Biographical Profile

Bishop Anthony Drapko Edmund Kopka was assigned as the Diocesan Bishop of the Western Diocese of the Polish National Catholic Church (PNCC) by Prime Bishop Robert M. Nemkovich and the Supreme Council of the PNCC on April 29, 2009. On July 1, 2009 he moved into the Chancery in Park Ridge, Illinois to take up his duties as Diocesan Bishop and to begin serving as the Pastor of All Saints Cathedral Parish in Chicago, Illinois.

The Prime Bishop heads the PNCC and presides over the Supreme Council, which is the national executive body of the PNCC comprised of all active bishops, appointees of the Prime Bishop, and both clergy and lay representatives of each diocese elected by delegates at the General Synod of the PNCC. The synod is convened every four years. At the General Synod in October 2006 Bishop Kopka was among four candidates who were elected for the sacred office of bishop in the PNCC. There are five dioceses in the PNCC of America and Canada. The Western Diocese is comprised of 30 parishes in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Missouri and Florida.

Bishop Kopka replaced Bishop Jan Dawidziuk, who retired on June 30, 2009. On September 18, 2009 Prime Bishop Nemkovich formerly installed Bishop Kopka as the seventh Diocesan Bishop of the Western Diocese and the eighth Pastor of All Saints Cathedral Parish, which was organized in 1895 by the first Pastor, Bishop Anthony Kozlowski. The installation took place at All Saints Cathedral during the Sacrifice of Holy Mass to the Holy Spirit, which was concelebrated by most of the bishops of the PNCC and most of the priests of the Western Diocese. A celebratory banquet followed the installation and Mass with 250 members of the PNCC in attendance from 13 states and Canada.

Bishop Kopka served as the Pastor of St. Joseph's Parish in Connecticut for 27 years. He was 26 years old when he assumed the pastorate in June 1982, when St. Joseph’s was located in the City of Bridgeport. On January 1, 1989 the parish relocated to a newly constructed church at its current location in the Town of Stratford. He offered his final Holy Mass as Pastor of St. Joseph’s on Sunday, June 28, 2009. The Parish Committee (Board) hosted a farewell reception party afterwards at the parish. There were 400 people in attendance, including family, friends and neighbors of Bishop Kopka; parish members, their families and friends; clergy and members of Eastern Diocese PNCC parishes; area clergy colleagues, leaders and community co-workers of the bishop.

The first 25 years of his life revolved around his hometown parish, Holy Trinity PNCC in New Castle, Pennsylvania. Bishop Kopka was born on September 18, 1955---a Sunday---in New Castle to Veronika Martha (Drapko) and Edmund John Kopka. He was the first of their two children with sister Wanda Ann born the following September. He was named after his grandfathers, Anthony Drapko and Anthony Kopka, and he took his father’s name for Confirmation. The brother and sister received the Sacraments of Baptism, First Holy Eucharist and Penance, and Confirmation at Holy Trinity Parish. Together they participated in catechism classes, in School of Christian Living (SOCL) classes on Sundays, Polish classes on Saturdays, the Polish folk dance group and all other youth activities and programs at the parish. They also participated in all of the youth activities sponsored by Branch 119 and District 12 of the Polish National Union of America (PNU). During most of their young lives, their father was the Parish Committee Chairperson and their mother was the Parish Organist and both parents were also PNU branch officers. Thus, the future bishop and his sister attended most Church and PNU meetings and functions with their parents.

As a boy Bishop Kopka went twice by bus with diocesan youth to the PNCC Kurs Camp at Spojnia Farm (a PNCC/PNU facility) in Waymart, Pennsylvania. He also attended a PNCC National Youth Convocation, where he was elected to what is now known as the National United Youth Association of the PNCC. He was very active in the Boy Scouts of America. He attained the rank of Eagle, led his patrol to first place in a county-wide First Aid competition, was inducted into the Brotherhood of the Order of the Arrow, was crew leader for a canoe trip at the Maine-Matagamon High Adventure Camp, worked in the service corps of a National Scout Jamboree, and was chosen for a Scout state leadership program. He was the 90th recipient of the PNCC God and Country Religious Award for Scouts. Later as a priest, he served as chaplain for the PNCC Committee on Scouting.

