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History
The origins of the Reformed Catholic Church in Poland can be traced to 2006 and the Community of Brothers and Sisters of Jesus Christ (Polish Wspólnota Braci i Sióstr Jezusa Chrystusa), an informal Christian group based in Poznań, Poland. Later, the Community was renamed to The Free Gospel Church (Polish Wolny Kościół Ewangeliczny).

In 2007, the Community established an association with the Reformed Catholic Church in the United States and entered the jurisdiction of its local bishop residing in Great Britain. Also in 2007, the Community adopted the name of the Reformed Catholic Church in a reference to its mother Church in the U.S., as well as nominated its own presbyter in the person of Tomasz Puchalski, the thus-far leader of the Community.

In 2009, hierarchical structures of the clergy in the Reformed Catholic Church in the U.S. faced a crisis which led to its subsequent breakdown. The Reformed Catholic Church in Poland had since begun to function as an independent organization. In 2010, the 1st Synod of RCC was summoned, during which a decison was made to affiliate the RCC with the Old Catholic Community of the Good Shepherd (the National Polish Catholic Church) and to tentatively adopt the episcopal jurisdiction of its bishop.

In 2011,  Reformed Catholic Church in Poland was accepted as a member of the Ecumenical Catholic Community (ECC).

On December 6, 2016 RCC in Poland filed an application for the registration in the Poland’s Registry of Churches and Religious Associations administered by the Polish Ministry of the Interior and Administration. RCC was officially listed in the Registry on January 28, 2020.

On July 14, 2020 the then-Minister of Justice and Public Prosecutor General, Zbigniew Ziobro, filed a complaint against the Minister of the Interior and Administration’s positive decision to register RCC and demanded that RCC be removed from the Registry.

On August 22, 2020 the Synod of the Reformed Catholic Church in Poland proclaimed autocephaly and established the office of Bishop. The first historical presbiter of RCC and the thus-far Archdeacon of RCC, Tomasz Puchalski, was elected for the office.

On December 13, 2017, the Association of Reformed Catholics was registered. The Association was founded by the members of the RCC Community in Poznań. The mission of the Association involves actions promoting social justice and prevention of social exclusion, especially in terms of freedom of conscience and confession. The Association also engages in local charity activities, providing material assistance and advocating the rights of the homeless, impoverished, and persons with disabilities. A representative of the Association is a member of the Committee of Civil Dialogue working with the President of the City of Poznań’s Commissioner for Equality Policy.

Creedal and spiritual aspects
Reformowany Kościół Katolicki w Polsce przyjmuje wiarę niepodzielonego Kościoła pierwszego tysiąclecia, wyrażoną w orzeczeniach dogmatycznych siedmiu soborów powszechnych:

Liturgia
The Reformed Catholic Church in Poland has adopted the creed of the Undivided Church of the first millenium C.E.. The creed was established through the dogmatic decrees of the seven ecumenical councils: First Council of Nicaea (325), First Council of Constantinopole (381), Council of Ephesus (431), Council of Chalcedon (451), Second (553) and Third (680–681) Council of Constantinopole, and Second Council of Nicaea (787).

RCC recognizes and cultivates the sacred tradtion, which entails the canon of the Holy Scriptures, the oldest Creed, the liturgy and the three orders of sacramental service (bishop, presbyter and deacon).

Like other Old Catholics, RCC obeys the following maxim by Saint Vincent of Lerim: We hold that faith which has been believed everywhere, always, by all.

The object of the highest worship in RCC is One God in Trinity. The Church also commemorates the saints, in particular Virgin Mary, the Mother of Jesus.

Reformed Catholicts practice seven sacraments: Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, Confession, Anointment of the sick, Marriage and Ordination.

Baptism is bestowed on adults and children after an earlier catechumenical preparation. Baptism of infants is permitted as they undertake catechumenate at a later age.

The RCC practices eucharistic hospitality, which means that baptised Christians of any tradition which shares the belief in the Holy Trinity can partake in the Eucharist. The Eucharist is always administered under two kinds. Reformed Catholics believe in the permanent transsubstantiation of bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ, although they do not define this in philosophical terms.

