to the distribution of the word, to mention last the first of our duties, of that divine and exalted word, which everyone now is ready to discourse upon; if anyone else boldly undertakes it and supposes it within the power of every man’s intellect, I am amazed at his intelligence, not to say his folly. To me indeed it seems no slight task, and one requiring no little spiritual power, to give in due season to each his portion of the word, and to regulate with judgment the truth of our opinions, which are concerned with such subjects as the world or worlds, matter, soul, mind, intelligent natures, better or worse, providence which holds together and guides the universe, and seems in our experience of it to be governed according to some principle, but one which is at variance with those of earth and of men. — Paragraph 35.
Again, the healers of our bodies will have their labours and vigils and cares, of which we are aware; and will reap a harvest of pain for themselves from the distresses of others, as one of their wise men said; and will provide for the use of those who need them, both the results of their own labours and investigations, and what they have been able to borrow from others: and they consider none, even of the minutest details, which they discover, or which elude their search, as having other than an important influence upon health or danger. And what is the object of all this? That a man may live some days longer on the earth, though he is possibly not a good man, but one of the most depraved, for whom it had perhaps been better, because of his badness, to have died long ago, in order to be set free from vice, the most serious of sicknesses. But, suppose he is a good man, how long will he be able to live? Forever? Or what will he gain from life here, from which it is the greatest of blessings, if a man be sane and sensible, to seek to be set free?
But we, upon whose efforts is staked the salvation of a soul, a being blessed and immortal, and destined for undying chastisement or praise, for its vice or virtue,–what a struggle ought ours to be, and how great skill do we require to treat, or get men treated properly, and to change their life, and give up the clay to the spirit. For men and women, young and old, rich and poor, the sanguine and despondent, the sick and whole, rulers and ruled, the wise and ignorant, the cowardly and courageous, the wrathful and meek, the successful and failing, do not require the same instruction and encouragement. — Paragraph 27 and 28.
In the spirit of this post at Shuck and Jive: Why the Obamas Should Become Presbyterian, and a dose of good natured humor, I offer the following as reasons the Obama Family should become members of the PNCC:
- The PNCC was founded by immigrants, right here in the U. S. of A. We are 100% American, pluralistic, and respect and honor our immigrant ancestors.
- We were founded by hard working Americans who were Labor organizers and members. Labor will love that.
- We began in Scranton, PA (Hillary’s hometown 🙂 ), Buffalo, and Chicago. We are 100% in touch with our blue collar roots. These are the folks you need.
- We are One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic, and democratic in our governance. You can say that both you and your Church honor and protect the democratic process. A Democratic President from a democratic Church? Sounds good – right?
- We are Catholic, but no, not that kind. We’ve already had a Roman Catholic President so that’s less of an obstacle, and what are people going to say? They can’t say that Rome is ordering you around.
- Roman Catholics will recognize the fact that you believe what they believe (even though their Church might not).
- You get to attend very cool High Church liturgies. It’s really visual and looks great on TV – especially for your kids first communions and confirmations.
- Our Confession of Faith includes the following: I BELIEVE in immortality and everlasting happiness in eternity, in the union with God of all people, races and ages, because I believe in the Divine power of love, mercy and justice and for nothing else do I yearn, but that it may be to me according to my faith. People identify with that.
- We are constitutional.
- We don’t compromise on core beliefs. In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity. or words to that effect.
- We have the world’s greatest church cooks. All those fundraisers and long campaign nights will be more than bearable with a load of pierogi and golambki on the stove.
Folks from other Christian Churches – what would attract the Obama family to your Church? Any predictions?
This is why the heathen rage and the peoples imagine vain things; why tree is set over against tree, hands against hand, the one stretched out in self indulgence, the others in generosity; the one unrestrained, the others fixed by nails, the one expelling Adam, the other reconciling the ends of the earth. This is the reason of the lifting up to atone for the fall, and of the gall for the tasting, and of the thorny crown for the dominion of evil, and of death for death, and of darkness for the sake of light, and of burial for the return to the ground, and of resurrection for the sake of resurrection. All these are a training from God for us, and a healing for our weakness, restoring the old Adam to the place whence he fell, and conducting us to the tree of life, from which the tree of knowledge estranged us, when partaken of unseasonably, and improperly.
