May God bless the hard working priests, senior priests, and bishops of the PNCC, and in particular the Rt. Rev. Anthony Rysz, Very Rev. Fryderyk Banas, and Rev. John P. Kowalczyk, Jr. who celebrated anniversaries of their ordination to the Holy Priesthood over the past few months. Szczęść Boże i Sto Lat!

Rt. Rev. Anthony M. Rysz

Bishop Anthony Rysz, born in Old Forge, Pennsylvania is the son of the late Aniela (Szmyd) Rysz and the late Joseph Rysz. He was educated in local schools and attended the University of Scranton. During the Second World War he served with the Fifth Amphibious Force of the Pacific Theater with the United States Navy.

Long involved in the activities of the Polish National Catholic Church, his calling prompted him to enter the Savonarola Theological Seminary of the P.N.C.C. During his seminary days he taught Polish language to the students at the Cathedral schools located in a number of locations in the vicinity of Scranton. He was ordained to the priesthood on October 19, 1950 by the Rt. Rev. John Misiaszek in St. Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr Cathedral. He served as the assistant pastor of the Cathedral and secretary to Prime Bishop Francis Hodur.

In February 1954 he was assigned to the pastorate of Holy Mother of Sorrows Parish in Dupont, PA. During his time in Dupont, Father Rysz served as chaplain to the United Y.M.S. of R. and United Girls Sodalities. On November 11, 1964 he was elevated to the rank of Senior Priest by Prime Bishop Leon Grochowski, and he served as the Administrative Senior of the Scranton Seniorate. At the 12th General Synod held in Manchester, NH in October 1967, Fr. Sr. Anthony Rysz was elected to the office of bishop. In February 1968, he assumed the pastorate of St. Stanislaus Cathedral Parish and was raised to the episcopate on June 26, 1968 and appointed Coadjutor Bishop of the Central Diocese. He held this position until assuming the responsibilities of Bishop Ordinary upon the death of Prime Bishop Leon Grochowski in July of 1969.

He has served on various commissions of the Church, including the United Polish School Societies, the National Commission for the School of Christian Living, the Bishop Hodur History and Archives Commission and the Board of Trustees of Savonarola Theological Seminary. He also lectured on Church History in Savonarola Theological Seminary. He oversaw St. Stanislaus Elementary School as well as fulfilling the pastoral obligations of the largest parish in the P.N.C.C. He was the personal secretary to the First Bishop of the Polish National Catholic Church, Bishop Francis Hodur, as well as his successor, Prime Bishop Leon Grochowski. He was secretary to the General Synods held in 1954, 1958, 1963, 1967 and 1971.

As an ardent supporter of God’s Field, the official organ of the Church, Bishop Rysz served as editor from 1969 to 1999 and was a frequent writer.

Bishop Rysz made many trips to Poland. From 1959 to 1966, he spent many months as the consignee for Aid to Poland, under the American-Polish National Relief Program. Later, he worked in building the Bishop Hodur Memorial Church in Zarki, Poland. Bishop Rysz attended the Congresses of the Old Catholic Church in Europe and was a frequent participant in the lnternational Bishop Conferences of the Union of Utrecht. Until his retirement he was active as co-chairman of the Polish National Catholic – Roman Catholic Dialogue.

Bishop Rysz retired from the pastorate of St. Stanislaus Cathedral and as Bishop Ordinary of the Central Diocese in 1999 to Old Forge, PA. At the present time Bishop Rysz serves as pastor of Holy Name of Jesus Parish in Nanticoke, PA.

Bishop Anthony Rysz is married to the former Marie V. Bednash.

Very Rev. Fryderyk S. Banas

Father Senior Fryderyk S. Banas son of the late Stanislaw Banas and the late Waleria (Szczepanek) Banas was born in Chicopee, Massachusetts and attended Holy Mother of the Rosary Parish there. After his education in local schools he took up his calling and enrolled in Savonarola Theological Seminary in Scranton, PA. He was ordained to the priesthood on October 19, 1950 by Rt. Rev. John Misiaszek, Bishop Ordinary of the Central Diocese.