Confession is practiced both in common and individual forms. The former is conducted at the beginning of every Liturgy of the Eucharist or during specific penance liturgies.

According to the beliefs of the Church, Anointing of the sick is a sacrament of liberation, similar to Confession. It can be received by every person who faces any kind of physical or psychological ailment.

The main purpose of the sacrament of Marriage is the sacralization of spouses. RCC recognizes marriage as a monogamous union of two consenting adults, at least one of whom is a member of RCC. The sacrament of Marriage can be bestowed on any couple meeting these criteria, regardless of sex, gender, and sexual or romantic orientation of the spouses. Although divorce is considered a sin, entering another union may be absolved as long as the person involved meets certain conditions, which include Confession and fulfillment of the obligations resulting from the previous union, such as childrearing.

The sacrament of Ordination may be received by both men and women. Formation of the clergy requires that prior to the reception of the sacrament, the candidate have a diploma of theological studies and complete an RCC-internal preparatory course. Candidates complete the courses in their respective communities. It is also the communities who participate in deciding who is going to receive Ordination.

Clergical celibacy is not required in the RCC. It is instead perceived as an individual’s personal vocation and a charism which is independent of Ordination.

There are three pillars of the RCC spirituality: the God’s Word, small communities and the Liturgy. The spirituality of the Church is also strongly influenced by the monastic tradition.

The God’s Word
The Reformed Catholics cultivate the ancient tradition of Lectio Divina as both an individual and community practice. There is a strong focus on the prayer using the God’s Word, in particular with psalms and hymns. An example of a liturgical practice involving the pillar of God’s Word is the so-called sharing during homily, upon which each participant of the Liturgy is invited to share their thoughts and testimonies related to the Liturgy of the Word the community has just listened to.

Small communities
RCC emphasizes the importance of personal bonds between the members of their respective communities. Following the monastic tradition, they refer to their community as the school of the Lord’s service, where every Christian learns faith, hope and love.

Liturgy
Liturgy, in particular Liturgy of the Eucharist, is the basic form of cult in RCC. RCC also practices Liturgy of the Hours.

RCC attributes an utmost significance to the idea of the local Church in which the fullness of the Church resides. The local Church is understood as a group of communities which communicate and cooperate with one another, upon the assumption that most if not all members know each other in person. Organizations which group the local Churches together have a facilitatory role within the structure of RCC, and their objective is to solve problems and increase serviceability of the Church. The local Church exercises its decisive powers during the Synod, which consists of the House of Bishops, the House of Clergy, and the House of Laity.

Personal growth and dignity of the human person
In approaching its followers, RCC is committed to the ideas of personal growth and dignity of the human person. RCC advocates the importance of personal conversion, which is rooted in the concept of metanoia, as well as of every individual’s contribution to social justice.

RCC is also defined by its inclusivity, which is grounded in the idea that anyone can become a member of the Church regardless of the person’s background such as ethnicity, age, health, sexual orientation, gender identity, or social status.

RCC also promotes inter-religious dialogue and strives to maintain amicable, respectful relationships with representatives of Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and atheism.

Liturgy
In essence, Liturgy in RCC does not differ from those practiced in other Catholic churches. RCC does, however, have its own missal, lectionary, sacramental rites and liturgical calendar.

Liturgy of the Eucharist consists of the following parts:


 * Rites of baptism: sign of the cross, invocation of the Holy Spirit, common confession, the Kyrie Eleison with Gloria in Excelsis Deo, and prayer of the day.


 * Liturgy of the Word: first reading, psalm, second reading (on Sunday and during the more important festivities only), chant before the Gospel, proclamation of the Gospel, homily with the sharing, confession of faith, and universal prayer.


 * Liturgy of the Eucharist: the sign of peace, preparation of the gifts, preface dialogue, the Sanctus, anamnesis, epiclesis, intercessions, great doxology.


