Old Church Catholic Mariavite

Old-catholic Mariavite Church

Oecumenical situation

Historical background
Visit in Poland of the Pope Benoit XVI
Centenary of the foundation of the Mariavite church (2006-1906)
Letter from the Archibischop of Utrecht for the centenary of our church
5th Birthday of the "Commission de Dialogue" (2002) Letter of the co-chairman and the Roman catholic members of this Commission
Mutual recognition of the sacrament of Baptism
Great Reconciliation on August 15, 2000
Precedent events Foundation (1997) of the Commission of Dialogue between the Old-catholic Mariavite Church and the Roman catholic Church

2002 - Fifth Birthday of the Commission of Dialogue

Historical background

Like Church founder member of the World Council of Churches (WCC), Conference of European Churches (KEK-CEC) and of the Polish Oecumenical Council, the Old-catholic Mariavite Church is involved completely in the oecumenical movement and takes part in the meetings of these organisations.

The Pope Jean-Paul II and Mgr Tymoteusz Kowalski

The desire of Union of the Churches is not in opposition with a Synodal Constitution and the resumption of the full Communion between all the Churches will have to be examined in the light of the Primacy exerted by the Bishop of Rome during the first millenium. We recognise the Pope a primacy as in the undivided Church, "Primus inter pares".

The Petrinian Ministry will have to be a Ministry of Unit, of Communion in the Universal Church, but not an authoritative jurisdiction, centralised such as defined in 1870 (infallibility and Universal Épiscopat).
(Communion with the Bishop of Rome, but not under the Bishop of Rome - G.Tsetsis - SOEPI 5-59 of the 14-02-1992).

Mariavites, as of their origin, were firmly decided to work in favour of the Unity of the Christians. Many declarations on this subject came from the Mother Marie-Francoise herself. She always said that the Brotherly love is a necessary condition to reach the unity : "It is the Love which will link us all" (Work of the infinite Mercy, page 68) and pointing out Saint Augustin: "That the Love will be in all, in the none essential things for the salvation, Freedom, and in those which are necessary, the Unity".

Already in 1920, the Old-catholic Mariavite Church took an active part in the preliminary works of the World Conference, organised by the World Committee Faith and Constitution (which became later the World Council of Churches (WCC), by drafting on the subject: "Faith in the Church again united".

The oecumenical movement organised in Poland began its activity already in 1940. That year and after, during the Second World War, clandestine meetings took place in Warsaw, in which took part the Mariavites Priests and especially the Bishops Mariavites Roman Marie Jakub PROCHNIEWSKI and Waclaw Marie Bartlomiej PRZYSIECKI who since 1942 were the authors, with others, of the Interim Oecumenical Council and the drafting of the Profession of faith of the Polish Christians.This document made an inventory of the dogmatic principles recognised as being common to the Churches. On November 15, 1946, the Polish Oecumenical council of Poland was officially created.

After the Council the Vatican II, the relations between the Roman catholic Church and the Old-catholic Mariavite Church evolved favorably.

Roman catholic Bishops took part in the Old-Catholic Mariavite churches in the week of the Unity. The Auxiliary Bishop of Warsaw, Mgr Wladyslaw MIZIOLEK, according to the Vatican II Council, pronounced the homélie in the Old-Catholic Mariavite Church of Warsaw.

In 1972, the Roman catholic Episcopal Conference of Poland, via its President Mgr Wladyslaw MIZIOLEK and its secretary the Father Jesuit Stanislaw BAJKO; addressed a request for forgiveness to the Mariavite Church for being the target of all persecutions in the past on behalf of the Roman catholic Church.

Currently, the situation continues to evolve and the oecumenical and fraternal links becàming solid and regular. At the time of the pastoral voyage of the Pope Jean Paul II in Poland, June 1991, the Mariavites' Bishops were invited to attend various meetings and papal masses. Symposiums were organised on the topic of the divine mercy, between the Roman catholic Church and the Old-catholic Mariavite Church, in 1991, 1992 and 1993.

