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.
Established in 1913. Our second century of faith and service … WE WILL RISE AGAIN

PROBOSZCZ/PASTOR:  Father Paul Murphy 564-4355

MSZY/MASSES: Sunday at 9:00 a.m.
Wednesday Masses are on hold.
Novena to Our Lady of Częstochowa will be said before Sunday Masses.

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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Dwudziesta Niedziela zwykła / Twentieth Sunday of Ordinary Time

TODAY’S MASS INTENTION is for Michael & Nellie Cleary offered by Peggy Ryba & family. Wieczny odpoczynek racz Im dać, Panie, a światłość wiekuista niechaj Im świeci. Niech odpoczywają w pokoju wiecznym. Amen

Eucharistic Minister for today: Janet Hawthorne

Ushers for collection today: Joe Gillis, Tony Gniewek

 

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NASTĘPNY TYDZIEŃ / THE WEEK AHEAD

WEDNESDAY MASSES are on hold. Please note that Father Paul leads the Novena to Our Lady of Czestochowa every Sunday before Mass (starting at about 8:40 a.m.), except during Lent. Copies of the Novena are at the back of the church.

Sunday, August 21, 9:00 a.m. . The Mass intention will be for Michael Ardelli offered by Shirley Ardelli & family.
Lectors:  Anne Marie Campbell, Janusz Wawrzyszyn                                                               
Eucharistic Minister: Frank Starzomski
Altar Servers: Anthony, Sebastian
Ushers: Toni LaRusic, Robert Melski Jr.
Greeters: Toni LaRusic, Janina MacCormack

Collection receipts for Sunday, August 7: $1165.00 (broken down as follows: $990.00 general collection, $175.00 rebuilding fund). Thank you very much for your generous support of St. Mary's Polish Parish. Dziekujemy bardzo.

MASS CARDS: To reserve Mass Intentions please call Carolyn Ardelli-Kiley 902-539-1725.

IN MEMORIAM DONATION: To make an In Memoriam donation, please speak with Shauna MacKay. These will be acknowledged in the bulletin. Building Fund contributions will go toward the new church. To contribute to the Rebuilding Fund, if you do not have an envelope, you can write on your regular envelope or cheque “Designated to the Rebuilding of St. Mary’s Polish Church.”

“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:
August 14: Dobrowoj, Euzebiusz
August 15: Maria, Stefan
August 16: Joachim
August 17: Anastazja, Angelika, Anita, Eliza, Jacek, Jaczewoj, Joanna, Julianna
August 18: Helena, Ilona, Klara
August 19: Emilia, Jan, Julian
August 20: Jan, Samuel, Samuela
August 21: Emilian, Filipina, Franciszek, Joanna

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OGŁOSZENIA / ANNOUNCEMENTS

CONGRATULATIONS to Mary and Walter Clarke on their 70th  wedding anniversary, which we marked at Mass last Sunday!
CONGRATULATIONS to Jancia and Bernie LaRusic on their 60th wedding anniversary.
These are great milestones, which the whole parish celebrates with you. May God continue to bless you.  Szczęść Boże i kongratulujemy!

PRAYERS FOR THE INTERCESSION OF ST. ANTHONY: Father Rich has requested our prayers for the intercession of St. Anthony, patron saint of lost objects. For the flight back from Poland, Father Rich and our World Youth Day pilgrims had checked in luggage with important sacred objects for our church. The luggage was lost in transit. Airline and airport staff are still trying to trace it. Thank you for your prayers!

WHITNEY PIER CELEBRATION: At the recent picnic to celebrate the Pier’s national historic designation (a very special recognition for a great, multicultural community!), our parish had the opportunity to publicly thank the whole neighbourhood – and our neighbouring faith communities – for their wonderful support for our rebuilding.

PHASE 2 OF OUR CONSTRUCTION: This past week the Rada and construction manager worked on details and costs to soon start the first increment of the Phase 2 construction. This will include mechanical and electrical, ceiling, lighting, and drywall. The goal is to do enough work to get a basic occupancy permit for “Sala 1050” (back section) as soon as possible, and then work on the next steps (like the kitchen).

