Alex,

I could not figure out how to send you a private message, and so am contacting you through the forum.
I noticed your comment that your own dissertation dealt with the issue of persistent ethnic identity. I am currently advising a student who is researching the Polish National Catholic Church, specifically interested in what future they can have as ethnic identities in the USA become less intense and more diffuse. It sounds like your work would be of interest to him. Can you send us any references or would you at least be open to further contacts?

Thanks!

Phil Yevics

Phil, I don't know about PNC churches in other localities, but here in Western Massachusetts (which has a large Polish-American population) many of them have dropped the designation "Polish" and are now known simply as "National Catholic Churches," e.g., St. Joseph's National Catholic Church, Westfield, MA.

OrthodoxEast

Dear OrthodoxEast,

Excuse me? Was Phil talking to you?

Alex

Dear Phil,

Yes, sorry about that . . .

I would be most happy to correspond with your friend on this fascinating topic.

I find the PNCC very interesting especially their veneration of Jan Hus and Savonarola . . .

Alex

Sorry for that interjection, OE, but this is a PUBLIC forum, you know, not a private message board (or so I thought). Sorry for MY mistake on your private message board. Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa! :-(

OrthodoxEast

Dear OE,

We're still having trouble with those smileys, eh?

The day you take me seriously will be the day you really WILL be in trouble!

God bless and enjoy the sunshine, Sunshine!

Alex

"And it relates to the cultural component of the OCA.
The OCA "up here" follows the old calendar et al.
Could a Ukrainian, for example, belong to the OCA and still be "Ukrainian?"
I mean this in a most serious way and I'm just trying to get a "feel" for the cultural situation.
Is it a melting pot in the U.S.?"

Here it's up to the Bishop as to whether to allow parishes to use the O.C. In the Diocese of Washington, there are a few that use the O.C. (notably the Serbian-background St. Luke's and the Russian community at St. Nicholas Cathedral). It's helpful to remember that using the O.C. isn't strictly Russian, as the Serbs and a number of others do it as well.

I think that from what I have seen the OCA parishes here are a mixed bunch. There are certainly a lot that are either Russian or heavily-influenced by Russian usages, and then there are others that are quite "Eastern European" in a more generic sense while not being particularly Russian. And then there are the Romanians, who have the largest OCA diocese, in terms of parishes. And added onto those are the newer parishes founded in the last 15 years or so that aren't really tied to any particular heritage, and which may display bits and pieces from various different Orthodox traditions. So in general I think it's fair to say that the Russian tradition is the most widespread, but that other traditions are also fairly well represented within OCA (which makes it different, in my personal experience, from the GOA or the AA which are both more "monotraditional").

Brendan

Dear and Revered Brother in Christ, Brendan!

Thank you for your learned insights and observations as always!

That is very good to hear and from what I've seen of the OCA up here, it is truly a Church on the grow as it adapts to people - a sort of spiritual "the customer's right (rite)"

When I think of the Old Calendar, I always think of the Ukrainians only - the Russians really aren't on my mental horizon

But I've come across an excellent article by a Ukie who is a member of the OCA who writes about the opportunities made available by the OCA for cultural expression - truly impressive.

God bless!

Alex

Dearest Alex, can you provide me a reference to the article you mention or send it privately? This is very pertinent to some personal discernment I am engaged in at the present.

Dear Diak,

The good news is that I know it is on this excellent Old Rite site:

http://semeyskie.narod.ru

The bad news is I don't remember where on the site I saw it . . .

But if you read all the articles there, you will be the best informed Ukrainian Old Rite Orthodox in Communion with Rome there is . . .

Alex