Since 1972, links are joined again with the Union d' Utrecht (Catholic Churches of the Union of Utrecht). The Old-catholic Mariavite Church is in intercommunion with the Old-Catholic churches of Holland, of Poland, of Czechoslovakia and the USA, (the latter being, let us point it out, in intercommunion with Rome).

Visit in Poland of the Pope Benoit XVI

Le Pape Benoit XVI et Mgr M. Wlodzimierz Jaworski

Le Pape Benoit XVI dans l'Eglise de la Sainte Trinité à Varsovie à l'occasion de la rencontre Oecuménique entre les représentants des Eglises de Pologne.
Lors de cette rencontre, c'est notre Evêque Primat qui a dirigé la prière pour la Paix.

Centenary of the foundation of the Mariavite Church (2006 - 1906)

Meeting of the Commission de Dialogue

Réunion de la Commission à Lodz le 13 Mai 2006 avec
Mgr Dembowski et Mgr Jablonski

Mgr André Le Bec évêque de la Province de France

Communiqué de la Session de la Commission Mixte pour le Dialogue Théologique entre l'Eglise catholique romaine et l'Eglise vieille catholique mariavite.
Le 12 octobre 2005, à la résidence de Mgr Maria Ludwik JABLONSKI à LODZ, a eu lieu la 16è me session de la Commission Mixte pour le Dialogue Théologique entre l'Eglise catholique romaine et l'Eglise vieille catholique mariavite.
Ont pris part à la réunion : Mgr Maria Ludwik JABLONSKI (mariavite) et Mgr Bronislaw DEMBOWSKI (catholique romain) coprésidents et les membres : Le Père Professeur Maria Pawel RUDNICKI et le Père Maria Gregorz DROZDZ, représentant l'Eglise vieille catholique mariavite et le Père Professeur Ireneusz MROCZKOWSKI et le Père Professeur Henryk SEWERYNIAK représentant l'Eglise catholique romaine.
Se sont poursuivies les discussions autour de l'"Oeuvre de la Grande Miséricorde" de la Mère Maria Franciska KOZLOWSKA.
Mgr Maria Ludwik JABLONSKI a jugé positif le programme et l'atmosphère du 6ème Congrès de GNIEZNO et a souligné la présence de toutes les Eglises oeuvrant en Pologne, ainsi que la bonne organisation des célébrations oecuméniques dans de nombreuses églises de Gniezno.
Il a été décidé que les membres catholiques de la Commission prendront une part active dans le Symposium Oecuménique, qui aura lieu à Lodz, le 13 Mai 2006 à l'occasion du Centenaire de l'Eglse vieille catholique mariavite.
Il a été décidé de continuer les travaux historico-théologiques sur l'"Oeuvre de la Grande Miséricorde" (Miséricorde Divine), ainsi que sur les documents obtenus des Archives Vaticanes
La prochaine rencontre de la Commission aura lieu le 22 Février 2006 à WLOCKLAWEK
Coprésidents
Mgr Maria Ludwik Jablonski Mgr Bronislaw Dembowski

Les participants au Symposium le 13 Mai 2006 à Lodz

Letter from the Archibischop of Utrecht Dr Joris Vercammen for the Centenary of our church

Lettre du Dr Joris Vercammen

2002 : Fifth Birthday of the Commission of Dialogue

In 1997, a Theological Commission of Dialogue was founded between our Church and the Catholic Church.

With the opportunity of these 5 years of work and exchanges, the cochairman and the Roman catholic members of this Commission wanted to mark this birthday while forwarding to our Bischop-Primacy with the Council of the Church, the Priest and the people mariavite, a fraternal letter recognizing the way already carried out.

