The Rt. Rev. Thomas J. Gnat - Diocesan Bishop

The Right Reverend Thomas J. Gnat is the fifth Diocesan Bishop of the Eastern Diocese of the Polish National Catholic Church and the Pastor of Holy Trinity Cathedral in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Bishop Gnat was born Thomas James in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on December 2, 1936 to Walenty and Rose (Radecki) Gnat.  After completing his studies at Savonarola Theological Seminary in Scranton, Pa., he was ordained to the Holy Priesthood on September 18, 1958 at St. Stanislaus Cathedral in Scranton.  He later served for many years as Pastor of St. Francis Parish in Washington, D.C. and as Administrator of Holy Cross Parish in Baltimore, Maryland.

He was elected as a candidate for bishop at the PNCC General Synod in Chicago, Illinois in October 1978.  He was consecrated on November 30, 1978 at St. Stanislaus Cathedral in Scranton.  He was soon after installed as the Diocesan Bishop of the Eastern Diocese and Pastor of Holy Trinity Cathedral.

He is married to the former Katherine Stanczyk of Scranton and they have one son, Joseph.

The Rt. Rev. Anthony D. Kopka - Auxiliary Bishop

The Right Reverend Anthony D. Kopka is the Auxiliary Bishop of the Eastern Diocese of the Polish National Catholic Church and Pastor of St. Joseph's of Stratford, Connecticut.

Bishop Kopka was born Anthony Drapko in New Castle, Pennsylvania on September 18, 1955 to Edmund and Veronika (Drapko) Kopka.  He received the sacraments in his hometown parish, Holy Trinity Polish National Catholic Church in New Castle.  Upon graduation from high school in 1973, Bishop Kopka enrolled in Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pa., where in May 1977 he earned a bachelor's degree in speech with a concentration in religion.

In September 1978 he enrolled in Savonarola Theological Seminary in Scranton, Pa.  In 1981, the year after he was ordained a deacon, he was assigned to Holy Mother of the Rosary Cathedral in Buffalo, New York.  He was then ordained to the Holy Priesthood on May 13, 1981 at St. Stanislaus Cathedral in Scranton and continued to serve in the cathedral in Buffalo as an assistant priest for one year.  In June 1982 he was assigned Pastor of St. Joseph's Parish in Bridgeport, Connecticut, which relocated to Stratford in January 1989 to a newly constructed church complex.  While pastoring St. Joseph's, he has also served as Administrator of both Holy Saviour Parish in Union City and Holy Cross in New Milford, Conn.

He was elected as a candidate for bishop at the PNCC General Synod on October 10, 2006 in Manchester, N.H.  He was consecrated on November 30, 2006 at St. Stanislaus Cathedral in Scranton.  He was named the Auxiliary Bishop of the Eastern Diocese and remains Pastor of St. Joseph's of Stratford.

He is married to the former Darlene Stempniak of Buffalo and they have two daughters, Kristen and Lauren.