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: PLEASE NOTE: CHURCH RE-OPENED FOR MASS ON JULY 5, with health and safety requirements and pre-registration. Please see below for more information.

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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Trzydziesta Trzecia Niedziela Zwykła / Thirty-Third Sunday of Ordinary Time

CZYTANIA / READINGS:
Pierwsze czytanie: Prz 31,10–13.19–20.30–31
Psalm: 128
Drugie czytanie: 1 Tes 5,1–6
Ewangelia: Mt 25,14-30

First Reading: PRV 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31
Psalm: 128:1-2, 3, 4-5
Second Reading: 1 Thess. 5:1-6
Gospel: Matthew 25:14-30

RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Szczęśliwy człowiek, który służy Panu / Blessed are those who fear the Lord

MASS INTENTION FOR TODAY is for John LeBlanc offered by Jean Annette and Richard White

Wednesday Masses and Novena to Our Lady of Czestochowa are not being held during this phase of re-opening.

Altar Society designated volunteers for November: Marilyn Gillis, Joe Gillis

SPECIAL COLLECTION – WORLD DAY OF THE POOR: Bishop Kirkpatrick has encouraged us to take a special collection this Sunday for the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace (Caritas Canada). In our church, we can do this in two ways: Please kindly place a donation in an envelope and write on the envelope your name and “World Day of the Poor” or, if you wish, please use the “Easter Flowers” envelope from March 29 of this year (when our church was in COVID shut-down). The bishop writes: “This fall, Development and Peace launched their campaign Recovering Together to respond to the urgent needs of our brothers and sisters in the global south in the wake of COVID-19; to promote the ‘Just Recovery Principles; and to share about how their partners are responding to the pandemic … Your generosity will support Development and Peace partners to develop responses with their communities to provide: immediate aid and information on health and safety; access to services; assurance that human rights are respected; help to build resilience.”

PLEASE NOTE: Please see the end of the bulletin for the detailed public health protocols specific to our church. Please note that we are using a pre-registration system, where persons attending must receive a prior call. If you have not recently been called, please contact Stephanie Black (902-578-3697). Thanks very kindly.

AFTER-MASS PROTOCOL: We depart out the side entrance, row by row, starting with front rows and maintaining distancing. Singing of “Sto lat” for birthdays and anniversaries can happen outside with distancing, as indoor singing is not permitted at this time because of the health regulations. Many thanks. Dziekujemy bardzo!

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OGŁOSZENIA / ANNOUNCEMENTS

Fr. Dennis still has on-line Mass available: http://www.sainttheresasydney.com/

KONGRATULUJEMY! Congratulations to John and Deanie Morykot who celebrated 54 years of marriage this past week! Wishing them many blessings and lots of health and happiness in the years ahead. Sto lat!

DZIEKUJEMY! Thank you to everyone who helped with or attended Saturday’s pre-Christmas Bazaar at the Polish Village Hall – scaled-down with public health measures. Admission was free because of the smaller scale, but $294.60 was generously donated at the door. And $220 was raised from the crafters renting tables

PIEROGI SALE TOTAL: The final tally from the pierogi sale is $2,525 after expenses. Again, a huge thank you to the volunteers and supporters. This will go toward helping the St. Michael’s Polish Benefit Society to begin the new-kitchen project at the Polish Village Hall. It’s sincerely appreciated!

A REQUEST FOR NON-PERISHABLE ITEMS: If you are registered to attend Mass this Sunday (or in the following weeks), and if you can, we would be very grateful if you could bring a non-perishable food item or personal care item. There will be a box at the entrance. These items will help to stock our Food Cupboard outside the Polish Village Hall and also assist Loaves and Fishes.

FOOD CUPBOARD AT THE POLISH VILLAGE HALL: Thank you for your help. The sign says “Take what you need, leave what you don’t, give what you can. Thank you!”

AVAILABILITY OF THE POLISH VILLAGE HALL: With public health restrictions and limitations, rentals are available for certain smaller activities, subject to detailed protocols (similar in some ways for those in place for the church) and a cleaning surcharge. Please contact Bernie LaRusic at 902-561-6500. Thanks for your ongoing support!

WEEKDAY RADIO SPOTS ABOUT POLISH CULTURE AND LANGUAGE IN CAPE BRETON: The Coast Radio: Every weekday at 3:50pm and 7:50pm (FM 89.7). It’s called the “One Minute Polish Broadcast”. Learn a new Polish word, phrase, or cultural tradition. Presented by the St. Michael’s Polish Benefit Society. Would you consider sponsoring a whole week for $100? The Coast has kindly agreed to allow us to do this as a fund-raiser (they are not charging for air time). Sponsors will be acknowledged on air (IMOs are welcome, birthday tributes, etc). Dziekujemy!  And, we’re recruiting volunteers to go on air (pre-recorded). We’ll help you get ready. No previous experience required, and you do not have to be a Polish speaker. This is a great way for us to bring forward members of our community, as well as promote and share Polish language and culture in our region.Our radio theme this coming week will be the term "Polonia" (referring to communities of Polish heritage around the world). Guest will be Teresa Berezowski, the Canadian who heads the World Polonia Council. Teresa visited us a few years ago and has done a lot to promote Cape Breton’s Polonia. Thank you to the Atlantic Canada District of the Canadian Polish Congress for sponsoring this week’s segment!