Of this healing we, who are set over others, are the ministers and fellow-labourers; for whom it is a great thing to recognise and heal their own passions and sicknesses: or rather, not really a great thing, only the viciousness of most of those who belong to this order has made me say so: but a much greater thing is the power to heal and skilfully cleanse those of others, to the advantage both of those who are in want of healing and of those whose charge it is to heal. — Paragraph 25 and 26.
Two recent articles on Polish National Catholic parishes and PNCC distinctives. Please note, as with any Press article, not every item mentioned in the articles is accurate. For more info on problems with the Press’ understanding of religion see Get Religion.
From the Toledo Blade: Polish National Catholic Church has found a home
Nearly 2 1/2 years after holding its first Mass, and after meeting in members’ homes and several different rented spaces since then, Resurrection Polish National Catholic Church has found a home.
The parish was founded by about a dozen people whose parishes were closed by the Toledo Catholic Diocese in 2005 as part of the diocese’s major realignment of parish boundaries.
On May 31, a Dedication Mass will be held at 11 a.m. at Resurrection PNCC in its new location, 1835 Temperance Rd., Temperance.
The Rev. Jaroslaw Nowak, Resurrection’s administrator, will preside at the Mass with two PNCC hierarchs, the Rev. Robert Nemkovich, prime bishop of the Polish National Catholic Church, and the Rev. Jan Dawidziuk, bishop of the western diocese.
The brick building, which has about 5,400 square feet of space, can seat approximately 80 people in the sanctuary and also features a community room where it will hold church gatherings, Polish dinners for the community, and other events.
“There were two things we were looking for in starting up a parish: that it is traditionally Catholic, and that it belonged to us,” said Chris Cremean, a founding member of Resurrection whose previous parish, Toledo’s St. Jude, was closed by Bishop Leonard Blair…
From the Standard-Times via South Coast Today: A different kind of Catholic Church in Fall River
FALL RIVER —” The parishioners own the church building, manage the finances and decide whether to sell or hold parish property.
Blessed Trinity Church in Fall River is not your typical Catholic parish.
The church was formed in 2000 after parishioners of two Polish National Catholic Church parishes in Fall River voted to merge. The parishioners sold property and built a new church that was dedicated in 2005. Three years later, the laity continues to run the parish, which is debt-free.
“It wasn’t the bishop that imposed this on us, it was the will of the people,” said the Rev. Robert M. Nemkovich, 38, Blessed Trinity’s pastor. “We have a church that, when it comes to making decisions on material things and administration, the people have a voice and a vote.”
Joanne Oliveira, who serves on Blessed Trinity’s parish committee, described her church as being a sort of “Ellis Island for Catholicism.”
“I just feel that way because of the acceptance and welcoming of the parish in not denying people the sacraments. It’s just such a free experience,” Ms. Oliveira said.
However, although its administration is democratic, its priests can marry, and divorced parishioners can receive the Eucharist, Blessed Trinity should not be confused with a liberal, mainline Protestant denomination.
The teachings of the Polish National Catholic Church —” the communion to which Blessed Trinity belongs —” are similar to those of the Roman Catholic Church, which the PNCC split from in the late 19th century.
Blessed Trinity celebrates the same seven sacraments Roman Catholics do. Mass is celebrated every Sunday. Scripture is interpreted through the church’s canonical authority, not the personal judgments of the faithful. There are no female priests. Same-sex unions are not recognized.
The major difference between the two churches lies in authority. The Polish National Catholic Church recognizes the pope as the bishop of Rome, the successor to St. Peter, but does not believe he has authority over the universal church.
“We don’t see authority being in one person,” Rev. Nemkovich said. “We see it as being shared, going back to the early church model we read about in the Scriptures where decisions were made in councils whenever there was a challenge.”
In addition to scripture and tradition, PNCC teachings are founded on the first seven church ecumenical councils; the gatherings of bishops that defined doctrine until 1054, the year the Christian church split into the Roman Catholic West and the Orthodox East…
Of external warfare I am not afraid, nor of that wild beast, and fulness of evil, who has now arisen against the churches, though he may threaten fire, sword, wild beasts, precipices, chasms; though he may show himself more inhuman than all previous madmen, and discover fresh tortures of greater severity. I have one remedy for them all, one road to victory; I will glory in Christ namely, death for Christ’s sake. — Paragraph 87.
