Download - Now is the Acceptable Time, Now is the Day of Salvation Season, and now is the time to put into action all that we have considered. repentance within our lives. On Ash Wednesday, we

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Volume 96 February 2018 Issue #2

Now is the Acceptable Time, Now is the Day of Salvation Most Rev. Anthony Mikovsky

Prime Bishop

(Continued on Page 3.)

As Catholics we now find ourselves at the beginning

of the Lenten season. The words in the above title

are taken from the Readings on the Mass of Ash

Wednesday. I must admit that these words have al-

ways spoken to me in a very strong way. Having

come through the time of Pre-Lent, a time of consid-

eration that we need repentance in our lives, that we

need to increase our prayer, fasting and giving, that

we need to turn aside from our own way in the world

and rather turn to Christ’s way, we now come to the

day of Ash Wednesday, the commencement of the

Lenten Season, and now is the time to put into action

all that we have considered.

On Ash Wednesday, we hear in the Book of the

Prophet Joel concerning the call to repentance and

prayer. The words that are read are a response to the

lament of things being not right for the people of Is-

rael. In the year 2018 as well, we also know that

things are not right. There are certainly difficulties

within our world, and while we may not be responsi-

ble for them in a direct way, certainly they have had

an effect on us. Because things are not right within

our world, they reflect themselves in things not being

right for us as well.

This may be even more true in the world of 2018

than it was at any time in history. Because of the in-

ternet and the 24 hour news cycle we are bombarded

with conflict spurred on through various social and

political opinions. We are confronted with so many

loud voices that we have no time to reflect on how

these difficulties should be dealt with in our own

lives as well as to think about what then each of us

should do.

The Prophet Joel, at the beginning of the Lenten Sea-

son, reminds us that our connection to the Lord,

brought about because we are a loved creation of Al-

mighty God, must be the beginning of all of our deal-

ings and a help in the solution of all of our difficul-

ties. Joel reminds us to put this relationship first in

calling us to “Proclaim a fast, call an assembly; noti-

fy the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the

children.” (Joel 1:14) He calls us to gather together

in support of one another and to prayer that we may

reestablish, repair and renew our relationship with

Almighty God. It is this we are called to in seeking

repentance within our lives.

As a call at the beginning of the Lenten Season, St.

Paul also calls us in his second letter to the Corinthi-

ans. “We implore you, in Christ’s name, be recon-

ciled to God!” (2 Cor 5:20) While we often think of

the word “reconcile” only in terms of the forgiveness

of sins in the Sacrament of Penance, it is really a term

that goes beyond this. It begins with the forgiveness

of sins, but continues on to creating a harmony and

compatibility between our lives and the ways of God

in the world today. “Reconciliation” is not then

something that happens in one act when we receive

ashes upon our foreheads, or when we kneel in seek-

ing the Sacrament of Penance during Church or a

penitential devotion, but rather reconciliation is a

state of mind, an attitude where we seek to bring our

thinking, our lives and our entire way of life into ac-

cord with the will and the ways of God, shown to us

through Jesus Christ.

But as we so often do within our lives we ask, How

can I start? How do I begin? It is especially here

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2 God’s Field — February 2018


Email Addresses

for the

P.N.C.C. Offices

The email addresses for the staff of the

National Church Center and God’s Field are:

Prime Bishop Anthony Mikovsky

[email protected]

Secretary to Prime Bishop — Julie Orzell

[email protected]

P.N.C.C. Treasurer — Joan Scheuneman

[email protected]

God’s Field - Rola Boża Editor — Julie Orzell

[email protected]

Questions or concerns? Call us at 570-346-9131 or

570-346-2125.

God’s Field — Rola Boża

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The deadline for article submissions is the 1st of the

month; online publication date is mid-month.

Submissions received after the 1st will be included in

the following month’s issue.

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and to [email protected]. If your submission was

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Catholic Church, GOD’S FIELD - ROLA BOŻA, is

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Inside this Issue

Now is the Acceptable Time, Now is the Day of Salvation - Most Rev. Anthony Mikovsky ....................................................... 1

Unconditional Family Love - Rev. Dr. Scott J. Lill ........................................................................................................................ 6

Is the Ecumenical Movement Needed? - Most Rev. John Swantek .............................................................................................. 10

P.N.C.C.

Rt. Rev. Thaddeus S. Peplowski ..................................................................................................................................................... 4

65th Anniversary of the Death of Most Rev. Franciszek. Hodur Commemorated at Mass at St. Stanislaus Cathedral .................. 7

XXV General Synod Proposed Agenda & Program ....................................................................................................................... 8

Amendments to the Constitution and Laws of the P.N.C.C. ........................................................................................................... 9

The P.N.C.C. Commission on History & Archives Needs Your Help .......................................................................................... 12

Notice to Parishes .......................................................................................................................................................................... 13

Diocese

Central Diocese ............................................................................................................................................................................. 17

Eastern Diocese ............................................................................................................................................................................. 22

Western Diocese ............................................................................................................................................................................ 26

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Volume 96, Issue No. 2 3

that we listen to the words of St. Paul, “As your fel-

low workers we beg you not to receive the grace of

God in vain. For he says, ‘In an acceptable time I

have heard you; on a day of salvation I have helped

you.’ Now is the acceptable time! Now is the day of

salvation!” (2 Cor 6:1-2) For Catholic Christians

then it would seem that Ash Wednesday, not the New

Year is the day of resolutions. But it is so much more

than just a day to make mindless self-help declara-

tions. It calls us to truly reform our lives and recon-

cile ourselves to God.

The Church, following the way of our Lord and Sav-

ior Jesus Christ, has placed before us what is needed

to help us to lay aside the sinful and distracting ways

which lead us away from God. It begins with the

acknowledgement that this is something that we truly

need in our lives, an acknowledgement that we must

turn away from allowing the things of the world to

rule us and rather let God be in control. The ashes

we place on our foreheads speak so strongly of this

realization and I even think that it is something deep-

ly ingrained within us. Ash Wednesday has always

had a very strong pull for many people in their reli-

gious journey. I receive many calls and am asked on

many occasions during this time of year where some-

one can “get ashes.” But we also need to

acknowledge that this is not the conclusion of the

journey, but rather only the first step.

Our Lord also calls us to increased prayer, fasting,

giving and reconciliation to God. Each of these

things, on the surface can be looked at simply as Len-

ten disciplines, but actually they each call us to a re-

orientation of our lives, our actions and our motives.

These disciplines each help us to align ourselves to

the way of God in the world.

Fasting (or more appropriately, abstaining) is certain-

ly a part of the Lenten disciplines that many of us un-

dertake during this season. We may give up meat, on

Fridays and possible also on Wednesdays. Some will

also take the further step of “giving up” something

for the entire 40 days of Lent, like fasting on candy or

soda. While these disciplines are certainly laudable

practices, it is also important that we take the next

step. We fast or abstain to make sure that we do not

become slaves to our own desires, but rather seek

God’s ways first. Our eating is something that is

such an important and ever-present part of our lives.

Not only do we plan and consume our three meals a

day, but food is a topic that often fills our days as (Continued on Page 28.)

well, “What did you have for breakfast? Do you

want to grab a quick bite for lunch? What’s for din-

ner tonight?” Even more so now we can easily con-

sume food items from many difficult cultures and eat

a different meal for many days in a row never having

to make it ourselves. And then even more if we don’t

want to leave our house we can have any manner of

food delivered, either already made or in a nice little

container just waiting for us to assemble it.

As you can see, our eating can quite quickly become

an obsessive part of our living where every desire can

be quickly filled. The fasting and abstinence of Lent

allows us to reorient a part of our lives. Yes we can

certainly enjoy the food choices we have, but it can-

not overtake all of our lives. And then of course this

reminds us that sometimes there are also other things

that might take the same role. To name just a few, it

might be drinking or smoking, a gambling habit, our

technology, and I’m sure there are many, many other

things that could be added. While some of these

things may not be bad in and of themselves, anything

can be destructive when it takes over our lives. Fast-

ing or abstinence allows us the opportunity to make a

correction to reorient ourselves as God’s children, not

the children of some manmade item or obsession.

With this we can then move on to the Lenten practice

of increased prayer. I always like to say “increased”

prayer for the reason that I hope that at least some

prayer is a part of the life of every Catholic Christian

and also that I don’t think that there can be any point

where I would say that anyone prays enough.

Once we realize that the direction of our lives and its

emphasis must be focused on God, then we must

come to know and listen to the God we follow. And

this too must be accomplished in many different

ways. There is the communal prayer of our parish

families during Holy Mass and other devotions,

which allow us to gather together and seek God as a

family in Christ. There is the prayer we pray together

with another, such as a parent and child, or two

spouses, which allows those relationships to grow in

love and commitment. There is also private personal

prayer which allows us to know that we are never

alone, but that God is always with us. Each of these

is important and they show us that God loves each

and every one us, but that He also loves us as a fami-

ly together, who love each other as He loves us.