Fac simile from original document

English translation
Seal                                                 Wloclawek-Lodz, October 9, 2002
The Bischop of Wloclawek                   Monseigneur Maria Wlodzimierz Jaworski
L.dz.2110/02                                   Bischop-Primacy of the old-catholic Mariavite
                                                      Church

Very venerated Monseigneur Bishop-Primacy, Beloved Brothers and Sisters,
In 1997, the Plenary Conference of the Episcopate of Poland took the initiative to create a joint Committee of theological Dialogue between the Roman catholic Church and the Old-Catholic Mariavite Church. This initiative of the catholic bischops of Poland was accepted favorably by the Bischop-Primacy of the Old-Catholic Mariavite Church, Monseigneur Maria Wlodzmierz Jaworski, who delegated to the Commission a co-chairman and two members.
Today at the time of this small jubilee of our tenth meeting within the framework of the Commission, we want to thank our God for this five years collaboration and to adress a cordial greeting to the Bischop-Primacy, Monseigneur Maria Wlodzmierz Jaworski, to the Council of the Church, our Brother Priests, our Sisters and our laic Brothers mariavites.
Nobody among us, who currently live, is responsible from what occured 100 years ago. We are convinced that nobody wants to persevere in this painful division. The work of our Commission is an alive proof which it is possible to meet, to speak, to pray together and to look for ways of reconciliation. We know that perhaps still a long time, the spirit of God will have to act in our hearts to lead a total reconciliation. And yet we succeeded in leaving a so painful insulation !
For this reason we believe that if we try to become men of goodwill, if us and our faithful for the return to our lost unity and if we informed our faithful about our common actions, at this moment our God will show the way to us.

Fac simile from original document

Let us not be afraid, Beloved Brothers and Sisters, to follow this Way !
On a side, we promise to you to continue to work so that your Christian dignity be respected and that our mutual proximity in the faith in the Great Divine mercy, in our worship of the Very Blessed Sacrament in our love for the Mother of God be better perceived.
For this reasons we join you in this prayer whose words were marked for the first time durig one of our bases.
"Our Heavenly Father, exauce our fervent prayers and give us, catholics and Mariavites the gift of Reconciliation and Unity. As our mutual apprehensions and our prejudices us separated, that yor love links us so that we return together, honor and Holy glory in the Very Blessed Sacrament, that we announce in the world the Great Divine mercy and that we take care of the holiness of the Church and his servants.
By Jesus-Christ our Lord, Amen.
Monseigneur Bronislaw Dembowski, prof.dr.hab Bishop of Wloclawek
Père prof.dr.hab. Ireneusz Mroczkowski Recteur of the Seminar in Plock
Father prof.dr.hab. Henryk Seweryniak

Mutual recognition of the Sacrament of Baptism

SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM THE SIGN OF UNITY DECLARATION OF THE CHURCHES IN POLAND AT THE THRESHOLD OF THE THIRD MILLENIUM

Fac simile of the original document

Giving thanks to the Triune God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, for the two thousand years of the New Covenant, and for over one thousand years of Christianity in the Land of Poland, the undersigned Churches, in reference to many years of Theological and Oecumenical work woldwide and in Poland, as well as to the mutually accepted documents (particularly the Document of Lima, 1982), gladly acknowledge and confirm to their ministry through baptimand declares:

1. Jesus Christ, our Savior, Himself established the Sacrament of baptism and commended us to administer it (Math.28,19; Mk.16,16). Baptism is the way out of captivity (I Cor.10,1-2), it incorporates Christ crucified and ressurected, leads into the new Covenant, is the sign of the new life in Christ, the washing clean of sin (I Cor.6,11), enlighting through Christ (Eph.5,14), new birth (John 3,5), clothed in Christ as children of God (Gal.3,27), renewing through the Spirit (Tit.3,5), promise made to God from a good conscience (I Peter 3,21) and liberation which leads into union with Jesus Christ, where all divisions are overcome regardless of social status, race or sex (Gal.3,27-28; I Cor.12,13).

2. Baptism of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Baptism unities the person baptized with Christ, and Christians with one another. It leads into the Church membership and gives the beginning of new life in Christ, the purpose if which is "the praise of glory" to God (Eph.1,14)

3. All baptized who live in one place and time, bear common responsability for giving witness to Christ and to the Gospel: The baptized life for Christ, for His Church and for the world which He loves, waiting in hope for the revelation of the new creation of God and for the time when God will be all in all (Rom.8,18-24;I Cor 15,22-28,49-57)(Document of Lima, NR 9). Baptism in Christ is a challenge for the Churches, so that they would overcome their divisions and in the visual way manifest to their community.

