Deacon’s Blog

At our recent Clergy Conference we heard a report from one of our diocesan priests who is assigned as a military chaplain¹. His report was bracing and was a call to the vocation of military chaplain.

This priest has been to Iraq twice, and both times has been stationed in some of the worst areas of Iraq. He spoke at length about his ministry, especially as it relates to prayer, counseling, Bible study, suicide prevention², interaction with local residents, program development, charity, and Ecumenical conflicts (sometimes greater than interfaith conflicts³).

He noted that our servicemen and women are heartened to know that the folks back home are praying for them. They also love to hear the chaplains read out the cards and letters sent in-care-of those chaplains. The prayers, cards, and letters brighten their difficult existence.

This priest was very supportive of me in my vocation and when he told me he was going full-time active duty I was not surprised. He definitely had the calling for this ministry. Based on his report I see why he was called. God does make sense, even in the midst of senselessness.

Whether or not you subscribe to the neo-con, Bush Administration line on this war (I do not), the men and women of the armed services need the ministry of these chaplains. It is a worthy vocation and true service in times of difficulty.

I encourage you to do several things: Pray for our servicemen and women and for the ministry of their chaplains. Consider the vocation to serve in this capacity. Send a card or letter in care of a chaplain. Let him or her know they can read it out to their congregation.

O, God, the strength of those who put their trust in Thee; Bless we pray, our soldiers, sailors, servicewomen, and airmen; our chaplains, doctors, nurses; and all enlisted in the service of our country. Give Thy holy angels charge over them to protect them from all harm; deliver them in all temptation, and if it by Thy gracious will, bring them safely home. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. — A Prayer for Those in the Armed Forces from A Book of Devotions and Prayers According to the Use of the Polish National Catholic Church.

From America: Synod on the Word of God

More than 40 years after the Second Vatican Council, the Bible still does not figure at the center of Catholic life the way the Eucharist does. When they meet in synod at the Vatican in October, bishops from around the world will address one of the great unfinished works of the council—namely, how Catholics can make the word of God their own. Even though the Catholic Lectionary for Sundays was re-designed in 1969 to use a three-year cycle of readings in order to promote greater familiarity with the whole of Scripture, Catholics do not yet own the Scriptures the way many Protestants, especially evangelicals, do. In assigning “The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church” as the topic for the coming 12th Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, Pope Benedict signaled his recognition not only of how important proclamation, prayer and study of the Scripture are to the church, but also of his awareness that the church has far to go to complete the council’s reforms…

I posted the following comment a few days ago. It hasn’t appeared yet as the magazine’s editors must review and approve every comment - something exceedingly difficult when otherwise busy running a magazine:

An interesting fact: The Polish National Catholic Church (of which I am a member) considers the Word of God to be a sacrament. The [Roman] Church found agreement with our understanding as noted in the joint publication: Journeying Together in Christ: The Report of the Polish National Catholic-Roman Catholic Dialogue (1984-1989).

We believe and state that the proclamation and preaching of the Word confers sacramental grace. The Church has recently published a pamphlet on this issue - available from the PNCC Bookstore for anyone interested.

What our understanding does in the practical sense is that it encourages due seriousness in the preparation and delivery of homilies. It also encourages the faithful to proactively participate in the Church’s understanding of the Word. More so, to understand that the sacrament brings about change - a growing closer to our Lord and Savior - and a life lived in accord with His way.

I wish you the best in your upcoming Synod and prayerfully hope that the Sacrament of the Word take its rightful place in the life of the [Roman] Church.

What I find so amazing is that the work and reforms of the PNCC (actually a re-claiming of Catholicism) are much in the same as the efforts undertaken by the Roman Church in Vatican II 60 years later. In my opinion the PNCC achieved those reforms without the damage that resulted from Vatican II (to me the things that Benedict, Bishop of Rome is trying to correct and re-reform). This may be due to the fact that the PNCC effort took place in a different time, that reforms that might have gone awry were kept in check by the inherent conservatism of the Polish diaspora¹, or most likely that the Church’s understanding was simply in line with the faith of the first thousand years. I think this Synod is another step in the Roman Church’s process of finding the reforms of the PNCC as faithful and true to what the Church teaches.

From the Albany Polish American Community Center maillist: Polish Day, Sunday August 24, 2008 at the National Shrine of the North American Martyrs, Auriesville, N.Y.

Religious Services beginning at 2pm including Stations of the Cross, Recitation of the Rosary, Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, Confessions in Polish and English. Concelebrated Mass in Coliseum at 4pm

Principal celebrant and homilest will be the Most Rev. Francis R. Reiss, D.D., Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit, Michigan

This event is sponsored by: Polish American Congress, Central Division of New York State.

