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!
St. Mary’s Polish Church is a heritage landmark designated by the Province of Nova Scotia
We are pleased to share our faith and rich traditions with the whole community.
Established in 1913. Church rebuilt in 2015-2016. Our second century of faith and service

PROBOSZCZ/PASTOR:  Father Dennis Lamey 902-564-4222; sttheresasydney@gmail.com

MSZY/MASSES: Sunday at 9:30am, Wednesday at 6:30pm
Novena to Our Lady of Częstochowa following the Wednesday evening Mass

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 Adwentu / Third Sunday of Advent

TODAY’S MASS INTENTION (9:30 am Mass) is for the soul of Colin MacCormack offered by Jancia and family

Eucharistic Minister for today: Marilyn Gillis
Ushers for collection today: Robert Melski Sr., Tony Gniewek

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NASTĘPNY TYDZIEŃ / THE WEEK AHEAD

Wednesday, December 19, 6:30pm The Mass intention will be for the soul of Aggie Stephenson (praying of the Rosary will precede Mass) 7:00pm Novena to Our Lady of Czestochowa

Sunday, December 23, 9:30am: Czwarta Niedziela Adwentu / Fourth Sunday of Advent The Mass intention will be for the soul of Michael Ardelli and Dawn Marie Wadden offered by Shirley and family
Lectors: Tanya Chislett, Tom Urbaniak
Eucharistic Minister: Sophie O’Toole
Altar Servers: Kristofer Starzmoski-Wilson, Frankie Chislett, James Clarke, Robbie Melski
Ushers: Toni LaRusic, Tony Melski
Greeters: Peggy Ryba, Joan Mosher
Altar Society designated volunteers for December: Catherine Tucker, Herb Tucker
Property Committee designated member for the coming week:
Care Committee: to visit or send a card, please call Catherine Tucker (902-567-0146) or Vicki Aucoin (562-7142)

Collection receipts for Sunday, December 9: $1231.00 (broken down as follows: $1192.00 general collection, $ monthly, $ flowers, $ fuel, $20.00 votive candles, $19.00 loose, $ rebuilding fund). Thank you very much for your generous support of St. Mary's Polish Parish. Dziekujemy bardzo.

MASS INTENTIONS / VIGIL CANDLE: To reserve Mass Intentions / Vigil Candle, please contact Fr. Dennis directly at 902-564-4222 or speak with him before Mass. (There is no fee for Mass intentions.)

IN MEMORIAM DONATION: In Memoriam donations 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.”

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OGŁOSZENIA / ANNOUNCEMENTS

RECENT IN MEMORY OF (IMO) CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE BUILDING FUND:
IMO Carol MacKenzie from Joan Mosher

PLEASE NOTE: PASTERKA (SHEPHERD’S MASS) : Christmas Eve at 10:00pm.  Kolędy Polish carols will begin at about 9:30pm. Everyone is welcome! This Mass on Christmas Eve will be our Christmas Mass. (There will be no Mass on Christmas Day.)

DZIĘKUJEMY!: Thanks to all who made the visit of Święty Mikołaj (St. Nicholas) and lunch gathering so special.  Also, thank you kindly for your non-perishable food and household item donations, in solidarity with people who in our region find themselves unemployed. These have been delivered to both Loaves and Fishes and the Salvation Army. We will continue to have the collection boxes out each Sunday and Wednesday. Daily non-food staple items like shampoo, toilet paper, soap, laundry detergent, facial tissues, toothpaste are definitely appreciated as well. Thanks for your continued support

POLISH RELIGIOUS CHRISTMAS CARDS ($2 each) and OPŁATEK ($3 per envelope) are available at the back of the church (proceeds to support the work of the parish). Please note that we are almost out of our supply, but we should have more next week. If there are particular cards you like, please let Tom Urbaniak know (he will be in Toronto for a meeting mid-week).

POLISH BARSZCZ (BORSCHT) PACKAGES ARE AVAILABLE TODAY at the back of the church for $2. Each package makes four servings. Barszcz is a very common item among Polish gatherings at Wigilia (Christmas Eve) and is enjoyed by many.

SALE OF POLISH DELI ITEMS AND OTHER ITEMS: Andrzej Rafalski from Halifax will be here next Sunday after Mass for the usual pre-Christmas sale. Please pass along the word. It will be in our Sala 1050.

