Reflection

150th Anniversary of the Birth of our Organizer, Prime Bishop Franciszek Jan (Francis John) Hodur

PNCC /

Our Holy Polish National Catholic Church pauses to remember and honor our organizer – Prime Bishop Francis Hodur on the 150th anniversary of his birth, April 1, 2016.

This brief history of Bishop Hodur is taken from An Abridged History of the Polish National Catholic Church – published on the Solemnity of Brotherly Love Sept. 9, 2012:

Bishop HodurThe first Prime Bishop of the Polish National Catholic Church was Franciszek Jan (Francis John) Hodur. Born in Zarki, Poland on Easter Sunday, April 1, 1866, to Maria and John Hodur, he was one of seven children. Although his father was a tailor and farmer, the Hodur family was very poor, having little money for food and clothing. At the age of 10 Francis attended a small village school and showed much potential by completing his first four years of elementary school in three years.

At the age of 14 he left his impoverished living conditions and walked to Krakow, a distance of 33 miles from Zarki…Upon completing his secondary education in June, 1889, he enrolled in the theological program at the Roman Catholic Seminary in Krakow that was affiliated with the Jagiellonian University. Due to his political activism he was expelled from the seminary in 1892 and never completed the program.

On the last day of 1892 Hodur boarded the ship, the M.S. Sorrento, bound for America. Three weeks later, on January 23, the ship arrived at Ellis Island in New York Harbor. Because he had no sponsor when he arrived, Hodur had to spend some time in a temporary shelter on Ellis Island. After submitting letters to a Polish newspaper indicating his plight, he was finally sponsored by the Rev. Benvenuto Gramlewicz who brought him to Nanticoke, PA. Father Gramlewicz arranged with Bishop O’Hara of the Scranton Roman Catholic Diocese to enroll Hodur in St. Vincent’s Roman Catholic Seminary in Beatty (now Latrobe), PA. He completed his seminary studies and was ordained to the priesthood in Scranton, PA on August 19, 1893 by Bishop O’Hara. His first assignment was as assistant pastor at Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Parish in Scranton, PA.

On the evening of March 14, 1897 Father Hodur arrived in Scranton and met with the congregation of the newly organized St. Stanislaus parish. They seriously discussed the actions they were taking. Sympathetic to the plight of these Polish immigrants, he chose to accept the invitation of these people to lead their church. Father Hodur formally accepted the pastorate of St. Stanislaus Parish. On Sunday, March 21, 1897 Father Hodur celebrated the first High Mass in the new St. Stanislaus Church, which was still in the process of construction. The first organizational meeting of the parish also took place on that day.

Father Hodur proposed a “Church Constitution” that was unanimously accepted and the first parish committee was elected in accordance to it. Soon after, Father Hodur established and published a weekly newspaper, the Straż or “The Guard.” The first issue was published on Saturday, April 17, 1897. The purpose of the Straż was to be a true “Guard of our divine rights and the herald of a better future to come.” (Włodarski, p. 52) Through the Straż Father Hodur challenged several Roman Catholic teachings, including papal infallibility and universal jurisdiction. The solemn consecration of St. Stanislaus, Bishop and Martyr, Church took place on July 4, 1897 and was performed by Father Hodur.

Father Hodur did not intend to break away from the Roman Catholic Church. He was hopeful that the demands of these immigrants would be granted within the framework of the Roman Catholic Church. Therefore, in January 1898 he traveled to Rome to present the National Church (Kościół Narodowy) Program, created by the St. Stanislaus parish committee and co-signed by the neighboring churches of Nanticoke, Wilkes-Barre, Plymouth, Duryea and Priceburg (now Dickson City). The program called for:

  • legal ownership of church property by the local parish;
  • parish governance by parish committees elected by parishioners;
  • appointment of pastorates of priests approved by the Parishioners;
  • appointment of Polish bishops by priests and parishioners, subject to confirmation by the Bishop of Rome.