All of those experiences as a youth in the Church, PNU and Scouts were significant in the formation of the bishop’s call to the Priesthood. So much so, that Bishop Kopka has focused much of his time and energy working with youth in the PNCC, PNU and the community throughout his ministry. Moreover, the enduring relationships he enjoys in the PNCC and PNU, since his childhood, have helped him realize how vital the work is to build a cohesive caring faith community of believers. His Scout experiences, in particular, have shaped his commitment to community leadership and service, which includes volunteering personally and leading his church in efforts to improve and sustain the greater community.

Throughout most of his school years he was a good student with above-average grades. He never got into any trouble, was absent from school very little, and tardy only once---a trait once lost, but returning. His only extra-curricular activities in high school included running the mile and two-mile events on the track team, editing the Latin Department newspaper and serving on a few school committees.

Upon graduation from New Castle High School in 1973, Bishop Kopka enrolled in Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania. In 1977 he earned a bachelor’s degree in speech and was one course short of a combined degree with religion. His extra-curricular activities included Bible study and prayer groups, community service, broadcasting work at the college radio station, membership for a few years in the Sigma Nu Fraternity, and part-time work in the college food service, which led to being hired as the director of student cafeteria workers. Besides his liberal arts education and training in critical thinking, his most rewarding experience during his time at college was learning about and visiting other churches. Observing the worship and activities of many different congregations increased his love and appreciation for the faith and practices of the PNCC. Learning about various kinds of ministry in other denominations impressed upon him the range of possibilities for more effective education, ministry and outreach in the PNCC.

It was long before college, however, that Bishop Kopka knew where his future would lie. When he was about eight years old, his grandmother started to tell him on frequent occasions to “go and become a good priest.” He took that calling to heart, but it was not until the ninth grade that he would commit to the Lord’s call that he heard from his babcia, Anna (Szurmiej) Drapko. In civics class each student was assigned to research a career they may pursue later in life. The future bishop was torn between law and the Priesthood. After shadowing an attorney for a week, it soon became clear to him that the Priesthood was the vocation he should pursue. From that time forward he began choosing courses in high school and college that he believed would help him later in his ministry as a priest.

Besides a great education, the bishop appreciates other blessings he had earlier in his life that have contributed to his personal faith and the success he has enjoyed. These are: having parents who were excellent role models as faithful Christians and active Church members, the love and support of relatives and friends, the spiritual enrichment and joyous fellowship of a gracious and vibrant parish, and the friendly and safe environment of a pleasant and stable neighborhood. These are the same blessings that the Lord has provided for the daughters of the bishop and his wife.

Before going to seminary, he worked a year after college to earn some money. During that time, he was elected as a Director on the Holy Trinity Parish Committee and he joined the Young Men’s Society of Resurrection (YMS of R). In September 1978 he enrolled in Savonarola Theological Seminary of the PNCC in Scranton, Pennsylvania. On March 21, 1980 he was ordained to the Diaconate and in the summer he served the parishes of the Greater Pittsburgh area as a deacon. In January 1981 he completed his studies at the seminary and was assigned as a deacon to Holy Mother of the Rosary Cathedral PNCC in Buffalo, New York. He was ordained to the Priesthood at the age of 25 on May 13, 1981 at St. Stanislaus Cathedral in Scranton and then returned to Holy Mother of the Rosary Cathedral as the Assistant Priest. He undertook three projects there: coordinating the preparation and hosting of a National Clergy Conference of the PNCC, organizing a diocesan youth basketball tournament and a diocesan retreat for the YMS of R.

