www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall XXIII General Synod of the Polish National Catholic Church

Jim,

As Father Stephanos noted earlier, that is a matter that is problematic but isn't insurmountable. It will certainly have to be dealt with in the reception of former Anglican clerics and has had to be dealt with previously.

Many years,

Neil

Polish American, can you clarify this statement?

I'm not too concerned about the exact number, just wondering whether you're referring to the number of PNCC priests who used to be RC, or the number of PNCC priests who used to be RC priests.

Thanks,
Peter.

I agree. I met a good number of former RC priests at the Synod. And, it is common knowledge in the Polish American community that, if a RC priest wants to marry and remain a priest, he should go to the PNCC. When he does, he has to receive training in the differences between the PNCC and RCC and ACCEPT them. Sometimes, this has proven to be a problem.

I'll revise my comment - having missed a nuance here. Former RC priests who subsequently married and were then received into PNCC orders are significantly more of an issue than former RC priests who remained unmarried, were received into the PNCC, and have remained unmarried - the latter are a minority and could likely be accomodated through dispensation. The former are very problematic and their situation is not as easily resolved.

Many years,

Neil

JimG:

Christ is Born!! Glorify Him!!

That only becomes a problem if Rome insists on being the only place to define who continues in ministry. In the Orthodox Churches there are occasional instances where clergy are removed by their bishop only to be accepted by a bishop in another jurisdiction and put back to work in a parish. Given that the Apostolic tradition says that a man may not marry AFTER ordination, that would have to be addressed. None of the Apostolic Churches has permitted that practice.

But I leave that to the people who work in the canon law area. Orthodox bishops seem to have some leeway in these areas by the practice of economia which seems to be an alien practice in Western thought and law.

Bob

Thanks for all of the clarifications. I think this problem with the reunification of the PNCC and the RC is pretty clear now.

I have a lot of admiration for the PNCC. I think they have suffered through a long struggle and I wish them well.

I have had members of the PNCC emphasize the fact that the RC statement on communion that is usually prominently displayed in the RC service books states that members of the PNCC may take communion in RC masses as implying a much higher level of unity that actually exists between the Churches.

Haven't several Orthodox jurisdictions permitted priests with young children to remarry?

Polish American, can you clarify this statement?

I'm not too concerned about the exact number, just wondering whether you're referring to the number of PNCC priests who used to be RC, or the number of PNCC priests who used to be RC priests.

Thanks,

Peter
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I wish that I could. I found the statement in JOURNEYING TOGETHER IN CHRIST - THE JOURNEY CONTINUES (2003), p. 37. I should have put it in quotes. The full statement in the text is:

Following the report [of PNCC Bishop Rysz to the 1994 Church Synod], then Very Rev. Casimir Grotnik rose to address the assembly. He announced that he was "speaking on behalf of thirty-eight former Roman Catholic priests who are currently working in our Polish National Catholic Church".

I interpret it to mean the number of PNCC priests who used to be RC priests.

Jim,

Actually, it reflects Catholic Canon Law, but is (or should be) clarified by a statement that the CC encourages the faithful of those Churches whose faithful it welcomes at the altar to abide by the decisions of their own hierarchs in choosing to do so or not. The agreement between the two Churches was intended to be one of pastoral care - that, in the absence of a cleric of their own Church, that the other was willing to afford pastoral care - an unlikely need for a Latin Catholic, more a possible need for a PNC.

Many years,

Neil

Ed,

It has been allowed as a matter of ekonomia on rare occasions - I know of only two such instances and there was significant criticism of the decision both times (same jurisdiction in both).

Many years,

Neil

Tom,

I'm positive that your interpretation was correct.

Many years,

Neil

Thanks, both of you.


It is definitely a situation where careful wording is called for.

I'm sure countless Anglicans have made statements like "Roman Catholics are allowed to receive communion at our masses" when what they actually ought to say is "Our priests are allowed to give communion to Roman Catholics."

As a result of last Synod, PNCC Central Diocese to welcome new bishop in February

http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/ce...shop-in-february-1.1084714#ixzz19vg7ndmL

The Polish National Catholic Church changed (updated) its website to include its store with books and pamphlets, but the address is the same:

http://www.pncc.org/

You get a good idea of how it presents itself to the outside world.

New Polish National Catholic Bishop of Central Diocese Installed in Scranton

There is a new leader of the Polish National Church in Scranton. Bishop John Edward Mack was installed Sunday at the Cathedral of the Central Diocese in the Electric City.

http://pahomepage.com/search-fulltext?nxd_id=187097