Servants
of Christ AACC
An Old Catholic Church
St. Paul/Minneapolis, Minnesota
Biography & Donations
Aramaic |
Social
Justice |
Book of |
Servants
of Christ is a newly established community church founded in 2001.
Being an all inclusive faith community, services are provided to any Christian
regardless of past mistakes, non-traditional lifestyles or non-institutional religious
affiliation.
Donations - no matter how small - will be gratefully accepted and acknowledged.
Being incorported as a non-profit church
in the State of Minnesota and having a Federal non-profit tax number, donations
to Servants of Christ are tax deductable.
Donations will be used to:
> maintain and expand this web site,
> establish a fund to rent a church space
for public Liturgies,
> help with social justice programs,
Fr. Steve's pastoral perspective can be summed up in a favorite quote he originated and a story:
Quote: "On Judgement Day when everybody of every faith tradition (and no faith tradition) will be gathered together, there will be a lot of surprises. People who we thought were model Roman Catholics may not end up in heaven; and people we know for sure won't get into heaven will be there."
Story: Every day Saint Peter meets the newly arrived at
the Pearly Gates and shows them all the rooms of the Heavenly Mansion. He opens up door
after door and introduces the people in each room to the new group. But Saint Peter
skipped a door. At the end of the tour Saint Peter asks the group if there are any
questions. Someone asked him why he skipped that one door. Saint Peter shrugged and said:
"Oh, those are the Roman Catholics.* They believe they're the only ones in
heaven, so we leave them alone."
*you can substitute other denominations or fundamentalist groups.
Comic Strip: Judgement Day revisited from my quote
above: The reason why there will be surprises on Judgement Day is that Jesus will not
judge us on the level of our faith (or lack of it), nor will he judge us on our orthodoxy
or what denomination we belong to (or no denomination), nor will he judge us on believing
in him,* but rather on how we treat other people. Does this sound
pretty far "off plumb?" Read Matthew 25:31-40. We will be judged on "feeding the hungry, visiting the sick, welcoming the
stranger," etc. In other words, treating others with kindness,
respect and compassion.
Coincidentally, this way to salvation is also found in Judaism and Islam!
*Saint Paul tells us that we must believe in Jesus to be saved. Jesus never said we had to
believe in him.
Fr.
Steve Prokop
Having been ordained as a Roman Catholic priest Fr. Steve married after
seven years of active ministry in the Archdiocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis.
During Roman Catholic priesthood, Fr. Steve served in three parishes - city, suburban and
rural. He has performed over two hundred weddings and over a hundred wakes and funeral
services.
Fr. Steve is licensed to perform weddings in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Wanting to return to active ministry to serve the People of God, Fr. Steve was accepted as priest in an independent Old Catholic denomination, American Apostolic Catholic Church, which enjoys apostolic succession, valid sacraments and an all inclusive theology.
Fr. Steve has Master Degrees in History and Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling and has completed the five year Philosophy/Theology program at St. Paul Seminary in preparation for priesthood.
Having had a career in employment counseling in local government, Fr. Steve returned to ministry serving the People of God in their sacramental needs - weddings and baptisms - as well as visitation and funeral services in funeral homes. His special ministry is to those Roman Catholics who are alienated or have "fallen away" because of varied reasons - personal or doctrinal - or who feel that the Roman Church is just too "controlling" in their lives.
Fr. Steve wants to pursue graduate studies in Hebrew and Aramaic. He is also a self-taught hand bookbinder. He and his wife Barbara have been married for 15 years (so when he offers marital advice, he can speak from experience!).