List of bishops of the Polish National Catholic Church explained

This is a list of bishops of the Polish National Catholic Church (PNCC), with links to the bishops who consecrated them. Despite its name, the Polish National Catholic Church is located in the US. The PNCC is not in communion with the Catholic Church. The PNCC was founded in 1897 in Pennsylvania, by Franciszek Hodur who was also the PNCC's first bishop.

The number references the sequence of consecration. "Diocese" refers to the diocese over which the bishop presided or, if he did not preside, the diocese in which he served as coadjutor bishop or auxiliary bishop. The ordinal before the diocese name represents where in the sequence that bishop falls; e.g., the fourth bishop of the Central Diocese is written "4th Central". Where a diocese is in bold type, it indicates that the bishop is the current bishop of that diocese. The consecrator listed first represents the principal consecrator.

Chart of episcopal succession


No.Name of bishopConsecratorsDate of consecrationInstallation as bishopEnd of tenureDiocese
1Franciszek HodurGerardus GulSeptember 29, 1907190419531st Prime Bishop[1]
190719491st Central
2Leon GrochowskiFrancis HodurAugust 17, 1924195319682nd Prime Bishop[2] [3] [4]
November 1954July 17, 19693rd Central
192619551st Western[5]
3Francis BonczakFrancis HodurAugust 17, 1924August 17, 192419281st Polish[6]
4Valentine GawrychowskiFrancis HodurAugust 17, 1924[7] 1925February 1, 19341st Eastern[8]
5John GritenasFrancis HodurAugust 17, 1924August 17, 1924December 28, 19281st Bishop of the Lithuanian National Catholic Church[9]
6John Zenon JasinskiFrancis Hodur
Valentine Gawrychowski
Leon Grochowski		June 7, 1928June 7, 1928April 28, 19511st Buffalo-Pittsburgh[10]
7Władysław FaronFrancis Hodur
Leon Grochowski
John Zenon Jasinski		January 30, 19301929[11] September 2, 1931[12] 2nd Polish
8John MisiaszekFranciszek Hodur
Leon Grochowski
John Zenon Jasinski		August 26, 19361949November 19542nd Central[13]
9Józef PadewskiFrancis HodurAugust 26, 1936August 26, 1936May 10, 19513rd Polish[14]
10Joseph LesniakFranciszek Hodur
Leon Grochowski
John Zenon Jasinski
John Misiaszek		November 16, 1937November 16, 1937September 19532nd Eastern[15]
June 3, 1951September 19532nd Buffalo-Pittsburgh
11Joseph SoltysiakLeon Grochowski
Francis Bonczak
Joseph Lesniak
John Misiaszek
G. Ashton Oldham
(Episcopal Diocese of Albany)		April 23, 19521951July 9, 19733rd Eastern[16]
12Thaddeus F. ZielinskiLeon Grochowski
Joseph Lesniak
Joseph Soltysiak
John Misiaszek		September 2, 1954[17] September 2, 195419693rd Buffalo-Pittsburgh
196919783rd Prime Bishop[18] [19]
13Joseph KardasLeon GrochowskiSeptember 2, 19541955July 8, 19582nd Western
14Francis Carl RowinskiLeon GrochowskiMay 9, 1959195919783rd Western
October 3, 197819905th Buffalo-Pittsburgh
October 3, 197819854th Prime Bishop
15Eugene MagyarLeon GrochowskiJune 29, 1963June 29, 1963October 19, 19681st Bishop of the Slovak National Catholic Church[20]
16Joseph NieminskiLeon Grochowski
Thaddeus F. Zielinski
Joseph Soltysiak		June 26, 1968June 26, 1968September 20, 1992 1st Canadian[21]
17Walter SlowakiewiczLeon GrochowskiJune 26, 19681972October 19, 19784th Eastern[22]
18Anthony RyszLeon Grochowski
Thaddeus F. Zielinski
Francis Carl Rowinski		June 26, 1968June 26, 1968July 1969Coadjutor Central[23]
October 18, 197019994th Central[24] [25]
19Daniel CyganowskiThaddeus ZielinskiNovember 30, 1971November 30, 197119774th Buffalo-Pittsburgh[26]
20Thomas GnatFrancis Carl Rowinski
Anthony Rysz
Joseph Nieminski		November 30, 1978197820115th Eastern[27]
21Joseph ZawistowskiFrancis Carl RowinskiNovember 30, 19781978April 19, 19944th Western
22John SwantekFrancis Carl Rowinski
Thaddeus F. Zielinski
Anthony Rysz
Joseph Nieminski		November 30, 1978198520025th Prime Bishop[28]
23Thaddeus PeplowskiLeon Grochowski
Thaddeus F. Zielinski
Joseph Soltysiak		November 30, 1990199020126th Buffalo-Pittsburgh[29]
24Robert M. NemkovichJohn Swantek
Thomas Gnat		October 18, 1993199420035th Western
October 8, 200220106th Prime Bishop
December 9, 2005November 30, 20066th Central
25Joseph TomczykJohn Swantek
Thomas Gnat		October 18, 1993October 18, 1993October 4, 19952nd Canadian[30]
26Casimir GrotnikJohn Swantek
Thomas Gnat
Robert Nemkovich
Antonius Jan Glazemaker
Hans Gerny
Wiktor Wysoczański		November 30 1999November 30 1999December 20055th Central
27Jan DawidziukJohn Swantek
Thomas Gnat
Robert M. Nemkovich		November 30, 19992003June 5, 20096th Western
28Sylvester BigajRobert M. Nemkovich
Thomas Gnat
Thaddeus Peplowski
Jan Dawidziuk
John Swantek
Anthony Rysz		November 30, 2006May 26, 2007January 7, 20133rd Canadian[31]
29Anthony KopkaRobert M. Nemkovich
Thomas Gnat
Thaddeus Peplowski
Jan Dawidziuk
John Swantek
Anthony Rysz		November 30, 2006July 1, 200920117th Western
30John E. Mack‡Robert Nemkovich
Thomas Gnat
Thaddeus Peplowski
Jan Dawidziuk
John Swantek
Anthony Rysz		November 30, 2006February 1, 2011August 14, 20128th Central
August 15, 2012present7th Buffalo-Pittsburgh[32]
31Anthony MikovskyRobert M. Nemkovich
Thomas Gnat
Thaddeus Peplowski
Jan Dawidziuk
John Swantek
Anthony Rysz		November 30, 2006November 30, 2006January 31, 20117th Central
2010present7th Prime Bishop[33] [34]
32Paul Sobiechowski‡Anthony Mikovsky
Sylvester Bigaj
Thomas Gnat
Anthony Kopka
John E. Mack
Thaddeus Peplowski		October 18, 2011December 2011present6th Eastern[35]
33Stanley BilinskiAnthony MikovskySeptember 14, 20122012November 2, 20188th Western
34Bernard Nowicki‡Anthony MikovskySeptember 14, 2012September 14, 2012present9th Central[36]
35Jarosław RafałkoAnthony Mikovsky
John E. Mack
Paul Sobiechowski
Bernard Nowicki
John Swantek		September 14, 2020October 3, 2020July 13, 20239th Western