When Father Hodur was elected as a bishop at the First PNCC Synod in 1904, his consecration did not immediately follow. Father Hodur wanted to make sure that the Polish National Catholic Movement would be a valid Church with unquestionable Apostolic Succession.

On September 29, 1907 Father Hodur was consecrated a bishop at St. Gertrude’s Cathedral in Utrecht, Holland by the Archbishop of Utrecht, Gerard Gul; Bishop of Haarlem, William Van Thiel; and the Bishop of Deventer, Michael Spit. The consecration of Bishop Francis Hodur was a moment of great joy and enthusiasm for the entire Polish National Catholic Movement. On October 17, 1907 Bishop Hodur was welcomed back to the United States by 28 priests and 46 lay people in New York City. Upon his return to the City of Scranton as Bishop, a great multitude of PNC faithful met Bishop Hodur at the train station and together they marched up Pittston Avenue to St. Stanislaus Cathedral. Bishop Hodur emphasized that “the consecration he received will never change his spirit of love toward the people which inspired him to work for his fellowman. He assured his congregation that he would continue along the same lines in the work which he chose ten years ago.” (Włodarski, p. 96)

From the time Bishop Hodur accepted the call to be the pastor of St. Stanislaus Cathedral in March 1897, he never wavered in his dedication to the cause for which he devoted his entire life. He firmly believed that God had in His providence led him and his people to organize the Polish National Catholic Church… Truly he was an outstanding man of God. On February 16, 1953, the Polish National Catholic Church mourned the death of its beloved organizer, the Most Rev. Francis Hodur. He left us a legacy of love, dedication, sacrifice and devotion that is an example for us all.

For more information on Bishop Francis Hodur and the Polish National Catholic Church please visit the PNCC website and read: An Abridged History of the Polish National Catholic Church (available from the PNCC Book Store).

As we remember our beloved organizer, Bishop Francis Hodur, let us honor his memory and legacy by dedicating ourselves to Christ and our Holy Polish National Catholic Church as he did so faithfully.

Prayer for Bishop Francis Hodur from the Mass for Departed Bishops:

Let us pray.

O Lord, Jesus Christ, Who did assure Your holy Apostles that the highest reward awaits those who strive zealously for the continuance of the Kingdom of God on earth, receive into Your glory the soul our Your servant, Francis Hodur, Bishop of Your Holy Church.

Have compassion on him as You had compassion on the erring Apostles. Mindful of his desire to bring souls to You, reward him with eternal happiness. For You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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Lent, Holy Week, and Easter in East Meadow

Community Events, Liturgical, Parish Life, PNCC /

We invite you to journey with us through Lent and Holy Week, and celebrate with us on Easter at St. Francis in East Meadow.

Lenten Holy Mass and Stations of the Cross every Sunday

After each 9 a.m. Holy Mass during Lent we will observe Stations of the Cross followed by Breakfast in the Parish Hall.

Palm Sunday

Procession & Holy Mass on Sunday, April 13th at 9 am

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of “Holy Week.” On this day we com­ memorate the last triumph of Our Lord Jesus Christ on earth. On this day we celebrate the triumphant entry of our Lord into Jerusalem; when the multitudes, going before and following after Him, cut off branches from the trees and strewed them in His way, shouting, “Hosanna, to the Son of David. Blessed is He that comes in the name of the Lord.” This Palm Sunday triumph of our Lord only led to His death. But we know that this death was not a failure. It was through His passion and death that He conquered the world and entered into His Kingdom. So the faithful join in this triumphant celebration in an act of homage and gratitude to Christ our King!

Paschal Triduum

  • Maundy Thursday Holy Mass on Thursday, April 17th at 7 pm
  • Good Friday Mass of the Presactified on Friday, April 18th at 7 pm
  • Blessing of the Baskets, Saturday, April 19th at 1 pm. All are welcome! Bring your eggs, cooked foods, uncooked foods, baskets or not, covered with a white linen cloth (or not)… Fr. Andrew will bless your Easter foods in a short, cheerful service.

