The Polish National Catholic Church of America terminated sacramental communion with the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada in 1978 (the Old Catholic churches in Europe did not). The international Anglican-Old Catholic Theological Conference set up a North American Working Group to continue dialogue on (1) matters pertaining to the International Conference as well as (2) matters pertaining to the ecumenical relations of the Polish National Catholic Church and the Episcopal Church in the USA. Authorized by the 1988 General Convention, the Working Group met in 1990, 1993 and 1994.
In 1997, the PNCC declared that it was in impaired communion with the European Old Catholic Churches over the question of women’s ordination. The International Bishops’ Conference (IBC), the governing body of the Old Catholic Churches, declared that such a relationship was not possible under the governing Statutes of the Union of Utrecht. The PNCC was given six years to clarify the status of its relationship with the Union of Utrecht. In 2003 the PNCC declared it was still in impaired communion. Accordingly, at the November, 2003 meeting of the IBC the PNCC was declared to be in non-compliance with the Statutes of the IBC and was expelled from the Union of Utrecht. Thus the PNCC is now no longer a member of the Old Catholic Churches of the Union of Utrecht.
In 1997, the PNCC declared that it was in impaired communion with the European Old Catholic Churches over the question of women’s ordination. The International Bishops’ Conference (IBC), the governing body of the Old Catholic Churches, declared that such a relationship was not possible under the governing Statutes of the Union of Utrecht. The PNCC was given six years to clarify the status of its relationship with the Union of Utrecht. In 2003 the PNCC declared it was still in impaired communion. Accordingly, at the November, 2003 meeting of the IBC the PNCC was declared to be in non-compliance with the Statutes of the IBC and was expelled from the Union of Utrecht. Thus the PNCC is now no longer a member of the Old Catholic Churches of the Union of Utrecht.