(Now is the Acceptable Time, Now is the Day of Salvation - Continued from Page 1.)

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The Right Rev. Thaddeus S. Peplowski, Bishop

Emeritus of the Buffalo-Pittsburgh Diocese entered

into the eternal rest of the Lord on Friday, January

19, 2018 at the Macauley Residence in Tonawanda,

New York, after nine months of declining health. He

was 81 years old.

Bishop Peplowski was born on November 4 1936 in

Albany, New York, the son of sp. Joseph and sp. So-

phia (Zalenski) Peplowski. He was baptized into the

Polish National Catholic Church at Blessed Virgin

Mary of Częstochowa Parish in Albany where he re-

ceived his early catholic education and the first sacra-

ments. He attended the Albany public schools.

He entered the Savonarola Theological Seminary of

the PNCC in September 1954 and completed its four

year program of study. He was ordained to the Holy

Priesthood on May 15, 1958 in St. Stanislaus Cathe-

dral in Scranton, PA by Most Rev. Leon

Grochowski.

His first pastoral assignment was as assistant pastor

of Holy Mother of the Rosary Cathedral in Buffalo,

NY from May 1958 to May 1966. During that time

he was involved with the youth of the parish and or-

ganized a strong Youth Club. It was also during this

time that the first National Youth Convocation of the

PNCC was held in Buffalo in 1964.

After leaving the Buffalo Cathedral, Bishop

Peplowski served as pastor of All Saints Parish in

Rome, NY and St. Joseph’s Parish in Oshawa, Ontar-

io. In 1971 he traveled to Houtzdale, PA where he

organized and served as pastor of St. Barbara’s Par-

ish until 1990.

Bishop Thaddeus Peplowski was elevated to the of-

fice of Senior Priest in July 1982 by Most Rev. John

Swantek. He served as the Administrative Senior of

the Central Deanery. He was elected a candidate for

bishop at the 19th General Synod of the P.N.C.C. held

in Toronto, Ontario in 1990. On November 30 of the

same year he was consecrated bishop at Holy Mother

of the Rosary Cathedral by the Prime Bishop, the

Most Rev. John Swantek, together with Bishop An-

thony Rysz and Bishop Joseph Nieminski. Following

his consecration he became Bishop of the Buffalo-

Pittsburgh Diocese until his retirement in 2012.

Bishop Peplowski also served at the Administrative

Bishop of the Canadian Diocese from 1995 to 1998.

Mission work had always been an important part of

the activities of Bishop Peplowski. He was responsi-

ble for organizing several parishes including St. Ste-

phen the Martyr Parish in Canada in 1969, St. Bar-

bara’s Parish in Houtzdale, PA in 1970, Our Lady of

Mt. Carmel Parish in Lilly, PA in 1995. He also

śp. Rt. Rev. Thaddeus S. Peplowski

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oversaw the organization of St. Martin & St. Rose

Parish and Annunciation Parish in San Antonio, TX,

St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Mesa, AZ, Transfigura-

tion Parish in Mt. Pleasant, PA and Our Lady of

Good Health Parish in Dallas, TX.

An important aspect of the mission work of Bishop

Peplowski was his travels to Norway which culminat-

ed in the creation of the Nordic Catholic Church. He

was involved in the life of the Nordic Catholic

Church for over 10 years, ordained a number of

priests and deacons for the Church and serving as its

Missionary Bishop. The Nordic Catholic Church is

now united with the P.N.C.C. in the Union of Scran-

ton since 2011.

Bishop Peplowski started or participated in a number

of ongoing events within the Buffalo-Pittsburgh Dio-

cese and also within the entire Church. These include

the National Youth Convocation, Altar Boy Retreats,

Diocesan Basketball Tournaments, Youth Tours to

Poland and the bi-annual Music Workshops of the

National United Choirs. He also served the Church

as an instructor in Liturgics at Savonarola Theologi-

cal Seminary, where he authored a “Handbook of Lit-

urgy” in 1981.

Bishop Peplowski was active in Church-wide ecu-

menical endeavors serving on the Old Catholic/

Orthodox Dialogue Commission which produced the

book “Road to Unity”. He served for six years on the

Polish National Catholic – Roman Catholic Dialogue,

which produced “Journeying Together in Christ.” On

the local level he signed a Covenant agreement with

Bishop Edward Head, the Roman Catholic Bishop of

Buffalo.

Bishop Peplowski was very supportive of the work of

the Polish National Union, attending many Conven-

tions and serving on the Board of Directors during

the time of the building of the Bishop Hodur Retreat

and Recreation Center and as well as the P.N.U.

Building in Scranton.

Together with the people of Holy Mother of Rosary

Cathedral Parish, a crowning achievement of Bishop

Peplowski was the relocation of the Cathedral com-

plex, a multi-million dollar endeavor, to Broadway in

Lancaster, NY. His foresight, courage, guidance, and

inspiration were essential to the successful comple-

tion of this project.

Bishop Peplowski was also known for his support of

Polonia. He directed a Polish Cultural Program in

Houtzdale, PA which included weekly Polish lan-

guage and pisanki classes. He directed Polish dance

groups which performed in Buffalo, Cheektowaga,

throughout the Northeast and in Poland.

Bishop Peplowski is survived by two sisters, Helen

Kubinski and Jean Drozdowski, as well as many

nieces and nephews.

Bishop Peplowski laid in repose on Wednesday, Jan-

uary 24 and Thursday, January 25 for hours of view-

ing. An honorary guard by members of the Y.M.S.

of R. and Cathedral Ushers stood alongside his cas-

ket. A service of Requiem Vespers was celebrated

by Rt. Rev. Bernard Nowicki on Thursday evening.

All of the active bishops of the P.N.C.C. were in at-

tendance and Prime Bishop Emeritus John Swantek

delivered a homily.

The Funeral Mass was held on Friday, January 26,

2018 celebrated by Most Rev. Anthony Mikovsky,

Prime Bishop of the P.N.C.C. together with, Rt. Rev.

John Mack, Bishop Ordinary of the Buffalo-

Pittsburgh Diocese, Rt. Rev. Paul Sobiechowski,

Bishop Ordinary of the Eastern Diocese, Rt. Rev.

Stanley Bilinski, Bishop Ordinary of the Western Di-

ocese, Rt. Rev. Bernard Nowicki, Bishop Ordinary of

the Central Diocese and Most Rev. John Swantek,

Prime Bishop Emeritus. Priests from the Buffalo-

Pittsburgh Diocese and throughout the Church were

also concelebrants. Bishop Edward Grosz, Auxiliary

Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo

and good friend of Bishop Peplowski delivered the

funeral homily. The bishops of the P.N.C.C. also

spoke concerning Bishop’s work for the Church and

his love and dedication to our Lord and Savior, Jesus

Christ. Following the Mass, Bishop Peplowski was

buried in the circle immediately in front of the Cathe-

dral Complex.

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The family was the crowing accomplishment of

God’s initial work of Creation. In creating man and

woman, the Lord established the family as the foun-

dation of all human society, and He endowed it with

a profound dignity that far surpassed that of all other

creatures. Bearing His own image and likeness and

being commissioned together to rule and serve the

rest of creation, that first family, however, coopera-

tively chose to disobey God’s command and strayed

from the path of righteousness, thus incurring the

consequences of sin, many of the worst of which are

glaringly demonstrated today in the collective bro-

kenness of families.

But God did not give up on the family! To the con-

trary, it was through the cooperation of a particular

family — the Holy Family of Nazareth — that God

enacted His plan for our Salvation. God redeemed

the family unit by becoming a member of one and, in

doing so, elevated it to a graced status far greater

than it had had in the beginning and bestowing on it

a new and exalted mission. Just as the Holy Family

was the instrument by which our Redeemer entered

the world and was prepared for His saving mission,

so now for Christians, each family is the instrument

for the sanctification of its members, who all recog-

nize that they have a need for something that none of

the others can provide and a destiny that reaches be-

yond the bounds of their earthly union. In truth, the

family is the first means we are given to help us get

to heaven. Therefore, every aspect of family life

must focus on this. It is within this context that any

consideration of unconditional family love must be

considered.

Many people think that unconditional love means

that family members must accept and support what-

ever the others choose to do. If what we have al-

ready stated is true, however, then this clearly cannot

be the case.

Unconditional love between family members does

not mean that I must stand idly by as you are tempted

to sin or start becoming enamored by the ways of the

fallen world. It does not mean that I will passively

allow you to turn your back on the Gospel of Jesus

and the teachings of His Church to wander off into

the fog of falsehood. It does not mean that I am

bound to let you walk away from God and His

Church by straying into a life of habitual sin. It does

not mean that I must remain silent should you, even

unknowingly or under the power of some external

influence, forsake your baptismal dignity. In truth,

none of this would be love at all.

