Polish National Catholic Church
Encyclopedia
The Polish National Catholic Church (PNCC) is a Christian church
founded and based in the United States
by Polish-Americans who were Roman Catholic. The PNCC is a breakaway Catholic Church
in dialogue with the Catholic Church; it seeks full communion
with the Holy See
although it differs theologically in several important respects. The Polish National Catholic Church welcomes people of all ethnic, racial and social backgrounds. A sister church in Poland
, likewise not in communion with the Catholic Church, is the Polish Catholic Church
.
In 2011 the Church had some 25,000 members in the United States. There are five diocese
s: Buffalo-Pittsburgh, Central
, Eastern, Western and Canada.
of the Polish National Catholic Church uses one of three liturgies: the Contemporary Rite, the Traditional Rite, and the Rite of Prime Bishop Hodur. The Contemporary is the shortest of the Mass types and the most used in PNCC parishes. It is similar to the current Roman Rite
Mass except some parts are from the other two Masses. The Traditional is longer and is still widely used. It is the older Mass used at the time when the PNCC formed. The Prime Bishop Hodur Mass is the longest and filled with additional prayers and litanies, as well as parts of the Traditional Mass.
, then English
) gradually replaced Latin
as the language of the Liturgy
.
Polish National Catholics believe in the doctrine of transubstantiation
, that the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ
at the consecration. As in the Maronite Church and several other Eastern rite churches, communion is given through intinction
, whereby the Host is partially dipped in the wine and then placed on the tongue of the communicant. Altar rails are common in PNCC parishes and are used during the distribution of Communion.
, to be the way the congregation normally obtains forgiveness of sins. The sacrament may be administered in one of two ways: public or private. Private confession is required for all members under the age of sixteen, while public confession is a part of every Mass. In this form, the faithful confess their sins directly and privately to God. The entire congregation then recites the Prayer of Confession. Adults may avail themselves of private confession if they so wish. The PNCC does not believe that original sin
has passed on to succeeding generations.
, legal or otherwise.
has a matrimonial commission that studies each request for marriage by persons who have been divorced. The commission presents its findings and recommendation to the bishop, who makes the final decision.
.
The chief legislative body is the General Synod; each parish is entitled to send one delegate for each 50 active members.
During the late 19th century many new Polish immigrants to the U.S. became dismayed with the Catholic Church hierarchy. The U.S. Church had no Polish bishops and few Polish priests, and would not allow the Polish language to be taught in parish schools. The mainly ethnic Irish and German bishops helped establish hundreds of parishes for Poles, but pastors were usually unable to speak Polish, and the new immigrants had poor or limited English. There were also disputes over who owned church property, particularly in Buffalo, New York
and Scranton, Pennsylvania
, with the parishioners' demanding greater control. Although the majority of Polish-Americans remained with the Roman Catholic Church, where bilingual Polish-American priests and bishops were eventually ordained, many Polish-Americans in the meantime came to believe that these conditions were a manifestation of "political and social exploitation of the Polish people."
A leader in this struggle was Fr. Franciszek Hodur
(1866–1953), a Polish immigrant to the United States and a Catholic priest. Born near Krakow
, he emigrated to the U.S. in 1893 and was ordained that year; in 1897, he became pastor
of St. Stanislaus Cathedral in Scranton. Continued discontent led to an open rupture with the U.S. Catholic Church in 1897, when Polish immigrants founded an independent Polish body, headquartered in Scranton, with initially some 20,000 members. Fr. Hodur was consecrated as a bishop in 1907 in Utrecht
, Netherlands
, by three Old Catholic bishops. The PNCC considers him to be the founder and first bishop of the denomination. In 1914 another schism
resulted in the formation of the smaller Lithuanian National Catholic Church; it later merged with the PNCC.
From 1907–2003, the PNCC was a member of the Old Catholic Union of Utrecht
. For much of that period, it was the only member church of the Union based outside Europe
(although it was not so when the Philippine Independent Church
, also known as the Aglipayan Church, briefly joined the Union of Utrecht).