After serving as an assistant for a year, then-Father Kopka was assigned to St. Joseph's Parish in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He arrived in June 1982 and offered his first Holy Mass there on Father’s Day. Upon getting settled in his first parish, Father Kopka returned to Buffalo to marry Darlene Patricia Stempniak on November 6, 1982 at Holy Mother of the Rosary Cathedral. There she was involved actively as a member since her birth to Lorraine (Golembiewski) and Edward Stempniak in March 1956. He then brought his bride to their Bridgeport home and in December 1983 their first daughter, Kristen, was born and in July 1985 their second daughter, Lauren, was born.

Under the leadership of then-Father Kopka, the parish began preparing for a key moment in its long history: the move from Bridgeport to the present location in Stratford. In a process that began in 1987, Father carefully guided the St. Joseph's parish family through a relocation that concluded with the inaugural Holy Mass in a debt-free church on January 1, 1989.

He also had the honor of leading parishioners in a two-year celebration of their centenary as a parish, which was established as the first PNCC in Connecticut in 1907. The first church was built along the harbor in Bridgeport and the second church was built near Washington Park in 1936. The church in Stratford is the third and is located on the parish cemetery property that was purchased in 1907. Since its relocation, the parish has maintained an increase in membership of 100 parishioners in spite of the cyclical losses of some young adults, young families and retirees who have moved because of the local economy and the high cost of living.

While serving as Pastor of St. Joseph’s Parish, Bishop Kopka has also served two other Connecticut parishes for about four years each. Early in his pastorate, he served as Administrator of both Holy Cross PNCC in New Milford, which is now closed, and Holy Saviour PNCC in Union City (Naugatuck); and then served another time as Co-Administrator of Holy Saviour Parish.

In his time at St. Joseph's, Bishop Kopka has maintained a strong presence in the community. In April 2008 he received the Lighthouse Award for exemplary service in the community from the Stratford Community Fund. He has served as president of the Stratford Clergy Association, also as treasurer of the Association’s emergency relief fund, chairman of the Stratford Ethics Commission, chaplain for the Stratford Police Department, and coordinator of youth groups of Stratford congregations for the Bridge Building Initiative of the Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport. He has also served on many boards, investing much of his time in these organizations in particular: the Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport, the Stratford Youth and Family Advisory Board, the Community Resource Collaborative of Greater Bridgeport, the Regional Youth-Adult Substance Abuse Project (RYASAP), Uniting Congregations for Youth Development, Bridgeport Neighborhood Housing Services, and the Connecticut Sponsoring Committee, which is dedicated to building leadership among clergy and within and among congregations to effect meaningful and lasting change in congregations and in the communities of Fairfield and New Haven counties.

In his last month at St. Joseph's Bishop Kopka received numerous awards and recognitions for his community service and leadership. Following his last Mass as Pastor of St. Joseph’s, he received official citations from the Connecticut Legislature, State Attorney General and the Secretary of the State for his dedication to the parish and the community. Mayor James Miron also presented a plaque with his declaration of June 28, 2009 as “Bishop Anthony Kopka Day” in the Town of Stratford.

Throughout his priesthood and presently, Bishop Kopka has been active in the PNCC on national and diocesan levels and in the PNU on national and district levels. Out of the many and various positions he has held, the bishop has enjoyed the following offices and commission assignments the most:

He was elected or appointed to: the PNCC Supreme Council, the PNCC Supreme Tribunal, the Diocesan Council of the Eastern Diocese, and the boards of directors for the PNU, Savonarola Theological Seminary and Spojnia, Inc. (a joint PNCC/PNU enterprise).

He chairs the National School of Christian Living (SOCL) Commission and has chaired: the General Synod Commission on Church Administration; the Eastern Diocese Clergy Conference; the Eastern Diocese Commission on Evangelism and the Youth Commission; the Faculty Board of the Eastern Diocese Deacon Program and several Eastern Diocese SOCL seminars; and the PNU General Convention. He also co-chaired the Eastern Diocese Deacon Development Committee. He was the director of PNU District 11, which merged into District 3, and he served as vice director of District 3 in New England.

He served as diocesan chaplain for the Men’s and the Women’s societies, and youth retreats; and as chaplain for PNCC Kurs Camps and the PNCC Committee on Scouting.