FUND-RAISING: To complete Phase 2, we will still need to raise about $90,000. This will include several fall events, appeal for corporate and organizational sponsorships, and individual donations. Phase 2 rebuilding envelopes are at the back of the church.

DONORS’ PLAQUES: We are going to give a little more time to solicit Phase 2 donors before finalizing the donors’ plaques for the church, which will be displayed permanently. We are so grateful for all the generous donations that have come in to date! Thanks for sharing postcards and encouragement with others.

ALTAR SOCIETY: Altar Society schedules for the rest of the year will be finalized next week. Altar Society members prepare the church for Mass and help with putting the church back into order afterwards. The patron of our Altar Society for more than 90 years has been Our Lady of La Salette. This is a greatly appreciated service to the church, and if you would be willing to be part of the rotation every few months, please call 902-563-1226

SPECIAL LUNCH: We will have a special lunch after Mass on Sunday, August 28. Everyone is welcome. It will be outside if weather permits. Father Paul will join us and it will be a chance to acknowledge and thank him.

POLISH CLASSES resume in the fall. Our weekly Polish radio segment about our parish and the Polish language and customs on CKJM resumes in August.

TIME CAPSULE: Last call to write a message for our time capsule. The forms are at the back of the church!

Our Lady of Fatima Church invites everyone to a Mass with prayers for healing with Fr. Albert MacPherson on August 16 at 6:30 p.m.

RECENT "IMO"' (IN MEMORY OF) CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE (RE-)BUILDING FUND:
IMO Martin Wroblewski from Aggie Stephenson
IMO Celia Jockemeck from Nora DiMarco
IMO Marie Hartigan from Aggie Stephenson

ST. MAKSYMILIAN KOLBE (1894-1941) (FEAST DAY AUGUST 14): was a Polish priest. He was active in the Catholic media and in missionary work (especially in Japan), Catholic education, and projects to help the poor. The Nazis who occupied Poland during World War II made him a prisoner in the horrific Auschwitz Nazi concentration camp. He suffered alongside the other prisoners, but he cared for them at every opportunity. Fr. Kolbe insisted on replacing a condemned prisoner who was being sent to his death in the starvation bunker as punishment because another prisoner had escaped. Fr. Kolbe, who had a strong devotion to Mary, was canonized by Pope John Paul II on October 10, 1982. Franciszek Gajowniczek, the condemned prisoner whose life Father Kolbe had saved, was there for the canonization.

FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION OF MARY IN POLAND: (August 15): This is a public holiday in Poland (and many other countries) and is also a day of prayer for Polish soldiers and for the hundreds of thousands of men, women and children who died in the Warsaw uprising 72 years ago.

TRANSLATION OF TODAY'S SECOND READING: A reading from the letter to the Hebrews: Brothers and sisters: Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross, despising its shame, and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God. Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners, in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart.  In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.

TO CONTRIBUTE ON-LINE TO OUR REBUILDING, PLEASE GO TO OUR PARISH WEB HOME PAGE (www.stmaryspolishparish.ca) and please click the link to our Canada Helps donation page. It’s a secure system and you’ll receive your charitable tax receipt promptly. Thanks for your support! Please spread the word. We are hoping to be able to start Phase II (hall/library/kitchen) very soon after the church opens.

REBUILDING FUND ENVELOPES are at the back of the church. Thank you for your support.

REBUILDING FUND CONTRIBUTIONS: Building Fund contributions will go toward the new church. To contribute to the rebuilding if you do not have an envelope, you can also write on your regular envelope or cheque “Designated to the Rebuilding of St. Mary’s Polish Church.”. Donations can also be made by regular mail: St. Mary's Polish Parish 21 Wesley St. , Sydney, N.S. B1N 2M5. We still need to raise about $150,000 to complete Phase 2. Thank you so much for your support.

