Bishop Vasa's Statement Regarding Adam Kotas (update 9.10.21)

September 1, 2021

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

It is with both sadness and resolve that I have determined the need to try to clarify for you the status of Father Adam Kotas, who left the Diocese of Santa Rosa in July of 2021. Fr. Kotas, who was ordained for the Diocese of Santa Rosa in 2010 by Bishop Daniel Walsh, has placed himself outside of the Catholic Church by certain declarations and actions, most notably, his voluntary resignation from the Roman jurisdiction and his subsequent affiliation with the Buffalo-Pittsburgh Diocese of the Polish National Catholic Church (PNCC). Canon 1364 of the Code of Canon Law states: “§1. Without prejudice to the provision of Canon 194, §1, 2°, an apostate from the faith, a heretic or a schismatic incurs latae sententiae (i.e., automatic) excommunication”. Canon 194 specifies that, “The following are removed from an ecclesiastical office by the law itself (i.e., automatically): n. 2 a person who has publicly defected from the Catholic faith or from the communion of the church.”


The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has been in dialogue with the PNCC for decades, but this ongoing dialogue cannot be interpreted as a recognition of the legitimacy, in the eyes of the Roman Catholic Church (RCC), of the PNCC. Dialogue continues with the PNCC but in 2011 the minutes report: “The dialogue has also been examining the difficulties that arise when a clergyman leaves one of the churches and joins the other. The members are acutely aware of the sensitivity of this question. Neither church can sanction in any way the abandonment of the ministry or the ordination commitment by any of its clergy. Such a decision entails serious canonical consequences such as excommunication and dismissal (Roman Catholic) or suspension and deposition (Polish National Catholic)” (Emphasis added).

As far as I can discover, this question has not yet been resolved. Thus, I cannot sanction (approve) Fr.  Kotas’ affiliation with the PNCC but, at the same time, I must acknowledge this reality. Father Kotas has made clear his definitive intention to formally and perpetually reject all affiliation and association, as a priest, with the Diocese of his ordination, the Diocese of Santa Rosa, and to affiliate with the PNCC. Further, the PNCC Diocese of Buffalo-Pittsburgh, through Rt. Rev. John E. Mack has received him in a formal and definitive way (incardination/affiliation) as a priest of the PNCC (Letter of Bishop Mack July 20, 2021).

According to a number of internet sources, the Polish National Catholic Church (PNCC), headquartered in Scranton, Pennsylvania is in formal schism from the RCC. This occurred in 1897 when Father Francis Hodur led Pennsylvania parishes out of the Roman Catholic Church and established the PNCC. Thus, Father Adam Kotas has freely and voluntarily joined a church which is in schism from the RCC. In doing so, Father Kotas fulfills the definition of a ‘schismatic’ as understood in Canon 1364.

In short, I can only conclude that, by his actions, Fr.  Adam Kotas has incurred a latae sententiae excommunication (cf. Canons 751 and 1364). By his own actions and words, he has placed himself in schism by declaring his affiliation with a denomination (Polish National Catholic Church - PNCC) which, by its own admission, rejects the authority of the Roman Pontiff. Father Kotas has formally and repeatedly declared that he is no longer under the authority of the Holy Father, Pope Francis, and is therefore not in full communion with the Roman Catholic Church.

My conclusion about the schismatic nature of Father Kotas’ actions does not impose the penalty of excommunication but rather acknowledges that an automatic (latae sententiae) penalty has, most likely, been incurred.

Fr. Kotas has repeatedly posted videos on his website and his Facebook account that publicly repudiate his relationship with the Roman Catholic Church. He has left the Roman Church and joined the Polish National Catholic Church which is not in full communion with the Roman Catholic Church. On various websites, the PNCC declare that they do not submit themselves to the Holy Father.

Adding another complication, Fr. Kotas has received instruction from his new PNCC Bishop to open a new Polish National parish in the city of Las Vegas. Previous dialogue between the RCC and the PNCC acknowledges that priests who transfer should not be placed in jurisdictions where they have previously served. Father Kotas’ prior service in Las Vegas, as a Roman Catholic priest, with the permission of both the Bishop of Santa Rosa and the Bishop of Las Vegas, now becomes a source of scandal and confusion as he returns to serve as a priest of the PNCC without the consent of either the bishop of Santa Rosa or the Roman Catholic bishop of Las Vegas.

Fr. Kotas has rightly asserted that, under certain restrictive conditions (cf. Canon 844), members of the PNCC can receive Holy Communion and other sacraments in the Roman Church and vice versa. Please note that the restrictive conditions include the impossibility of accessing the sacraments from one’s own proper church. While Canon 844 points the way to some degree of ‘communion’ or unity between the RCC and the PNCC, it in no way implies being in ‘full communion’ or complete unity with the Roman Church. 

