Parafia p.w. Narodzenia Najświętszej Maryi Panny
ST. MARY’S POLISH PARISH
21 Wesley St., Sydney, NS, B1N 2M5
Tel.: (902) 564-4847
www.StMarysPolishParish.ca
Witamy wszystkich! Welcome to all!
We are pleased to share our faith and rich traditions with the whole community.
Celebrating 100 years of faith and service (1913-2013)

PROBOSZCZ/PASTOR:  Father Paul Murphy 564-4355

MSZY/MASSES: Sunday at 9:30 a.m.
Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. followed by Novena to Our Lady of Częstochowa. Praying of the Rosary begins prior to Mass at approximately 3:35 p.m.

SPOWIEDŹ:  Godzina do uzgodnienia z księdzem.
SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION: Anytime upon request to the priest.

SAKRAMENT CHRZTU ŚWIĘTEGO:  Prosimy o kontakt z księdzem conajmniej na 1 miesiąc przed planowaną datę.
SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM: Please contact the priest at least one month in advance.

SAKRAMENT MAŁZEŃSTWA:   Zapowiedzi powinny być ogłoszone conajmniej na 6 miesięcy przed planowaną datę.
SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY: Intentions must be announced at least six months in advance.

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Trzecia Niedziela Wielkiego Postu / Third Sunday of Lent

The front cover of the paper version of the bulletin showed an image of Jesus in conversation with the Samaritan woman beside the well of living water, taken from today’s Gospel.

TODAY’S MASS INTENTION is for Michael P. Ardelli offered by Shirley Ardelli & family. Eternal rest grant onto him O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon him. Wieczny odpoczynek racz Mu dać Panie, a swiatłość wiekuista niechaj Mu świeci na wieki wieków. Amen

The Vigil Candle this week is for Pope Francis’s prayer intentions for March, which are that all cultures may respect the rights and dignity of women; and that many young people may accept the Lord’s invitation to consecrate their lives to proclaiming the Gospel.

Eucharistic Minister for today: Patsy Kiley

Ushers for collection today: Bernie LaRusic, Michael Melski

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NASTĘPNY TYDZIEŃ / THE WEEK AHEAD

Wednesday, March 26, 4:00 p.m.Mass followed by Novena to Our Lady of Częstochowa. Praying of the Rosary prior to Mass beginning at approximately 3:35 p.m. The Mass intention is for Anthony Niedzielski offered by Jean Annette and Richard White. Lector: Jancia LaRusic

Sunday, March 30, 9:30 a.m. The Mass intention will be for Ron Melski offered by Tony Melski.
Lectors: Andrzej Cebula, Tony Melski
Eucharistic Minister: Janet Hawthorne    
Altar Servers: Brianna and James                                       
Ushers:Toni LaRusic, Robert Melski Jr.
Greeters: Victoria Aucoin, Stephanie Black
Altar Society volunteers for March: Catherine Tucker, Herb Tucker, and Marjorie Ardelli                   

Collection receipts for Sunday, March 16:  $987.35 (broken down as follows: $527.10 weekly contribution, $90.00 monthly supplementary contribution, $42.25 candles, $18.00 loose, $200.00 building fund, $20.00 Cemetery, $60.00 Contribution to cover production of outdoor Nativity Scene, in memory of Michael Ardelli. Thank you very much for your generous support of St. Mary’s Polish Parish. Dziękujemy serdecznie!

MASS CARDS/VIGIL CANDLE: Contact Tom Urbaniak (563-1226)

IN MEMORIAM DONATION: To make an In Memoriam donation, please pick up one of the IMO cards/St. Mary’s Polish Church envelopes at the back or speak with Shauna McKay. These will be acknowledged in the bulletin. We also welcome donations to the Building Fund, as we continue with improvements and repairs.

“IMIENINY” (NAME DAYS) FOR THE COMING WEEK. Help to maintain a longstanding Polish Catholic tradition by acknowledging relatives, friends, and colleagues who are celebrating their “name day,” corresponding with the feast day of a saint of the same name.  Where there is more than one saint of the same name who has been assigned a day, your “name day” is the one closest to your birthday. It is customary in the Polish tradition to acknowledge the name day of a relative or friend:
March 23: Feliks, Katarzyna, Piotr
March 24: Gabriel, Marek, Szymon  
March 25: Ireneusz, Łucja, Lucja, Lutomysł, Maria, Wieńczysław
March 26: Emanuel, Feliks, Manuela, Teodor
March 27: Benedykt, Ernest, Jan, Lidia, Rupert
March 28: Aniela, Antoni, Jan
March 29: Cyryl
March 30: Amelia, Aniela, Częstobor, Jan

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OGŁOSZENIA / ANNOUNCEMENTS

PLEASE NOTE THAT IF SCHOOL IS CANCELLED ON WEDNESDAYS DUE TO WEATHER OUR WEDNESDAY MASS WILL ALSO BE CANCELLED. THIS APPLIES TO WEDNESDAYS ONLY.