Unconditional family love does mean that I will will-

ingly overlook your imperfections even as I continue

to challenge you to grow in holiness a little more

each day. It does mean that I will always forgive

your sinful failings from yesterday while helping you

repent today and calling you to even greater virtue

tomorrow. It does mean that I will always seek you

when you go astray and do my best to gently lead

you back to God in the Church, reminding you that

you are a child of the Eternal Father, a living temple

of the Holy Spirit and an heir to the Kingdom of

Heaven through Jesus.

Each family member must have a humble awareness

of the mission entrusted to them by God Himself

when they became members of that family. Each

must be willing to embrace their unique roles therein,

while also looking at the others — spouse to spouse,

parent to child and even child to parent — and prom-

ising this:

I will always love you enough to willingly lay down

my life for your good despite your sinfulness. I will

always love you enough to push you to become a

more authentic and faithful Disciple of our Lord and

to open yourself to the transforming power of God’s

grace, even when you don’t feel like it. I will always

love you enough to challenge you to work on becom-

ing a radiant icon of the living God for the whole

world to see, even when you don’t exactly look the

part. Pushing you a little closer to heaven each and

every day, I will always love you with unconditional

love as it is understood in the light of the Gospel. In

short, I will always love you like Jesus loves you.

Unconditional Family Love

Rev. Dr. Scott J. Lill

As we focus on Unconditional Love in our families let our Lord be our example. May God bless you and your family as

we look forward to beginning our new Lenten journey.

P.N.C.C. Supreme Council Future Direction Committee

Most Rev. Anthony A. Mikovsky, Prime Bishop

Very Rev. Robert M. Nemkovich Jr., Chair

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65th Anniversary of the Death of

śp. Most Rev. Franciszek Hodur

Commemorated at Mass at St. Stanislaus Cathedral

Scranton, PA

Rev. Dennis Ruda, Rev. Janusz Lucarz, Most Rev. Anthony Mikovsky, Rt. Rev. Bernard Nowicki,

Very Rev. Zbigniew Dawid, Rev. Carmen Bolock and PNU CFO John Andrzejewski

On Friday, February 16, 2018, Rt. Rev. Bernard J.

Nowicki, Bishop of the Central Diocese, P.N.C.C.,

and pastor of St. Stanislaus Cathedral, celebrated the

Mass commemorating the 65th Anniversary of the

Death of Bishop Hodur.

Most Rev. Anthony Mikovsky, Prime Bishop of the

P.N.C.C. delivered the sermon. The Mass was

concelebrated by clergy from Dupont, Duryea and

Scranton, PA and Johnson City, NY.

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XXV General Synod

Proposed Agenda and Program

In accord with the Constitution and Laws of the Polish National Catholic Church, the Proposed Agenda of the

XXV General Synod of the Polish National Catholic Church, to be held within the Western Diocese, is hereby

published. The Synod will begin with the celebration of Holy Mass and then the Synod will endeavor to enter

into its work.

1) Greetings & Overview

2) Appointments of the Synodal Committees for the XXV General Synod

3) Report of the Mandate Committee

a. Oath of Delegates

4) Report of the Agenda Committee

5) Report of the Rules & Regulations Committee

6) Acceptance of the XIV General Synod Minutes

7) Report of the Prime Bishop

8) Reports of the Diocesan Bishops

a. Buffalo-Pittsburgh Diocese

b. Canadian Diocese

c. Central Diocese

d. Eastern Diocese

e. Western Diocese

9) Election of the Prime Bishop

10) Reports of Standing Commissions

a. History & Archives Commission

b. National Commission on Liturgy

c. Church Doctrine Commission

d. National Scouting Commission

e. National School of Christian Living

f. Sacred Vocations

11) Reports of the Standing Organizations

a. National Women’s Societies for the Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament

b. National United Choirs

i. General Report

ii. Music Commission Report

iii. Music Scholarship Program Report

c. National United Youth Association

i. Youth Representative

ii. National Youth Chaplain

iii. Convo Reports (2016 & 2018)

d. United Young Men’s Societies of Resurrection

12) Financial Matters of the Church

a. Report of the Investment Committee

b. Report of the Auditing Committee

c. Report of the Budget and Finance Commission

d. Report of the Church Treasurer

13) Report of Spojnia, Inc.

14) Report of the Mission & Evangelism Commission

15) Report of the Clergy Pension Fund

16) Report of the Clergy Hospitalization Program

17) Report of the Polish National Union

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18) Report of the Clergy Salary and Benefits Commission

19) Report of Savonarola Theological Seminary

20) Dialogue and Ecumenical Report

a. Polish National Catholic – Roman Catholic Dialogue

b. Polish National Catholic – Anglican Church of North America Dialogue

c. Report on the Union of Scranton

d. Report of the Ecumenical Officer

21) Diocesan Caucuses and Elections

22) Report of the Constitution Commission

a. Constitutional changes

23) Report on God’s Field

24) Report on the P.N.C.C. Website

25) Report on the National Church Center

26) Report on the Prime Bishop’s Residence

27) New Business

a. Naming of the Synodal Commissions and Appointments

28) Adjournment of the Synod

While this is a general layout of the reports to be covered at the Synod, this Agenda still needs to be accepted

by the Synod body. It may also be adjusted for time considerations as it is planned to deal with some of the

longer items at times when the needed time can be allotted to them.

Overlaid on this Agenda there are also plans to build upon the work that was done at the last General Synod

and which led to the Future Direction Program within the Church. This component of the Synod will be bro-

ken up into various different phases.

1) Breakout sessions to evaluate and make suggestions for improvement on the work of the past four

years

2) Panel to discuss successes in each of the 5 themes from the 2014 Synod

a. Growth and Membership

b. Increased Spirituality

c. Lifelong Learning

d. Sacred Vocations

e. Community Involvement and Presence

3) Breakout groups to further develop the 5 themes and create further direction for implementation in the

next synodal period

4) Summary Report of the work of the breakout groups and action plan moving forward

These four items will not take place at one point in the program of the Synod but will be spread over the entire

three day Synod to allow the delegates ample opportunity for reflection and also time to discuss these items

with other delegates. At present it is planned that items 1) and 2) will take place during on the first day, item

3) on the second day and item 4) on the final day as a part of New Business in planning for the next four years.

Amendments to the Constitution and Laws

of the Polish National Catholic Church The Constitution and Laws of the Polish National Catholic Church states in Article XXIII: A proposal to

amend the Constitution and Laws of this Church must be submitted in writing to the Constitution Commission

at least six (6) months prior to the start of the General Synod, and shall be distributed to each Parish of this

Church, together with the action taken thereon by the Commission, at least sixty (60) days prior to the start of

the General Synod.

As the XXV General Synod is slated to be held on October 1-3, 2018 within the Western Diocese, the six (6)

month deadline for proposed amendments to the Constitution is April 1, 2018. Any proposal for amendment

must be received within the Office of the Prime Bishop on or before that day.

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Is the Ecumenical Movement Needed?

Most Rev. John F. Swantek, Prime Bishop Emeritus

From January 18 to January 25th, many Christian

Churches celebrate the Week of Prayer for Christian

Unity. These Churches which are not in communion

with each other pray that Christian unity may become

a reality once again, as it existed in the Church at the

time when the Council of Nicaea drafted the Nicene

Creed which is said in many Churches every Sunday

at worship.

Many may be of the opinion that nothing more will

come from ecumenical dialogue, which has been

conducted by a number of Churches for quite some

time. If one has that kind of attitude, one either is not

interested in the goal of the ecumenical movement, or

one prefers to remain in a Church separated from oth-

er Christian Churches. The status quo is just great as

it is. The real question is not what do I want, but

what does the Head of the Church, our Lord Jesus

Christ, want? Is Christ satisfied that the One, Holy,

Catholic, and Apostolic Church, which we mention

every Sunday when we recite the Nicene Creed, is

actually fragmented? What do we mean when we say

at Mass “I believe in One, Holy, Catholic and Apos-

tolic Church?”

What does Jesus say in the Gospels? “I am the good

shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just

as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I

lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep

that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them al-

so, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be

one flock, one shepherd” (John 10:14-16). “I ask not

only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those

who will believe in me through their word, that they

may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in

you, may they also be in us, so that the world may

believe that you have sent me. The glory that you

have given me I have given them, so that they may

be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that

they may become completely one, so that the world

may know that you have sent me and have loved

them even as you have loved me” (John 17:20-23). In

his Letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul sets forth the ba-

sis on which Christian unity is founded. “There is one

body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the

one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one

baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all

and through all and in all.”(Eph. 4:4-6).

