More on St. John’s Cathedral
From the Rt. Rev. Sylvester Bigaj, Bishop of the Canadian Diocese of the Polish National Catholic Church
Dear Brothers and Sisters.
I would like to express my joy on the return of St. John the Baptist Cathedral Parish in Toronto, Ontario, into the community of Polish National Catholic Church. Through prayer and our faith in God together we will heal the wounds of the past and eliminate any differences and prejudice.
Jesus Christ expects a testimony of faith from all of us. The future of evangelization is joined with the testimony of unity that the Church gives to us. The sign of that shared testimony is brotherly cooperation. Its ramification is the need for the unity of all believers in our Church. That is why all who believe in God, despite our differences, need to seek peace, try to grow closer together and strive jointly to the source of light eternal.
Brothers and Sisters, it is the message I give to you.
I ask you to give, in Jesus Christ, a shared testimony to the world.
Has it been: a mistake to meet halfway “… your brother has something against you” (Matthew 5:23) and seek reconciliation? Is it completely wrong to commit yourself to overcome narrow mindedness and obstinacy so you will be open to something positive and valuable for everyone?
Let’s put our attention to these important words of St Paul’s Letter to the Galatians: “For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another” (Galatians 5:13-15). This excerpt refers deeply to our times. Unfortunately, ‘biting’ and ‘devouring’ sometimes takes place in the Church today as an expression of misunderstood freedom. Is it perhaps not surprising that we also are not by all means better than the Galatians? That we are tempted in the same way? That we have to learn how to use our freedom all over again? That we must teach ourselves again the most important priority of our lives — Love?
Dear Beloved!
I am asking you as your Bishop to pray fervently and genuinely for our Polish National Catholic Church. Pray for one another, for those who left and for those who came back. Our Church faces new and difficult tasks. Pray for unity, forgiveness and reconciliation. Our unity will bring us strength and prosperity towards a future filled with optimism.
Let us pray together:
Give us, Lord, Your Spirit of perception to be able to acquire Cognition and Wisdom.
Give us ears of those humble and modest to be able to seek Your Cognition and Wisdom.
Lead our Polish National Catholic Church to a triumph by uniting us all in one Body. Amen.
As published in God’s Field, Volume 87, No. 10, May 19, 2009.
So now it’s official. There are no more Old Catholics in North America. The liberalised European ones, having been burned so many times by vagante antics and having broken with the more conservative PNCC, now (through the Archbishop of Utrecht) tell North Americans who like them to join the Episcopalians, with whom they’re in full communion. Makes sense.
True, one bishop per place, a perennial problem in Europe. Funny thing though, TEC Bishops in Europe likely have more parishioners than the Old Catholics, excepting the Polish Catholic Church in Poland.
Sorry, YF. Utrecht has no more a monopoly on the phrase “Old Catholic” than Rome on the word “Catholic”. There are plenty of “Old Catholics” in North America, vagante or not. I’ll leave it to the PNCC to determine for themselves whether or not they too are “Old Catholic” or, as I suspect, sui generis.