After ordination, Fr. Banas was assigned as assistant pastor of Holy Mother of the Rosary Cathedral in Buffalo, NY and the administrator of Holy Trinity Parish in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

In August 1953 he was assigned as interim pastor of St. John the Baptist Parish in Hazleton, PA and administrator of SS. Peter and Paul Parish in McAdoo, PA. He was transferred to St. Adalbert’s Parish in Dickson City, PA in September 1953. From January 1957 he also served as administrator of Holy Trinity Parish in Throop, PA. While in Dickson City he was elevated to the rank of Senior Priest on August 5, 1964 by Prime Bishop Leon Grochowski. During the time of his pastorate in Dickson City, St. Adalbert’s Parish was renovated with many improvements and cemetery lands were purchased. Holy Trinity Parish in Throop, PA was also remodeled following a fire in 1959.

Fr. Sr. Banas served as chaplain to the Central Diocese United Choirs, recording secretary of the Central Diocesan Clergy Conference, a member of the Central Committee of the United Polish National Schools Societies and a director on the board for the Home for the Aged and Disabled (the Manor at Waymart). He was and still is active in the life of the Polish National Union. Fr. Sr. Banas also lectured in Moral Theology at Savonarola Theological Seminary.

Fr. Sr. Banas journeyed to Poland in 1959 as the first delegate for the American-Polish National Relief for Poland to sign agreements between this humanitarian organization and the Polish government. He also accompanied Prime Bishop Leon Grochowski on his last missionary trip to Poland in 1969.

On May 1, 1977 Fr. Sr. Banas was assigned as pastor of Holy Mother of the Rosary Cathedral in Buffalo, NY and served as Administrator of the Buffalo-Pittsburgh Diocese.

In February of 1979 Fr. Sr. Banas transferred to the Eastern Diocese where he served as pastor of Blessed Virgin Mary Parish to May 1989. He presently serves as pastor of Holy Cross Parish in Ware, MA.

Fr. Sr. Banas has been and continues to be an avid supporter of God’s Field having written articles for the official organ of the Church for many years.

Rev. John P. Kowalczyk, Jr.

Rev. Kowalczyk is the pastor of St. Michael The Archangel National Catholic Church commemorated his 25th Anniversary of Ordination to the Holy Priesthood of the Polish National Catholic Church on December 4, 2010.

A Holy Mass of Thanksgiving was offered at the interim worship location for St. Michael The Archangel Parish in the Great Oaks Banquet Center, lower level, located at 13109 Wicker Avenue, Cedar Lake, Indiana. Following Mass, a banquet honoring Rev. Kowalczyk was held at the same location, upstairs in the banquet hall.

Joining with Rev. Kowalczyk at Holy Mass was the Most Rev. John F. Swantek, Prime Bishop Emeritus of the Polish National Catholic Church, as well as the Rt. Reverend Anthony D. Kopka, Bishop Ordinary of the Western Diocese of the Polish National Catholic Church, as well as other Clergy and Ecumenical Guests.

Rev. Kowalczyk was ordained to the Holy Priesthood on December 11, 1985 at St. Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr Cathedral of the Polish National Catholic Church in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Father Kowalczyk had served in parishes in New York prior to his transfer to St. Michael’s Cedar Lake, formerly East Chicago, in June 2000. In December of 2003, under the leadership of Fr. Kowalczyk, the members of St. Michael The Archangel voted and approved the relocation of their parish to Cedar Lake, Indiana. Currently, construction of the new St. Michael church is underway with a completion estimate of Spring 2011. Father Kowalczyk currently serves as the Chaplain of the Cedar Lake Fire Department, as well as the Chaplain for Cedar Lake and East Chicago Police Departments.