 * Communion rites: the Lord’s Prayer, fraction rite with the Agnus Dei, distribution of the Holy Communion under both kinds, common prayer after communion


 * Concluding rites: blessing, dismissal of the people

Liturgical year
Liturgical year in RCC begins on the eve of the first Advent Sunday.

On the Nativity Eve the Advent ends and the Christmas season (Christmastide) or the Epiphany season begins.

The Epiphany season ends with the Feast of Hypapante on February 2. It is followed by the first ordinary period.

The period of Paschal preparation begins on Wednesday Ash and ends on Holy Thursday. The evening of Holy Thursday, which liturgically counts as Holy Friday, marks the commencement of the Easter Triduum. The Triduum ends with the Resurrection Sunday Vespers. Upon  the completion of the Vespers begins the Paschal season (Paschaltide), also called the Easter season (Eastertide) or the Resurrection season.

The Paschal season ends on the Pentecost followed by the Octave of the Pentecost. Afterwards, the second ordinary period lasts until the end of the liturgical year.

Major feasts of the RCC
The chart below lists the major feasts celebrated in the RCC according to the order of the liturgical calendar


 * December 25: Nativity of the Lord. Followed by the Octave of the Nativity, which ends with the Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus on January 1.


 * January 6: Feast of Epiphany (The Lord’s Revelation).


 * First Sunday after Epiphany: Feast of the Baptism of Christ


 * Second Sunday after Epiphany: Feast of the Miracle at Cana


 * February 2: Feast of Hypapante (The Meeting of the Lord)


 * Palm Sunday


 * Easter Triduum, including: Holy Friday of Lord’s Passion, Holy Saturday and Resurrection Sunday. Followed by the Octave of Resurrection of the Lord.


 * 40 days after the Resurrection Sunday: The Lord’s Ascension


 * 50 days after the Resurrection Sunday: The Pentecost. Followed by the Octave of the Pentecost, which ends with the Holy Trinity Sunday.


 * August 6: Transfiguration of the Lord

Apart from the above major feasts, RCC devotes particular appreciation to the commemoration days of the saint patrons of the specific local RCC communities and other saints of special importance to the Church. These include various feasts of the Theotokos, especially the Dormition of the Theotokos (August 15), and commemoration days of Saints Cyril and Methodius, Dorothy Stang, Benedict of Nursia, Mary Magdalene, John the Apostle, Thomas the Apostle, Peter and Paul the Apostles, Jordan the First Bishop of Poland, Dorothy Day, Adalbert of Prague, Patrick, Maria Karłowska and Felicja Sieradzka.

On numerous occasions, RCC celebrates the eve of feasts and Sundays. In accordance with the biblical tradition, the days of the RCC liturgical calendar are counted from sunset to sunset. As a result, the eve of a celebration taking place on the evening before is comprehended as a full-fledged celebration of the feast in question. Paschal Eve and Pentecost Eve are two of the most important Liturgies throughout the year. The eve of the first Advent Sunday, on which the first candle is lit, is also celebrated in a particularly solemn way. A ceremonious ignition of candles accompanies the celebration of each eve.

Prayer
As a result of extensive discussions by theologists, biblists and linguists concerning the translation of the Lord’s Prayer into Polish, the RCC decided to adopt for its liturgical purposes the version of Lord’s Prayer with the line nie wystawiaj nas na próbę (‘try us not’) rather than  nie wódź nas na pokuszenie (‘lead us not into temptation’).

Local Communities of the RCC

 * Parish of Saint Cyril and Methodius in Poznań


 * Parish of Holy Trinity in Warsaw


 * Community of Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Jordan in Cracow


 * Community of Saint John Apostle in Zielona Góra


 * Community of Saint Mary Magdalene, the Apostles’ Apostle in Wrocław
 * Kuyavian-Pomeranian Community of Nativity


 * Community of Saint Helena, Bona and Brigid in Bytom


 * International Online Community


 * Mission in Tricity


 * Mission in Łódź


 * Community of Benedictines of God’s Wisdom