For Christians the Paschal Triduum (“Three Days”) is the focal point of the entire year. During these days, covering the period from the evening of Holy Thursday through the evening of Easter Sunday, we celebrate our faith in the paschal mystery of Christ with the greatest fervor and intensity. In the liturgy we commemorate the passion, death and resurrection of Christ as the means of our salvation. Through our baptism, we share in the death of Christ and so hope to share in his resurrection. The liturgy of the Paschal Triduum then invites us to reflect on where we are in our own Paschal journey in Christ.

Maundy Thursday – The name Maundy comes from the Latin word which means ‘command.’ It refers to the new command Jesus gave his disciples on the Thursday be­ fore he was crucified. On that night, long ago, he served the “Last Supper” of bread and wine, washed his disciples’ feet and said, “A new command I give you; Love one another.” —John 13:13. Church bells fall silent on this day and are not heard again until Easter morn­ ing. Instead of tinkling altar bells, wooden clappers are used during divine services. The altar will be stripped at the end of the service to symbolize Christ being stripped of his power. The holy sacrifice is interrupted and will not be offered again until Holy Saturday.

Good Friday – Good Friday used to called God’s Friday because it was the day Jesus was crucified. This is the most solemn day of the year, as we recall the suffer­ ings and death of Jesus. We take this time to journey the ‘Stations of the Cross,’ Christ’s road to Calvary. The Bible says that when Jesus hung on the cross, the sky became dark from noon until 3:00 p.m.. During those hours, traditionally, the faithful may meditate on the sufferings of Our Lord on the cross and remember the words He spoke on the Cross…Take time to remember, read the Passion, read a psalm, meditate, say a prayer. We share now in sorrow, grief and pain.

Holy Saturday – Holy Saturday is liturgically a day of deepest mourning, a day which the Church spends at our Lord’s sepulchre, meditating on his sacred Passion and death. There is no mass and the altar is bare. As we end the Lenten penitential period in pious preparation for a festive Paschal season. We have the Blessing of our Easter Foods on Saturday, April 23rd at 1:00 p.m., a token of gratitude to God for all his gifts of both nature and grace. A reminder that the Lord is part of our daily life and is always among us! Please bring a family member or a friend; help make this old but significant tradition new again!

Solemnity of the Resurrection – Easter

Procession & Resurrection Holy Mass on Sunday, April 20th at 9 am followed by our famous Easter Breakfast.

Come, you are invited, family and friends of St. Francis Parish, to attend our traditional “Easter Celebration Breakfast” held in the Parish Hall, after Easter Sunday Mass. Come, let us REJOICE together!

lent & easter 2014

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Åš+P Zachary B. Rosales

From the Pastor /

On August 8th Fr. Andrew celebrated a Requiem Holy Mass in memory of Zach B. Rosales who was tragically killed. During Holy Mass Zach’s whole family and his friends prayed for him, and for love and peace in our families, our neighborhood, and our world.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon:
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope
where there is darkness, light
where there is sadness, joy

O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen.

Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord, and may the perpetual light shine upon him.
May he rest in peace.
May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen.

Dale, Señor, el descanso eterno. Brille para él la luz perpetua.
Descanse en paz. Amén.

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Our Prime Bishop’s Christmas Letter – December 2009

PNCC /

To my dear brother Bishops, Priests, Deacons, and Faithful of the Polish National Catholic Church:

My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As Prime Bishop it is my privilege and distinct pleasure to extend greetings and best wishes to the entire Polish National Catholic Church. All of us are now making preparations to celebrate the Nativity of Christ, Christmas. We will again be reminded of the birth of the Christ Child as recorded in Luke 2:11: ” … to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, Who is the Messiah, the Lord.” We will send and receive Christmas cards, sing the beautiful Christmas carols, and read and listen to the Holy Scriptures that proclaim the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ in Bethlehem–that event that changed the whole course of history and even today changes the lives of those who accept Him as their Lord and Savior.

