To the PNCC from his address to Forward-in-Faith, from VirtueOnline:
Witnessing the breaking of relationship with the Polish National Catholic Church for many of us a tragedy, because he happen to live in areas where that was a viable ministry between Episcopal parishes and Polish National Catholics The ending of ecumenical relationships, or at least a pause. It didn’t look all that bright…
Of course, not a bright moment, but a sad consequence of becoming less than Catholic.
I fully understand his points, the “stew” issue. That said, there is Catholic and non-Catholic and the PNCC chose Catholic, therefore no deaconesses, priestesses, and other such innovation which is apart from Scripture and Tradition. The stew comes from good ecumenical relation and working to common purpose: making Christ known, peace, the heavenward journey. As Bishop Hodur pointed out1, we raise scandal when we criticize and ignore others who follow Christ. At the same time, we cannot be who we are not.
As my fellow blogger, the Young Fogey, might point out, you must decide who changes whom. Either the Church changes you or you change the Church. One way is Catholic, the other Protestant. Regardless of the selection, we all should stand together in witnessing the charism of the Spirit active in the Church’s many expressions. It does not mean we can abjure Scriptures and Tradition, because they are part of who the PNCC is – its central being. Each must choose their way, and as Bishop Ackerman points out, continue love each other as family without becoming who we are not.
1 See: Address in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, 1902 from Bishop Francis Hodur, Sermon Outlines and Occasional Speeches 1899 —“ 1922, (c) 1999 Theodore L. Zawistowski, Polish National Catholic Church, Central Diocese
