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Year
| Event |
1866
| Francis Hodur born in Zarki, Austrian-ruled Poland |
1870
| Vatican Council 1 - Dogma of Papal Infallibility proclaimed Old Catholic Churches organize in Germany and Switzerland, linking with Dutch Old Catholics |
1889
| Declaration of the Union of Utrecht published |
1890's
| Independent parishes and movements in Polish American Catholic Communities: (Buffalo, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit and Scranton) |
1893
| Seminarian Francis Hodur comes to the United States, is ordained a priest at St.Peter's Roman Catholic Cathedral in Scranton, Pennsylvania and assigned as assistant priest at Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary Parish in Scranton's South Side. |
1894
| Fr. Hodur first pastor of Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Parish in Nanticoke, Pennsylvania. |
1895
| Founding of All Saints Independent (Old Catholic) Parish under Bp. Anthony Kozlowski who is consecrated by Old Catholics in 1897 in Chicago Founding of Holy Mother of the Rosary Parish under Bp. Stephen Kaminski in Buffalo. He is consecrated by independent Abp. Joseph Rene Villate. |
1896
| Rioting by Sacred Hearts Parish parishioners, following a dispute over cemetery funds, parishioners want a say on parish property and funds |
1897
| Organization of St. Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr Parish in Scranton, March 14; March 21 first Mass celebrated by Fr. Hodur Fr. Hodur's "Kosciol Narodowy" (National Church) program announced; Calling for: 1. Legal ownership of church properties 2. Parish government in secular matters by parish committees elected by the parishioners 3. Appointment to pastorates of priests approved by parishioners 4. Appointment of Polish Bishops in America by Rome with input by clergy and laity. Weekly Straz (The Guard) is the quasi-organ of the program |
1898
| Fr. Hodur excommunicated ( He burns the excommunication document and throws its ashes in a nearby brook.) In Straz Fr. Hodur challenged several Roman Catholic Church teachings including papal infallibility and supremacy |
1900
| At a December 16, meeting a decision is made by Fr. Hodur and his parishioners not to return to the Roman Catholic Church ( by then "Polish National" parishes had been organized in the later Priceburg (Dickson City), Plymouth, Duryea and Wilkes-Barre, all in Pennsylvania. |
1901
| First Mass celebrated in Polish on Christmas Day |
1904
|
First General Synod of the Polish National Catholic Church held in September in Scranton. Its actions include: 1. A decisive break with the Roman Catholic Church 2. Election of Fr. Hodur as Bishop 3. Straz as official organ/newspaper 4. Election of a Great Church Council of clergy and laity 5. Adoption of a Church Constitution for the Church is adopted providing for Synods and a Great Church Council |
1905
| The Polish National Catholic Church's Seminary is founded; (It is later named Savonarola Theological Seminary) |
1906
| Continuation and conclusion of the First Synod - Two feast days instituted: Feast of Brotherly Love (Second Sunday in September) and Feast of the Humble Shepherds (First Sunday after Christmas) |
1907
| September 29th, Fr. Hodur is consecrated Bishop by Dutch Old Catholic Bishops in Utrecht, Holland (the Polish National Catholic Church has unquestionable orders and Apostolic Succession) The Chicago - based independent movement in Chicago joins the Polish National Catholic Church after Bishop Kozlowski's death. |
1908
| The Polish National Union of America (Spójnia) fraternal insurance organization is founded by members of the Church |
1908
| saw the first Roman Catholic Polish Bishop in the United States (one year after Bp Hodur was consecrated) |
1909
| Second General Synod - The Word of God heard and preached is recognized as a sacrament. "Polish National Catholic Church of America" is underscored as its legal denominational name. |
1911
| Death of Bishop Kaminski (leader of the Buffalo-based independence movement) Many of its parishes join the Polish National Catholic Church |
1913
| Three Provincial Synods held (Wilkes-Barre, PA; Chicopee, MA; Passiac, NJ) to discuss the church's "Confession of Faith" written by Bp. Hodur |
1914
| Third General Synod of Polish National Catholic Church is held in Chicago. It adopts the "Confession of Faith" and institutes three new Feast Days: Feast of the Institution of the Polish National Catholic Church (2nd Sunday of March), Feast of the Fatherland (2nd Sunday in May), and the Feast of the Christian Family (2nd Sunday in October). |
1921
| Fourth General Synod of Polish National Catholic Church. It approves missionary activity to begin in Poland upon its regaining independence. Symbol of Polish National Catholic Church adopted -"Tyle lat" (Through the Years) adopted as church anthem General Confession adopted churchwide with same validity as aural (private) confession Mandatory clerical celibacy abolished Fr. Francis Bónczak begins mission to Poland |
1923
| December - Rola Boza (God's Field) newspaper becomes the Church organ |
1924
| Fifth General Synod of Polish National Catholic Church Three Dioceses formed: Eastern, Central and Polish. Four Bishops elected and consecrated: (Valentine Gawrychowski, Francis Bonczak, Leon Grochowski, and John Gritenas) ( Bp Gritenas heads Lithuanian National Catholic and Bp Grochowski later heads the Western Diocese) Bp Francis Hodur is Prime Bishop
|
1926
| Great Church Council created the Western Diocese |
1928
| A Provincial Synod creates the Buffalo-Pittsburgh Diocese and elects Fr. John Z Jasinski as its Bishop First Synod of the Polish Diocese in Warsaw elects Fr. Wladyslaw Faron its bishop. |