Each year we are reminded that Christmas is that Solemnity that brings us hope, joy, love and peace in Christ Jesus. We know that “… God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life.”- John 3:16. So all of our celebrations should focus on the fact that Jesus Christ, the Messiah, came into the world as the Child in Bethlehem to save us from our sins and to unite us with our Heavenly Father. Hopefully, we will be strengthened in our understanding of this fundamental truth through the Christmas carols that we sing, as well as with the customs and traditions we uphold during the Christmas season.

Therefore, let us make sure that we include Jesus Christ in all of our preparations and in all of our celebrations, for His coming to this earth is the only reason why we celebrate Christmas. Also, let us make sure to prepare a place for Jesus in our hearts! Our Holy Church calls for us to rejoice because Jesus, the Promised One, the Messiah, has come. Let us reflect upon the true meaning of Christmas with every Christmas carol we sing, every Christmas card we send, every Christmas gift we give and every good deed that we do during this holy season. May each of our actions bring that heavenly joy not only to us, but to others as well. May our words and good deeds be a living testimony of our love, honor and respect for the Christ Child of Bethlehem.

When we gather together with family and friends and break the Christmas wafer at the vigil supper or on Christmas Day, let us remember Jesus. When we go to church on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day let us welcome the Christ Child into our hearts, remembering how the shepherds hurried to Bethlehem to see and welcome the Christ Child wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. Let us give Him praise and honor as we worship Him during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and receive Him in the Holy Eucharist. Just as the three Magi came to adore our Blessed Lord and to present their gifts to Him, let us adore Him in the Most Blessed Sacrament and offer Him our gifts–our love, our hearts, our talents, our all.

May this Christmas will be one filled with the blessings of the Christ Child for you and your families. May all of us continue to show our love, dedication, service, sacrifice and devotion to Christ through our Polish National Catholic Church. Let us also remember to give thanks to God for the abundant blessings we have received during 2009 and for all of the good that has been accomplished through our Holy Church during this year. May the hope, love, peace and joy of Christ be yours at Christmas and throughout the New Year 2010.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Wesołych Świat Bożego Narodzenia i Szczęśliwego Nowego Roku! Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo! Linksmų Šv. Kalėdų, laimingų Naujųjų metų! Vesele Vianoce i na zdravie v novom roku! Veselé Vánoce a šťastný nový rok! Buon Natale e felice Anno Nuovo!

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Rev. Robert M. Nemkovich Prime Bishop

Our Prime Bishop’s Christmas Letter – December 2009 Read More »

Fr. Andrew quoted in Newsday

Parish Life /

From Newsday: ASKING THE CLERGY: What are your favorite religious reference books?

Father Andrzej Koterba, St. Francis Polish National Catholic Church, East Meadow:

“The Little Prince,” by Antoine de Saint Exupéry tells stories about a little stranger from a tiny planet. On this planet were three volcanoes, including an expired one, and there was a rose, an exceptionally beautiful and capricious rose. Her appearance totally fascinated the Little Prince. After some time, the hero of the book decided to go on a journey. He visited seven planets. The last one was Earth. On his journey and on Earth he met the mysteries of our existence while learning and teaching valuable lessons. This book allows us to be released from the stereotypical thinking that, for instance, a fox is sly, a child is unwise. We learn that children are the smartest, because they are able to love and see beauty. The fox, no, well, not everyone has to be leery. The Little Prince finds a friend in him – and learns the most valuable lesson from him. Saint Exupéry wrote this book during World War II. It helps us understand that, even in a world seized by violence, good exists. Even if we are adults, we can love, we can be free and think beyond ourselves, beyond money and possessions to real human wealth. I really recommend “The Little Prince,” because it is more than a story about the good and nice. You can find through it life’s meaning and guidance. I heartily suggest reading this book for children and adults, and especially during Christmastime.

