A message from Father Gregory:

Uncategorized /

Dear Parishioners,

The health, safety and overall well being of our family and yours, is always our top priority.

With this in mind, the town of Passaic and I have been closely monitoring the rapidly-changing
situation around the coronavirus. Due to the severity around this area, the March 22 and March 29 masses
will be cancelled as well as all services and other activities until further notice.

Peace and grace,

Very Rev. Gregory Mludzik

A message from Father Gregory: Read More »

Bishop Bernard’s Pastoral Letter on Discipleship

News, Passaic, Spiritual Message / / , ,

January, 2019

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all of you in our Central Diocesan family, and welcome to the Year of Discipleship in our holy Church!

In the words of our national PNCC Future Direction Sub-Committee recently given to us..…..As our Lord said to His disciples “Follow Me” for His public ministry, He continues to call us to follow Him and wants our relationship with Him to grow and strengthen as the days, months and years goes by.  Our PNCC is calling us to renew our Discipleship in our Lord this year and as we begin 2019…. 

Soooo – let’s get a handle on this idea of discipleship, shall we?

Not too long ago I was watching a Netflix presentation about the Masons, with a focus on their place of origin, Freemasons’ Hall in Great Queen Street, London.  As I became drawn into the narrative of this society’s founding and growth, I was struck by how clearly they laid out the expectations of a mason.  By contrast, I was struck by how often our Church is hesitant to name the expectations of discipleship for its members. 

Our Future Directions Sub-Committee has begun laying out these expectations and will continue that effort throughout the year.  I’d say, it all boils down to five basic opportunities to “grow and strengthen our relationship with Jesus.” 

Worship – We worship God together, through his Son Jesus.  Worshipping regularly is a part of who we are as Catholic Christians. The people of God join together in the house of God to worship and honor God (Psalm 150). Worship is about community: the Christian community gathers to worship, to pray together, and to continue its growth in the faith.

Grow – We become affiliated with a parish society, Bible study, the School of Christian Living to grow in faith and our walk with Jesus.  Jesus went to the synagogue “as was His custom” (Luke 4:16).  Synagogue for Jesus was a place of discernment, learning scripture, and growing in the knowledge and love of God and neighbor.  We join with other PNCC-ers here in order to grow together.

Mission – We are called to love our neighbors.  We are encouraged to be involved in some mission emphasis.  Jesus had a special place in His heart for the poor, marginalized, outcast, and lost. We are called to be the hands, feet, and voice of Jesus Christ in our world.  We seek to love and serve others and believe this is vital in our Christian walk.

Talents and Abilities – All of us have talents and abilities that can be used for the glory of God.  Some have the gift of teaching or leading.  Others have the gift of administration, or may be gifted in finance and can help the church to be faithful stewards of the gifts offered for ministry and mission.  Some have the gift of compassion, or love to send cards to those who are sick. Some feel called to reach out to the unchurched, while others have the gift of hospitality.  Yes, all of us have some God-given gift, talent, or ability that we can use for the glory of God.

Proportional Giving – Stewardship is a spiritual discipline and an act of worship.  Our offering is a recognition that everything we have and are is a gift to us from God.  We are all blessed.  We are all called by God to offer our first-fruits and our [portion] to God for the work of His kingdom (Leviticus 27:30-33; Deuteronomy 14:22-29).  Our offering at a regular percentage of giving is an act of gratitude, an act of obedience, and an act of our covenantal agreement with God.  Our offering is used, then, in ministry and mission on behalf of our Lord Jesus Christ.     

So let’s take time to reflect on these five expectations as we undertake a life of Catholic Christian discipleship.  After all, God proved he loves us so much by giving His only begotten Son to live among us, to teach us of God’s love and kingdom, to die that we might be forgiven, and to rise that we may have eternal life.  God has promised to be with us always.  Discipleship, then, is our faithful response to this God who “so loves the world”  (John 3:16)      

Peace and grace to all.

Bishop Bernard 

Bishop Bernard’s Pastoral Letter on Discipleship Read More »

Bishop Bernard’s Pastoral Letter on Vocations

Spiritual Message / / , , , , , ,

To the Very Reverend, Reverend Fathers and the Reverend Messrs., and my dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus our Lord:

¡Viva el mes de junio! That’s Spanish for “Long live June,” “Hurray for June.” Hurray, indeed! And welcome to the month of vocations in the Polish National Catholic Church: June is Sacred Vocations month for us. June is the month we focus on our great need for priests, and on the need for significant donations throughout the PNCC to be made to the Clergy Pension Plan.

Our need of priests is dire and critical, but I am nonetheless hopeful and optimistic. Even though no Polish National Catholic families have sacrificed even one of their men, young or old, to our altars in the past twelve years, (and it doesn’t look like any family will in the near future), I remain optimistic. Even though our seminary has been empty for that period of time, except for the occasional priest from another Church orienting himself there to work as a priest in the PNCC, I have good reason to hope because I have experienced God’s providence. Our parish in Denver was declining but was pulled back from the brink of closure by an Hispanic priest from Mexico and 90 people of Mexican heritage who now comprise the great majority of that parish. St Francis, Denver, is growing, and is enthusiastically PNCC, and is flying 18 young people and 6 adults to Convo 2018 here next month.

Because Father Alfonso Castillo needs pastoral help there, I enthusiastically agreed to review applications from priest friends of his in Mexico to provide assistance to him, and subsequently serve our American parishes desperate for priests. In our Diocese, two priests, in fine parishes, are retiring next year. I have no one to fill them. A priest in our Diocese is on three parishes in Jersey. Three priests are on two parishes each. And there are ailing and aging priests all over the place! And yet I am hopeful. So I say, ¡Viva México!