The undersigned Churches solemnly recognize the validity of baptism administered by the clergies of those Churches.

Fac Similé of the signatures of the document

Metropolitan Sawa Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Poland
Bishop Jan Szarek Evangelical Church of Augsburg Confession in the Republic of Poland
Bishop Edward Puslecki Evangelical Methodist Church in the Republic of Poland
Bishop Zdzislaw Tranda Evangelical Reformed Church in the Republic of Poland
Rt. Rev. Cardinal Josef Glemp Roman Catholic Church in the Republic of Poland
Bishop Wiktor Wysoczanski Polish National Catholic Church in the Republic of Poland
Bishop Wlodzimierz Jaworski Old Catholic Church of Mariavite in the Republic of Poland

Mgr Glemp Mgr Jaworski

Ceremony of signature of the act of mutal recognition of the Baptism in the Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity in Warsaw.

Great Reconciliation on August 15, 2000

A record number of the faithful (more than 4000) witnessed on August 15 in Plock, of a historical gesture:the Ordinary one of the diocese catholic-Roman diocese of this city and the Bishop-Primacy of the Old-catholic Mariavite Church exchanged the sign of peace.

The Bishop-Primacy of the Old-catholic Mariavite Church Monseigneur Wlodzimierz Jaworski (on the left) and the Bischop of the diocese catholic-Roman of Plock, Monseigneur Stanislaw Wielgus (on the right) in a historical gesture are tgiving to each other the sign of peace.

For the details of the ceremonies of the Jubilee
click here

The Bischop of the diocese catholic-Roman of Plock, Mgr Stanislaw Wielgus, the Mariavite Bishop of Paris, Mgr André le Bec, the Archbishop and orthodoxe Métropolite Mgr Sawa took part, among others, in the solemn celebration of the Great Jubilee of II^nd Millénium of Christianity in Plock.

A few tens of coaches and hundreds personal cars brought more than 4000 faithful people to the Sanctuary of the Mercy and the Love. The cathedral was filled to its full capacity.

Few years ago, such a meeting would not have been possible. It is only in 1965, in Warsaw, that, for the first time, a Catholic-Roman Bischop went into a Mariavite church and pronounced a sermon.

At present, the situation is different: Representatives of the two confessions take part jointly in masses and processions.
A Committee of Dialogue was established.. The Bishop-Primacy of the Old-catholic Mariavite Church, MgrWlodzimierz Jaworski came to a conclusion regarding the relations between the two confessions : "the unity does not mean unicity or sole agent for something", whileMgr Wielgus added: "I am happy to have been able to pray together with my brothers"

Precedent events

Commission of dialogue between the Old-Catholic Mariavite Church and the Roman catholic Church

A Commission de Dialogue was founded between the catholic Church and the Old-catholic Mariavite Church. Hereafter, the photocopy and its translation appear, of the letter of Mgr Alfons NOSSOL, Évêque of Opole (Poland), President of the Council of the Episcopate for Oecumenism, specifying with our Bishop-Primacy, Mgr Zdzislaw Marie Wlodzimierz JAWORSKI, the names of the Roman catholic representatives at this Commission of Dialogue.

The COUNCIL Of the EPISCOPATE FOR OECUMENISM
THE PRESIDENT

Opole, December 6, 1997

Your Lordship,
I inform you that the 292^nd Plenary Conférence of the Episcopate which was held in JASNA GORA, ratified the 28.XI.1997 the composition of the Roman catholic participation in the Commission on the Dialogue between our Churches.
Monseigneur Bronislaw DEMBOWSKI, bishop of WLOCLAWEK,
Father Henryk SEWERYNIAK (Dr. Catholic Academy of Theology) of PLOCK,
Father Ireneusz MROCZKOWSKI (catholic Dr. University of LUBLIN) of PLOCK.
It is with a great joy that we agreed at the time of the Parliament of our Conference the notable fact of the resumption of this important dialogue.
By joining my fraternal greetings, I wish you a saint Advent and merry festivities of Christmas.
God blesses you!

