Democratic Church

Annual Meeting, Election Results, and SOCL Awards

Announcements, Parish Life, PNCC, Sunday School (SOCL) /

Our Annual Parish Meeting took place on Sunday February 9th with refreshments after the 9 AM Mass. Parish societies gave their reports at the meeting. Elections were held for the Parish Committee for the year 2014. Congratulation to the following parishioners who were elected as members of the Parish Committee for the Year 2014 pending confirmation by our diocesan Bishop:

Chairman – Lynn Imperiale
Vice-Chairman – Bob Sleece
Recording Secretary – Claire Centrella
Treasurer – Richard Daum
Trustees: Dominick Bucci, Edward Obssuth, Hughie Vickerilla, Penni Lazor and Paul Murthy.
We welcome Paul Murthy as the new member of the Parish Committee.

We thank Lenny Hrinuk for his past service as the trustee of the Parish Committee.

Also elected were parishioners to serve as:

Parish Tribunal – John Surak and Penni Lazor
Auditors: Karen Hitchcock, Penni Lazor and Beverly Obssuth
Envelope Recorder: Karen Hitchcock
Seniorate Council Representatives: Alice Kriskewic and Judy Lamping
Delegates to General Synod: Richard and Lucy Daum, (alternates: Deacon David Gaydos and Judy Lamping)

We congratulate the following SOCL students for their perfect and good attendance awards which were also presented on Sunday, February 9th:

Perfect Attendance Awards: Kimberly Matute, Cindy Matute, Kenneth Hofmann, Gianni Maher, Declan Maher, Julien Patel and Giovanni Patel.

Good Attendance Awards: Nayef Kiame, Ned Kiame, Neil Kiame, Natalie Cyman, Omar Abdelfattah, Lina Abdelfattah, and Hailey Hagal.

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Annual Parish Meeting

Announcements, Events, Parish Life, PNCC /

Our Annual Parish Meeting will be held on second Sunday of February, February 9th after 9am Holy Mass. The second Holy Mass of the day will be at 11:30am. There will be refreshments after the 9am Holy Mass. Our School of Christian Living will have their program in the Fr. John Slysz building will instruction provided by our high school youth.

All the societies of our parish are asked to give their annual report for 2013 and their projects for 2014. Another important aspect of our Annual Parish Meeting will be the election of the Parish Committee. The Parish Committee is the council, which meets once per month (usually for about 1 hour on the 3rd Wednesday evening of the month) to discuss concerns and make decisions for the parish. Would you consider serving on this committee? Please contact Fr. Joseph or Dominick Bucci for additional information.

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Congratulations New Parish Committee Members

Announcements, Events, Parish Life, PNCC /

Congratulation to Holy Cross Parish’s new Parish Committee members who took their oath of office on Palm Sunday, March 24th.

From left: Alexandra Lazor, Hughie Vickerilla, Claire Centrella, Lynn Imperiale, Dominick Bucci, Fr. Joseph R. Cyman (Pastor). Robert Sleece, Edward Obssuth, Lenny Hrinuk, and Richard Daum along with our altar servers and Deacon David Gaydos
From left: Alexandra Lazor, Hughie Vickerilla, Claire Centrella, Lynn Imperiale, Dominick Bucci, Fr. Joseph R. Cyman (Pastor). Robert Sleece, Edward Obssuth, Lenny Hrinuk, and Richard Daum along with our altar servers and Deacon David Gaydos

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Annual Parish Meeting

Announcements, Events, Parish Life, PNCC, Sunday School (SOCL) /

Our annual parish meeting will be held on the second Sunday of February, February 10th after 9 a.m. Holy Mass. The second Holy Mass that day will be at 11:30 a.m. There will be light refreshments after the 9 a.m. Holy Mass. The School of Christian Living will have their program in the Fr. John Slysz building with instruction provided by the youth enrolled in high school. All the societies of our parish are asked to give their annual reports for 2012 and their projects for 2013. Another important aspect of our Annual Parish Meeting will be the election of the Parish Committee.