I have attended in the past. It is a beautiful event and Polish National Catholics should not refrain from attending. Simply remember your obligations when receiving the Blessed Sacrament (fasting for two hours prior to receiving, make every attempt to receive from a clergy member, and receive on the tongue — not in the hand).

From the Green Bay Press Gazette:

Deacon Phil S. Andrastek, age 69, Manitowoc, died Tuesday evening, July 1, 2008, at his residence. He was born Jan. 11, 1939, in Manitowoc, son of the late Stanley and Viola (Krejcie) Andrastek. Phil was a graduate of Manitowoc Lincoln High School, Class of 1957. After graduation, he entered the United States Army National Guard until 1965. On Oct. 11, 1958, he married the former Lucy Schultz at St. Mary [Roman] Catholic Church, Manitowoc. He was a 15-year veteran of the Manitowoc Police Department as a motorcycle officer, logging over 100,000 miles with the department. Phil had a short career as the owner of “Polish Phil’s.” He was employed as a security guard at the Manitowoc Company for many years. During his retirement, Phil was a member of the maintenance staff at Silver Lake College and noon supervisor at LB Clarke School, Two Rivers. Phil was ordained a Deacon with the Green Bay Diocese in the fall of 1986, being assigned to St. Mary Catholic Church in conjunction with Manitowoc Jail Ministry. He also ministered to numerous local nursing homes as well as St. Francis of Assisi Parish where he was a member…

Figure larger than life; friend to the “little guy” and the oppressed; gifted storyteller; friendly conversationalist; generous spirit; loving husband; proud father, grandfather and great-grandfather; man of God.

Lord, grant eternal rest to our brother deacon.

Wieczne odpoczynek racz mu dać Panie, a światłość wiekuista niechaj mu świeci.
Niech odpoczywa w pokoju, Amen.

Posted at the USCCB:

Doctrinal issues led agenda items at the spring session of the Polish National Catholic (PNCC) – Roman Catholic Dialogue, May 19 and 20, in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The meeting was held at the PNCC’s National Church Center and hosted by Bishop Robert Nemkovich, the PNCC Prime Bishop. Bishop Edward U. Kmiec of Buffalo and Bishop Anthony Mikovsky of the PNCC Central Diocese co-chaired the meeting.

Two new Roman Catholic members joined the group: Bishop Mitchell Rozanski, Auxiliary Bishop of Baltimore, and Bishop Matthew Ustrzycki, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Hamilton, Ontario. The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops became an official participant in the dialogue at the meeting.

Dialogue members considered the situation of PNCC military chaplains and the options for sacramental sharing in combat zones. Members also heard an update on a proposal to permit PNCC faithful to act as sponsors at Roman Catholic baptisms, and to require the dispensation of form for liceity only in the case of mixed marriages in the PNCC¹.

Msgr. Thomas Green of The Catholic University of America School of Canon Law reviewed presentations from the 1996 dialogue regarding the canonical status of former Roman Catholic clergy and faithful who have joined the PNCC and the 2006 statement by the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts regarding the formal act of leaving the [Roman] Catholic Church.

Members also re-examined two previous agreements between Roman Catholics and Old Catholics of the Union of Utrecht regarding the transfer of clergy from one church to the other: the agreement signed in 1996 between Cardinal Edward Cassidy, then President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and Archbishop Antonius Jan Glazemaker of Utrecht (later withdrawn) and the 1999 agreement between the German Bishops’ Conference and the Old Catholic Diocese in Germany. The PNCC members also shared the text of the Declaration of Scranton, a document intended to clarify the doctrinal position of the PNCC on several issues.

Members also considered the April visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United States and local examples of misunderstandings between members of the two churches. The next meeting is slated for November 6-7, in Baltimore.

The Polish National Catholic Church and the Roman Catholic Church have been meeting for a semiannual dialogue since 1984. Current PNCC members include Bishop Anthony Mikovsky (Co-Chairman), Bishop John E. Mack, Very Rev. Marcell W. Pytlarz, Very Rev. John Z. Kraus, Very Rev. Paul Sobiechowski, and Father Robert M. Nemkovich Jr. Roman Catholic members include Bishop Edward U. Kmiec (Co-Chairman), Bishop Thomas G. Wenski of Orlando, Florida, Auxiliary Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski of Baltimore, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Matthew Ustrzycki of Hamilton, Ontaro, Msgr. John Strynkowski, Msgr. Thomas J. Green, Father Phillip Altavilla, and Paulist Father Ronald G. Roberson (staff).