Why are some Christians reluctant to forget and for-

give the unpleasant events of the past in Church his-

tory? Why do they still wish to preserve hostility and

almost hatred for the events of the past involving an-

other Church? Too often they are never aware of the

true facts and believe that everything is black and

white. Their side is right while the other side is

wrong. If one were to truly study the historical

events, and some were definitely very unchristian,

one might come to realize that the events of the past

are very complex. And both sides of the matter may

be right and wrong.

I was ordained to the priesthood in 1958, and at that

time there was very little ecumenism. Some separated

Churches were very cool and even cold to one anoth-

er. We did not always say nice things about others.

When one Church celebrated an important event, we

might find that only members of that Church would

be invited to attend.. When our Church celebrated an

important event, we would never think of inviting the

local Roman Catholic pastor. If by chance we did,

most likely he would not come. On the other hand, if

there was an important celebration in the local Ro-

man Catholic parish, the local Polish National Catho-

lic priest would not receive an invitation.

When I wanted to take some philosophy courses in a

Roman Catholic college in 1960, I sent in my appli-

cation. In a few weeks I received a letter from the

college which said, “When we receive an application

from a non-Catholic clergyman, we have to notify the

chancery. We received a notification from the chan-

cery which stated that you were not acceptable. We

http://pncc.org/




suggest that you apply to Clark University.” That

was in the pre-Vatican II period. In this ecumenical

age our priests do not have that problem. Many have

attended Roman Catholic colleges and even graduat-

ed from them.

In those early days weddings in which the wedding

couple came from the P.N.C.C. and the R.C.C. could

be moments of great stress. If the wedding took place

in a Polish National Catholic church, the Roman

Catholic was threatened with horrible consequences.

In some cases family members or friends would not

attend the wedding in church. During this ecumeni-

cal age, we do not have those same problems. A Ro-

man Catholic is able to receive a dispensation allow-

ing him to be married in a Polish National Catholic

parish by a Polish National Catholic priest and the

wedding is recognized as valid. The wedding then is

recorded in the marriage records in the Polish Na-

tional Catholic and Roman Catholic Churches.

Times have changed as the Holy Spirit guides the

ecumenical dialogues. Weddings between members

of two different Churches need not be terrible night-

mares. Invitations from both Churches are sent to the

local pastors to participate in joyful occasions. A mu-

tual respect is shown by the clergy of both Churches.

This respect is also expressed by the laity. This did

not always exist. Now Christians are putting into

practice the teachings of Jesus Who is the Head of

the Church.

The relationship between the Polish National Catho-

lic Church and the Roman Catholic Church has

greatly improved. A mutual respect and friendship is

shown by many priests of both Churches. Polish Na-

tional Catholic bishops have been invited to St. Pe-

ter's Roman Catholic Cathedral for a number of

events and seated in the sanctuary. Likewise Roman

Catholic bishops and priests have been invited to im-

portant celebrations at St. Stanislaus Cathedral. A

number of Polish National Catholic bishops have

preached at St. Peter's Cathedral at ecumenical gath-

erings.

In 1996, the members of the Polish National Catholic

Church were given the courtesy of receiving the Sac-

raments of Holy Eucharist, Penance, and Holy

Anointing when there is spiritual need. This courtesy

has only been offered to the Eastern Orthodox

Churches which also possess a valid Apostolic Suc-

cession in which there is a valid priesthood and Eu-

charist. During this ecumenical dialogue, the Roman

Catholic Church acknowledged that the Polish Na-

tional Catholic Church has a valid Apostolic Succes-

sion, priesthood, and Sacraments, a claim which we

always made. In Roman Catholic documents we have

been called a sister Church as are the Orthodox

Churches and the Old Catholic Churches.

Ecumenical dialogue requires patience and under-

standing because things are not going as quickly as

we would like. But we must be patient and continue

working to restore that state of the Church which

once existed. The task will not be easy, but with the

aid of the Holy Spirit it can be attained.

It would be naive to think that all are in favor of dia-

logue. All Churches have extreme conservatives who

prefer the status quo, leave things as they are. Maybe

the decrease in Church membership is a sign that it is

now time for us to work together.

I do believe that the ecumenical movement is the

work of the Holy Spirit. I believe that what is stated

in Holy Scripture is God's message to us that things

must change. We have made much progress in our

dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church, but there

is still a long way to go. I believe that we should

strive for communion with the Bishop of Rome, but

not under the Bishop of Rome as it was practiced in

the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church before

the great schism between East and West in 1054. Ar-

ticle Six in the Creed of the Polish National Catholic

Church, written by Bishop Francis Hodur during very

difficult times focuses on Church Unity. That article

begins “I believe in the need of uniting all followers

of Christ's religion into one body of God's Church.

Dialogue must not only be with the Roman Catholic

Church; it must be with all separated Christian

Churches.

http://pncc.org/




The P.N.C.C. Commission on History and Archives Needs Your Help

Your help is needed now more than ever. The

P.N.C.C. Archives is at a crossroads. The three pre-

sent, active members who work at the Archives are in

their late 70s and early 80s. A transfer of information

from those who are currently doing the work now to

those who will carry on would lead to a smooth tran-

sition.

There are two tasks which need additional man-

power or woman-power now. Both require some de-

gree of comfort with a computer. One of these is the

preparation of the twenty P.N.C.C. Studies to be

available as digital books. The pages of these books

have been scanned and stored on the hard drive of the

P.N.C.C. Archives computer. What needs to be done

is for someone to perform optical character recogni-

tion on these scanned documents, using ABBYY

software, owned by the P.N.C.C., and then store them

in an Adobe Acrobat format. The ABBYY software

is optical character recognition software capable of

identifying text in multiple languages, English and

Polish for us. The ABBYY software optical character

recognition process is to verify that all spelling is

correct and that the scan of the fonts has been accu-

rately done. The Archives needs someone to do this

work at the National Church Center because the AB-

BYY software can only be used on a single comput-

er, the one on the P.N.C.C. Archives computer.

The second task, which requires more people, is one

of computer data entry. Because of the limited num-

ber of workers in the Archives, it was decided to fo-

cus on an area that would provide the most research

opportunities for anyone studying the P.N.C.C. The

Supreme Council’s documents were selected because

the Supreme Council is the body responsible for the

operations of the P.N.C.C. in between Synods. The

majority of its members, both clergy and lay mem-

bers of the P.N.C.C., are elected by Synod delegates,

diocesan lay delegates for the two lay members and

diocesan clergy members for the one clergy member.

The Supreme Council approves the yearly budgets

for the P.N.C.C. and monitors and regulate expendi-

tures. It is also responsible for ensuring that the en-

actments of the Synod are adhered to. It reviews the

Annual Reports of every Committee and Commission

of the Church and implements the recommendations

included in them that are deemed beneficial to the

P.N.C.C.

The documents to be catalogued include: Meeting

Agendas, Meeting Minutes, Correspondence to and

from the Supreme Council and the Annual Reports of

every Committee and Commission of the Church.

These documents will provide insight into the histori-

cal workings of the Church to researchers of the

P.N.C.C. The documents have been separated into

these categories; Meeting Agendas and Minutes,

Names and Addresses of Members, Correspondence

to and from the Supreme Council and the Annual Re-

ports of the Committees and Commissions of the

P.N.C.C. Each document in these categories require

data entry into a file, putting the catalogued docu-

ments into archive boxes and finally putting each box

on its proper shelf. The cataloguing of the documents

begins with entering the data into a computer file.

The P.N.C.C. Archives uses Microsoft Excel soft-

ware for this data storage. The data to be entered for

each of the Committees and Commissions of the

P.N.C.C. document is as follows: Topic, Organiza-

tion, Author, Office, Location, Date, Size, Pages,

Copies, Box, Rack, Shelf, and Notes. The data entry

for Correspondence is as follows: From What Organ-

ization or Person, Location, Date, Sent to What Or-

ganization or Person, Location, Topic, Size, Pages,

Copies, Box, Rack, Shelf, and Notes. The data under

Topic identifies what the name of the of document is.

Organization is the field which identifies the name of

the organization. Author identifies the name of the

person who wrote the document. Office identifies the

title or position of the writer - Chairman, President,

Secretary, etc. Location identifies the name of the

writer’s location. Date identifies the day, month and

year that the document was written. Size, Width by

Height identifies the physical size of the document so

that it can be placed in the proper size box. Pages

identifies the number of pages in the document. Cop-

ies gives the quantity of the document; the Archive

keeps only three copies of each document. Box iden-

tifies the name and number of the box; each box in

the Archive has a unique name and it also would

have a number if there is more than a single box with

that name. Rack identifies the number of the rack

where the box is stored; each rack in the Archive is

numbered, from 1 through 51. Shelf identifies the

letter of the shelf in the rack where the box is stored;

each shelf in the rack is lettered, from A through G.