The Parish Committee is the council, which meets once per month (usually for about one and half hours on the evening of the 3rd Wednesday of the month) to discuss issues and make decisions for the well being of the parish. Would you consider serving on this committee? Please contact Dominick Bucci 973-703-6473 or Fr. Joseph – 973-256-4888 for additional information.

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Consecration of our new bishops

Events, PNCC /

See coverage and a video of the consecration of Bishops Nowicki and Bilinski at: New Bishops Installed in Polish National Catholic Church

Scranton, Lackawanna County – Friday, [September 14, 2012] was a big day for the Polish National Catholic Church.

A mass to officially install two new bishops, including the one who will serve northeastern Pennsylvania, got underway late Friday afternoon in Scranton.

The mass began at 3:30 PM at Saint Stanislaus, Bishop and Martyr Cathedral in South Scranton.

The two bishops who will now serve their communities are Bishop Stanley Bilinski and Bishop Bernard Nowicki.

“I can’t believe the people who have come around from so far away and old friends from close places are an absolute delight,” Bishop Nowicki said.

Bishop Nowicki will serve the Polish National Catholic Church’s largest diocese, which includes Scranton. It stretches from New York to Washington, D.C.

Bishop Bilinski will be based in Chicago and will serve the church’s western diocese.

“We each bring unique gifts to the table and to understand that we can help the church along in its various needs, especially in this day and age,” Bishop Bilinski said.

Both of the new bishops, who were elected in June, say this is an exciting time for the Polish National Catholic Church. The bishops point to a new Prime Bishop in the church and a lot of new leadership that will drive them forward.

“We have our ideas, we have senses of where we want to go and certainly how we want to work together and that’s already been born out in the last few days,” Bishop Nowicki said…

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Special Synod of the Polish National Catholic Church

1 Comment / Announcements, Events, PNCC /

On Friday June 22nd, a Special Synod of the Polish National Catholic Church took place at St. Stanislaus Bishop & Martyr Cathedral and its Youth Center in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The Synod was held to elect two candidates for the office of Bishop within our Holy Church. Four nominees were put before the Church, Rev. Stanley Bilinski, Rev. Raymond Drada, Rev. Bernard Nowicki, and Rev. Jerzy Rafalko. There were 218 delegates from the Church’s five Dioceses as well as guests who witnessed this solemn and special occasion.

Holy Cross was represented by Fr. Joseph and two lay delegates, Renata Cyman and Richard Daum. Each Nominee for the Office of Bishop spoke, giving his plans for the growth of parishes and expansion of the Polish National Catholic Church (PNCC). The PNCC has parishes throughout the United States, in Canada, as well as in Poland, Norway, Italy, Sweden, and soon in Germany.

The Church sought the intercession and working of the Holy Spirit during Holy Mass before the Special Synod and before the election. Based on the information presented to the delegates and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Synod body chose Rev. Stanley Bilinski and Rev. Bernard Nowicki as candidates for the office of the Bishop.

Bishop elect, Stanley Bilinski
Bishop elect, Bernard Nowicki

There are two dioceses, Buffalo-Pittsburgh and the Western Diocese, in need of Bishops. The date of the the Bishop elects’ Consecration and their assignment will be announced by the Prime Bishop’s Office.

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Annual Parish Meeting

Announcements, Parish Life, PNCC /

Our Annual Parish Meeting took place on Sunday, February 12th with refreshments after the 9 AM Holy Mass. At the meeting reports were given by the carried Parish societies. We then elected our Parish Committee for 2012.

Those who asked to be released as Parish Committee members were Adele Merson, Alice Kriskevic and Karen Hitchcock. They received Certificates of Appreciation for their past service. Lenny Hrinuk rejoined the Parish Committee.

The Parish Committee elected for 2012:

  • Chairman – Dominick Bucci
  • Vice-Chairman – Bob Sleece
  • Recording Secretary – Lynn Imperiale
  • Treasurer – Richard Daum
  • Trustees – Edward Obssuth, Hughie Vickerilla, Penni Lazor, Claire Centrella, and Lenny Hrinuk

Congratulations!