ADORATION DURING LENT: During the Fridays of Lent, Holy Redeemer Convent Chapel, Whitney Pier, will have Exposition and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. This will take place following the 9am Friday Chapel mass and will continue until noon. Please plan on spending some time in quiet prayer and adoration.

Priests from the Sydney Deanery will be available to talk with you, and offer the Sacrament of Reconciliation, beginning on March 12 and continuing until Wednesday of Holy Week at St. Joseph Church, Sydney from 7 to 9 pm.

NOMINATONS COMMITTEE: There will be a short meeting of the Nominations Committee after Mass today. Please gather near the front of the church.

IMO (“in memory of”) CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE BUILDING FUND:
IMO Marilyn(Sobol) Morrison from Sophie Barrington & family
IMO  Bronia Markotich from Michael and Ursula Melski

LEARNING BASIC POLISH IN A FUN, RECREATIONAL SETTING: Please see the registration form - insert in today’s bulletin. Sessions start next Saturday, March 29. In addition to mailing in your registration, please feel free to give the form and payment (cheque or cash) to Shauna McKay after Mass.

PARISHIONERS’ MEETING LAST WEEK: Thank you, everyone, for a very constructive meeting. We are following up on all the ideas you shared. Also, thanks to Peggy Ryba, Jancia MacCormack, Frania McKay, and Ursula Melski for preparing the sweets.

ROOF FUND-RAISING: Please see the note in the bulletin insert about upcoming pierogi-making. News on other fund-raising to follow. Thanks for all the good ideas and offers to assist at last week’s meeting and after.

PIEROGI FUND-RAISER – PREPARING THE PIEROGI: IN THE CHURCH, DOWNSTAIRS Saturday, April 5 (following the Polish-language class), April 6, and April 7
Note from Peggy Ryba: We would be grateful if you would consider signing up (in the black binder at the back of the church) for one of the tasks below:
•Potato peeling on Saturday (April 5) after the Polish class 
•Orders --  Be the contact person
•Dough makers
•Rollers
•Pinchers
•Boilers
•Take the cooked Pierogi to cool and then package.
•Person(s) to “float” where ever needed
•Prepare lunch for the workers. (please keep your receipts)
•Clean-up

UPDATE -- LOCAL FAITH COMMUNITIES AND HABITAT FOR HUMANITY: We had a very good meeting in our church on Tuesday to begin planning for the volunteer “build” for a family in need, which Habitat will be leading near our church in the spring of 2015. There were eight faith communities represented at the meeting plus the Cape Breton Council of Churches. Adrian Wilson, chair of Habitat’s Cape Breton chapter, gave an overview. CBU student Vanessa Viva presented her research on two ways in which the faith communities might be able to work together: 1) a fund-raising board game called “The Pier”, which would feature our places of faith. There would be no upfront costs for the faith communities, and the places of faith plus Habitat would split the proceeds; and 2) Helping with “homestay” for Habitat volunteers who visit Cape Breton for a week or two to work on the “build.” The next meeting will be on Tuesday, April 15, at 7 p.m. in our church. If you would like to have the handouts from the meeting, these are downstairs on the table where coffee is usually served.

UKRAINE/CARITAS: Thanks to our youth members and Krista Ann for the “shopping list” for the family in Ukraine with which we have been matched. Please see the bulletin insert for the list, and please, if you can, please sign up for an item at the back of the church. Thank you!

“SHOPPING LIST” FOR OUR UKRAINE/CARITAS PROJECT – PLEASE SIGN UP (WHITE BINDER AT THE BACK OF THE CHURCH) TO PURCHASE ONE ITEM, IF YOU CAN. Thank you! Dziekujemy! Дуже дякую! As a Lenten project, St. Mary’s Polish Parish has linked with Caritas Polska (the Polish Catholic development agency) and its Ukrainian counterpart, Caritas Spes. They are leading an effort called Paczka na Ukraine (Package to Ukraine). We have been paired with Parafia p.w. Sw. Marii Magdaleny in Lviv, Ukraine. Our task is to prepare a help/care package for an assigned family in need (parents, son age 13 and daughters ages 11, 9, 4 and 2). Their hardship has been made worse by the current crisis. The “shopping list” includes some healthy non-perishable foods, school supplies, toiletries, toys and games, and we may also include some clothing, but the overall package weight should not exceed 25 kg. Can you buy one of these products? If so, please write your name beside what you can buy in the binder at the back – and please bring the items next Sunday, if possible:
*TOILETRIES: Shampoo/conditioner, soap, deodorant, elastics, hair bands, bobby bins, hairbrush, comb, seven toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss (seven), face cloths, bath towel, nail polish, first aid kit, lip balm
*SCHOOL SUPPLIES: package of crayons, package of pencils, pens, 5 journals/notebooks, two colouring books, calculator, math geometry tool set (eg. ruler and compass), a small kit for children’s crafts
*GAMES/TOYS: compact chess, checkers or backgammon set; skipping rope; tennis balls; small Lego set; rainbow loom, small doll or doll set; play-doh; stickers
*NON-PERISHABLES: Canned soup (4 cans), canned fruit (4 cans); Canned vegetables (4 cans); Canned fish (6-8 cans); macaroni; rice; tea; honey; maple syrup; healthy crackers
*MISCELLANEOUS: flashlight, batteries; facial tissue; garbage bags; knapsack; thermos; small sewing kit
*CLOTHING: We may include a few lightweight items (new) that are not size-dependent or if too large/small for one of the children would likely fit another child in the family. If you wish to buy an article of clothing, please indicate what you would like to buy on the sign-up sheet.