Signature: Alfons NOSSOL

The participants in the Commission on the Old-catholic Mariavite Church were:

Monseigneur Maria ludwik Jablonski

the Father professor Maria Pawel Rudnicki

the Father Maria Tadeusz Szymanski, as from January 2000 the Father Maria Grzegorz Drozd.

Fac simile of the Polish document
Fac simile of the French translation

	In preparation of the Premières Assises de la Commission mixte du Dialogue Théologique between the Roman catholic Church and the Old-Catholic Mariavite Church, the following document was elaborated : "We consider that the explanation of certain historical facts which, until now remain obscure, would be a preliminary stage with our dialogue. To this end, it would be important to know the totality of the texts and documents that Monseigneur Jerzy SZEMBEK, Evêque of PLOCK, as well as other Polish Bishops, presented or sent to Rome between 1903 and 1906 to deliver their opinion about the mariavite movement, to the continuation of which, in the place of the awaited ratification of the decrees for the Congregation of the Mariavites Priests and the Congregation of the Sisters of the perpetual Worship and Mending, the decision to dissolve them was made, followed by excommunication in 1906, which caused the known continuation of the events whose consequences are going on until now. Consequently, our most sincere wish would be that the delegates of the Church Roman-Catholic can obtain via the Polish Episcopate near the Vatican's archives, the photocopies of the known as documents and present them, to analyse them, near the Commission of Dialogue. This would allow: 1 - See which real differences in opinions between Mariavites and the Church Roman-Catholic were the base of the exit of Mariavites of this Church. 2 - See how the opinions of the two parts moved and to consider if, consequently, these differences did not decrease. 3 - To note which misunderstandings, or possibly which calumnies against Mariavites were the cause of the events which followed. 4 - To eliminate the misunderstandings and to uncover calumnies. A conscientious study of these problems as well with regard to the develoment of simple facts like with regard to the history of theology and the explanation of specific current theology to each part of the dialogue, would be a solid base to establish a co-operation closer to our Churches on the territory of the Republic of Poland and that of France which can constitute an important step towards a regularization of our common life ".
	* Extract of March 4, 1998 official statement at the Bishops' House of WLOCLAWEK The utility to undertake and continue the dialogue in order to get clearer with the scission between the two churches was recognised. At noted what follows : the need to widen the dialogue on the level of the dioceses and parishes, the need to retract from the reciprocal charges and calumnies, the need for creating the climate of mutual comprehension and reciprocal respect
	Extract of October 14, 1998, official statement, at the Bisopss' House of the Lôdz-Silesia diocese of the Old-catholic Mariavite Church in LODZ, During conferences, Monseigneur B.Dembowski presented at the Members of the Commission the report of the realisation of the basic premise of the access to the Vatican's Achives to find the genesis of the movement mariavite there. Then the Father professor M.P. Rudnicki presented the doctrines, the legal and moral principles of the Mariavite Old-catholic Church. The Roman catholic delegates made a proposal concerning the joint celebrations of the second millenium of Christianity
	Extract of March 3, 1999, official statement at the Bishops' House of WLOCLAWEK During conferences, the Commission discussed the technical aspects of the access to the documents concerning the mariavitism in the Vatican's archives. The delegates of the two churches presented their proposals of the oecumenical celebrations of the second millenium of Christianity.
	Extract of March 4, 2000, official statement at the Bishops' House of WLOCLAWEK The relations between the two churches during the last six months were discussed during conferences. It was noted that the week of prayer for the Unity of the Christians proceeded well. Monseigneur B Dembowski had the result of preliminary research concerning Mariavitism at the Vatican's Archives. It was noted that the archives held a very great quantity of documents, sometimes in polish but mostly in french and Italian, and by a majority in latin and that it would be useful to classify them. So a method of future research was elaborated. The idea of a nearest participation of delegates of the two churches to the celebrations of the Jubilee of the Year 2000 joining together the Roman catholic Church and the Old-catholic Mariavite Church was very appreciated. The Commission held its following Conferences in Lodz, October 11, 2000 with the invitation of Monseigneur Maria Ludwik Jablonski.

