This entire page is based on the “Works and Writings of First Prime Bishop Francis Hodur”

The Most Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Church in Scranton, Pennsylvania in 1896 reflected none of the Christian charity and kindness we would expect. In microcosm it reflected a culture of clerical abuse, concentration of power, and failure to center itself on that which is of Christ. In a certain sense these attitudes are a mirror through which we may gain an understanding of 21st Century problems and issues.

Newly arrived immigrants of Polish heritage found themselves forced to reject nearly a thousand years of Christian faith, culture, music, and language. The fulfillment of these immigrants’ dreams, dreams of American freedom, soon ran head-on into the structures and bureaucracy of the Roman Catholic Church. These structures encouraged a sort of ethnic cleansing – not by murder – but by the forced relinquishing of each individual’s cultural heritage.

In response these immigrants sought redress of their grievances and an end to clerical abuses. The pastor of Scared Hearts Church, Rev. Richard C. Aust, and Bishop William O’Hara, were asked to recognize a church committee which would be of help to the pastor in the management of church property and that would provide for accountability.

Neither the Bishop nor Rev. Aust gave any thought to making concessions to the church community. Indeed, the Rev. Aust, agitated by the demands of the people, began to insult, imprecate, and threaten them with the use of force. The Bishop himself scoffed at a delegation of parishioners. The parish delegation finally stated to the Bishop, “If you do not set things right in the neglected parish, blood may be shed.” To this he replied, “Very well!”

On an October Sunday in 1896 large masses of the faithful from all sections of the city converged on the Church of the Most Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary on Prospect Avenue, Scranton. Whispers were heard of the strange events would take place in the Church. Some dreamed of a bloody hand writing the biblical words: mene, tekel, ufarsimDaniel together with his three friends (Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah), was taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar when he conquered the Kingdom of Judah. Daniel was given a Babylonian name, and he gained favor with Nebuchadnezzar when he correctly interpreted one of his dreams. Nebuchadnezzar was later replaced by King Belshazzar. During a royal feast, a mysterious hand inscribed strange words on the wall. Daniel was summoned and interpreted the famous message, the writing on the wall (it read “Mene, Mene, Tekel, Ufarsin”), and predicting Belshazzar’s downfall. Later that night, the King was killed, and King Darius the Mede took over. Servants of Darius convinced him to lock Daniel in the lion’s den, which he survived with God’s help.. However, they were not aware as to whom this terrible end applied, the people, the priest, or the bishop himself. Others said that there was a sound of groaning in the mines and the words were heard, ‘Be not afraid! Be not afraid!’

Encircling the church was a sizeable group of curious, restless, and agitated people. The topic on the street was the capricious and unyielding attitude of the Rev. Aust and Bishop O’Hara. Suddenly someone gave a command… “Brothers, form a wall between the rectory and the church. Do not permit the priest to go to the altar. He is unworthy to celebrate mass for us. We have built the church, we are here on our own land.”

Less than ten minutes after forming ranks a rumbling noise was heard, then a shout resembling a command. Tens of police struck the defenseless people and pushed them toward the street.

Another strong voice from the crowd was heard: “Do not retreat because this is our land” and the fight raged on.

On one side women, children, men, the aged standing fast, on the other side police armed with clubs, revolvers, and handcuffs. The groups collided with each other in a moment of fierce rage. Heard above it all was the derisive laughter of the Rev. Aust and his partisans who were looking on from behind the rectory windows. Suddenly the moaning of the women drowned out all other voices and at that moment the wall of the church was literally stained with blood.

The crowd petrified with fear retreated to the street. The police began to arrest the now composed leaders, six men and three women, who were handcuffed and rushed to the city jail. They were Anthony Swierkowski, Stanisław Rumowicz, Wacław Sznyter, Marian Ptaszynski, Józef Urbanowicz, Mateusz Sowka, Anna Silakowska, Józefa Chojnowska and Walentyna Wendland. They marched with heads held high and a smile on their lips proud that they suffered for the honor of Christ, the church and their people.

The people simply desired justice be practiced in the Church, that the priests would not squander the Church’s property, and that there be an end to clerical carousing while deriding the people from the altar and pulpit. The fight for justice caused the leaders to be labeled as driven criminals, scoffed at by the community.

The next day the Justice of the Peace and city mayor, Mr. Bailey, who was a friend of Rev. Aust, sentenced the leaders to pay fines and sent them home.

This sad and bloody Sunday was the day of the birth of the free Church in America.