The Church began missionary
work in Poland
after the country regained independence following World War I
. By the beginning of World War II
, the PNCC had founded more than 50 parishes along with a theological seminary in Krakow
. During post-war Communist rule of Poland, the Church suffered severe persecution. The Polish Catholic Church
is now an autocephalous body in communion with the PNCC.
Eugene W. Magyar was consecrated on June 29, 1963 as first Bishop of Slovak parishes in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. He had served previously as dean of Slovak parishes in the PNCC since 1958.
In 2002 Robert M. Nemkovich
was elected by the twenty-first General Synod to be the sixth Prime Bishop of the Polish National Catholic Church.
In 2010 Anthony Mikovsky
was elected by the twenty-third General Synod to be the seventh Prime Bishop
of the Polish National Catholic Church. Bishop Mikovsky has been bishop of the Central Diocese and pastor of St. Stanislaus Cathedral since 2006. Before becoming bishop, he served as the assistant pastor at St. Stanislaus, the mother church of the denomination, beginning in 1997.
and the World Council of Churches
.
In the 1970s the PNCC's relationship with the Utrecht Union grew strained, as there was a gradual shift towards what was regarded as liberalism in the rest of Utrecht Union churches, while the PNCC was becoming more conservative. The PNCC in the United States and Canada entered into a state of "impaired communion" with the Utrecht Union in 1997, since the PNCC did not accept the validity of ordaining women to the priesthood
, which most other Utrecht Union churches had been doing for several years. The PNCC continued to refuse full communion with those churches that ordained women; thus, in 2003 the International Old Catholic Bishops' Conference expelled the PNCC from the Utrecht Union, determining that "full communion, as determined in the statute of the IBC, could not be restored and that therefore, as a consequence, the separation of our Churches follows."
For some years the PNCC had inter-communion with the Episcopal Church in the United States, but in 1978 the PNCC terminated this relationship in response to the latter's decision to ordain women to the priesthood. In 2004 the cathedral of the PNCC's Canadian
diocese, St. John's Cathedral, Toronto
, re-established full communion with the Anglican Diocese of Toronto
, before being reconciled with the Canadian Diocese of the PNCC in 2009.
Although the PNCC has entered into tentative negotiations with Orthodox Churches
in North America, no union has resulted due to the PNCC's substantial adherence to the Catholic view of the sacraments and other issues.
Relations with the Catholic Church improved notably since the 1970s (when the PNCC began to become more conservative), particularly after the ascension of the Polish-born John Paul II to the Papacy.
Dialogue with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
, with the approval of the Holy See
, led in 1996 to an arrangement that Laurence J. Orzell has called "limited inter-communion". What this means is that the Catholic Church recognises the validity of the sacraments of the PNCC, making applicable to its members the provisions of canon 844 §§2–3 of the Code of Canon Law. This canon allows Catholics who are unable to approach a Catholic minister to receive, under certain conditions, the sacraments of Reconciliation
, Eucharist and Anointing of the Sick
from "non-Catholic ministers ministers in whose Churches these sacraments are valid", and declares it licit for Catholic priests to administer the same three sacraments to members of Churches which the Holy See judges to be in the same condition in regard to the sacraments as the Eastern Churches, if they ask for the sacraments of their own accord and are properly disposed. Obstacles to full communion include different understandings regarding the role of the Pope
, the level of involvement of the laity in church governance and the PNCC reception of some former Catholic clergy, most of whom subsequently married.
A group of Norwegians who split from the Lutheran state Church of Norway
, and go by the name Nordic Catholic Church
, are under the auspices of the Polish National Catholic Church. The PNCC has also taken a former Episcopal Church in Italy
under its wing.
