Union of Scranton Convocation
for Restoration and Renewal of the Undivided Church: Through a renewed Catholicity
Statement from the 2019 Union of Scranton Convocation
Read MorePractical Ecclesiology of the Union of Scranton
Read MorePresentation on Holy Orders 2019 Union of Scranton Convocation – Rev. Geoffrey Neal
Read More
The Union of Scranton (the Polish National Catholic Church and the Nordic Catholic Church) hosted a second Convo- cation for Restoration and Renewal of the Undivided Church: Through a renewed Catholicity. This gathering built up- on the foundations laid at the first Convocation held in Dublin, Ireland in March of 2018.
The purpose of this gathering was to invite selected bishops, mostly from Anglo Catholic Churches in the United States, Canada and Africa, to discuss the preservation and the strengthening of ecumenical catholicity within non-papal aligned traditions. Confronted with the present crisis of faith, the desired goal is to create the foundation blocks for a united witness so that the doctrinal and historical coherence can be saved for the future. It is our conviction that Old Catholicism, based on “The undivided faith of the first millennium”, stands out as the best platform to address not only the crisis of faith but also the present challenges from aggressive secularism and militant Islam. The Convocation moved forward to recapture the structure, unity and communion of the Church as found in the Church of the first thou- sand years.
In this call to restoration and catholicity, possible paths for such a restoration were examined with the following presentations given in this order:
Prime Bishop Anthony Mikovsky of the Polish National Catholic Church: Ecclesiology of the Union of Scranton
Very Rev. Geoffrey Neal (Vicar General of the Nordic Catholic Administration in the United Kingdom): Holy Orders and Apostolic Succession
Very Rev. Robert M. Nemkovich Jr. of the Polish National Catholic Church moderated a discussion on proposed ad- ditions to the document “Requirements for Communion with the Polish National Catholic Church” from the Post Dub- lin Collaborative working group on Catholic Essentials for Unity
Twenty-five participated in this Convocation from the PNCC, Nordic Catholic Church, Missionary Diocese of All Saints, Diocese of the Holy Cross, Anglican Province of America, Diocese of Dunwka (Anglican Communion Africa), ACNA, Anglican Union and the TAC.
After the presentations, time was spent in small break out groups to discuss the papers and find consensus to move forward towards a renewed catholicity.
The formal papers presented can be found at the links at the top of this post.
A Convocation Prayer adapted by Very Rev. Geoffrey Neal from William Laud was offered during Morning and Evening Prayer:
Gracious Father, we humbly beseech Thee for Thy Holy Catholic Church;
fill it with all truth, in all truth with all peace. Where it is corrupt, purge it; where it is in error, direct it,
where it is superstitious, rectify it; where any- thing is amiss, reform it;
where it is right, strengthen and confirm it; where it is in want, furnish it;
where it is divided and rent asunder, make up the
breaches of it,
O thou Holy One of Israel, for the sake of our Saviour Jesus Christ.
The Convocation concluded with the Holy Sacrifice of Mass celebrated by Prime Bishop Anthony Mikovsky of the Polish National Catholic Church and Bishop Paul Hewett of the Diocese of the Holy Cross offered an inspiring homily.
We are scheduling a third convocation in the spring of 2020. Respectfully submitted in Christ,
Very Rev. Robert M. Nemkovich Jr.
Ecumenical Officer, Polish National Catholic Church