All the faithful of the Roman Catholic Church are urged to recognize that the path chosen by Father Adam Kotas is not a path of unity with the Roman Catholic Church but rather a path of confusion and division and schism. The Roman Catholic faithful are encouraged to avoid any direct or indirect support for Father Kotas’ new church. The faithful are especially urged to avoid any religious event hosted or led by Father Adam Kotas. Any participation would validate his actions and possibly involve the faithful in cooperation with schism. Though he is a validly ordained Catholic priest, he is not currently acting as a priest in full communion or in good standing with the Roman Catholic Church. Rather, he is acting as a priest affiliated with the Polish National Catholic Church, a church not in full communion with the Roman Catholic Church.

I ask all to pray for the spiritual health and wellbeing of Fr. Kotas as well as to pray for all who, because of their deep affection for him, may have been led, inadvertently, into rejection of the Roman Catholic Church. 

May Our Lady of Czestochowa pray for us all that we may be faithful followers of Jesus Christ, in communion with the Holy Father and with all those in communion with him. 

Asking every good grace and blessing of God upon you, I am, 
Sincerely yours in Christ Jesus,
The Most Reverend Robert F. Vasa, Bishop of Santa Rosa

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Spanish Text

Queridos hermanos y hermanas en Cristo,

            Es con tristeza y resolución he determinado la necesidad de tratar de clarificar a Uds. el estado del P. Adam Kotas, quien se salió de las Diócesis de Santa Rosa en julio de 2021.  P. Kotas, quien fue ordenado por la Diócesis de Santa Rosa por el obispo Daniel Walsh, se puso fuera de la iglesia católica por algunas declaraciones y acciones, y más notablemente, su renuncia voluntaria de la jurisdicción romana y su afiliación subsiguiente con la Diócesis de Buffalo-Pittsburgh de la Iglesia Polaca Nacional Católica (PNCC).  Canon 1364 del código de derecho canónico dice: “El apóstata de la fe, el hereje o el cismático incurren en excomunión latae sententiae, quedando firme lo prescrito en el c. 194 § 1, 2.”  Canon 194 dice: “Queda de propio derecho removido del oficio eclesiástico: 2º quien se ha apartado públicamente de la fe católica o de la comunión de la Iglesia.”
            La Conferencia de los Obispos Católicos de los Estados Unidos (USCCB) ha estado en diálogo con la PNCC por décadas pero este diálogo continuo no puede ser interpretado como un reconocimiento de la legitimidad de la PNCC, a ojos de la iglesia católica romana (RCC).  El diálogo continúa con la PNCC pero en el 2011 el resumen reporta: “el diálogo ha examinado las dificultades que surgen cuando un clérigo sale de una de las iglesias y se une con la otra.  Los miembros entienden bien la importancia de la pregunta.  Ninguna iglesia puede aprobar en ninguna manera el abandono del ministerio o el compromiso de ordenación de cualquier de los clérigos.  Una decisión así implica consecuencias serias canónicas como excomunicación y despido (RCC) o suspensión y deposición (PNCC)” (énfasis añadido).  En cuanto a lo que puedo descubrir, esta pregunta no está resuelta.  Pues, no puedo aprobar la afiliación de P. Kotas con la PNCC y, al mismo tiempo, tengo que reconocer esta realidad.  P. Kotas ha hecho clara su intención definitiva de rechazar formalmente y perpetuamente toda afiliación y asociación, como un sacerdote, con la diócesis de su ordenación, la Diócesis de Santa Rosa, y afiliarse con la PNCC. Además, la Diócesis de Buffalo-Pittsburgh de la PNCC, por el Rt. Rev. John E. Mack, lo ha recibido en una manera formal y definitiva (incardinación/afiliación) como un sacerdote de la PNCC (Carta del obispo Mack 20 julio 2021).
            Según varias fuentes en internet, la PNCC, ubicada en Scranton, Pennsylvania está en cisma formal de la RCC.  Esto pasó en el año 1897 cuando P. Francis Hodur guió parroquias de Pennsylvania de la RCC, y estableció la PNCC.  Pues, P. Adam Kotas se unió libremente y voluntariamente a una iglesia que está en cisma de la RCC.  En hacer esto, P. Kotas satisface la definición de un “cismático” como entendido en el canon 1364.  En resumen, puedo solamente concluir que, por sus acciones, P. Adam Kotas ha incurrido en una excomunicación latae sententiae (Cnn. 751 y 1364).  Por sus propias acciones y palabras, él se ha puesto en cisma por declarar su afiliación con una denominación (la PNCC) que, por su propia admisión rechaza la autoridad del pontífice romano.  P. Kotas ha declarado formalmente y repetidamente que no más está bajo la autoridad del Santo Padre, el Papa Francisco, y por lo tanto no está en comunión plena con la RCC. 
