Our Holy Church has been specially blessed with dedicated, hard working, and faithful shepherds in our Bishops. Please remember them in your prayers – Prime Bishop Anthony, Our Diocesan Bishop Bernard, Diocesan Bishops Paul, Stanley, and John. Bishop Roald in Norway, Bishop Wiktor in Poland, Our retired Prime Bishops John and Robert, and Retired Bishops Thomas, Anthony, and Thaddeus.
O God, the pastor and ruler of all the faithful, mercifully look upon Thy servants, Anthony, Bernard, Paul, Stanley, John, Roald, Wiktor, John, Robert, Thomas, Anthony, and Thaddeus, whom Thou has been pleased to set as Bishops in Thy Church; grant them we beseech Thee, to be in word and conversation wholesome examples to the people committed to their charge, that they with them may attain everlasting life. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
śp. Abbot Dom Klaus Dieter Schlapps OPR of the Abbey of St. Severin in Kaufbeuren, Germany, which is part of the Christ-Catholic Church in Germany under the auspices of the Nordic Catholic Church, entered into his eternal rest on Sunday, January 20, 2013. śp. Dom Klaus was also the Abbot General of the Order of Port Royal, an Ecumenical Cistercian Congregation of secular professed monks, nuns, and oblates.
śp. Dom Klaus’ passing was sudden and unexpected. He passed in the midst of his brothers in the Abbey. Our thoughts and prayers are with the brothers as well as his family, friends, and all in community of the Order of Port Royal.
Brother Johannes, speaking on behalf of the Abbey of St. Severin recalled śp. Dom Klaus as a candle burning at both ends. “He spread twice as much light, but his life was thus shorter. Dom Klaus helped so many people. He had a deep abiding faith and trust in God. Whenever problems arose he encouraged his brothers, saying: ‘Faith in God, trust in God, it opens up a path, there is a solution.’ God used him as an instrument of his love.”
śp. Abbot Klaus Dieter Schlapps, 9/30/1959 + 1/20/2013
The cords of death encompassed me,
the torrents of perdition assailed me;
the cords of Sheol entangled me,
the snares of death confronted me.
In my distress I called upon the LORD;
to my God I cried for help.
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears.
He reached from on high, he took me,
he drew me out of many waters.
He brought me forth into a broad place;
he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he recompensed me.
For I have kept the ways of the LORD,
and have not wickedly departed from my God.
For all his ordinances were before me,
and his statutes I did not put away from me.
I was blameless before him,
and I kept myself from guilt.
Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight. (Psalm 18:4-6,16,19-24)
Eternal rest grant unto your servant, priest, and abbot Klaus and may the perpetual light shine upon him.
May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace.
Ewige Ruhe schenke ihm, o Herr! Und das ewige Licht leuchte ihm!
Lasse ihn ruhen in Frieden. Amen.
The inaugural meeting of the Polish National Catholic Church (PNCC) and the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) met on June 19-20, 2012 in Scranton, Pennsylvania. This historic meeting was hosted by the PNCC at the National Church Center located on Pittston Avenue.
The inaugural meeting of the Polish National Catholic Church (PNCC) and the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) met on June 19-20, 2012 in Scranton, Pennsylvania. This historic meeting was hosted by the PNCC at the National Church Center located on Pittston Avenue.
In attendance for this inaugural meeting were the Primates of both Churches, the Most Reverend Anthony A. Mikovsky, Prime Bishop of the Polish National Catholic Church and the Most Reverend Robert Wm. Duncan, D.D., Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Church in North America.
The Dialogue members in attendance were the Right Reverend Paul Sobiechowski as Co-Chairman, Right Reverend John E. Mack, Very Reverend Augustin Sicard, Reverend Jaroslaw Rafalko, Reverend Stanley Bilinski, and the Reverend John P. Kowalczyk, Jr. as Secretary for the PNCC. ACNA was represented by the Right Reverend Richard W. Lipka as Co-Chairman, Right Reverend Ray R. Sutton, Abbot Luis A. Gonzalez, OSB, and the Right Reverend Keith L. Ackerman, SSC, DD. Also in attendance was the Ecumenical Officer of the PNCC the Reverend Robert M. Nemkovich, Jr.