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

Życzenia na miłego nowego tygodnia / Wishing you a blessed week! Bóg zapłać!

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TODAY’S HYMNS:
Entrance: Witaj Maryjo Slicza Pani [Greetings, Mary, Resplendent Woman]
Offertory: Twemu sercu cześć składamy [To Your Sacred Heart we Give Honour]
Communion: Jezu w Hostii Utajony [Jesus Contained in the Host]
Post-Communion: Nie Opuszczaj Nas [Forsake Us Not]
Closing: My Chcemy Boga [We Want God]

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Photo from Poland (which appeared in the Cape Breton Post) of our parish’s World Youth Day pilgrims (taken by Michelle Pellerine, one of the chaperones). From left to right, Brianna Pellerine, Stephanie Melnick Black, Justyn Gillis, Nicholas Pellerine, Kristen Fagan-Steele, Brittany Fagan-Steele.

WORLD YOUTH DAY, KRAKOW 2016 -- and a NOTE OF THANKS TO FELLOW PARISHIONERS:
--BRITTANY FAGAN-STEELE

The first-hand experience of the raw collective energy of the youth, members of religious institutions, chaperones, and volunteers involved in World Youth Day 2016 in Krakow, Poland is one difficult to translate via words.

This experience is owed to all of those who contributed donations of both time to our various fundraising efforts, as well as monetary donations, prayers, and a community of unwavering support throughout the time leading up to our departure to our return.

From the bottom of our hearts we send our St. Mary’s Polish Parish family, and broader community, the deepest and most sincere thanks. There are no words that can properly express the feelings of belonging that all of you provide. 

The combined total of pilgrims for the event was a staggering 1.6 million, making World Youth Day Krakow the largest World Youth Day to date.

1.6 million bodies in a single small field may be assumed to be overwhelming,  even frightening. But the feeling was the opposite. In spite of language barriers, and the separation of continents and oceans, World Youth Day formed a community with a common heart – that of faith, which served as a common bond between all those we met on our travels from Berlin (where we landed) to Swiebodzin, where we encountered our first World Youth Day event at the largest statue of Christ in the world, to Poznan and onto Glogwiec and beyond.

No matter where we travelled we were greeted with smiles, hellos, other times song and dance, with a genuine interest in where we were from – a faith centered bond of friendship with perfect strangers, they too bearing their flags and genuine love.

Instead of finding walls and barriers created by differences, we found a collective community united in faith that knew no bounds – faith in God: the reason for our prayers, our pilgrimage, our unity.  

In his speech to the youth during the candle lit vigil, Pope Francis continually emphasized simplicity, speaking of how we must not become couch potatoes consumed by comfort who are unwilling to go out into the world and make change, and that we cannot be so crippled by our fears that we are unwilling to do anything at all.

This is the message we bring home with us. The ideals branded within our hearts that we seek to bestow upon our faith community, family and friends:

We cannot become so broken by the myriad failures we encounter throughout our lives - be it those done unto us by others or the times we are the source of failure. We must transcend those failures and rise again from the ashes without fear and with love. We must love unconditionally and full heartedly because to love is to live.

We must not hide in the safety of never failing and call it strength. This is not strength at all. Being able to give love freely is the message of World Youth Day and Saint John Paul II and God himself to us and when we hide behind the safety of our walls we are hiding behind the fears that cripple us and keep us from making ripples in our world, which turn into waves. We are all capable of being the change, and all the cracks and imperfections that we try to keep ourselves from getting are where the light shines through. As stated by Pope Francis, “It is easier to rebuild burned bridges than it is to build up walls,” and we must seek to repair the things we can with the love we have all been entrusted with by God. “The most basic human bridge is extending a hand so do it now.” We can all build these bridges and we must not be afraid of the “what if’s” and instead embrace the fact that we are not alone even in our darkest hours but instead we are one.

Today, go out into the world, make ripples, and build bridges. Believe in the power of love.