He was an active and contributing member of the General Synod Commission on Mission and Evangelism and is currently active on the Church Doctrine and National Liturgical commissions of the PNCC. He is most pleased with his work on the National Diaconate Commission, which has been accepted for use in all of the dioceses.

On October 10, 2006 Bishop Kopka was elected at the PNCC General Synod in Manchester, New Hampshire as a candidate for bishop. He was consecrated on November 30, 2006 at St. Stanislaus Cathedral in Scranton and assigned as Auxiliary Bishop of the Eastern Diocese, remaining as Pastor of St. Joseph’s of Stratford. He was consecrated along with Bishops Sylvester Bigaj, John Mack and Anthony Mikovsky.

Bishop Kopka is very proud of his family. His wife, Darlene, is a Licensed Practical Nurse who has attended to residents with dementia for most of her 18 years at Lord Chamberlain Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Stratford. She began her nursing career at Mercy Hospital in Buffalo, New York. Kristen, completed her master’s degree in business administration and is employed at Helicopter Support Inc. of Sikorsky Aircraft. It is a United Technologies Company that builds helicopters and she manages international military accounts as a customer support representative. She is engaged to Sean Owens and they will marry on May 7, 2010. Lauren, earned her master’s degree in social work and is employed as a clinician in the Stratford home of Community Residences, Inc. It is a private social agency that provides short-term respite and then placement for 11- to 17-year-old youths in crisis. Both daughters received their master’s and bachelor’s degrees at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, Connecticut. Bishop’s wife, daughters and future son in law are faithful, active and contributing members of the Church and the PNU. They help the bishop whenever he needs them and have always faithfully supported him.

Reflecting on his pastoral ministry, the priests who have had the greatest personal impact upon Bishop Kopka are: Father Ben Kosiba, Father Senior John Zieba and Father Senior Anthony Wisniewski. These three priests were dedicated servants of God who worked shoulder-to-shoulder with Church members. They led by their faith in Christ, practical teaching and friendly, outgoing example. The qualities Bishop Kopka admires, and to which he aspires, of other priests he has known are: the steady calm and reasoned voice of Father Felix Pyzowski, the spirituality of Father Stephen Wlosinski, the humility of Father Edward Sobolewski, and the kindness of Father Senior John Urban.

There are two bishops of the PNCC whose personal attributes and methods of ministry Bishop Kopka holds in highest regard. They are Prime Bishop Francis Hodur and Bishop John Misiaszek. He has learned of their faith, devotion and perseverance, their leadership qualities, their manner with people, their ways of building up faith, hope and love in the Church, and their guidance of the PNCC in building the Kingdom of God on earth. The two saints that he holds in highest esteem are Saint John, the Apostle and Evangelist, and Saint Joseph, the guardian of Jesus. They are his spiritual giants and examples of saintly virtue, character and faith. With the grace of God through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, Bishop Kopka will earnestly strive to follow the example of both bishops and both saints in fulfilling the sacred responsibilities of the Episcopacy of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

Catholic Church that is not Roman

If you are seeking a Catholic Church that is: 1) focused on Christ especially through the sacraments, but is also Spirit-filled and Spirit-led; 2) democratically governed, youth-oriented and community-minded; 3) Apostolic and Biblical in faith tradition, but not papal; then we are the church for you!

I invite you to All Saints Cathedral Parish, where together we can seek union with God through Jesus Christ and experience His abiding presence.

Join us in using the help of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God to fulfill the will of God daily, especially in being kind and helpful to everyone--without exception.

Our hope--our purpose--is to become more and more Christ-like personally and in all that we do, together and separately, in particular for the people whose lives we can touch.

The calling for priests, for deacons.