1930
| Bishop Hodur wrote his Apocalypse - June 30, 1930 Bp. Faron consecrated in Scranton for the Polish Diocese. |
1931
| Sixth General Synod - Buffalo, Bishop Hodur laments the spiritual decline of the church feeling many saw the Polish National Catholic Church as just a copy of the Roman Catholic Church - He offers to step down as Prime Bishop. It affirms Polish National Catholic belief in: The Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, and the role of the priest as minister of the sacrament of marriage (not as its witness as in Roman Catholic Church). Mass facing the people is instituted in Scranton by Bp. Hodur Altar of Sacrifice introduced. |
1935
| Special Synod - Fr. John Misiaszek elected Bishop and consecrated. (He was to head the Central Diocese) the administrative rank of Senior Priest is implemented. Second Polish Synod is held in Warsaw. Fr. Joseph Padewski elected Bishop. |
1935
| Bishops Misiaszek and Padewski are consecrated |
1936
| Bp. Joseph Lesniak consecrated to head the Eastern Diocese by a Diocesan Synod |
1939
| Nazis force the Polish Diocese to break with the Polish National Catholic Church and call itself "Old Catholic Church of the Union of Utrecht in the general Government." Bp. Padewski is in turn then returned to the United States via a 1944 internee exchange. |
1946
| Seventh General Synod - Intercommunion is established with the Episcopal Church |
1947
| Eighth General Synod Prime Bishop Grochowski is elected to be second Prime Bishop |
1951
| Fr. Sr. Joseph Soltysiak elected Bishop of the Eastern Diocese by a Diocesan Synod - Bishop Soltysiak is consecrated and Manchester becomes its See. Bp. Padewski dies while held in communist prison for trial. Polish Diocese breaks from the Polish National Catholic Church and is renamed Polish Catholic Church. |
1953
| Prime Bishop Francis Hodur dies on February 16th |
1958
| Ninth General Synod of Polish National Catholic Church - heated discussion about Mass in English Fr. Srs. Thaddeus Zielinski and Joseph Kardas elected bishops and consecrated ( Bp. Zielinski for the Buffalo-Pittsburgh Diocese, Bp. Kardas for the Western Diocese ) |
1958
| Tenth General Synod English language Mass is approved Bishop Francis Rowinski elected and consecrated to head the Western Diocese after the death of Bp. Kardas |
1963
| Eleventh General Synod The election of Fr. Senior Eugene Magyar by the Czech and Slovak National Catholic Parishes. Meeting is accepted and he is consecrated. First National Youth Convocation held in Buffalo, NY |
1967
| Twelfth General Synod creates the Canadian Diocese with See in Toronto. Fr. Seniors Anthony Rysz, Walter Slowakiewicz and Joseph Nieminski elected bishops and they are consecrated in 1968. |
1969
| Bishop Leon Grochowski dies while visiting Poland |
1971
| Thirteenth General Synod: Bishop Zielinski elected third Prime Bishop Contemporary issues paper (abortion, birth control, war and drugs) discussed Fr. Sr. Daniel Cyganowski elected Bishop and consecrated |
1975
| Fourteenth General Synod |
1976
| Intercommunion suspended with the Episcopal Church over issue of latter's ordaining women. |
1978
| Fifteenth General Synod Bishop Francis Rowinski elected 4th Prime Bishop Fr. Seniors Thomas Gnat, John Swantek and Joseph Zawistowski elected Bishops and consecrated. Intercommunion with Episcopal Church terminated. |
1982
| Sixteenth General Synod |
1984
| Polish National Catholic Church begins dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church - hopes to end animosity between the two Churches and live in harmony with mutual respect for each others traditions, teachings and practices. |
1985
| Seventeenth General Synod Bishop Swantek elected 5th Prime Bishop |
1990
| Eighteenth General Synod Fr. Seniors Robert Nemkovich, Thaddeus Peplowski and Joseph Tomczyk elected Bishops Bishop Peplowski consecrated Journeying together In Christ: A Report of the Polish National Catholic Church-Roman Catholic Dialogue is published. |
1993
| Bishops Nemkovich and Tomczyk are consecrated |
1994
| Nineteenth General Synod |
1995
| May - 100th Anniversary of All Saints Cathedral Parish in Chicago, IL celebrated. October - 100th Anniversary of Holy Mother of the Rosary Cathedral in Buffalo, NY celebrated |
1997
| 100th Anniversary of St. Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr Parish of the Polish National Catholic Church Special Masses of Thanksgiving celebrated in all Polish National Catholic Church dioceses. |
1998
| Twentieth General Synod |
1999
| Special Polish National Catholic Church Synod elects Fr. Srs. Casimir Grotnik and John Dawidziuk candidates for Bishop. They are consecrated later that year. |
2002
| Twenty-First General Synod Bishop Robert M. Nemkovich elected as 6th Prime Bishop of the Polish National Catholic Church |
2003
|
Journeying Together in Christ II: A Report of the Polish National Catholic Church - Roman Catholic Dialogue in updated version.
Key points about the Polish Catholic National Church: |
- The Polish National Catholic Church is a CHRISTIAN DENOMINATION,
formed in 1897 in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
- The church serves the spiritual needs of its members, but it welcomes all people who wish to follow Christ.
- Today, there are more than 25,000 members in America.
|
Symbol of the Polish National Catholic Church
|
- THE BOOK signifies the Word of God.
- THE SUN means religious freedom and fervor.
- THE CROSS signifies suffering and consecration for others.
- THE PALM stands for peace.
The motto of the Church is "WITH TRUTH, WORK, AND STRUGGLE, WE WILL SUCCEED" |
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