Notes would have a short description of the docu-

http://pncc.org/




ment; for Correspondence, this would include a short

description of the content and purpose of the letter.

The forty-two (42) boxes into which the documents

will be put are labeled as follows: Minutes and Mem-

bers, Tape Recordings of Supreme Council Meetings,

Actions Taken by the Supreme Council, Synod Rules

& Regulations, Spojnia Inc., P.N.C.C. Investments,

Nominations for Bishops Elect, Loans to Parishes,

Treasurer, Budget & Finance, National Church Cen-

ter Campaign, Seminary Fund, Financial Audit, Cor-

respondence, Clergy Pension Fund, Clergy Hospitali-

zation, Clergy Life Insurance, Aid to Clergy, Liturgy

Commission, Doctrine Commission, Sacred Voca-

tions Commission, Seminary, Diaconate Program,

Mission & Evangelism Commission, Young Men's

Society of Resurrection, The Society for the Adora-

tion of the Most Blessed Sacrament, P.N.C.C. United

Choirs, Music Commission, P.N.C.C. - RCC Dia-

logue, Anglican-Old Catholic Dialogue, Nordic Cath-

olic Church, Union of Scranton, Youth Chaplain,

School of Christian Living, Scouting Commission,

Press and Publications Commission, God's Field,

News Releases, Website, P.N.C.C. History and Ar-

chives Commission, Polish Catholic Church, Canadi-

an Diocese Fact Finding, Canadian Diocese, and

P.N.C.C. Trademarks. These separations should

make it easier to research the topics. Each box will be

located on the appropriate shelf. If there are more

documents than will be able to fit into a single box,

additional boxes will be used and identified by num-

ber.

Please call the Office of the Prime Bishops to volun-

teer your services to work on either of these two pro-

jects.

And, it is not too early to think about becoming a

member of the Polish National Catholic Church

(P.N.C.C.) Commission on History and Archives.

The Twenty-fifth (25th) General Synod, to be held in

2018, will soon be here. That is the time for members

of P.N.C.C. Committees and Commissions to be se-

lected. The P.N.C.C. History and Archives Commis-

sion has always sought to have active members from

every P.N.C.C. Diocese. I hope that you believe that

it is important to preserve the history of the P.N.C.C.

and to make it available for those interested in our

history. There are many tasks that need to be done

but aren’t because of a lack of people power. Consid-

er volunteering your time and effort if you can be an

active contributing member.

Just to refresh your memory, let me say again: The

purpose of the P.N.C.C. Archives is twofold: 1. Pro-

vide a safe repository for documents and memorabil-

ia of the P.N.C.C. and 2. Make items accessible to

members of the P.N.C.C. and the general public. The

first was established by the provision of space in the

National Church Center for the Archives of the

Church. The second is a work in progress.

Joseph Francis Seliga

Chair, P.N.C.C. Commission on History and Archives

NOTICE TO PARISHES

If your parish is in need of financial assistance and you must request Clergy Aid from the

Polish National Catholic Church,

you must follow the procedures

as outlined by the XIX General Synod.

All individual parish requests must be sent

through the proper Diocesan Bishop

as soon as possible before March 15, 2018,

along with all of the required

supporting financial documentation.

The Diocesan Bishops must forward all parish requests to the

Office of the Prime Bishop no later than March 20, 2018.

(PLEASE NOTE: Requests sent by parishes directly to the Office of the Prime Bishop and not

through the proper Diocesan Bishop will be returned to the parish. This may result in delayed

paperwork and missed deadline submission.)

http://pncc.org/




God’s Field

Appeal for Easter Greetings

The deadline for submission and payment of Easter Greetings is MARCH 1, 2018. Greetings will be

published in the March issue because Easter falls on April 1, 2018.

The cost for publishing Easter greetings for individuals, parishes and organizations is $20.00. Due to space

constraints in the page setup of the God’s Field, greetings are limited to up to three (3) lines of text.

Example greetings:

The Adoration Society of St. John’s Parish, Everytown, USA

Eve Adams, President

We wish everyone a Blessed Easter!

St. John’s Parish, Everytown, USA

Rev. Adam Adams, Pastor

Wesołego Alleluja!

An online form can be found on the pncc.org

website at: pncc.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/online_greeting_form_2018.pdf

ALL GREETINGS, ACCOMPANIED BY PAYMENTS, MUST BE RECEIVED BY MARCH 1, 2018 IN

ORDER TO BE INCLUDED IN THE MARCH ISSUE. We no longer publish greetings submitted without

payment, so please be sure to send in your payment with your greeting or it will not be published.

Please send 3-line greetings, along with payments in the form of check or money order payable to God’s Field,

to:

God’s Field - Easter Greetings

National Church Center


Scranton, PA 18505

http://pncc.org/


http://www.pncc.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/online_greeting_form_2018.pdf



The 2017 - 2018 God’s Field subscription year ends after the February 2018 issue. March 2018 - February

2019 God’s Field subscriptions are now available to individuals and parishes. The subscription rate is still

$48.00 per year for 12 issues to U.S and $62.00 per year for 12 issues to Canada. Single issues of God’s Field

are still available for purchase from the National Church Center for $2.00 each (pickup) or prepaid $4.00 each

(shipped within the U.S.) and $5.25 each (shipped to Canada). These rates will remain in effect until further

notice.

Please note that the gratis online version of God’s Field will continue to be available to everyone on our

website at pncc.org.

We do not accept groups of individual parishioner subscriptions from parishes, nor do we accept multi-year

subscriptions. Individuals are responsible for ordering and pre-paying for their own personal subscriptions

annually. Prepaid annual gift subscriptions from individuals for another individual are accepted.

Individuals and parishes who wish to start an annual subscription or who wish to continue to receive an annual

subscription to God’s Field must fill out the form, below, and send a check or money order in USD, payable to

God’s Field, along with current name and full mailing address. Please include zip+4 (U.S.) or postal code

(Canada) to ensure delivery of your subscription; if you do not include a complete, valid mailing address in-

cluding zip+4 or postal code we cannot guarantee delivery by the Post Office. Only prepaid subscriptions will

be mailed, so please send in annual subscription payments prior to the end of the subscription year so that your

subscription continues to be sent to you. If your annual subscription is not prepaid, you may experience a gap

in monthly issues of God’s Field. Parishes and individuals may copy and use the form, below, and send with

payment to:

God’s Field


Scranton, PA 18505

Thank you.

The Staff and Management of God’s Field—Rola Boża

Don’t Forget to Renew Your God’s Field Subscription for 2018 - 2019!

Renewal or Subscription: (Circle one)

God’s Field Annual Subscription Form March 2017 - February 2018

Name:

Street Address:

City:

State/Province:

Postal Code: (Zip+4)

Check No. and Amt: $48.00 U.S./ $62.00 Canada

Return form & payment to:

God’s Field


Scranton, PA 18505

http://pncc.org/


http://www.pncc.org/?page_id=1354



The Solemnity of the Institution of the Polish National Catholic Church

The Solemnity of the Institution of the Polish National Catholic Church will be celebrated throughout the

Polish National Catholic Church this year on Sunday, March 11, 2018. Through a discernment process at the

General Synod in 2014, the delegates asked for a better understanding of the unique Solemnities of the Polish

National Catholic Church.

We remind you that, for this celebration the Polish National Catholic Church has an online presentation on the

history of the P.N.C.C. and the life of Bishop Franciszek Hodur. You can find this presentation on the

P.N.C.C. Future Direction YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1zutKjZ6CU.

In conjunction with the online presentation and also in celebration of the Solemnity of the Institution of the

P.N.C.C. on Sunday, March 11, 2018, the P.N.C.C. is again offering to the parishes a full color brochure de-

scribing the Solemnity of the Institution and sharing some information on this unique feast of the Polish Na-

tional Catholic Church. This is a perfect point of information to include in welcome packets or to have in bul-

letin racks.

25 brochures: $8.50

50 brochures: $15.00



(All prices include shipping costs.)

Checks, payable to P.N.C.C. Book Department, should be sent to:

P.N.C.C. Book Department

National Church Center


Scranton, PA 18505

Order forms are available online at:

http://www.pncc.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/solemnities_brochures_order_form.pdf

We hope that all parishes will help to spread the awareness of this important Solemnity of the Polish National

Catholic Church by watching the presentation and sharing this information on the Institution of the Polish Na-

tional Catholic Church.

http://pncc.org/


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1zutKjZ6CU

http://www.pncc.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/solemnities_brochures_order_form.pdf



Central Diocese

BVMC Parish Youth Co-Wrote and Will Direct New Original Play

Latham, NY

Grace Zofia Alberti, 16, a member of the Blessed

Virgin Mary of Czestochowa Parish in Latham, NY,

and a junior at Saratoga Springs High School, started

her own theatre company. Alberti formed Ad Astra

Theatre Troupe, Ltd. in 2017 in order to give Sarato-

ga area teens an opportunity to take leadership in di-

rection, play-writing, acting, set and costume design

and stage management. Last May, Ad Astra success-

fully staged Jeremy Bloom’s Peter/Wendy at the Sa-

ratoga Springs High School Teaching Auditorium.