The article was picked up by the Chicago Tribune as well.

Fr. Andrew quoted in Newsday Read More »

Celebrations for St. Francis

4 Comments / Liturgical, Parish Life /

The Parish of St. Francis, held a ‘Celebration Weekend’, honoring both their patron saint and celebrating the recent completion of their church renovations.

On Saturday, October 4th, A Blessing of the Animals was held inside the church. This event welcomed all sorts of pets and their owners for this special blessing. This Service opened with a warm welcoming by Father Andrew Koterba and followed by a reading from parishioner, Thomas Kompa, on the life of St. Francis of Assisi. Father Andrew than administered a general blessing of all animals and a special blessing for sick animals. In closing each animal was sprinkled and blessed with holy water and all received a St. Francis prayer card and medal, as a keepsake. Each year this blessing increases in attendance, and continued success!

Sunday, October 5th, St. Francis Parish celebrated their 76th Anniversary and Blessing of their newly renovated church, in a Eucharistic Celebration, held at 4 pm. This Mass was celebrated by Most Rev. Robert M. Nemkovich, Prime Bishop and the Rt. Rev. Anthony Mikovsky, Bishop Ordinary of the Central Diocese. The Mass proved to be both powerful and spiritually moving for all in attendance. The church was full to capacity, with all in attendance, by the clergy of the Diocese, Parishioners and the many friends of St. Francis Parish and many stood beyond the church doors!

A delicious dinner followed, prepared by Monika Koterba and the Parishioners of St. Francis. It remains a grand and memorable event to long remember!

The following is one segment, authored by Thomas P. Kompa, and read at that Celebration Mass

GOD’S DWELLING PLACE … BLESS THIS HOUSE

Today we take time to bless and rededicate our church of St. Francis, which was founded in 1932, and has successfully served our community for 76 years!

Take time to look around you and find this place a special place, a place of Peace and Prayer. God’s dwelling place! In it’s time witnessing, baptisms, communions, confirmations, weddings and funerals. It has held par¬ishioners and friends of St. Francis, priests and bishops and many of God’s creatures … to mention but a few. These walls have heard a Babel of languages, heard laughter and tears. These windows have seen change both inside and out. Once surrounded by farmland and now suburban sprawl. But still sunshine shone through brightly and rain and snow and many a storm beat these glass panes through our prayers.

This church was built with love, hope and faith and hard struggle from many. Parishioners have made this a place to endure. A place to practice their faith and tradition, a holy place for God. Work and struggle is the motto here! Dinners and dances, fairs and sales, blessings of Easter food baskets and blessings of creatures, have all taken place here. All have kept this humble Parish of St. Francis afloat through the years.

This parish has seen both good times and bad! But more recently bad times have tended to stay longer and the struggle was starting to become more than the parishioners could bear. But change was on our horizon! As the Very Rev. Father Wiesław Pietruszka, of Holy Cross Parish, in South Brooklyn, was made our Administrator, for the last several years. He saw how hard we struggled and the promise that was here. In a period of change, the old Holy Cross Church was closing, with a new continuation for that parish, in Commack, Long Island. In part of their change was a gift given to St. Francis Parish, which helped with improvements and new renovations which were badly needed here.

To Father Wes and to the good Parish of Holy Cross, we thank you sincerely for your kindness and generosity. It is more than we dreamed of … as you see all around us change and repairs … brightness abounds us once again!

In thoughtful thankfulness, we quote from the words of our Patron, St. Francis … “That a single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows” and in the recent arrival of Father Andrew Koterba and his dear wife, Monika. They have become our sun-beams, bringing new possibilities and dreams to St. Francis Parish. So to all we say “Thank You”!!!

And we add this blessing of St. Francis – “That the Lord bless you and keep you. May he show his face to you and have mercy. May he turn his countenance to you and give you peace.”

The Lord bless YOU all!

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