ASSIGNMENTS IN VARIOUS MINISTRIES FOR THE CHRISTMAS SEASON:
EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS:
Christmas Eve: Marilyn Gillis
December 30: Janet Hawthorne
January 1: Marilyn Gillis
January 6: Sophie O’Toole

LECTORS:
Christmas Eve: Stephanie Black, Edyta Baczyk
December 30: Krista Ann Starzomski, Janusz Wawrzyszyn
January 1: Anne Marie Campbell, Tom Urbaniak
January 6: Anna Wesolkowska, Andrzej Cebula

USHERS:
Christmas Eve: Bernie LaRusic, Larry Gniewek
December 30: Joe Gillis, Tony Gniewek
January 1: Robert Melski Sr., Toni LaRusic
January 6: Robert Melski Jr., Tony Melski

GREETERS: Please refer to the schedule distributed by Marjorie Ardelli and Carolyn Kiley

WHITNEY PIER COMMUNITY KITCHEN PROJECT: Meals are served here every Wednesday from 11:30am to1:00pm. Free of charge or donate what you can. Everyone is welcome. This coming Wednesday (December 19), there will be a Christmas dinner. The Community Kitchen will be open on Wednesday, December 26, at which time there will also be carolling by the Pogoria Polish Folk Ensemble.

OFFER OF A FREE REFRIGERATOR: We recently replaced one of our refrigerators. If anyone would like the old one (it’s at the back of the Sala 1050, near the back door), please speak with John Morykot or any member of the Rada. If there is more than one expression of interest today, we’ll draw for it!

NEW YEAR’S EVE AT THE POLISH VILLAGE HALL: DJ Robin Krszwda. Tickets are $15; 9:00pm to 1:00am. Tickets have been selling well. There will be a late evening “lunch”. Please speak with any member of the St. Michael’s Polish Benefit Society or call 902-371-5088.

ANGEL ORNAMENTS FEATURING THE CAPE BRETON POLISH TARTAN: We sold out last week and are making more. Thanks for your support! We will have them again for next week ($10 each). The ornaments support the St. Michael’s Polish Benefit Society.

CHRISTMAS CONCERT: We are delighted to be joining our friends at St. Philip’s African Orthodox Church for a Christmas concert today at 3:00pm. Our Pogoria Polish Folk Ensemble has been invited to sing Polish carols. Everyone is welcome to attend!

GAUDETE SUNDAY: The Third Sunday of Advent is also known as “Gaudete” Sunday, from the Latin “to rejoice”.  On this day, the rose-coloured candle is lit on the Advent wreath, in addition to two violet-coloured candles. Having passed the mid-point of Advent – a period of solemn preparation – the church uses a different colour on this Sunday as a way of lightening the mood and giving symbolic encouragement as we continue our prayerful journey to Christmas. Although we are starting to see signs of Christmas in the church, the décor is still quite bare as the actual start of the Christmas season is not until Wigilia (Christmas Eve).

THE CITY OF KRAKOW’S NATIVITY SCENE (SZOPKA) TRADITION has just been inscribed by UNESCO on the Representative List of the Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Every year, incredibly designed Nativity scenes appear in Krakow. The “stables” are actually often models of the architecture of the city. This is an old tradition that is being passed on by master craftspeople

“Our life spreads light when it is given in service. The secret of joy is living to serve.” – A recent message on Twitter from Pope Francis

IN MEMORIAM / BUILDING FUND ENVELOPES / REBUILDING FUND ENVELOPES are at the back of the church. Many thanks for your support.

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.

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. 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.The beautifully renovated downstairs is now available again for rentals for holiday parties or other occasions 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 błogosławionego tygodnia / Wishing you a blessed week!

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TODAY’S HYMNS: 9:30 am Mass
Entrance: Archanioł Boży Gabryjel (Archangel of God, Gabriel)
Psalm:
Offertory: Głos wdzięczny (From Heaven a Voice)
Communion: Bądźże pozdrowiona (Humbly We Adore Thee)
Post-Communion: Witaj Święta i poczęta (Greetings to the Holy and Immaculate)
Recessional: Oto Pan Bóg przyjdzie (Thus the Lord is Coming)