See also

References

Polish National Catholic Church

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Our Bishops . 2023-12-28 . Central Diocese Polish National Catholic Church . 31 October 2009 . 2023-08-29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230829185134/https://www.centraldiocesepncc.org/history-bishops/our-bishops/ . live .
  2. News: Grochowski . Mitchell . Oct 17, 2002 . History of PNC Branch 293, Bp. Leon Grochowski Society." . 105 . 2 . The Straz.
  3. News: Grochowski . Leon . 1940–1950 . Polish Radio Hour . WLAK-Radio . 2024-02-11 . 2023-12-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231231013127/https://www.paleycenter.org/collection/item/?q=about&p=452&item=R:16787 . live .
  4. Book: Wlodarski, Steven . The Origin and Growth of the Polish National Catholic Church . Polish National Catholic Church . 1974 . 74033165.
  5. Web site: Bishops . 2023-12-28 . Western Diocese Polish National Catholic Church . 29 May 2021 . 2023-12-29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231229021012/https://www.westerndiocese.org/bishops/ . live .
  6. News: September 22, 1967 . Obituary . 64 . Chicago Tribune . Chicago, IL.
  7. Swiderski, Gregory. “Polish-American Polish National Catholic Bishops.” Polish American Studies, vol. 24, no. 1, 1967, pp. 35–38. JSTOR, . Accessed 22 Mar. 2023.
  8. Web site: WHO WE ARE & HISTORY . 2023-03-21 . Home . en-US . 2023-03-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230321195922/https://stvalentinespncc.com/who-we-are-and-history . live .
  9. Vaitkevičienė. Kristina. Lietuvių tautinės katalikų bažnyčios Amerikoje raidos bruožai. Lithuanian Migration & Diaspora Studies. 2015. 74–75. 20 June 2017. Characteristics of the development of the Lithuanian Catholic Church in America. VMU Lithuanian Emigration Institute. lt. 1 July 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180701222324/https://eltalpykla.vdu.lt/bitstream/handle/1/32425/ISSN2351-6461_2015_N_1_19.PG_53-81.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y. live.
  10. Web site: Independent church center in Buffalo - Polish Catholic Church in North America. 2023-12-28. 2016-05-17. https://web.archive.org/web/20160517151523/http://www.polskokatolicki.pl/HISTORIA/BUFFALO/buffalo.htm. live.
  11. Web site: First Synod of the National Church in Poland. Warsaw, June 27-29, 1928 . polskokatolicki.pl . pl . 2018-04-29 . 2016-05-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160517161307/http://www.polskokatolicki.pl/HISTORIA/AMERYKA/I_Warszawa.htm . live .
  12. Tadeusz and Jerzy Piątek, Religions of the World – Old Catholicism, Warsaw 1987, p. 121.
  13. December 26, 1954 . "Polish Catholics: Resignation" . . 288.
  14. Web site: PNKK Parish of Our Lady of Częstochowa in Latham, Bishop Józef Padewski, online access.. bvmc.org . https://web.archive.org/web/20080828100444/http://www.bvmc.org/history/Jozef_Padewski.html . 2008-08-28.
  15. Web site: Timeline . 2023-12-28 . Eastern Diocese Polish National Catholic Church . 2023-12-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231228210255/https://easterndiocesepncc.org/timeline . live .
  16. News: July 10, 1973 . Obituary . 7 . The Tribune . Scranton, PA.
  17. Swiderski. Gregory. 1967. Polish-American Polish National Catholic Bishops. Polish American Studies. 24. 1. 35–38. 20147741. 0032-2806. 2024-02-11. 2023-07-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20230714130341/https://www.jstor.org/stable/20147741. live.
  18. News: 1969-07-18. CITY NATIVE TO BE NEW PNC CHURCH HEAD. 25. Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, The Evening News. 2020-11-22.
  19. Web site: Staff. MOST REV. THADDEUS F. ZIELINSKI, RETIRED PRIME BISHOP EMERITUS. 2020-11-22. The Buffalo News. 12 August 1990. en. 2020-11-22. https://web.archive.org/web/20201122173336/https://buffalonews.com/news/most-rev-thaddeus-f-zielinski-retired-prime-bishop-emeritus/article_add2f990-6907-5495-93cb-08f14aed5fea.html. live.