Diocesan and cathedral links
Christian Church
The Christian Church is the assembly or association of followers of Jesus Christ. The Greek term ἐκκλησία that in its appearances in the New Testament is usually translated as "church" basically means "assembly"...
founded and based in the United States
Religion in the United States
Religion in the United States is characterized by both a wide diversity in religious beliefs and practices, and by a high adherence level. According to recent surveys, 83 percent of Americans claim to belong to a religious denomination, 40 percent claim to attend services nearly every week or...
by Polish-Americans who were Roman Catholic. The PNCC is a breakaway Catholic Church
Breakaway Catholic Churches
Catholics not in communion with Rome, or Breakaway Catholics, are those religious groups that, while consciously embracing Catholic tradition, have chosen to separate from the Roman Catholic Church. They differ from Protestantism in that they practice rites, rituals and devotions specific to...
in dialogue with the Catholic Church; it seeks full communion
Full communion
In Christian ecclesiology, full communion is a relationship between church organizations or groups that mutually recognize their sharing the essential doctrines....
with the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
although it differs theologically in several important respects. The Polish National Catholic Church welcomes people of all ethnic, racial and social backgrounds. A sister church in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, likewise not in communion with the Catholic Church, is the Polish Catholic Church
Polish Catholic Church
The Polish Catholic Church is an Old Catholic denomination in Poland which belongs to the Union of Utrecht. It is a member of the World Council of Churches and the Polish Ecumenical Council. It is not affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church nor is it in communion with the Pope. In 2009 the...
.
In 2011 the Church had some 25,000 members in the United States. There are five diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
s: Buffalo-Pittsburgh, Central
Central Diocese of the Polish National Catholic Church
The Central Diocese of the Polish National Catholic Church is a diocese that includes New Jersey, part of New York, eastern Pennsylvania, and parishes in California, Colorado, and Maryland. The cathedral of the Central Diocese is St Stanislaus Cathedral in Scranton, Pennsylvania...
, Eastern, Western and Canada.
Worship
The MassEucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
of the Polish National Catholic Church uses one of three liturgies: the Contemporary Rite, the Traditional Rite, and the Rite of Prime Bishop Hodur. The Contemporary is the shortest of the Mass types and the most used in PNCC parishes. It is similar to the current Roman Rite
Roman Rite
The Roman Rite is the liturgical rite used in the Diocese of Rome in the Catholic Church. It is by far the most widespread of the Latin liturgical rites used within the Western or Latin autonomous particular Church, the particular Church that itself is also called the Latin Rite, and that is one of...
Mass except some parts are from the other two Masses. The Traditional is longer and is still widely used. It is the older Mass used at the time when the PNCC formed. The Prime Bishop Hodur Mass is the longest and filled with additional prayers and litanies, as well as parts of the Traditional Mass.
The Eucharist
Following the PNCC's first synod in 1904, the vernacular (first PolishPolish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
, then English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
) gradually replaced Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
as the language of the Liturgy
Liturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
.
Polish National Catholics believe in the doctrine of transubstantiation
Transubstantiation
In Roman Catholic theology, transubstantiation means the change, in the Eucharist, of the substance of wheat bread and grape wine into the substance of the Body and Blood, respectively, of Jesus, while all that is accessible to the senses remains as before.The Eastern Orthodox...
, that the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
at the consecration. As in the Maronite Church and several other Eastern rite churches, communion is given through intinction
Intinction
Intinction is the Eucharistic practice of partly dipping the consecrated bread, or host, into the consecrated wine before consumption by the communicant.-Western Christianity:...
, whereby the Host is partially dipped in the wine and then placed on the tongue of the communicant. Altar rails are common in PNCC parishes and are used during the distribution of Communion.
Confession
The PNCC regards a confession of faults to God, followed by the assignment of penance and absolution given by the priestPresbyter
Presbyter in the New Testament refers to a leader in local Christian congregations, then a synonym of episkopos...
