St. John's Cathedral, Toronto
Encyclopedia
St. John's Cathedral Polish Catholic Church in the Parkdale area of Toronto
, Ontario
is the seat of the Polish National Catholic Church
's diocese in Canada
.
In 2004 some members of the parish asked to be received back into the Utrecht Union
, from which the PNCC had seceded when the Union decided to accept the ordination of women and homosexuals. The International Bishops' Conference of the Union in 2004 "decided that the parish would be placed under the direct jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Utrecht until further discussions have taken place. There is now an ongoing litigation between the Polish National Catholic Church on one side and the parishioners who have reconciled with the Union. The matters are pending in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. Litigation was also commenced against certain members of the Union of Utrecht government in order to restrain their alleged interference in the affairs of the PNCC. St. John's continues to be the seat of the PNCC's Canadian diocese in name, but it continues to be occupied by the former members of the church. The PNCC parishioners worship in a nearby United church
.
In 2005, the conference "decided that the parish would be recognised as an Old Catholic parish of the Union of Utrecht." An Old Catholic bishop would be delegated to the parish but the Anglican Bishop of Toronto
, the Right Reverend Colin Johnson
, would be asked to provide regular episcopal ministry. The conference was not prepared to assume legal or financial responsibility for the parish.
As of May 2009, St. John's Cathedral has reconciled with the Polish National Catholic Church and is once again the official Cathedral of the Canadian Diocese of the PNCC.
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
is the seat of the Polish National Catholic Church
Polish National Catholic Church
The Polish National Catholic Church is a Christian church founded and based in the United States by Polish-Americans who were Roman Catholic. The PNCC is a breakaway Catholic Church in dialogue with the Catholic Church; it seeks full communion with the Holy See although it differs theologically...
's diocese in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
In 2004 some members of the parish asked to be received back into the Utrecht Union
Utrecht Union
The Union of Utrecht is a federation of Old Catholic Churches, not in communion with Rome, that seceded from the Roman Catholic Church over the issue of Papal infallibility. The Declaration of Utrecht solidified this movement in 1889...
, from which the PNCC had seceded when the Union decided to accept the ordination of women and homosexuals. The International Bishops' Conference of the Union in 2004 "decided that the parish would be placed under the direct jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Utrecht until further discussions have taken place. There is now an ongoing litigation between the Polish National Catholic Church on one side and the parishioners who have reconciled with the Union. The matters are pending in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. Litigation was also commenced against certain members of the Union of Utrecht government in order to restrain their alleged interference in the affairs of the PNCC. St. John's continues to be the seat of the PNCC's Canadian diocese in name, but it continues to be occupied by the former members of the church. The PNCC parishioners worship in a nearby United church
United Church of Canada
The United Church of Canada is a Protestant Christian denomination in Canada. It is the largest Protestant church and, after the Roman Catholic Church, the second-largest Christian church in Canada...
.
In 2005, the conference "decided that the parish would be recognised as an Old Catholic parish of the Union of Utrecht." An Old Catholic bishop would be delegated to the parish but the Anglican Bishop of Toronto
Anglican Diocese of Toronto
The Diocese of Toronto is an administrative division of the Anglican Church of Canada covering the central part of southern Ontario. It has the most members of any Anglican diocese in Canada. It is also one of the biggest Anglican dioceses in the Americas in terms of numbers of parishioners, clergy...
, the Right Reverend Colin Johnson
Colin Johnson
Colin Robert Johnson SCP is the current Anglican Archbishop of Toronto and the Metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of Ontario. He is an alumnus of Trinity College in the University of Toronto and the 11th bishop of the diocese, the largest in the Anglican Church of Canada.Johnson was...
, would be asked to provide regular episcopal ministry. The conference was not prepared to assume legal or financial responsibility for the parish.
As of May 2009, St. John's Cathedral has reconciled with the Polish National Catholic Church and is once again the official Cathedral of the Canadian Diocese of the PNCC.