  20. News: October 21, 1968 . "Bishop Magyar, SNCC Prelate, Dies in Passaic," . 10 . The Tribune . Scranton, PA.
  21. News: September 23, 1992 . Obituary . 7 . The Tribune . Scranton, PA.
  22. Book: The History of All Saints Cathedral of the Polish National Catholic Church . 1996 . Chicago, IL.
  23. Web site: PNCC Jubilarians . 2013-10-24 . konicki.com . 2010-12-09 . en . 2013-10-29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131029193305/http://konicki.com/blog2/2010/12/09/pncc-jubilarians-god-bless-you-and-many-years/ . live .
  24. Web site: Right Rev. Emeritus Anthony M. Rysz Obituary . 2015-06-06 . legacy.com . 2015-03-22 . en . 2016-04-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160411002143/http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thetimes-tribune/obituary.aspx?pid=174456330 . live .
  25. Book: History of our Pastors . 2013-10-24 . saintstanislauspncc.org . en . 2013-10-29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131029202246/http://saintstanislauspncc.org/?page_id=191 . live .
  26. News: March 8, 1983 . Obituary . 16 . The Times . Munster, Indiana.
  27. Web site: June 23, 2017 . Rt. Rev. Thomas J. Gnat Obituary . . February 11, 2024 . December 31, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231231013213/https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/thetimes-tribune/name/thomas-gnat-obituary?id=15953187 . live .
  28. Web site: Our History. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20190104220242/https://easterndiocesepncc.org/Our_History.html. 4 January 2019. 14 January 2021. Eastern Diocese of the Polish National Catholic Churc. Polish National Catholic Church Eastern Diocese.
  29. Web site: Flemestad . Roald Nikolai . 2018 . Bishop Thaddeus Peplowski in Memoriam . 2024-02-11 . 2023-09-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230926094323/https://nordiccatholic.com/bishop-thaddeus-peplowski-in-memoriam/ . live .
  30. The History of All Saints Cathedral of the Polish National Catholic Church (Chicago, Illinois, 1996)
  31. Web site: Konsekracja nowych biskupów PNKK. 2023-12-29. Polish Catholic Church. 2023-12-29. https://web.archive.org/web/20231229220403/http://www.polskokatolicki.pl/RODZINA/2007_03/BiskupiPNKKwUSA.htm. live.
  32. Web site: Buffalo Pittsburgh Diocese, PNCC . 2013-06-26 . buffalopittsburghdiocesepncc.org . en . 2008-11-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081121130953/http://www.buffalopittsburghdiocesepncc.org/ . live .
  33. News: Falchek. David. Prayer, celebration mark Mikovsky's ascendancy as PNCC Prime Bishop. 27 January 2013. The Citizens' Voice. 22 November 2010. 20 June 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150620230708/http://citizensvoice.com/news/prayer-celebration-mark-mikovsky-s-ascendancy-as-pncc-prime-bishop-1.1067214. live.
  34. Web site: Gifts, advice, prayer and celebration mark Mikovsky's ascendancy as PNCC Prime Bishop, Article by David Falchek, The Times-Tribune, 22 November 2010 . 11 February 2024 . 4 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304113132/http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/gifts-advice-prayer-and-celebration-mark-mikovsky-s-ascendancy-as-pncc-prime-bishop-1.1067285 . live .
  35. Web site: Appointment of a reluctant bishop . 2023-03-21 . Sun Sentinel . 2 December 2011 . 2021-10-29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211029181511/https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/trending/fl-fv-paul-20111201-story.html . live .
  36. Web site: 2019-02-13 . Bishop Bernard Nowicki Central Diocese of the PNCC . 2023-03-21 . www.centraldiocesepncc.org . en-US . 2023-03-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230313221344/https://www.centraldiocesepncc.org/brizy-1268/ . live .

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