SHORT MEETING of the Volunteers’ Group for the Whitney Pier Community Kitchen Project and the board of the Whitney Pier Polish Kitchen Society on Monday, November 16, at 7:00pm, in Sala 1050.

2020 ADVENT MISSION – with Fr. Mark Cherry (a very outgoing preacher of Polish descent who was guest celebrant for us at a Mass last year) at Our Lady of Grace Monastery in Monastery – December 7, 8 and 9: 6:30pm each evening. For more information, please call  902-623-0075 or e-mail retreatdirector@ourladyofgracemonastery.ca .

COLLECTION FOR OUR PARISH NOVEMBER 8th: $1545.00 Many thanks for your generosity. Bόg zapłaƈ!
If you are attending Mass, you will find a collection basket near the entrance and exit (since we are not passing around the basket due to the public health restrictions).

DONATIONS TO OUR PARISH: Thanks very kindly for any help you can provide toward our ongoing expenses. Donations can be made securely on-line at Canada Helps (which will email you an instant tax receipt):   https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/st-marys-polish-parish/. (link to this site is provided on our parish website homepage). Or by regular mail to St. Mary’s Polish Parish, 21 Wesley St., Sydney, N.S. B1N 2M5. Thanks for your support! It’s really appreciated. Bog zaplac!

REBUILDING DONOR BANNER: We have made some corrections to the rebuilding donor banner on the wall at the entrance to Sala 1050. The new version is now up. We can still make corrections if there are errors.

THE GOOD FOOD BUS will be at the Polish Village Hall next Saturday, November 21, from 1:00pm to 2:30pm. This is like a mini farmers’ market on wheels. Everyone is welcome. The collaboration with the Good Food Bus has been going very well.

A RECENT MESSAGE ON TWITTER FROM POPE FRANCIS: Generosity that supports the weak, consoles the afflicted, relieves suffering and restores dignity to those stripped of it, is a condition for a fully human life. #WorldDayOfThePoor

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PUBLIC HEALTH REQUIREMENTS FOR MASS, SPECIFIC TO OUR CHURCH – as of Sunday, July 12
Dear Fellow Parishioners and Friends:
Below are the public health requirements related to Mass attendance, as applied specifically to our church. These have also been posted on our parish website and Facebook page. Thank you so much for your patience, understanding, and goodwill as we collectively adjust. Please also see #3 and #4 below about the pre-registration / seat-designation system for Mass attendance.   Dziekujemy bardzo serdecznie! Z Bogiem.

CELEBRATION OF HOLY MASS AT ST. MARY’S POLISH CHURCH:

1. The COVID-19 virus is still a danger to our community, province, and country. As we have seen with our neighbours south of the border, it can re-spread very quickly. Please stay safe.

2. We as a parish must abide by all applicable guidelines to ensure the safety of all, while being able to worship in a safe way. This requires patience as we adapt to a new form of attending Holy Mass.

3. For the first week (Sunday, July 5), parishioners were being randomly called until our smaller capacity is reached to maintain social distancing. If you are not sure if the parish has your telephone number, or if you wish to ensure that the parish has a current telephone number for you, please call Stephanie Black at 902-578-3697 to leave your telephone number. In subsequent weeks, persons who could not attend the previous week were being called first.

4. At this time, attendance can only be through the pre-registration process outlined in #3. The parish will maintain a record of everyone who is present and their contact information (for contact-tracing should the need arise).

5. Please ensure that you are completely free of any of the potential COVID symptoms. If you are registered to attend, but feel at all ill (eg. fever, colds), or feel poorly for any reason, please do not attend. There is a dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass.

6. Masks are now mandatory. (All attendees have been wearing masks in church – and masks were available at the entrance. Thank you!) Please remember that this is also for the safety of others.

7. Physical distance of two metres (six feet) will be required inside and outside the church (if not in family bubbles). Everyone is requested to avoid handshakes, hugs and other close contact.

8.  Every second pew will be signed as “not in use,” as well as the entire side aisles of the church. Those pews that are being used will have the required spacing indicated.

9. Entry will be through Wesley St. doors. Staged (gradual) exit will take place through side (parking lot) doors.

10. There will be hand sanitization at the entrance.

11. There will be no choir for the time being, as per the public health requirements.

12. There will be one lector and no altar servers.

13. The church will be sanitized (pews, knobs, etc) after use in order to be fully clean for each Mass.

14. Ushers will assist with seating, from a distance.

15. There will be no Holy Water in the hand fonts.

16. Fr. Dennis will explain protocols for Communion, which will necessitate social distancing and extreme prudence.

17. Communion will be distributed only in the hand. The Priest will wear a mask, and he will sanitize his hands before and following Holy Communion. It is not permitted at this time to take Holy Communion to anyone outside the church.

18. Confession remains on an as-requested basis, maintaining social-distancing guidelines.

19. Other church in-person gatherings remain suspended for the time being.

20. There will be no paper bulletins in the church. Bulletins will continue to be provided electronically (on Saturday) or by regular mail (Canada Post). Please do not hesitate to e-mail or call (tom_urbaniak@cbu.ca; 902-563-1226) if there is anyone who is not currently receiving a bulletin who would like to receive a bulletin. 

21. Hymnals, brochures, and other items in the pews have been removed for the time being.

22. Collection baskets will be placed at the entrance and exit. (Collection will not be conducted in the usual way.) Thank you kindly for your support.

Życzymy błogosławionego tygodnia / Wishing you a blessed week!