Христос Воскресе!

To all my brothers and sisters celebrating Easter today - Happy Easter.

Christ is risen, alleluia!
He is rise indeed, alleluia!

Chrystus Zmartwychwstał!
Zaiste, Zmartwychwstał!

The Pascha from the Monastery of St. Onuphrius in Jabłecznej, Poland.

Words of Welcome from His Excellency The Most Reverend Dennis J. Sullivan, Vicar General, R.C. Diocese of New York:

Most Holy Father, welcome to Saint Joseph’s Parish!

This community of faith was established in 1873 to serve the German Catholics residing in the Yorkville area of the Borough of Manhattan. In 1894, its present church was dedicated by His Eminence, John Cardinal McCloskey, Archbishop of New York and the first American to be appointed to the College of Cardinals.

Since that time, Saint Joseph’s Parish has continued to attend to the spiritual needs of the German Catholic community. Indeed, Mass is celebrated here in German by a priest assigned to this work by the Bishops’ Conference of the Federal Republic of Germany. At the present time, however, the congregation is marvelously diverse, with parishioners whose ethnic backgrounds include the nations and peoples of Europe, Asia, Africa, and especially Latin America.

It is altogether fitting, therefore, that you are meeting here, Most Holy Father, with representatives from a wide array of Churches and Communions. For together they reflect the great variety of Christian traditions to be found throughout New York and across the nation and the world.

In 1965, with the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Bishops of the United States, guided by the Decree on Ecumenism, “Unitatis Redintegratio,” and directives of your predecessors, committed themselves to pursue ever more earnestly that unity for which the Savior prayed on the night before He died. Thus, they entered into dialogues with the Orthodox, the Episcopalians, the Lutherans, the Methodists, the Evangelicals, the Southern Baptists, the Reformed and the Polish National Catholics, among others; and from these dialogues, has come forth an extraordinary number of carefully considered statements to lead us wisely and securely on the path toward unity.

Much, of course, remains to be done especially in our parishes and congregations, where ecumenical prayer, theological discussions, and the united pursuit of justice, charity, and peace need to be promoted and encouraged across denominational boundaries with unlimited trust in the providence of our Loving God.

With all of this in mind, we again welcome you, Most Holy Father. We know of your commitment to ecumenism, and we thank you most sincerely for addressing a number of unresolved theological issues among Christians in your splendid Encyclical Letters, “God Is Love” and “Saved by Hope.” Thus it is that we await your words with interest, gratitude, and genuine affection in Jesus Christ, the one Lord and Savior of us all.

Benedict XVI Papal Address to the gathered Churches is found at the USCCB website in full.

Just watched the EWTN coverage of the event. I noticed that New York’s Edward Cardinal Egan introduced leaders of the various Churches at the conclusion of the service but snubbed the Prime Bishop of the PNCC. That after his Vicar General made a specific reference to the PNCC. A faux pas or intentional, wondering minds want to know.

A Mass for anyone touched by adoption will be celebrated by Rev. Msgr. Paul Burkard on Saturday, April 19th, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. All are welcome to attend, Birth Parents, Adoptees, Adoptive Parents, Grandparents and other relatives.

Our Lady of Victory Basilica
Ridge Road & South Park Avenue
Lackawanna, NY 14218

Reception to follow the mass.

For more information, please call the Baker Victory Services at 717-828-9500 or the R.C. Diocese of Buffalo’s Pro-Life Office at 716-847-2205.

A welcome to the Bishop of Rome on his Apostolic journey to the United States. This Friday a delegation of Bishops from our Church will meet with Benedict at St. Joseph’s Church in Manhattan, along with leaders from other Catholic and Christian denominations.

I had the pleasure of attending our local ecumenical group’s Thanksgiving prayer service.

The service was held at St. Peter’s Armenian Apostolic Church in Watervliet, NY.

The pastor, Fr. Bedros, developed the service based on the Armenian Church’s Evening Service.

The gathered clergy faced the altar throughout the service, excepting the readings and the homily.

It was amazing.

PNCC, Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Methodist pastors all prayed ad orientem, facing liturgical east. For every prayer the Armenian deacon, facing the congregation, chanted the response. The psalms were prayed in stanzas, each stanza alternating between those seated to the left and right. The choir was simply beautiful.

Two other items of note. The Rev. Garen Gdanian, the retired pastor of St. Peter’s, had the most amazingly beautiful cope. Fr. Garen chanted the Gospel, a true blessing to hear. The other is, as always, the wonderful Armenian food and our fellowship which topped off the event.