Peter/Wendy was Alberti’s directorial debut.

After searching for the right 2018 project, Alberti

and troupe member, Catie LeCours, a senior at

Niskayuna H.S., teamed up with SUNY Adirondack

professor, Lâle Davidson, to create an original play

based upon the young women who fought in the

Warsaw Uprising during World War II. There are 13

roles for teen girls and boys, with an additional small

ensemble. Auditions for the play were conducted on

February 3rd in Saratoga Springs, NY.

Alberti, who is of Polish and Italian heritage, is fasci-

nated by Polish history. Alberti has been a volunteer

and performer at the Latham, NY PolishFest for

many years and it was there that she met the histori-

ans who are reviewing and advising the writing

team. Sophie Hodorowicz Knab, author of Wearing

the Letter P: Polish Women as Forced Laborers in

Nazi Germany, 1939-1945, and Alina Nowobliska, a

Poland-based history blogger, are working with the

writers to ensure historical accuracy of the play. In

addition, Alberti’s sister, Katherine, is a translator for

the Polish web site, www.Culture.PL and has provid-

ed important resources for the project.

Saratoga Springs H.S. Junior, Tess Davidson-Brown,

is working on the show poster, which will be done in

period style. Kathleen Rembish, Waldorf School Jun-

ior, is envisioning the costumes. Teen musicians and

choreographers will be planning WWII-era music

and dance to bring the production to life. Ad Astra

Theatre Troupe Board member and Emma Willard

School Junior, Georgia Berry, will be part of the mu-

sic planning. Alberti will be directing the production.

The play will be performed in mid-May, 2018 in Sa-

ratoga Springs, NY and scenes from the play will be

performed at PolishFest in Latham, NY June 1-3,

2018.

Submitted by Grace Z. Alberti

Grace Alberti giving director notes to the cast during Ad Astra's last play

http://pncc.org/


http://www.culture.pl/



PolishFest Announces 2018 Book Club Selections

Latham, NY

On June 1 - 3, 2018, PolishFest will return to 250

Old Maxwell Road, Latham, NY. The Capital Re-

gion’s largest celebration of Polish and Polish-

American culture will once again feature its popular

PolishFest Book Club. Festival goers are encouraged

to buy the books and read them before the festi-

val. The authors will be speaking, selling and sign-

ing books at the festival and there will be the oppor-

tunity to discuss the books with other literary-minded

festival goers. And yes, they do serve that essential

book club staple, wine, at PolishFest (as well as

many varieties of Polish beer).

This year’s PolishFest Book Club selections are:

Echoes of Tattered Tongues: Memory Unfolded, by

John Guzlowski, The Best Polish Restaurant in Buf-

falo, by William Kowalski, and Grace Revealed, by

Greg Archer.

Echoes of Tattered Tongues: Memory Unfolded, by

John Z. Guzlowski:

In this major tour de force, Guzlowski traces the arc

of one of the millions of immigrant families of

America, in this case, survivors of the maelstrom of

World War II. Through a haunting collage—poems,

prose and prose poems, frozen moments of time,

sometimes dreamlike and surreal, other times realis-

tic and graphic—the story unfolds backwards

through time.

This is the story of Guzlowski’s own family: his par-

ents were taken as slave laborers by the Germans and

barely survived; his sister and he were born in Dis-

placed Persons camps. Raw and at the same time

compassionate, Guzlowski illuminates a hidden facet

of World War II and reflects the many ways in which

trauma echoes through time, leaving us with a deeper

more visceral understanding of the human costs of

war.

Echoes of Tattered Tongues: Memory Unfolded is the

winner of the 2017 Benjamin Franklin Gold Award

for Poetry and the winner of the 2017 Montaigne

Medal for Most Thought-Provoking Book.

The Best Polish Restaurant in Buffalo, by William

Kowalski

A masterful blend of historical and modern fiction by

a best-selling, award-winning author, The Best Polish

Restaurant in Buffalo chronicles a century of life in

America for one humble Polish farm girl and three

generations of her descendants in Buffalo, New York.

William Kowalski is the author of the international

best-seller Eddie’s Bastard (HarperCollins, 1999), the

best-seller Somewhere South of Here (HarperCollins,

2001), and twelve other novels. He is the recipient of

the 1999 Rosenstein Award, the 2001 Ama-Boeke

Award, the 2014 Thomas H. Raddall Award, and

three nominations for the Ontario Library Associa-

tion's Golden Oak Award. He was also the co-author

of Coyote Beach, winner of the 21st Century

Filmmaker Award at the Avignon/New York Film

Festival. His work has been translated into fifteen lan-

guages. A descendant of three generations of Buffalo

Polish-Americans, he was raised in Erie, PA and now

lives in Nova Scotia, Canada with his wife and two

children.

Grace Revealed, by Greg Archer

Seventy-five years after Joseph Stalin's reign of terror

across Eastern Europe, entertainment journalist Greg

Archer takes a step back from Hollywood and exam-

ines his Polish family's mind-bending odyssey of the

1940s. In the process, he exposes one of the most un-

der-reported events of the 20th Century: Stalin's mass

deportation of nearly two million Polish citizens to

the Siberian gulags and the life-shattering events that

followed.

But the author's quest takes a dramatic turn. As he

walks an emotional tightrope between the past and

the present, can a serendipitous global adventure be-

come a saving grace, heal the ancestral soul and bring

justice to his family and their forgotten Polish com-

rades?

Greg Archer is an author, multimedia journalist, and

public speaker. He is currently exploring creating a

documentary on the subject. Greg regularly speaks to

groups about his serendipitous life in the entertain-

ment industry, making revealing connections to inher-

ited legacies and family history. His work spotlight-

ing Agents of Change, and culture vultures near and

far, is featured regularly in Huffington Post, Gan-

nett’s USA Today Network, Live Happy Magazine

and other media and television outlets.

Submitted by Anntonette Zembrzuski Alberti

http://pncc.org/


http://www.PolishFest-NY.org



Y.M.S. of R. Annual Installation Meeting and Dinner

Holy Mother of Sorrows Parish, Dupont, PA

On January 29, 2018, the Young Men’s Society of

Resurrection, Branch # 2, Holy Mother of Sorrows in

Dupont, PA, held its Annual Meeting and Installation

Dinner. The elected officers are: Jack Wall Jr. , Presi-

dent; Anthony Shumlas, Vice-President; Nick

Kazinetz, Recording Secretary; Atty. Andrew

Shumlas, Treasurer; Carl Cwikla, Financial Secre-

tary; Very Rev. Zbigniew Dawid – Chaplain.

A summary of the Y.M.S. of R. events in 2017: The

Annual Lenten Fish Fry Dinner; Annual Installation

Dinner and Meeting; Cleaning of the parish cemetery

in preparation for Memorial Day; Carrying the sym-

bols of Christ’s Resurrection during the Easter pro-

cession; Sponsoring the Mother's Day Breakfast;

Giving financial aid to the youth of our church to at-

tend Kurs -Summer Camp at Waymart; Assisting at

the Corpus Christi procession (setting the four

"outdoor" altars); Participating in the Memorial Day

Parade in Dupont; Annual Chicken BBQ; Participat-

ing in Golf Tournament; Participating in the Centen-

nial Dupont Parade; Various maintenance projects at

the grounds of the Bishop Hodur Retreat and Recrea-

tion Center; Father/Son Penn State football game fel-

lowship; Preparing stands and work at the Dozynki

Harvest Festival and Flea Market; Setup of the

Christmas decorations and lights on the church

grounds; Winter clothing drive; and Toys for Tots

collection. Submitted by Very Rev. Zbigniew Dawid

First row, from left: John Bondurich Sr.; Carl Cwikla; Anthony Shumlas; Very Rev. Zbigniew Dawid, Pastor;

Atty. Andrew Shumlas; David Fritz, Sr.; Arnold Borc. Second row, from left: Frank Panek; Jan Cwikla, Jeff Baldan; Al Micka;

Paul Kazinetz, Jr.; Angelo Conforti, Jr.; Jack Wall, Sr., Paul Kazinetz, III; David Fritz, Jr.; Paul Kaspriskie Jr.