The two Churches met on Tuesday starting at 12:00 Noon and concluded with Vespers celebrated by the Primates of the two Churches. The dialogue continued on Wednesday morning with Holy Mass celebrated by the Right Reverend Paul Sobiechowski. This was followed by a presentation by Bishop Sutton on the 39 Articles of Religion and a presentation by Reverend Bilinski on the 11 Great Principles of the Polish National Catholic Church.
The PNCC-ACNA Dialogue will continue on January 29-30, 2013 in Bartonville, IL at Saint Benedict’s Abbey and will be hosted by the Anglican Church in North America.
Most Rev. Anthony A. Mikovsky, Prime Bishop of the Polish National Catholic Church; Rt. Rev. Paul Sobiechowski, Co-Chairman; Rt. Rev. Richard W. Lipka, Co-Chairman; Most Rev. Robert Wm. Duncan, D.D., Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Church in North America; Rt. Rev. Ray R. Sutton; Rt. Rev. John E. Mack; Rev. John P. Kowalczyk, Jr., Secretary for the PNCC; Rt. Rev. Keith L. Ackerman, SSC, DD.; Abbot Luis A. Gonzalez, OSB; Rev. Jaroslaw Rafalko; Rev. Robert M. Nemkovich, Jr., Ecumenical Officer of the PNCC; Bishop Elect Stanley Bilinski; and the Very Rev. Augustin Sicard.
The day that Bishop Frank Weston and our spiritual forbearers longed for has come. The Eastern Orthodox, Rome, and the Polish National Catholics, all now recognize orthodox Anglicans as their own stock, bone of their bone and flesh of their flesh…
The Polish National Catholic Church is unique among Western Churches in that it is not only recognized as a valid and legitimate national Catholic Church by Rome, but it has limited intercommunion with the Roman Catholic Church as well. Dialogue with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, with the approval of the Holy See, led in 1996 to a “limited inter-communion”. What this means is that the Roman Catholic Church recognizes the validity of the sacraments of the PNCC, making applicable to its members the provisions of canon 844 §§2–3 of the Code of Canon Law. This canon allows Roman Catholics who are unable to approach a Roman Catholic minister to receive, under certain conditions, the sacraments of Reconciliation, Eucharist and Anointing of the Sick from “non-Catholic ministers in whose Churches these sacraments are valid”, and declares it licit for Roman Catholic priests to administer the same three sacraments to members of Churches which the Holy See judges to be in the same condition in regard to the sacraments as the Eastern Churches, if they ask for the sacraments of their own accord and are properly disposed. Remaining obstacles to full Communion are different understandings regarding the place of the papal ministry in the Church, and the PNCC reception of some former Roman Catholic clergy, most of whom subsequently married.
I have been told by an Anglican bishop with close ties to the PNCC that although the PNCC has long recognized Anglican Orders as valid, Anglican clergy would be required to undergo conditional ordination in order to avoid endangering the intercommunion now enjoyed with Rome. Union with the Polish National Catholic Church would bring Anglicans into limited intercommunion with the Holy See, while the implications of Ut Unum Sint are worked out.
The article offers certain cautions on orthodoxy, and the whole reason for a good a constructive dialog. Let us pray for those who work toward Christian unity.
Deacons Tore Andreas Andersen and Roy-Olav Øien were ordained to the Holy Priesthood by Bishop Roald Flemestad for service in the Nordic Catholic Church on Saturday, August 6th. May our Lord and Savior bless their service to His Holy Church.
Additional photos from the ordinations can be found at Flicker.
O Lord Jesus Christ, great High Priest and gracious Shepherd; receive Thy servants Tore and Roy-Olav, whom Thou hast consecrated to minister to Thee in holy things and grant them such purity of heart and life and such zeal for souls, that they may bring many into union with Thee and fulfill their ministry in holiness to Thy glory, our Lord and Savior. Who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen. — A Prayer for Priests from A Book of Devotions and Prayers According to the Use of the Polish National Catholic Church.
Our Holy Church has been specially blessed with dedicated, hard working, and faithful shepherds in our Bishops. Please remember them in your prayers – Prime Bishop Anthony, Our Diocesan Bishop Bernard, Diocesan Bishops Paul, Stanley, and John. Bishop Roald in Norway, Bishop Wiktor in Poland, Our retired Prime Bishops John and Robert, and Retired Bishops Thomas, Anthony, and Thaddeus.