The telephone doesn’t suddenly ring. A clear audible voice isn’t heard. Nonetheless, the calling of the Lord for men to serve Him and His people is real.
It happens in different ways with different men: A tugging at one’s heart or mind, the mental picture of seeing oneself doing some of the things a priest does, the heartfelt compliments received for one’s participation in the worship or religious work of the parish, one’s frequent hearing of encouragement to join the ranks of the clergy, the awareness of a deep internal joy or a strong sense of inner peace whenever one does what Jesus would do for others.
God’s calling to Sacred Vocations may be for either the priesthood or the diaconate. Men can serve God in His holy Church either as priests or as deacons. Bishops and current priests can help you discern whether or not God is calling you. Contact me.

God tugging at your heart?

Have you felt a tugging at your heart to do more for the Lord? Maybe it happens while you attend Holy Mass, or while you listen to a sermon, or when you see there is more to do in His name than you are able to do right now.
If you feel such a tugging, maybe God is calling you to become a priest or a deacon.
Even if you are not sure and you continue to feel such a tugging at your heart, whatever you do: Do not ignore it or suppress it!
If you are not sure that God may be calling you for sacred vocations (serving God in His Church as deacon or priest), contact me.
And if you think you are being called, contact me.

Ever imagine being a priest?

Many men watch their priests and sometimes see themselves at God’s altar, or proclaiming the Gospel, or sharing Christian love with the parish children, the elderly and the troubled.
They may imagine themselves doing much of what a priest does and may very well be called to become a priest. Maybe the calling is not to the priesthood, but to the diaconate.
Our church can prepare men to become either priests or deacons. Contact me for more information.

Called, but not as priest?

As a boy, have you ever thought about becoming a priest? As you think back to that time, do you now wish there was a way to serve the Lord and His people in a similar way, but not as a priest? Then our Deacon Program may be where the Lord is leading you.
Maybe there still are thoughts of becoming a priest. It just may be that the Lord is still leading you to our Seminary and Ordination to the Priesthood.
To become a priest, a man must take time off from his job or take time away from his family or his home for three years to go to the seminary. To become a deacon, he can still work at his job, live with his family and continue to stay in his own home.
To help you find out where the Lord is leading you, contact me. Whatever you do, do not ignore what just may be a calling to Sacred Vocations.

Men from all walks of life are called.

Young men or retired men, white-collared or blue-collared males, the family man or the single guy, Jesus reaches out to everybody and looks for a certain few to follow Him in a life of ministry that is quite different from other ways to follow Him.
However, His call to follow Him does not need to result in a “full-time job” as a priest. Our church also prepares men to join the ranks of the clergy as a deacon and serve God and the Church through “part-time” service. To become a deacon one does not leave home or family or job in order to go “full time” to a seminary as men do to become priests.
Whether it is a calling to become a priest or a deacon, contact me about what you are feeling or thinking about in regard to your role in the Church.

God calls ordinary men to serve Him.

They were ordinary men, the first men who were chosen by Jesus Christ as Apostles, who were later filled with and led by the Holy Spirit to establish the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. Through Christ, men like Peter, John and later Paul, became extraordinary men for God when they and the other Apostles became the first leaders of the Church.
Others were also ordinary men who were called by God and chosen by the Apostles as deacons. Through Christ, men like Stephen—the first Christian to die because of his faith—became extraordinary men for God when they became deacons and assisted the Apostles in their work and ministry.
Jesus Christ—Who is the same “yesterday, today and tomorrow” as we read in God’s Word—does the same for us today.
Those ordinary men in the Church today who are being called by Christ to step out of the pews and into the sanctuary, may be called to complete studies and training to become either priests or deacons. They may not become extraordinary men for God, but they will have extraordinary work to accomplish for Him.
Contact me for more information about the priesthood or the diaconate.

young fella, husband, father, grandfather and uncle

Young fella, as you sit in church and look around, do you see a need for help in bringing many more to Christ at the altar? Husbands and fathers, as you listen to other church members, do you hear a longing for things that only God can provide? Grandfathers and uncles, as you come and go every Sunday, do you remember people who once were at church regularly and are now no longer able?
Do you feel that the Lord is reaching out to you to do something more in His name for the other parishioners? Maybe you should consider becoming a priest or a deacon. The Lord uses deacons as well as priests to minister to His people. Please, contact me and let's talk about the diaconate or the priesthood.

