Doubtless, the Parafia PNKK Dobrego Pasterza stands as a testament to faith. It also represents resilience in the face of adversity. The Parafia PNKK Dobrego Pasterza in Warsaw holds a unique place in the religious landscape of Poland. It is located at Modlińska 205A.
Let’s step back in time to 1935. This is when the Parafia Dobrego Pasterza w Warszawie was founded. A conflict sparked its creation. Worshippers of a local Roman Catholic parish disagreed with the parish priest. The disagreement was about the appointment of an organist. In the same year, the parish church was built.
The Parafia Dobrego Pasterza faced challenges. In 1981, the church underwent modernization. This was thanks to support from the Polish National Catholic Church. The World Council of Churches also contributed.
However, in 1995, Bishop Wiktor Wysoczański removed the parish. He removed it from the list of parishes of the Polish Catholic Church. Parishioners felt the election of church authorities was improper. Church authorities accused priest Tomasz Rybka of lacking connection. They said that he lacked doctrinal connection with the bishop’s curia. They further accused him of wanting to bring the parish under the jurisdiction. It was to be under the Roman Catholic Church’s Warsaw-Prague diocese.
Father Tomasz Rybka repeatedly sought to bring the Parafia Dobrego Pasterza. He wanted it under the jurisdiction of the Polish National Catholic Church. However, Bishop Robert M Nemkovich did not plan to create a mission. It would have been a Polish National Catholic Church mission in Poland.
A reconciliation service with the Roman Catholic Church occurred June 5, 2005. On October 6, 2006, the parish registered. It registered with the Ministry of Interior and Administration. It was registered as the Polish National Catholic Church in the Republic of Poland.
On February 27, 2007, the Voivodeship Administrative Court in Warsaw overturned a decision. The decision refused recognition. It refused recognition of the Polish Catholic Church in Poland. It was regarding administrative proceedings. The proceedings concerned registration of churches. It also concerned other religious associations. It was of the Polish National Catholic Church in the Republic of Poland. This ruling gave the Polish Catholic Church in Poland a legal basis. It allowed it to renew administrative proceedings. These proceedings concerned the entry in the register. It was a register of churches and other religious associations. The Polish National Catholic Church was in the Republic of Poland.
From June 1 to 4, 2007, the Polish National Catholic Church in Poland organized a conference. It was with the World Council of National Catholic Churches. It was the first joint conference in Warsaw. The conference began with a solemn Mass. It was in the central church of the PNKK pw. Dobrego Pasterza. Archbishop António José da Costa Raposo presided. He was the head of the National Church of Portugal. He was also chairman of the World Council of National Catholic Churches.
From August 13 to 23, 2011, First Bishop of the PNKK Antoni Mikovsky went on a pilgrimage. Bishop Sylwester Bigaj accompanied him. It was his first pilgrimage to Poland. He had been elected First Bishop. During the visit, he visited the birthplace of Bishop Franciszek Hodur. He also prayed at the grave of martyr Bishop Józef Padewski. On August 14, 2011, Bishop Bigaj celebrated a solemn Mass. It was in the Kościół Dobrego Pasterza in Warsaw.
The Kościół Dobrego Pasterza in Warsaw was built in 1935. It was built among factory workers. They were mainly from Tarchomin and Żerań. From 1949 to 1959, the faithful rebuilt the church. It had been damaged during the war. From 1935 to 2006, the Polish Catholic parish of Dobrego Pasterza in Warsaw administered the church. Since 2006, it has been the only temple. It is the only temple of the Polish National Catholic Church in Poland.
Inside the Parafia PNKK Dobrego Pasterza, you can see a rich main altar. The images of Benedict XVI and John Paul II hang on the walls. These figures are not heads of the parish. Their presence demonstrates the ecumenical nature of the community.
The parish house hosts the ecumenical Religious Congregation of Sisters and Brothers. They are of the Mercy of God. They gather sisters and brothers. They serve each other in various needs. They provide assistance to lonely people. They also help the elderly and sick. They do this regardless of religion. They disregard world view. They act in the spirit of Christian love.
Today, the Parafia PNKK Dobrego Pasterza continues its mission. It offers spiritual guidance. It also provides community support. It stands as a symbol of faith. The faith welcomes all.