Doctrinal issues led agenda items at the spring session of the Polish National Catholic (PNCC) —“ Roman Catholic Dialogue, May 19 and 20, in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The meeting was held at the PNCC’s National Church Center and hosted by Bishop Robert Nemkovich, the PNCC Prime Bishop. Bishop Edward U. Kmiec of Buffalo and Bishop Anthony Mikovsky of the PNCC Central Diocese co-chaired the meeting.
Two new Roman Catholic members joined the group: Bishop Mitchell Rozanski, Auxiliary Bishop of Baltimore, and Bishop Matthew Ustrzycki, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Hamilton, Ontario. The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops became an official participant in the dialogue at the meeting.
Dialogue members considered the situation of PNCC military chaplains and the options for sacramental sharing in combat zones. Members also heard an update on a proposal to permit PNCC faithful to act as sponsors at Roman Catholic baptisms, and to require the dispensation of form for liceity only in the case of mixed marriages in the PNCC
From the March 2008 BCEIA and SEIA Report: Our dialogue with the PNCC has not met since the last meeting of the Administrative Committee; the next session is scheduled to take place in Scranton, Pennsylvania, May 19 and 20. I mentioned in my last report that Bishop Skylstad had written to Cardinal Kasper regarding two incremental steps forward (allowing PNCC faithful to serve as godparents at Catholic baptisms in addition to a Catholic godparent, and requiring the dispensation from canonical form for liceity only when a mixed marriage takes place in a PNCC ceremony). We later learned that these matters should be raised directly with Cardinal William Levada, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. We are now consulting with the Committees on Doctrine and Canonical Affairs regarding these steps.
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Msgr. Thomas Green of The Catholic University of America School of Canon Law reviewed presentations from the 1996 dialogue regarding the canonical status of former Roman Catholic clergy and faithful who have joined the PNCC and the 2006 statement by the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts regarding the formal act of leaving the [Roman] Catholic Church.
Members also re-examined two previous agreements between Roman Catholics and Old Catholics of the Union of Utrecht regarding the transfer of clergy from one church to the other: the agreement signed in 1996 between Cardinal Edward Cassidy, then President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and Archbishop Antonius Jan Glazemaker of Utrecht (later withdrawn) and the 1999 agreement between the German Bishops’ Conference and the Old Catholic Diocese in Germany. The PNCC members also shared the text of the Declaration of Scranton, a document intended to clarify the doctrinal position of the PNCC on several issues.
Members also considered the April visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United States and local examples of misunderstandings between members of the two churches. The next meeting is slated for November 6-7, in Baltimore.
The Polish National Catholic Church and the Roman Catholic Church have been meeting for a semiannual dialogue since 1984. Current PNCC members include Bishop Anthony Mikovsky (Co-Chairman), Bishop John E. Mack, Very Rev. Marcell W. Pytlarz, Very Rev. John Z. Kraus, Very Rev. Paul Sobiechowski, and Father Robert M. Nemkovich Jr. Roman Catholic members include Bishop Edward U. Kmiec (Co-Chairman), Bishop Thomas G. Wenski of Orlando, Florida, Auxiliary Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski of Baltimore, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Matthew Ustrzycki of Hamilton, Ontaro, Msgr. John Strynkowski, Msgr. Thomas J. Green, Father Phillip Altavilla, and Paulist Father Ronald G. Roberson (staff).
Give heed to the bishop, that God also may give heed to you. My soul be for theirs that are submissive to the bishop, to the presbyters, and to the deacons, and may my portion be along with them in God! Labour together with one another; strive in company together; run together; suffer together; sleep together; and awake together, as the stewards, and associates, and servants of God. Please Him under whom you fight, and from whom you receive your wages. Let none of you be found a deserter. Let your baptism endure as your arms; your faith as your helmet; your love as your spear; your patience as a complete panoply. Let your works be the charge assigned to you, that you may receive a worthy recompense. Be long-suffering, therefore, with one another, in meekness, as God is towards you. May I have joy of you for ever! — Chapter 6. The duties of the Christian flock.