Prayer

Bishop Bernard’s Pastoral Letter on Vocations

PNCC, Reflection /

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 »

Resolve to Participate in the Three Pillars of This Holy Season

Reflection /

Prayer

Resolve this Lent to pray more. Avoid telling yourself there is no time for prayer. Be inventive. As you get ready for the day, in the shower, on your way to work, during lunch on your way home, while preparing dinner – there are always a few moments for prayer. Lenten devotions every Wednesday evening are meditations extended over 14 reflections on Lenten themes set against the back drop of moments in Jesus’ suffering and death. Your daily meditation booklet will assist in your prayer with brief Lenten meditations for each day in the coming seven weeks.

Fasting

Resolve this Lent to fast. Start your fasting with small things:

  • no meat eaten on Wednesdays and Fridays,
  • no jam on your toast,
  • no soft drink for lunch,
  • no afternoon snack,
  • no dessert with dinner on selected days of your choosing or on everyday of the season of Lent.

Fasting has been called “the prayer of the body.” When we consciously deny ourselves some small pleasure, we almost automatically become more attentive to things that really matter – like our relationship with God.

Almsgiving

Resolve this Lent to remember the needy. We think of fasting as giving something up. Think of almsgiving (or charity toward the poor) as giving something back. Designate your snack money for a charity that mails a solicitation to your home. Giving of our time is equally valuable. Volunteering at a soup kitchen or a homeless shelter will make us more aware of the needs of the poor and build solidarity with them.

There will be days when our best intentions fall short. But acknowledging our failures and moving on is also a part of this holy season. With God’s help, our Lenten resolutions could become life long habits.

Resolve to Participate in the Three Pillars of This Holy Season Read More »

The Lenten Journey Begins

Reflection /

Our journey together through Lent begins will two very small words: “even now.”

God doesn’t merely say, “Return to me.” He says, “Even now, return to me.”

“Even now, after being away for years.
Even now, after everything you’ve said and done.
Even now, though you have given up hope.”

This is truly an invitation without any conditions, provisos, riders, corollaries, stipulations or hesitations.

This is an invitation to you as in,

“Even now, after the horrible way you treated your spouse.
Even now, after all the drinking and deceit.
Even now, despite the slander and anger and lies and gossip.”
Even now, after [fill in your own story here].

There is no point in waiting to reply to God’s invitation. If not now, then when?

God wants you back especially if you are among those who are convinced that no one, especially God, could love such a person as you. God wants you back, even now.

In this very moment as you read these words, God is extending a tender invitation.

Answer him.

Pause…..

…….and gather together all those secret sins that can weigh so heavily on your shoulders.

Bundle then all…

…into you own “even now” like this:

Lord, I do want to return to you, even now.

The Lenten Journey Begins Read More »

O come, all ye faithful…

Parish Life, Reflection /

Again as last year, I make this request: “O come, all ye faithful…”

O come home this year to Heart of Jesus for Christmas…

Coming home to church for Christmas is a precious Christmas gift to God…
along with worshipping together with some regularity in the coming year.

Your presence is your gift offering for God’s great gift to you of his only Son, his Christ made flesh in the Babe of Bethlehem, Jesus, our Lord.

So – COME HOME THIS SEASON… home where…

  • you have fellowship with the crucified and risen Christ
  • you are forgiven
  • you hear the voice of God
  • you grow in the knowledge of the Bible, God’s Word
  • you feed your soul
  • you are fed and sustained by the Eucharist
  • you are loved and encouraged
  • you are prayed for
  • you love and encourage your fellow Christians
  • you help other people
  • you worship
  • you promote the gospel
  • you find the fullness of truth and grace
  • you and your children have a faith foundation

Come home to the small parish with a big heart…
Come home to the little church others could be looking for if you show them the way…
Come home to the intimate congregation you won’t feel lost in.

Blessings on you, your family and loved ones this Christmas season and throughout the New Year.

— Fr. Bernie

O come, all ye faithful… Read More »

Bayonne 9/11 Observance

Events, Parish Life /

Fr. Bernie participated in the in the Bayonne 9/11 observance conducted Sunday, September 11th by the Bayonne Clergy Association at the Tear Drop 9/11 Memorial located on the Peninsula, the location of Bayonne’s Harbor View Park. Fr. Bernie presented memorial considerations along with ten other local clergy who had the opportunity to address the estimated 400 citizens including friends and relatives of those lost in that national tragedy, 13 of whom were Bayonne residents.

For worship that day, our celebration of Mass included opening and closing hymns which were written especially for the first anniversary and this the tenth anniversary of that fateful day. Prayers were offered for the various realties of that day and for this anniversary, and graphics of the twin towers were placed in the sanctuary and in church; and two special photographic renderings of them were displayed in the narthex for our recollection.

Thanks to Tom Grodkiewicz for his contribution to the graphic remembrances which was displayed all day and all night under the spotlight in the narthex before the glass wall to the entrance of our church. Our thanks also to Dr. Justine Pawlukiewicz for loaning the artistic rendering in her possession which was placed along side the Sacred Heart of Jesus statue on her table with candles flickering before it.

As it turned out, the lectionary readings for that particular Sunday, the 11th of September focused on the spiritual work of forgiveness. The sermon preached in church for that day and the texts of the special hymns sung before and after Holy Mass along with the special prayers for the day will be placed on the parish website for everyone’s perusal.

Bayonne 9/11 Observance Read More »

June – Holy Vocations month

PNCC /

Pray for Vocations to the Priesthood of Christ in our Church especially in this Vocations Month, June, 2011:

O God, you sent your Son, Jesus, to bring eternal life to
those who believe. I join Him in praying for laborers for
your harvest. May your Holy Spirit inspire men and
women to continue his mission through your priesthood,
diaconate and lay ministry. And may this same Spirit
make known your will for my life. In your Son’s holy
Name I make this prayer. Amen!

Lord Jesus Christ, Saviour of the world, revive in your
Church that spirit which you so abundantly bestowed on
the Apostles. Call, we pray you, very many men to your
priesthood in the Polish National Catholic Church. And
may zeal for your glory and for the salvation of souls
inflame those whom You have chosen; may they be
saints in your likeness, and may your Spirit strengthen
them. O Jesus, give us priests after you own Heart. In
your Name I pray. Amen!

June – Holy Vocations month Read More »

Scroll to Top