, to be the way the congregation normally obtains forgiveness of sins. The sacrament may be administered in one of two ways: public or private. Private confession is required for all members under the age of sixteen, while public confession is a part of every Mass. In this form, the faithful confess their sins directly and privately to God. The entire congregation then recites the Prayer of Confession. Adults may avail themselves of private confession if they so wish. The PNCC does not believe that original sin
Original sin
Original sin is, according to a Christian theological doctrine, humanity's state of sin resulting from the Fall of Man. This condition has been characterized in many ways, ranging from something as insignificant as a slight deficiency, or a tendency toward sin yet without collective guilt, referred...
has passed on to succeeding generations.
Birth control
The PNCC teaches that the use of birth control is a matter of personal judgment for husband and wife, rather than the responsibility of church authorities to instruct its members regarding issues of procreation.Abortion
As the PNCC holds that human life should be protected by law from the moment of conception, it opposes abortionAbortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
, legal or otherwise.
Marriage and divorce
The Church believes that "Marriage is the sacrament which makes a Christian man and woman husband and wife, gives them grace to be faithful to each other and to bring up their children in love and devotion to God." Unlike in the Catholic Church, PNCC deacons are not permitted to officiate at weddings. The PNCC permits divorced people to participate fully in the Mass and to receive the Eucharist. The Church does not recognise civil divorce, and it requires an annulment before parishioners can remarry. Every dioceseDiocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
has a matrimonial commission that studies each request for marriage by persons who have been divorced. The commission presents its findings and recommendation to the bishop, who makes the final decision.
Priesthood and marriage
Since 1921 the PNCC has permitted its clergy to be married, and in practice encourages them to be so. They believe that a married priest will have a better understanding of the marital issues facing his parishioners. If a person is unmarried at the time of ordination, he must remain so for a period of two years before entering marriage. The Church does not permit women to be ordained either to the diaconate or ministerial priesthoodPresbyter
Presbyter in the New Testament refers to a leader in local Christian congregations, then a synonym of episkopos...
.
Governance
The PNCC is governed in accordance with its Constitution. Bishops and priests possess the authority to explain and teach the doctrinal position of the Church in matters of faith, morals and discipline. The legislative authority of the Church is vested in the General Synod, the Special Synod, the Diocesan Synod and the Parish Meeting. In financial and administrative matters, the parishioners possess administrative authority. Representatives elected at the Annual Parish Meeting, and confirmed by the diocesan Bishop, exercise their constitutional authority in cooperation with the pastor.The chief legislative body is the General Synod; each parish is entitled to send one delegate for each 50 active members.
History
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
and Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...
, with the parishioners' demanding greater control. Although the majority of Polish-Americans remained with the Roman Catholic Church, where bilingual Polish-American priests and bishops were eventually ordained, many Polish-Americans in the meantime came to believe that these conditions were a manifestation of "political and social exploitation of the Polish people."
A leader in this struggle was Fr. Franciszek Hodur
Franciszek Hodur
Bishop Franciszek Hodur was the founder and the first, and longtime, Prime Bishop of the Polish National Catholic Church.Hodur was born on Easter Sunday, April 1, 1866, to Jan and Maria Hodur in the village of Zarki, 35 miles from Krakow, Poland. He enrolled as a seminarian in Krakow and studied...
(1866–1953), a Polish immigrant to the United States and a Catholic priest. Born near Krakow
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
, he emigrated to the U.S. in 1893 and was ordained that year; in 1897, he became pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
of St. Stanislaus Cathedral in Scranton. Continued discontent led to an open rupture with the U.S. Catholic Church in 1897, when Polish immigrants founded an independent Polish body, headquartered in Scranton, with initially some 20,000 members. Fr. Hodur was consecrated as a bishop in 1907 in Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, by three Old Catholic bishops. The PNCC considers him to be the founder and first bishop of the denomination. In 1914 another schism
Schism (religion)
A schism , from Greek σχίσμα, skhísma , is a division between people, usually belonging to an organization or movement religious denomination. The word is most frequently applied to a break of communion between two sections of Christianity that were previously a single body, or to a division within...
resulted in the formation of the smaller Lithuanian National Catholic Church; it later merged with the PNCC.