*	Sixth Joint Committee of dialogue on October 11, 2000 in Lodz

October 11, 2000, at the Siège de l' Evêché du Diocese de Lodz-Silesia of the Old-catholic Mariavite Chuch in Lodz, were held sixth Joint Committees of theological dialoguebetween the Roman Catholic Church and the Old-Catholic Mariavite Church. It was made up of :

Copresidents:

Monseigneur Bronislaw Dombowski

Monseigneur Maria Ludwik Jablonski

Members

The Father Professor Irencsz Mroczkowski

The Father Professor Maria Pawel Rudnicki

The Father Professor Henryk Seweryniak

The Father Maria Grzegorz Djozd

The attitude of the two Churches towards the declaration Domine Jesus were presented. The representatives of the Old-Catholic Mariavite Church exposed the position of their Church compared to the Book of the Revelations of the Work of the Great Divine mercy. It was decided to continue the dialogue about all the Books of the Revelations.

An appreciation of the development of the Jubilee of the Year 2000 with the Roman catholic Church and the Mariavite Old-Catholic Church was discussed.

The date of March 7, 2001 was set up for the next meeting which, on the invitation of Mgr Bronislaw Dombowski, will take place in Wloclawsk, at the Bischops' House.

*	Visit of the Roman catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Plock to the Bishop-Primacy of the Old-Catholic Mariavite Church, December 29, 1999, atthe Bishop-Primacy's House in PLOCK.

December 20, 1999, at the Bishop-Primacy's House of the Old-Mariavite Church in Plock, the high persons in charge for the Mariavite Church and the Roman catholic Church met :

Monseigneur Stanislaw Wielgus was accompanied by his Auxiliary Bishop Roman Marcinkowski

the Father professor Henryk Seweryiak.

The guests were accepted by the Bishop-Primacy, Monseigneur Maria Wlodzmierz Jaworski, by the Bishop of the Diocese Lodz-Silesia Monseigneur Maria Ludwik Jablonski and by Monseigneur the Roman Bishop Novak.

After some information words on behalf of Monseigneur Nowak on the Sanctuary of the Mercy, the hosts and the guests exchanged the wishes by dividing, according to the tradition, the unleavened bread. Then, around a tea, a discussion was committed on the two Churches, on the difficulties of the oecumenical dialogue, erroneous information concerning Mariavites.

Monseigneur Wielgus expressed his desire to preserve the relationship between the two Churches.

It was concluded that a Roman catholic delegation with Mgr Wielgus, Évêque of the Diocese of Plock, would take part in the celebrations mariavites from August 15 in PLOCK.
On his side,the Bishop-Primacy accepted the invitation to the central Jubilee of the Diocese of Plock for May 7, 2000.
A text of prayer for the reconciliation was written on the initiative of Mgr Marcinkowski.
A project of program of the Week of Prayers was drawn up for January 18-25, 2000. The representatives of the Mariavite Church were invited to the Bishops' House in PLOCK.

*	Second Oecumenical gathering European KEK - CCEE from the 23 to June 29, 1997 in Graz (Austria)

Sight of some delegates in Graz

Father Wieslaw Kowalczewski and Mgr André Le Bec delegated in Graz

This oecumenical European gathering was organised by
the Conference of the European Churches - KEK (Orthodoxe, Anglicans, Protestants, Old-Catholic) and the Council of the Conferences Epicopales d' Europe - CCEE (catholic).
The topic was:
"The RECONCILIATION, Gift of God and Source of New Life".

The delegates of our Church to the gathering of Graz were Mgr André le Bec and the Father Wieslaw Kowalczewski.

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