            Mi conclusión alrededor de la naturaleza cismática de las acciones del P. Kotas no impone el castigo de excomunicación pero bastante reconoce que él ha incurrido un castigo automático (latae sententiae).
            P. Kotas ha publicado repetidamente videos en su sitio web y en su página de facebook que repudia su relación con la RCC. Salió de la RCC y se unió con la PNCC que no está en plena comunión con la RCC.  En varios sitios web, la PNCC declara que no se somete a la autoridad del Papa. 
            Añadiendo otra complicación, P. Kotas ha recibido instrucciones de su nuevo obispo en la PNCC de abrir una nueva parroquia de la PNCC en la ciudad de Las Vegas.  El diálogo previo entre la RCC y la PNCC reconoce que los sacerdotes que se transfieren no deben ser puestos en jurisdicciones en donde han servido anteriormente.  El servicio premio del P. Kotas en Las Vegas como sacerdote catolico romano, con permiso de ambos obispos de Santa Rosa y Las Vegas, es actualmente una fuente de escándalo y confusión ya que regresa a servir como sacerdote de la PNCC sin el permiso de los obispos de Santa Rosa y de Las Vegas. 
            P. Kotas ha dicho correctamente que, bajo algunas condiciones estrictas (cn. 844), los miembros de la PNCC pueden recibir santa comunión y otros sacramentos en la RCC y vice versa.  Nótese bien que las condiciones estrictas incluye la imposibilidad de tener acceso a los sacramentos de la iglesia propia de uno.  Mientras el canon 844 indique un grado de “comunión” o unidad entre la RCC y la PNCC, de ninguna manera implica estar en “plena comunión” o unidad completa con la RCC. 
            Todos los fieles de la RCC tienen que reconocer que el camino elegido por P. Adam Kotas no es la vía de unidad con la iglesia RCC sino es una vía de confusión, división y cisma.  Se le requiere a todos los fieles de la RCC que eviten cualquier apoyo directo o indirecto a la nueva parroquia del P. Kotas y en especial deben evitar cualquier evento religioso conducido por P. Kotas.  Cualquier participación da validez a sus acciones y posiblemente involucra a los fieles en cooperación con el cisma.  Aunque es un sacerdote católico válidamente ordenado, no está actuando realmente como un sacerdote en plena comunión o en buen estado con la RCC. En lo contrario, él actúa como un sacerdote afiliado con la PNCC, una iglesia que no está en comunión plena con la RCC.
            Pido a todos rezar por la salud espiritual y bienestar del P. Kotas y rezar por todos que, por afección por él, han sido guiados, inadvertidamente, en rechazo a la RCC. 
            Que Nuestra Señora de Czestochowa ruegue por todos nosotros que podemos ser fieles a Jesucristo en comunión con el Papa Santo y con todos los que están en comunión con él.
            Que Dios los bendiga a todos Uds.,

Yo soy,

El Reverendísimo Robert F. Vasa, Obispo de Santa Rosa


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Previous Statement of August 2, 2021:
2 August 2021

Memo regarding Adam Kotas from the Diocese of Santa Rosa

On 28 July 2021, the Diocese of Santa Rosa learned that Adam Kotas posted a video on his blog. In the video, he states that he has joined the “Polish National Catholic Church” and been incardinated with them. He has previously stated that he was leaving the “Church of the Roman Jurisdiction.” The Roman Catholic Church is not in communion with the Polish National Catholic Church which was founded in the late 19th Century in the United States of America.
The USCCB is in dialogue with the Polish National Catholic Church, but communion has not been re-established.

We understand that there is a great deal of confusion and concern at this time. We do not know why Adam Kotas has chosen to leave the Catholic Church. He stated in a video posted on his blog that he desires to start a new “parish” of the Polish National Catholic Church in the Diocese of Las Vegas. Starting such a parish will cause confusion for the People of God as it makes it appear that there is a “new Catholic Church” they can attend. This action is not approved by ecclesiastical authorities. It will have no ecclesial standing within the Catholic Church.

Given this situation, Adam Kotas is prohibited from performing any sacraments or any other ministry in the name of the Catholic Church. The People of God should not approach him for any religious ceremony.

Statement by the USCCB on the Polish National Church (click here)