With the increase in aging clergy comes the need for our Clergy Pension Plan to support them all. We collect for this vital entitlement throughout the year and especially in the month of June. We need more capital to invest, the interest from which the pension payments are made. From age 70, a PNCC priest can look forward to a monthly check in the amount of $600; and his widow, a check in the amount of $300. Please be generous in this drive. And so I say, in my optimism, ¡Viva el Plan de Pensión del Clero! (Hurray for our Clergy Pension plan!)

I believe God is showing us a potential direction for the future of our Church; and that pathway seems to be presenting itself from south of the border. For the Methodist Church, that pathway is from South Korea, and for the Roman Catholic Church, from India among other sources. In light of all of this, Bishop Hodur has indeed blessed us with a most optimistic motto for our Church when he penned: A través de la Verdad, el Trabajo y las Dificultades ¡Venceremos!

Yours in Christ,

Bishop Bernard

To read the original version as a PDF file.

Bishop Bernard’s Pastoral Letter on Vocations Read More »

A Message from Father Sr. Gregory Mludzik

Passaic, Spiritual Message / / , , ,

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Our Lord!

On behalf of my family – my wife Tatiana and my sons David and Michael, my daughter Alexandra – and myself, I would like to greet every one of you with these words: “May the name of Jesus Christ be praised.”

I was assigned to Ss Peter and Paul Parish on July 15, 2017, as administrator.

Through time, God needs human helpers. To build up His eternal kingdom, he calls people to live and work in the midst of the world and its concerns. He wants the people whom He calls to be effective witnesses to the truth of the gospel and to make his Church a living presence in the midst of that world.

Jesus’ Church is the sacrament of salvation for everyone. All should feel the urgent call to work in our Church through our local parish. In that service, God’s initiative comes first. What form, then, should our response take? Perhaps all we contribute is a free and joyful acceptance of the gift. God’s grace is free, but it’s not cheap. Jesus paid dearly for it: It cost His life. We have to cooperate with His grace. God has called us to be witnesses in the world. The priest is a mediator between God and people. He goes to God on behalf of people – with their aspirations, prayers, sorrows, joys, and offerings. He returns with God’s forgiveness and blessing to the people.

My heartfelt desire is for all of us in this parish and church to be as one family who gathers in the House of God the Father, united in faith. My utmost wish is to expand the religious life of our parish. The center of our interest should be Sunday’s Mass and partaking in Holy Communion. This will strengthen our faith and enable us to draw inspiration for overcoming hardships in daily life. Let us not seek pretenses to absolve ourselves from our obligation of our faith. As your pastor and spiritual leader, I will take responsibility for children, teenagers, adults, and older parishioners. I will try to show everyone that Jesus is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”

There is a place for each one of us in our church. We just need to seek each other out, for Jesus gave specific talents to everyone. I am aware of my great responsibility for the whole parish and all parishioners, before God, for your eternal salvation. I also realize that I need your help in order to fulfill my sacred vocation. I need you to stand by me in daily prayer. I need you to challenge me by your faith, your support of my complete commitment to ministry, to obedience, to full dedication of my life to God and His people. Remember, the future of our parish is in our hands. Christ commissioned the Apostles with these words, but they are also addressed to each of us: “Go then, and make disciples of all nations, giving them baptism in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit; Teaching them to keep all the rules which I have given you; and see, I am ever with you, even to the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:19).

I respectfully request your prayers and assistance to enable me to be a good Pastor, and to serve well the Holy Church and Ss. Peter and Paul Parish.

I pray and ask for your prayers that the Holy Spirit may descend upon our church and rejuvenate its spiritual being to the Glory of God, and the continued growth of our Holy Church. Let us pray for this always together.

Very Rev. Gregory Mludzik, Administrator

A Message from Father Sr. Gregory Mludzik Read More »

Memory Eternal Very Reverend Ś+P Stanley Skrzypek

Announcements, Events, News / / ,

Our pastor, the Very Rev. śp. Stanley Skrzypek, 82, entered into eternal life on June 25, 2017.

Born in Pustynia-Kozlow, Poland, Fr. Sr. Skrzypek graduated for Panstwowe Liceum in Krakow, Poland, in 1952, Theological Institute of Krakow in 1956, and Savanarola Theological Seminary in Scranton, PA in 1958. Ordained a priest on January 21, 1959 by His Grace the Most Reverend Leon Grochowski, DD, Prime Bishop of the PNCC, at St. Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr Cathedral, Scranton, PA, Fr. Skrzypek, was elevated to title Father Senior by His Excellency the Right Reverend Anthony M. Rysz, Bishop of the Central Diocese, on October 28, 1972.

Fr. Senior Skrzypek served many parishes in New York and Pennsylvania including St. Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr Cathedral, Scranton, PA, as Assistant Pastor in 1959, All Saints PNCC, Rome, NY, St. Joseph PNCC, Middleport, PA, 1960-1963, Sacred Heart PNCC, Summit Hill, PA, 1960-1963, Blessed Virgin Mary of Czestochowa PNCC, Albany, 1964-1971, Sarced Heart of Jesus PNCC, New York Mills, NY, 1971-1997, and was appointed Pastor of Ss. Peter and Paul Polish National Catholic Church in November 1997, where he served until his death. Fr. Sr. Skrzypek also served as the Ecumenical Officer for the PNCC for many years, and was an Associate Member of the Legion of Valor.

Beloved husband for 48 years of Frances A. (Pilzys).

Eternal rest grant unto your servant O Lord, and may the perpetual light shine upon him.

Memory Eternal Very Reverend Ś+P Stanley Skrzypek Read More »

Scroll to Top