The vodka is good . . .

"The vodka is good, but the meat is rotten."
That’s not how the Lord had said it, but that’s what early programmers got when they first tried to have a computer translate God’s Word from Russian to English. Jesus had actually said: “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Does your spirit ever want to go to church, but your brain or body says: “Oh, not today, I’ll go another time?” What will you do the next time this happens?
We are blessed to have people who are more than willing to come to All Saints Cathedral Parish to worship and fellowship every week from throughout Chicagoland.
Although we are spread out, we are not a large church. However, we are big enough to work with you to meet your spiritual needs, yet small enough to feel like “family.”
We invite you to join us this Sunday! (We also have worship on Saturdays during the summer months.)

Sure, you can pray at home.

Is that what God wants? For you to stay at home to pray and not go to church?
Of course, God does want us to pray at home. He wants us to pray to Him all the time and everywhere.
However, HE DOES NOT WANT to hear anyone say: “I don’t need to go to church to pray, when I can pray at home.” Throughout the Bible, God calls people to come together to worship Him as His very own people. We read how displeased God is whenever people did not worship Him in the ways that He had told them.
Join us at All Saints Cathedral Parish as we strive to worship just as the Almighty asks—in spirit and in truth as one in His Son.

Meet Your Maker!

Meet the Creator of all things every time you come to worship. Like a loving Father, He makes Himself available to everyone who comes humbly to Him.
Will you make yourself available to Him?
We invite you to Holy Mass at All Saints Cathedral Parish as we present ourselves to God through His Son, Jesus Christ. It was through His Word that God made the world, and it is through the Word Made Flesh (Jesus Christ) that we are received by our Maker.
Let us strive together to know our God through His revealed Word (the Holy Bible) and through the teachings of His Son that are preserved and taught by His Church. As we get to know God, let us serve Him and love Him. He does not force Himself upon us, but waits for us to invite Him.
We need to welcome God personally into our lives and commit ourselves to His ways with the help of His Son and in cooperation with His Spirit. Then we will have the real hope of being welcomed by Him into His eternal kingdom.

WANTED: Dead or Alive

It doesn’t matter if you are now spiritually dead or spiritually alive, or anywhere in between. Come to All Saints Cathedral Parish as you are. However, we do not expect you to remain as you are. With the help of the Holy Spirit through faith and life in Jesus Christ we want you to strive for your fullest potential as one who is made in God’s image and likeness.
So, come as you are and do not come with the expectation to stay that way! Our goal here is to become Christ-like more and more each day.
Our lives are like separate journeys that either lead to or away from God and we are all at different places along those journeys. God makes His Spirit available to us at all times in order to bring us closer to Him. He will also welcome us back if we have gone astray and want to return. When we follow the Spirit closely, we become holy and pleasing to God and loving of others.
The Spirit works with us on a personal level in our relationships with Christ and the members of Christ’s Church. It is at Holy Mass where we come to meet Jesus by participating in the Sacraments of Penance, the Word of God and Holy Eucharist. Join us on Sunday and let us unite with our loving, caring and supportive Lord.

Perfect People Need Not Apply

If you’re looking for a church that has perfect people, don’t look here! We don’t have perfect people at All Saints Cathedral Parish. In fact, we believe that nobody is perfect—except the Lord Jesus Christ! If you’re like us and you can admit to your imperfections, then we are the perfect church for you !
So join us as we work in cooperation with the Holy Spirit to overcome our imperfections through the Lord Jesus Christ. Learn and use God’s Word in accordance with the Apostles’ teachings. Pray daily and worship with our parish family weekly. Actively participate in the Sacraments (especially Penance and Holy Eucharist) in order to encounter the Savior and to unite with Him for His help in your life. Together in Christ we are more capable of helping one another and serving others in the community.
It is only through Christ, with Christ and in Christ that we are made perfect to God’s greater glory and made ready for His eternal kingdom.