Most immigrants chose to leave Sacred Hearts Church since it had been defiled by curses, imprecations, and blemished by the blood of working people. The people looked with horror and pain at the Church, God’s House, and the witness it bore.

The leaders of the people in consultation with their brothers and sisters began to consider the building of a new church. The place selected was opposite the old church on a hill dominating the South Side of Scranton where the Meadow Brook stream flowed.

Initially the bishop acceded to the community’s request to build a new church and even promised to bless the cornerstone. Eventually however, the Bishop finally and positively denied them his blessing.

The leadership committee sought the advice of Father Francis Hodur, the pastor of Holy Trinity Church in Nanticoke. When asked, Father Hodur responded, “sign over the deed to the people and continue to build the church.” The committee replied, “And if the bishop does not retreat?” Father Hodur said, “Build, God will show the way.”

With those words of encouragement the committee and the people built the Church at a rapid pace.

In response the Bishop sent various advisors in order to stop the work. He even removed Rev. Aust, and assigned Father Bronislaw Dembinski in his place. However, none of this interfered with the work on the new church. Within the few winter months, the structure was nearly complete and it became necessary to look for a priest. There were three candidates: Father Bronislaw Iwanowski from Priceburg, Father Andrzej Zychowicz from Glen Lyon, and Father Franciszek Hodur from Nanticoke. From among them, the people unanimously elected Father Franciszek Hodur as their spiritual leader.

The evening of March 14, 1897 became a solemn moment for the people with the arrival of Father Hodur in Scranton. On taking an oath before the people he swore to lead them regardless of whether or not the bishop gave his consent for the free church. Around 400 hands were raised to give evidence that the people, except for God and His Revelation, did not acknowledge any other authority in matters of holy faith than that of Father Hodur.

Father Hodur proclaimed:

“We shall go forth fearlessly. The rights of the people are more powerful and sacred than the privileges of the bishops and priests. Therefore, Almighty God, the Source of Truth and Law, will lead us to victory. You must remember that I stand before you without the bishop’s knowledge and will. For this they will excommunicate and persecute me but I am not afraid neither of their excommunication nor any kind of punishment. They will attempt to frighten deceive and curse you until the words of the Divine Master spoken to His apostles are fulfilled on you, ‘truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.’ (John 16:20) ‘They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.’ (Luke 12:53) ‘They will put you out of the synagogues.’ (John 16:2) ‘And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.’ (Matthew 10:22) Therefore, be not afraid because your cause will not fail. Your courage will be an example to the other Polish settlements and just as the wide world praises the Apostles for carrying the cross of Christ from the waters of the Euphrates to the shores of the Tiber, so will the future Polish generations with reverence recollect your names. For this difficult and great task, let us seek light and advice only in Him Who said, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life.’ (John 14:6) ‘I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’ (John 8:12) Finally, as you embark on this thorny road, I bless you, my brothers and sisters and friends, in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”

Heads were bowed and knees were bent, and in the church basement one heard cries, sighs of astonishment, and shouts of joy which mingled together into a strange sound like that of a distant echo carried by the waves of time. The sound of Christians who, during the persecution of Nero and Diocletian, confirmed their faith in the love of Jesus of Nazareth.

The following Sunday, Bishop Michael Hoban arrived at the old church, suspended Father Hodur, and threatened the people with hell if they did not abandon Father Hodur.

The people had come to the realization that only righteous and holy bishops and priests, those having sacramental union with God, could validly bless and discipline the Christian people. Before them they saw a Bishop for whom the tears and blood of a wronged people were nothing, for whom the title of ownership was of more value than the peace and harmony of the people, for whom protection of the corporate was more important than the spiritual needs of men, women, and children.

St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr Parish did not look back on its persecutors. It became well organized under the administration of Father Hodur. It drew up its by-laws sworn to by the people that in all matters of Christ’s faith contained in the books of the New Testament, the highest authority was the priest elected by the people. In the administrative matters of the church properties the committee, elected by the parish, approved by the pastor, was responsible for its actions before the general assembly which represented the majority of parishioners.

Father Hodur was subsequently made Bishop in apostolic succession by the Old Catholic Church of Holland. Bishop Hodur’s first committee was comprised of the following citizens: Józef Nycz, Leon Kawczynski, Stanisław Rumowicz, Leon Silakowski, Mateusz Sowka, Jan Nowicki, Marcin Gogolkiewicz, Bartłomiej Kuczerski, Jan Jankowski, Jan Stanczyk and Andrzej Kowalewski.