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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Jezusa Chrystusa, Króla Wszechświata (uroczystość) / Feast of Christ the King

CZYTANIA / READINGS:
Pierwsze czytanie: Ez 34,11–12.15–17
Psalm: 23
Drugie czytanie: 1 Kor 15,20–26.28
Ewangelia: Mt 25,31–46

First Reading: Ez. 34: 11-12, 15-17
Psalm: 23
Second Reading: 1 Cor. 15: 20-26, 28
Gospel: Matthew 25:31-46

RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Pan mym pasterzem, nie brak mi niczego / The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want

MASS INTENTION FOR TODAY is for Donovan Nault 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

A NOTE ON ST. CECILIA (FEAST DAY NOV. 22) AND THE CHOIR OF ST. MARY'S POLISH CHURCH: St. Cecilia, martyred around the year 230 in Rome because of her Christian faith, sang to God as she lay dying. She is the patron saint of the Choir of St. Mary’s Polish Parish and of church music. It was Father Leo O’Connell who began calling our choir after St. Cecilia. Thank you so much to our choir for all they do to strengthen our faith and uphold our parish community. We’re looking forward to when you’re back singing after the pandemic!  Bóg zapłać!

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/

CONGRATULATIONS ON BAPTISMS THIS MONTH!
-Eliot Benjamin John McCormick, son of Christa and Adam
-Melah Aniela Rose MacCormack, daughter of Nicole and Jeff
We are delighted to welcome the new members of our parish family! Kongratulujemy!

PRAYERS AND BEST WISHES: Peggy Ryba had an emergency operation this week and is now recovering well at home. She is grateful for the prayers!

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 on the Cupboard says “Take what you need, leave what you don’t, give what you can. Thank you!” The Cupboard was put up this spring by the St. Michael’s Polish Benefit Society, working with carpenter (and fellow parishioner) Adam McCormick and Sixty Minute Signs. The Food Cupboard had very good support from the community, including weekly from our parish.

FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS: The Volunteers’ Group for the weekly Whitney Pier Community Kitchen and the Board of the Whitney Pier Polish Kitchen Society met this past week and made financial contributions to a number of local organizations that are providing food in our community. The weekly Community Kitchen, held in our church, is on hold because of the pandemic, but the volunteers were determined to keep helping, especially as winter and Christmas approach!

WOULD YOU LIKE OPŁATEK AND POLISH CHRISTMAS CARDS? We should be receiving an order soon. Please speak with Tom Urbaniak (tom_urbaniak@cbu.ca; 902-563-1226). Although gatherings will be very small this year, it's also a common and heart-warming Polish tradition to place a piece of Oplatek (traditional Christmas wafer) inside a Christmas card as a way of sharing blessings and best wishes with the recipient

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 Polish customs for Andrzejki (feast day of St. Andrew). Guest will be Janusz Wawrzyszyn. Thank you to Bob Lewandowski for sponsoring this week’s segment!

A NOTE FROM FATHER KRZYSZTOF DRZAZGA: Fr. Krzysztof, from the Archdiocese of Lublin, sent a note (below) to wish us well. He says he’s been following our activities (eg. through the bulletin), as well as our radio segments on The Coast. He was very impressed with the program for Nova Scotia Polish Heritage Month. He is praying for us and hopes the pandemic will be over soon and international visits can resume:
“Dziękuję za przysyłasnie co tydzień wiadomości parafialnych Parish Bulletin. Dzięki temu uczestniczę z Wami w życiu parafialnym i czytam z zainteresowaniem. Cieszę sę, że w tym roku powstała nowa inicjatywa Nova Scotia Polish Heritage Month. Bogaty i ciekawy program przybliża wiadomości o polskiej kulturze. Słucham też  “One-Minute Polish Podcasts”  w radiu. Chociaż na odległość to jestem z Wami. Niestety są jeszcze ograniczenia i nie można przyjechać do Kanady …. Miejmy nadzieję, że wkrótce wrócimy do normalności. Pamiętam o Was w modlitwie.”

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 15th: $715.00, including $65 World Day of the Poor, $155 flowers. 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.

SPECIAL COLLECTION – WORLD DAY OF THE POOR: Still gratefully accepting this Sunday: Bishop Kirkpatrick has encouraged us to take a special collection 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.”

A RECENT MESSAGE ON TWITTER FROM POPE FRANCIS: “A pleasure to speak by phone yesterday with my brother, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar. We reaffirm our support to human fraternity as the solution to erase violence, discrimination and hatred in the name of religion. Religions have nothing to do with these.” #FratelliTutti

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POLISH LANGUAGE POP-UP TUTORIAL -- ANDRZEJKI
Andrzejki (an-JAY-kee) St. Andrew was fishing with his brother Simon (St. Peter) when they were both called by Jesus to follow him. We believe that Andrew was present and assisted Jesus at many of the important events of Jesus’ ministry. There are many old Polish customs linked to the Feast of St. Andrew (Nov. 30) and the Eve of the Feast of St. Andrew. Some of these customs relate to trying to guess who will marry whom! Here are some words and items that people often use:
Wosk (vosk) - Wax
Klucz (klooch) - Key
Lanie wosku (LAN-yeh VOSK-oo) - Melting wax (The shape of the melted wax may tell your future!)
Imię (EEM-yenh) - Name
Losowanie imienia (lo-so-VAN-yeh eem-YEN-ya) - Drawing names (Will you draw the name of your future husband or wife?)
Buty (BOO-tih) - Shoes
Ustawianie butów (oo-sta-VYAN-yeh BOO-toov) - Setting out shoes (The person with the shoe closest to the door may be married first!)

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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!