PNCC Prime Bishop Breaks Intercommunion with Episcopalians
Episcopal News Service. November 12, 1976 [76346]
SCRANTON, Pa. -- "Sacramental intercommunion" between the Episcopal Church and the Polish National Catholic Church (PNCC) "is terminated until a determination is made by our General Synod," according to a one-sentence announcement by the Most Rev. Thaddeus Zielinski, Prime Bishop of the PNCC.
Intercommunion is scheduled to be terminated Jan. 1, 1977, when the Episcopal Church's new ministry canon, adopted by the General Convention in Minneapolis in September, authorizing the ordination of women to the priesthood and episcopate becomes effective.
Bishop Zielinski's statement followed a statement by the Episcopal-PNCC Intercommunion Commission which cited "tensions resulting from recent decisions of the governing bodies of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada authorizing the ordination of women to sacramental ministry."
Last April the commission issued a statement which indicated that "should a Church of the Anglican Communion by its processes of legislation authorize the ordination of women to the diaconate, priesthood or episcopate and thereby hold a doctrinal opinion different from that of the Polish National Catholic Church, the Polish National Catholics would continue to support the objectives of the Agreement of Intercommunion," which was adopted 30 years ago.
However, the statement noted "that ordained women would not be permitted in sanctuaries of the Polish National Catholic Church, nor to function in any sacramental acts involving its members or priests."
The next PNCC General Synod is scheduled for 1978.