Another forum question on the PNCC
As is my oft stated policy, I do not respond in forums.
Catholic Answers has yet another conversation on the PNCC (under non-Catholic religions — which is incorrect — the Orthodox and PNCC are completely Catholic). This conversation focuses on whether the PNCC and various Anglican splinter groups should join forces. The one point no one seems to get is that this is pretty much impossible unless the Anglican splinter groups de-protestantize (un-protestantize, something like that anyway).
The PNCC has had influxes of former Anglicans/Episcopalians (particularly clergy) over the years. In most cases it really hasn’t worked out. Those who came generally wanted their liturgy and traditions with all the Protestant muck attached, including an inability to recognize Church as infallible; weeding out personal judgment. They thought their salvation lay in being themselves, but under a valid Bishop. They were not willing to be PNCC, which is Catholic internally and externally. Of course that was a bad fit when faced with a congregation that is PNCC.
As a convert to the PNCC I know. We all start from our own point of reference, our knowledge and experience. Over time though, you have to be willing to shed some of it and re-frame some of it. If you don’t, if you just want to be who you are, but in a different Church for the sake of convenience, you are doing yourself a spiritual disservice.
The PNCC is not R.C. and is not Anglican. Over time the PNCC has matured into what it is – a Church whose externals look westward while its theology looks eastward. If you want to come, to join, to be Catholic, please do so — you are welcome. It is a joyous place to be once you get past the point of convert cognitive dissonance.
Of course an RC forum will use ‘non-Catholic’ that way.
The more I read Continuers the more I realise they’re high-church Protestants not Catholics, with the same private-judgement principle, a fallible church, that turned the Episcopalians against them in the first place.
Absolutely agree. One of the posters there captured it perfectly in saying:
“Catholic Answers has yet another conversation on the PNCC
(under non-Catholic religions — which is incorrect — the
Orthodox and PNCC are completely Catholic)”.
The Orthodox and PNCC are NOT completely Catholic for the following
reasons:
1.) The Catholic Church does not recognize them as Catholics. It is the
Catholic Church which defines and decides its own membership as does
every other Church. Anyone may call themselves Anglican, Baptist, Jewish,
Lutheran, Methodist, or even Orthodox or PNCC; but that does not mean
that they are who they claim. Christians should honestly call themselves
what they are and not pretend to be something they are not.
2.) Even the PNCC in America does NOT accept that “Holy Cross PNCC of
New York” or a group called the “Polish National Catholic Church in
Poland” are Polish National Catholics. [See your blog entry
“quasi-Vagantes of the PNCC” for August 6, 2008.] Your own denomination
determines who is or is not a member and may legitimately call
themselves Polish National Catholics. When a religious group falsely
calls itself PNCC, your Church objects.
3.) If the Orthodox and PNCC want to be “Catholic”, they may join the
Catholic Church and call themselves Catholic. The fact that they do not
do so is proof that they are not and do not want to be Catholics. They
want to be Orthodox and PNCC, and they should proudly accept their Church
names.
The cornerstone on my parish reads “XYZ Orthodox Catholic Church”. I guess we’re trying to keep our options open!
@Deacon Jim
That’s just it. ACNA always were a reboot of the Episcopal Church, in principle, only their reset time is 1988 not, as it should be for them, about 1488 (no ‘Reformation’). Or as my old friend Fr Serge (Keleher) once said their solution is to ‘rebuild the Protestant Episcopal Church and watch it fall apart again’.