Америкалық поляктардың өзара көмек қоғамы

Fraternal benefit society for Polish Americans

The Polish Roman Catholic Union of America (PRCUA) (in Polish: Zjednoczenie Polskie Rzymsko Katolickie w Ameryce) is the oldest Polish American organization in the United States. Currently licensed to sell its products in 27 states, it is a fraternal benefit society providing financial security to its members through competitive life insurance and annuities, and offering opportunities for cultural, educational and spiritual growth.

Before the First World War, the PRCUA often found itself at odds with the Polish National Alliance, a fraternal organization founded in 1880. The basic outward differences between the two fraternals are often noted. The PRCUA, earlier and more conservative, tended to support the American Catholic hierarchy overlay groups such as parish councils. The younger PNA was more radical in outlook and generally championed lay leadership over the Church hierarchy. However, a more important difference was that of their worldviews. The PRCUA viewed the Polish American community in terms of okolica, or "local environment," which it viewed as the starting point for building cultural awareness. The PNA viewed the Polish American community in terms of naród, which was constituted by the entire Polish people, at home and abroad, and took as its ultimate goal the reconstitution of divided Poland. The two fraternals were able to reconcile their differences during the 20th century and have coexisted amicably for decades.

In 1886 the Pielgrzym was replaced by the weekly Gazeta Katolicka and in 1897 by the Naród Polski. The Naród Polski became a semi monthly publication in 1946. The Naród Polski is the official publication of the PRCUA. Today, the Naród Polski is published monthly and contains both Polish and English articles in each issue. An online version is also available to subscribers. At present, PRCUA has developed into a fraternal benefit society that performs religious, charitable, educational and civic work on behalf of its members and the Polish American Community. Members join PRCUA primarily by purchasing life insurance and/or annuity certificates from the organization. Members participate in activities such as folk dancing and singing, language classes, crafts, and youth festivals through local lodges. PRCUA also extends residential mortgage loans to its members. In addition, PRCUA is the principal patron of the Polish Museum of America, the largest ethnic museum in America located in Chicago, Illinois. The PRCUA's Home Office is located in Chicago, IL. This historic 1913 building (listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013) houses The Polish Museum of America (established in 1935) and its Library (which celebrated its 100th anniversary on April 18, 2015).