Polish Schism Leads to Breakoff Church

Today marks the death of Francis Hodur (1866-1953), who led the only large-scale schism in American Catholic history. Born in Poland, he emigrated to the United States and finished his priestly studies in Pennsylvania, where he was ordained in 1893. He was assigned to local parishes, and in 1895 he became a pastor in Nanicoke. As pastor he came into conflict with his bishop over his belief that parishioners should be able to control parish property and finances, and appoint their own pastors. He also wanted the use of the Polish vernacular in the Mass. In 1897 he accepted a pastorate without episcopal sanction and used a newspaper titled Straż (The Guard) to disseminate his ideas. In 1898 he was excommunicated. But his was not the only dissident movement among Polish Catholics unhappy with what they called the “Irish Roman Catholic Church.” There were others in Chicago and Buffalo, and they all came together to form the Polish National Catholic Church (PNCC). At the first synod in 1904, Hodur was named a bishop. At its height the PNCC attracted about five percent of Polish Americans. Today it has 25,000 members.