Polish Catholic Church
| Polish Catholic Church | |
|---|---|
| Classification | Catholic |
| Theology | Ultrajectine |
| Governance | Episcopal |
| Leader | Wiktor Wysoczański |
| Associations | International Old Catholic Bishops' Conference |
| Region | Poland |
| Headquarters | Warsaw |
| Branched from | Roman Catholic Church |
| Congregations | 78 |
| Members | 19,035 (2008) |
The Polish Catholic Church (Polish: Kościół Polskokatolicki w Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej) is an Old Catholic church in Poland which is part of the Union of Utrecht. It is a member of the World Council of Churches and the Polish Ecumenical Council. It is not affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church. Bishop Wiktor Wysoczański was chosen as the church's superior in 1995.
The Polish Catholic Church, known within Poland as the Polish National Catholic Church (PNCC) until 1951, has its origins in the final decade of 19th century. During this time, Polish immigrants in the United States, referred to as Polonia, participated in the protests of lay people in Roman Catholic parishes against the domination of clergy from German and Irish origins. The parishers demanded insight into the financial matters of parishes, the use of vernacular in liturgy, and the appropriate care and treatment of clergy from their own ethnic group. After the unsuccessful presentation of their requests to the Vatican in 1898, the Polish National Catholic Church was formally founded in Scranton, Pennsylvania, out of a number of independent Polish parishes. After the consecration of the Reverend Franciszek Hodur as a bishop in 1907, the newly organized church community became a member of the Union of Utrecht of Old Catholic Churches.
After realizing the necessity of establishing and maintaining contact with Poland, Bishop Hodur worked to establish the PNCC in that country. According to the religious and social precepts of the PNCC, there was an obligation to serve their country of origin, Poland. They especially sought the independence of their native land. The church worked to maintain this tradition among Polish immigrants, along with defending Polish national interests. Independence in Poland was gained in 1918, although the missionary work of the church was impeded due to lack of legalization. The efforts of the church for legal recognition were unsuccessful until 1939. It was not until February 1946 that the church gained legal status on the basis of the decision of Polish Ministry of Public Administration.
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