A LENTEN TABLE BLESSING:
BEFORE THE MEAL: God of our ancestors, may our time of prayer and fasting open us to your work of forgiveness and free us to rejoice in the sacrifice of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
AFTER THE MEAL: Lord God, we wait for you to bring down our strongholds and break the hold of sin in our lives. We thank you for nourishing us as we wait and preparing us for the new life to come, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer Source: Prayers at Meals by Michael Kwatera, O.S.B. and Dietrich Reinhart, O.S.B., The Liturgical Press

A RECENT TWITTER MESSAGE FROM POPE FRANCIS: Miłość chrześcijańska jest miłością nie wyrachowaną. Taka jest lekcja dobrego Samarytanina; taka jest lekcja Jezusa. Christian love is loving without counting the cost. This is the lesson of the Good Samaritan; this is the lesson of Jesus.\

NOVENA TO OUR LADY OF CZESTOCHOWA (WHICH WE PRAY TOGETHER EACH WEDNESDAY IN OUR CHURCH) CAN BE FOUND IN THE NEW BOOK PRZEZ POKOLENIA: PRAYERS AND CUSTOMS OF ST. MARY’S POLISH CHURCH (in the pew pockets). Most of the old books were worn and had to be retired from the pews.

PARISH CENTENARY COOKBOOKS. Additional copies have been printed. Please speak with Shari McKay or Shauna McKay.

OUR BOOK PRZEZ POKOLENIA: Prayers and Customs of St. Mary`s Polish Church ($10 each). Please speak with Tom Urbaniak.

GIFT CERTIFICATES – POLISH VILLAGE HALL.  Please speak with Bernie LaRusic. Since the renovations, the hall is seeing increasing traffic as a comfortable, modern, versatile space for events large and small.

THE RENOVATED AND REFURBISHED POLISH VILLAGE HALL is a comfortable, well appointed, modernized venue for events large and small. Please consider renting the hall for your events. Please call 564-8494.

PLEASE CHECK OUT OUR ON-LINE “VIRTUAL TOUR” AND AN 8.5 MINUTE PARISH WELCOME VIDEO ON OUR WEBSITE:  www.stmaryspolishparish.ca

Wishing you a blessed week! Bóg zapłać!
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OUR POST-COMMUNION HYMN TODAY  
Pozwól mi Twe męki śpiewać [Let Me Sing Thy Passion]
Pozwól mi Twe męki śpiewać
I z czułością ubolewać,
O Baranku bez zmazy,
Który gładzisz me skazy.
Jezu, piętnuj Twymi rany w głębi serca chrześcijany!
Niechaj boleść śmierci Twej
zmniejszy bóle śmierci mej.
Błagając Ojca łaskawie,
Jak pośrednik w ludzkiej sprawie,
Byłeś Krwią Swą zbroczony,
Na krzyżu rozciągniony.
Jezu, piętnuj Twymi rany w głębi serca chrześcijany!
Niechaj boleść śmierci Twej
zmniejszy bóle śmierci mej.

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TODAY’S HYMNS:
Entrance: W krzyżu cierpienie (In the Cross, Suffering) – #82 in the coil-bound hymnal
Offertory: Jezu Chryste, Panie miły. [Jesus Christ, Gracious Lord] -- #70
Communion: Jezu drogi Tyś miłością [Jesus, you are love] – #112
Post-Communion: Pozwól mi Twe męki śpiewać [Let Me Sing Thy Passion] – not in hymnal – please see pg. 3 of bulletin
Closing Hymn: Któryś za nas cierpiał rany, Jezu Chryste, zmiłuj się nad nami! (3 times)[Translation: You who suffered, wounded, for us … Christ Jesus, have mercy on us.]