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PTO Fundraiser at Holy Mother of Sorrows Parish

Dupont, PA

Successful Winter Clothing Drive at Holy Mother of Sorrows Parish

Dupont, PA

Holy Mother of Sorrows Parish, Dupont, PA, con-

ducted the annual Y.M.S. of R. Winter Clothing

Drive from November 15, 2017 through January 7,

2018. It was a very successful event and many items

were collected. All of the clothes were packed and

taken to St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Wilkes-

Barre, PA for the REACH program, which helps

those in need.

We wish to thank all of the parishioners who partici-

pated in the event by organizing the event and donat-

ing, packing and delivering clothing for this very im-

portant Church-wide endeavor which helps to provide

some warm clothes to those in need during the harsh

winter months.

Submitted by Very Rev. Zbigniew Dawid

PTO of Holy Mother of Sorrows in Dupont, held its

Annual Super Bowl Chicken Wings Fundraiser on

Sunday, February 4, 2018. Many parishioners helped

- out with this project working on Saturday with all

the preparations and on Sunday, cooking and packing

all the orders. PTO of Holy Mother of Sorrows spon-

sors: Easter Breakfast with the Bunny, Halloween

event, Christmas gifts for the children and assists with

SOCL. Submitted by Very Rev. Zbigniew Dawid

Al and Donna Micka, Carol Bondurich, Gary Bondurich,

Emily Tisdel, Dorothy Kishel, Ruth O'Dell, John Bondurich III,

Dorothy Cook, Rose Kazinetz

John Bondurich III and Gary Bondurich

Rose Kazinetz, Dorothy Kishel, Donna Micka Nick Kazinetz and Very Rev. Zbigniew Dawid

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A Very Busy Season for the UYA

St. Stanislaus Cathedral Parish, Scranton, PA

The Cathedral United Youth Association was very

busy this Christmas Season. Over the past months,

the youth group has been collecting and purchasing

items to pack in shoeboxes for Operation Christmas

Child coordinated by Samaritan’s Purse International

Relief. The items included medium sized toys, per-

sonal care items, along with school and craft sup-

plies. While packing the boxes, it was important to

also pray for the child who will receive the gifts. The

Youth Group then wrapped the boxes and delivered

them to a local drop off point with a donation to cov-

er the cost of postage. The boxes are then sent to

over 100 countries to children who need and will ap-

preciate the gifts. This year our UYA packed 20 box-

es filled to the brim. It is wonderful that our young

people can bring Christmas joy to needy children

over the world.

The UYA also sponsored a fundraiser called “Angel

Wishes.” A person or family could purchase and An-

gel ornament which would be given either “In Loving

Memory” of someone who was close to you or as a

“Prayer Angel” for someone who needs a little extra

Holiday cheer, like someone who is sick, in a nursing

home, or someone you are fond of. A heartfelt mes-

sage was attached and each angel was displayed on a

tree within our church during the Christmas Season.

The angel will be given to the person or family to

have as a keepsake or to pass on as a gift to that

someone special.

The goal of the angels was to inspire us to reach deep

within our hearts and provide a peaceful and spiritual

message as we all prepared for the Birth of Christ!

All proceeds from this event will go toward our Con-

vo 2018 expenditures.

St. Stanislaus Cathedral SOCL Celebrates Jesus’ Birthday

Scranton, Pa

On Sunday December 17, the Cathedral School Of

Christian Living celebrated Jesus’ birthday with a

party, complete with cupcakes and candles and non-

perishable gifts for the Honoree. The children sang

“Happy Birthday,” “Silent Night” and “Joy to the

World.” The children then shared cake with parish-

ioners in the Parish Hall. The items collected were

donated to St. Stanislaus’ One Hot Meal program

which provides non perishable food and hot meals to

those in need on the first Saturday of each month.

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Eastern Diocese

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St. Casimir’s Parish Activities

Lowell, MA

Christmas is the season of giv-

ing and the parishioners and

friends of St. Casimir’s Parish,

Lowell, MA were very generous

this past Christmas. The Wish

Project of Lowell, MA, was the

charity chosen by the parish for their 2017 Giving

Tree.

Donors helped the Wish Project by selecting a tag

from the tree that was set up in the church and pur-

chasing the item written on the tag. Some of items

needed were warm hats and gloves, warm shirts and

sweatshirts, thermal clothing and toiletries.

On December 19th the Project Wish Truck arrived at

the parish and the boxes of items were loaded. Pro-

ject Wish was very thankful for all of the items they

received. Father Tenus, ANS members Pearl Czer-

lonka, Phyllis Hunt, Shirley Khourey, Dolly Nor-

mand, Joyce Normand Charlotte Stankiewicz and

JoAnn Menzia were on hand to represent St. Casi-

mir’s Parish.

Many thanks to everyone who selected a tag and do-

nated items for this very special giving event.

St. Casimir’s Parish again partici-

pated in the Operation Christmas

Child donation activity sponsored

by the Samaritan’s Purse Organiza-

tion.

During the 2017 Christmas season,

St. Casimir’s parishioners collected

enough materials for 15 boxes to send to children in

need all around the world. Joe Quirbach dropped off

the boxes at the collection center in Nashua, MA,

where they are forwarded to Virginia and then

shipped overseas.

St. Casimir’s Youth Group has participated in the Na-

tional United Youth As-

sociation’s sharing

event, Souper Bowl of

Caring, since 2016. This

event features the collec-

tion of an assortment of

non perishable soups for

distribution to families in need. This year the dona-

tions were again collected at the church prior to the

Super Bowl. The collection was then taken to Mil-

ford, NH S.H.A.R.E., an organization that provided

food and clothing to the homeless in southern New

Hampshire.

St. Casimir’s recently conducted their annual meeting

and election and installation of the 2018 Parish Com-

mittee. Congratulations to everyone elected. You

are wished a very successful year!

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2017 Eastern Diocese Winter Youth Gathering and Lock-In

Fall River, MA

The coldest weather of the winter to date did not

keep away more than 30 youth, adults and clergy

from across our Eastern Diocese to gather at Blessed

Trinity Parish in Fall River, MA, for our diocesan

Winter Youth Gathering and Lock-In.

Friday afternoon December 29th saw the arrival and

excitement of our youth for time in prayer, worship,

fellowship and fun. The Winter Gathering began

with a prayer led by our Bishop, Rt. Rev. Paul

Sobiechowski. The youth were then treated to a vid-

eo presentation from Prime Bishop Mikovsky on the

Solemnity of Humble Shepherds. Although Prime

Bishop was not with us in person, I think he might

have heard the clapping from the gathering when his

message concluded.

The first presentation was given by Fr. Michal Git-

ner. Fr. Michal had the youth put together a floor

puzzle of the world and then he spoke about a trip he

made in 2008 to an orphanage in Myanmar that was

taking care of children who lost their parents in a cy-

clone. He spoke about the poverty they lived in and

how appreciative they were of the assistance and love

given. Fr. Michal spoke about the poverty into

which our Lord was born and how He, from His birth

in Bethlehem, had a special place for the poor and

those in need. He challenged the youth to be disci-

ples of Christ - to reach out and help those who are in

need – especially during the Christmas season. He

finished with story time reading The Not Very Merry

Pout-Pout Fish. Google it!

Following Fr. Michal’s session, the youth enjoyed a

close game of Pictionary with scenes being drawn of

the Nativity and Christmas. The scorekeeper needed

to be alert, as the game was decided by just two

points.

The youth received a visit from a real live shepherd

(Fr. Robert Fredrickson) who reminded the youth

about the Old Testament Prophecies and how they

culminated in the birth of the Messiah. He spoke

about the Humble Shepherds who went immediately

to see the Christ Child when they heard from the An-

gels. Fr. Robert concluded his presentation by teach-

ing the youth the importance of humility and showing

humble service to our Lord in their lives.

District 3 of the PNU then treated everyone in attend-

ance to a pizza party. Everyone enjoyed some excel-

lent local pizza! Thank you to PNU District 3 for

their generosity and support of our youth.

A rock painting activity followed a group picture of

everyone present for Friday’s portion of the gather-

ing. The youth and some adults painted rocks with

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kind and faith-filled messages on them. They were

asked to place the rocks out in locations where peo-

ple would see them and read them.

Fr. Sr. Rob Nemkovich had the final presentation on

the P.N.C.C. Solemnity of Humble Shepherds by the

manger scene with just one light on over the manger

in the church. He spoke about the message God gave

us by having the poor and humble shepherds be the

first to hear the Good News and how that translates

to our lives. Fr. Sr. Rob spoke about the conditions

of our ancestors in the faith in 1906 and the purpose

for this special commemoration. Sacred Vocations

and prayers we offer for them on this special day in

our P.N.C.C. was the final portion of the presenta-

tion. The young men were encouraged to be open to

the call of our Lord in their lives concerning the

priesthood and diaconate.

The video, Noel – The Happy Christmas Ornament,

was then shown. The youth and adults enjoyed this

short video about sharing Christmas love and happi-

ness in our world - an oldie but a goodie.