From 1907–2003, the PNCC was a member of the Old Catholic Union of Utrecht
Utrecht Union
The Union of Utrecht is a federation of Old Catholic Churches, not in communion with Rome, that seceded from the Roman Catholic Church over the issue of Papal infallibility. The Declaration of Utrecht solidified this movement in 1889...
. For much of that period, it was the only member church of the Union based outside Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
(although it was not so when the Philippine Independent Church
Philippine Independent Church
The Philippine Independent Church, The Philippine Independent Church, The Philippine Independent Church, (officially the or the IFI, also known as the Philippine Independent Catholic Church or in Ilocano: Siwawayawaya nga Simbaan ti Filipinas (in in Kinaray-a/Hiligaynon: Simbahan Hilway nga...
, also known as the Aglipayan Church, briefly joined the Union of Utrecht).
The Church began missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
work in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
after the country regained independence following World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. By the beginning of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the PNCC had founded more than 50 parishes along with a theological seminary in Krakow
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
. During post-war Communist rule of Poland, the Church suffered severe persecution. The Polish Catholic Church
Polish Catholic Church
The Polish Catholic Church is an Old Catholic denomination in Poland which belongs to the Union of Utrecht. It is a member of the World Council of Churches and the Polish Ecumenical Council. It is not affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church nor is it in communion with the Pope. In 2009 the...
is now an autocephalous body in communion with the PNCC.
Eugene W. Magyar was consecrated on June 29, 1963 as first Bishop of Slovak parishes in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. He had served previously as dean of Slovak parishes in the PNCC since 1958.
In 2002 Robert M. Nemkovich
Robert M. Nemkovich
Bishop Robert M. Nemkovich was the sixth Prime Bishop of the Polish National Catholic Church, elected by the twenty-first General Synod of this denomination in 2002.-References:...
was elected by the twenty-first General Synod to be the sixth Prime Bishop of the Polish National Catholic Church.
In 2010 Anthony Mikovsky
Anthony Mikovsky
Anthony Mikovsky is the Prime Bishop of the Polish National Catholic Church. He was elected at the General Synod of the church in October 2010. Mikovsky was previously the bishop ordinary of the Central Diocese of the Polish National Catholic Church. In April 2008, Mikovsky was one of eight bishops...
was elected by the twenty-third General Synod to be the seventh Prime Bishop
Primus inter pares
Primus inter pares is Latin phrase describing the most senior person of a group sharing the same rank or office.When not used in reference to a specific title, it may indicate that the person so described is formally equal, but looked upon as an authority of special importance by their peers...
of the Polish National Catholic Church. Bishop Mikovsky has been bishop of the Central Diocese and pastor of St. Stanislaus Cathedral since 2006. Before becoming bishop, he served as the assistant pastor at St. Stanislaus, the mother church of the denomination, beginning in 1997.
Ecumenical relationships
The PNCC is a longstanding member of the National Council of ChurchesNational Council of Churches
The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA is an ecumenical partnership of 37 Christian faith groups in the United States. Its member denominations, churches, conventions, and archdioceses include Mainline Protestant, Orthodox, African American, Evangelical, and historic peace...
and the World Council of Churches
World Council of Churches
The World Council of Churches is a worldwide fellowship of 349 global, regional and sub-regional, national and local churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service. It is a Christian ecumenical organization that is based in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland...
.
In the 1970s the PNCC's relationship with the Utrecht Union grew strained, as there was a gradual shift towards what was regarded as liberalism in the rest of Utrecht Union churches, while the PNCC was becoming more conservative. The PNCC in the United States and Canada entered into a state of "impaired communion" with the Utrecht Union in 1997, since the PNCC did not accept the validity of ordaining women to the priesthood
Ordination of women
Ordination in general religious usage is the process by which a person is consecrated . The ordination of women is a regular practice among some major religious groups, as it was of several religions of antiquity...