During the meeting, Mr. Dominick Bucci presented a new church banner with the new name of our town – Woodland Park. We thank Dominick for his thoughtfulness and generous donation.

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Annual Parish Meeting Notice

Announcements, Events, Parish Life, PNCC /

Our annual parish meeting will be held on Sunday, February 12th after 9 a.m. Holy Mass. The second Holy Mass that day will be at 11:30 AM. There will be slight refreshment after the 9 a.m. Holy Mass. The School of Christian Living will conduct its program in Fr. John Slysz building with presentations provided by the youth enrolled in high school.

All the societies of our parish are asked to give annual reports for 2011 and information on their projects for 2012. Another important aspect of our Annual Parish Meeting will be the election of the Parish Committee. The Parish Committee is the council, which meets once per month (usually for about 1 1/2 hour on the evening of the 3rd Wednesday of the month) to discuss issues and make decisions for the well being of the parish. Would you consider serving on this committee? Please contact Dominick Bucci 973-703-6473 or Fr. Joseph for any additional information.

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Installation of Bishop Mack

Events, PNCC /

From The Scranton Times Tribune: The Installation of Rt. Rev. John E. Mack as the New Bishop of the Central Diocese

Three decades ago, seminarian John Mack taught St. Stanislaus children catechism, followed with a lesson on the basketball court.

At 6 feet 3 inches, Mr. Mack impressed his students with a passion for the Lord and the layup. Sunday, some of those former students looked on as the man they met as a seminarian was installed as bishop of the Polish National Catholic Church’s Central Diocese at a Mass at St. Stanislaus Cathedral

“He was very friendly and energetic,” said one of those students, Fred Aebli, after the service. “It’s neat to see him come back in such a big way.”

Bishop Mack had been in the post since Feb. 1, but his era as the eighth bishop of the Scranton-based religion officially began at the Mass with the certification of the election results and passing of the symbolic pastoral staff.

Prime Bishop Anthony Mikovsky reminded those at the ceremony that the elected bishop has the authority of God and God’s people, and he exhorted them to “Unite in faith…. follow, listen and work.”

Bishop Mack had recently been auxiliary bishop in the Buffalo-Pittsburgh Diocese. He was elected to the new post after Bishop Mikovsky was elected Prime Bishop in the fall.

Bishop Mack will also serve as pastor of St. Stanislaus Cathedral, the denomination’s mother church.

While Bishop Mack moved on from his education in Scranton, he never really left, said Joe Nasser, president of the St. Stanislaus Men’s Association.

With the headquarters of the church in the city, he was a common sight in Scranton throughout his career.

“He’s the same as a bishop as he has always been in his career: down-to-earth, a good communicator, and easy to get a hold of,” Mr. Nasser said. “The new leadership has made this an exciting time here.”

After the Mass, the church held a reception in the parish youth center.

Bishop Mack was born and raised in the Polish National Catholic Church in the Greater Detroit area and attended Savonarola Theological Seminary in Scranton.

He and his wife have three children.

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Oath of the Parish Committee Members

Announcements, Events, Parish Life, PNCC /

The oath of the Parish Committee for the Year 2011 took place on Palm Sunday, April 17th, after 9 A.M. Holy Mass.

Congratulations! First row from left: altar servers serving at the Mass Parish Committee members second row from left: Hughie Vickerilla (Trustee), Alice Kriskewic (Trustee), Adele Merson (Trustee). Karen Hitchcock (Recording Secretary), Alexandra Lazor (Trustee), Claire Centrella (Trustee), Fr. Joseph R. Cyman (Pastor), Deacon David Gaydos; Edward Obssuth (Trustee), Dominick Bucci (Chairman of the Parish Committee); Bob Sleece (Vice-Chairman); Richard Daum (Financial Secretary/Treasurer); Absent was Lynn Imperiale

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