An ice cream sundae social was then a big hit. Even

though the temperature outside was hovering around

zero, the ice cream and all the toppings went like

wildfire! Thanks again to PNU District 3 for spon-

soring our ice cream social.

The kids enjoyed a few games of Nativity Bingo.

Many laughs and a great time were had by all. Our

winners got more candy to add to their sugar intake

for the day. Thanks to Kathy Nemkovich and Joanne

Oliveira for coordinating and selecting the activity

for this winter gathering.

After all the blow-up mattresses and sleeping bags

were in place, everyone enjoyed the movie “UP.”

After the movie and Star Wars chips, Fr. Robert

Fredrickson led everyone in evening prayer.

Saturday morning began with a beautiful rendition of

“Rise and Shine” by Mike Zarek and Fr. Robert. Af-

ter deflating the mattresses, folding up the sleeping

bags and straightening up the Parish Hall, everyone

gathered for the Holy Sacrifice of Mass. Fr. Sr. Rob

celebrated Mass on this, the Solemnity of the Holy

Family. He spoke about the importance of the Holy

Family, and about how our P.N.C.C., during January,

is focusing on the example of the Holy Family for all

of our families. Fr. Sr. Rob encouraged everyone to

offer the prayer on the prayer cards that were distrib-

uted to all parishes by the Future Direction Commit-

tee.

After Mass Fr. Sr. Rob made a special presentation to

Fr. Robert Frederickson, who will be leaving our dio-

cese for a new assignment in the Church. Fr. Robert

was given a New England Patriots 2017 sideline win-

ter hat and a picture/plaque thanking him for his ded-

ication to the youth of our diocese and depicting

some of his inspiring presentations at youth retreats,

winter youth gatherings, acolyte retreats and convos.

A fantastic breakfast was then served. Thanks to

Ryan and Joanna Barker for cooking us delicious

pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage and of course,

Dunkin Donuts. Fr. Sr. Rob thanked all the youth for

making the time for Jesus. He thanked the adults for

chaperoning and especially the less than a handful of

clergy who made the time and effort for our youth!

Our diocesan parishes represented were: Blessed

Trinity, Fall River, MA; Holy Cross, Central Falls,

RI; Holy Trinity, Webster, MA; Holy Trinity, Plants-

ville, CT; Holy Trinity Cathedral, Manchester, NH;

and St. Joseph’s, Stratford, CT. Clergy participating

were: Bishop Paul Sobiechowski, Fr. Robert

Fredrickson, Fr. Michal Gitner and Fr. Sr. Rob Nem-

kovich.

We look forward to seeing everyone at Youth Retreat

2018 at Camp Howe in Goshen, MA from August 19

– 23 2018. This year our youth can bring a friend

with them to Church Camp! Save the date and plan

to join us.

Have a blessed New Year 2018 and let us always re-

member God’s message to us with the Humble Shep-

herds and go live it!

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Western Diocese

St. Mary’s Parish Welcomes Brady Soltysiak

Parma, OH

In St. Mary’s Parish on Sunday, December 10, 2017, Brady Paul Soltysiak was baptized into the Christian

Community by his grandfather, the Very Rev. Joseph Soltysiak of St. Joseph’s P.N.C.C. Parish in Westfield,

MA. Andrew Soltysiak (dad’s brother) and Heather Kazinetz (mom’s sister-in-law) are the Godparents.

A special coffee hour followed after the one Mass held on this particular Sunday.

The proud parents, Rev. Jason and Natalie Soltysiak, would like to genuinely and whole-heartedly thank every-

one who offered prayers, cards, gifts and well-wishes to them and to Brady.

St. Mary’s Parish Welcomes Roland Ploskonka

Parma, OH

In St. Mary’s Parish on Saturday, January 27, 2018, Roland Michael Ploskonka was baptized into the faith by

Rev. Jason Soltysiak, assisted by Roland’s grandfather, Cleric James Ploskonka. Roland is the son of Mitch

and Sarah Ploskonka. His godparents are Demi Paulus and Wesley East.

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New Year Beginnings at St. Mary Parish

South Bend, IN

St. Mary Parish is busily planning its yearly activi-

ties. Thanks to our congregation, new hall doors will

be installed as soon as weather permits. Most recent-

ly, a new furnace was also installed. This winter sea-

son has truly been a long one, and we are all antici-

pating spring weather.

Our Ladies Adoration Society recently enjoyed a

Holiday Luncheon on Sunday, January 21, at a local

restaurant. A wonderful afternoon was enjoyed by

those attending.

The St. Joseph Men’s Organization will be undertak-

ing some repairs in the lower Church Hall. The men

were kept busy during the heavy winter snows by

keeping the sidewalks around the church and hall free

of snow.

The Frederic Chopin Choir is planning a fundraiser

for Easter. They will be selling delicious chocolate

Easter items.

St. Mary Parish is helping the Oliver Apartments,

permanent supported housing for the homeless. We

have donated housewares, cleaning items and other

requested items. We are now collecting board games

and activities for the residents, to help occupy them

while they are receiving counseling and preparing for

entering the work force. On Tuesday evenings, Father

Charles Zawistowski and Susan Zawistowski, along

with volunteers from the parish, are sponsoring a

Bingo evening for residents.

The Lenten season is fast approaching, and we will

again be holding Lenten carry-in suppers prior to

each service. Our church members look forward to

attending services as well as the fellowship during

the Lenten Suppers.

Plans are also underway for Easter and a summer

Rummage Sale. We wish all of you a wonderful East-

er and spring season! Submitted by Fran Lemanski

A New Lector for All Saints Parish

Sterling Heights, MI

“Congratulations” to Sarah Szydlowski who recently

was installed as a lector at All Saints Parish, Sterling

Heights, MI.

Sarah’s dad, Mike, acknowledge to Father Senior

Nowak that Sarah was prepared to serve as lector.

Father Nowak then administered the formal oath,

prayers and blessing to Sarah, making her an official

lector of the parish. Best wishes, Sarah, on your new

spiritual journey. Thank you for volunteering to

serve our parish and the Lord.

Submitted by Sharon Stachurski, Parish Secretary

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Lastly we move on to the Lenten discipline of giving.

Having reoriented ourselves away from our own

lives and selfish desires and turning to Almighty

God, having grown in a knowledge of the love of

God and His wanting us to be an integral part of the

Christian family, in our own families as well as our

parish families, we now respond to this love in acts

of giving. Now I am sure that giving is already a part

of our Christian experience. We may put a few dol-

lars in the basket at church on Sunday and also give

here and there to some worthy causes, but the Lenten

season and our response to the love of God calls us to

look beyond this. It calls us to give some attention to

our giving and to do it in an intentional and sacrifi-

cial way. We must support our parish churches, not

only through increased giving in the offering baskets,

(Now is the Acceptable Time, Now is the Day of Salvation - Continued from Page 3.)

but also in finding other ways that we can be of ser-

vice to the building up of the Kingdom of God on

earth within our parishes. We must also find ways

that we can reach out, to others in our families, to our

neighborhoods and to our communities that our

Christian works of love and charity can be even fur-

ther spread.

There is so much that we can focus our attention on

in this Lenten season that we must start now so that

we can further unite ourselves with Jesus, especially

as we join ourselves with His ultimate giving of Him-

self upon the cross. Yes, we must take up the Lenten

disciplines of fasting, prayer and giving, but we must

also do them with the full intention of following the

way of Jesus Christ in the world. Now is the accepta-

ble time, now is the day of salvation.

Prayer for Lent

(Can be offered together as a family - adapted from catholic.org.)

God, heavenly Father, look upon us and hear our prayer during this holy Season of Lent.

By the good works You inspire, help us to discipline our bodies and to be renewed in spirit.

Without You we can do nothing. By Your Spirit help us to know what is right and to be eager in doing Your will. Teach

us to find new life through penance. Keep us from sin, and help us live by Your commandment of love. God of love,

bring us back to You. Send Your Spirit to make us strong in faith and active in good works. May our acts of penance

bring us Your forgiveness, open our hearts to Your love, and prepare us for the coming feast of the Resurrection of Je-

sus.

Lord, during this Lenten Season, nourish us with Your Word of life and make us one with You in love and prayer

Fill our hearts with Your love and keep us faithful to the Gospel of Christ. Give us the grace to rise above our human

weakness. Give us new life by Your Sacraments, especially Your presence we receive in the Eucharist during Mass

Father, our source of life, we reach out with joy to grasp Your hand; let us walk more readily in Your ways. Guide us in

Your gentle mercy, for left to ourselves we will flounder.

Father of love, source of all blessings, help us to pass from an old life of sin to the new life of grace. Prepare us for the

glory of Your Kingdom. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You and the

Holy Spirit, one God, forever. Amen.

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