, which most other Utrecht Union churches had been doing for several years. The PNCC continued to refuse full communion with those churches that ordained women; thus, in 2003 the International Old Catholic Bishops' Conference expelled the PNCC from the Utrecht Union, determining that "full communion, as determined in the statute of the IBC, could not be restored and that therefore, as a consequence, the separation of our Churches follows."
For some years the PNCC had inter-communion with the Episcopal Church in the United States, but in 1978 the PNCC terminated this relationship in response to the latter's decision to ordain women to the priesthood. In 2004 the cathedral of the PNCC's Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
diocese, St. John's Cathedral, Toronto
St. John's Cathedral, Toronto
St. John's Cathedral Polish Catholic Church in the Parkdale area of Toronto, Ontario is the seat of the Polish National Catholic Church's diocese in Canada....
, re-established full communion with the Anglican Diocese of Toronto
Anglican Diocese of Toronto
The Diocese of Toronto is an administrative division of the Anglican Church of Canada covering the central part of southern Ontario. It has the most members of any Anglican diocese in Canada. It is also one of the biggest Anglican dioceses in the Americas in terms of numbers of parishioners, clergy...
, before being reconciled with the Canadian Diocese of the PNCC in 2009.
Although the PNCC has entered into tentative negotiations with Orthodox Churches
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
in North America, no union has resulted due to the PNCC's substantial adherence to the Catholic view of the sacraments and other issues.
Relations with the Catholic Church improved notably since the 1970s (when the PNCC began to become more conservative), particularly after the ascension of the Polish-born John Paul II to the Papacy.
Dialogue with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is the episcopal conference of the Catholic Church in the United States. Founded in 1966 as the joint National Conference of Catholic Bishops and United States Catholic Conference, it is composed of all active and retired members of the Catholic...
, with the approval of the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
, led in 1996 to an arrangement that Laurence J. Orzell has called "limited inter-communion". What this means is that the Catholic Church recognises the validity of the sacraments of the PNCC, making applicable to its members the provisions of canon 844 §§2–3 of the Code of Canon Law. This canon allows Catholics who are unable to approach a Catholic minister to receive, under certain conditions, the sacraments of Reconciliation
Sacrament of Penance (Catholic Church)
In the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation is the method by which individual men and women may be freed from sins committed after receiving the sacrament of Baptism...
, Eucharist and Anointing of the Sick
Anointing of the Sick (Catholic Church)
Anointing of the Sick is a sacrament of the Catholic Church that is administered to Catholics who because of sickness or old age are in danger of death, even if the danger is not proximate...
from "non-Catholic ministers ministers in whose Churches these sacraments are valid", and declares it licit for Catholic priests to administer the same three sacraments to members of Churches which the Holy See judges to be in the same condition in regard to the sacraments as the Eastern Churches, if they ask for the sacraments of their own accord and are properly disposed. Obstacles to full communion include different understandings regarding the role of the Pope
Primacy of the Roman Pontiff
The primacy of the Bishop of Rome is an ecclesiastical doctrine held by some branches of Christianity, most notably the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Anglican Communion. The doctrine concerns the respect and authority that is due to the Bishop of Rome from bishops and their...
, the level of involvement of the laity in church governance and the PNCC reception of some former Catholic clergy, most of whom subsequently married.
A group of Norwegians who split from the Lutheran state Church of Norway
Church of Norway
The Church of Norway is the state church of Norway, established after the Lutheran reformation in Denmark-Norway in 1536-1537 broke the ties to the Holy See. The church confesses the Lutheran Christian faith...
, and go by the name Nordic Catholic Church
Nordic Catholic Church
The Nordic Catholic Church is a church body in Norway of High Church Lutheran origin, under the auspices of the Polish National Catholic Church and Scranton Union....
, are under the auspices of the Polish National Catholic Church. The PNCC has also taken a former Episcopal Church in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
under its wing.
External links
- Polish National Catholic Church of the United States and Canada official website
- Polish National Catholic Church in the Polish Republic
- Polish Catholic Church (Poland)
- Nordic Catholic Church official website
Diocesan and cathedral links