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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Świętej Rodziny Jezusa, Maryi i Józefa / Feast of the Holy Family

TODAY’S MASS INTENTION is for Jim Leonard offered by the Kyte 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, in keeping with the World Day of Prayer for Peace, is that all of humanity may come to know peace and to live in dignity and friendship.

Eucharistic Minister for today: Suzanne Campbell

Ushers for collection today: Steve Melnick, Toni LaRusic

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NASTĘPNY TYDZIEŃ / THE WEEK AHEAD

Wednesday, January 1st, 9:30 a.m. FEAST OF MARY, MOTHER OF GOD (NEW YEAR’S DAY) (a holy day of obligation). The Mass intention is for all parishioners.
Lectors: Jola Cebula, Tony Melski
Eucharistic Minister: Kay Violande
Altar Servers: Nikolas and Noah
Ushers: Michael Melski, Bernie LaRusic
Greeters: Mary DiPenta, Teresa Fagan

Sunday, January 5, 9:30 a.m. FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY; blessing of chalk. The Mass intention will be for Mary and Dominic Gniewek offered by their children.
Lectors: Anna Wesołkowska, Janusz Wawrzyszyn  
Eucharistic Minister: Janet Hawthorne               
Altar Servers: Noah, Matthew                                          
Ushers: Steve Melnick, Toni LaRusic
Greeters: Dorothy Rozeluk, Peggy Ryba
Altar Society volunteers for January:  Evelyn Cook, Janet Hawthorne, Anne Marie Campbell, Jimmie Campbell                   

Collection receipts for Sunday, December 22:  $1082.50 (broken down as follows: $685.00 weekly contribution, $10.00 monthly supplementary contribution, $35.00 candles, $42.50 loose, $310.00 building fund. Please note that Christmas collections will be reported in next week’s bulletin. Thank you very much for your 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:
December 29: Domawit, Dominik, Gosław, Jonatan, Marcin, Tomasz
December 30: Dawid, Eugeniusz, Katarzyna, Uniedrog        
December 31: Korneliusz, Mariusz, Melania, Sebastian, Sylwester, Tworzysław
January 1: Mieczysław, Mieczysława, Mieszko
January 2: Abel, Achacy, Achacjusz, Aspazja, Bazyli, Izydor, Jakobina, Jakubina, Makary, Narcyz, Stefania, Strzeżysław, Sylwester, Sylwestra, Telesfor, Telesfora
January 3: Danuta, Piotr, Genowefa
January 4: Angelika, Aniela, Dobromir, Eugeniusz, Grzegorz, Izabela
January 5: Edward, Emilian, Hania, Szymon

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OGŁOSZENIA / ANNOUNCEMENTS

A BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED WITH DECORATING AND SET-UP FOR CHRISTMAS. THERE WAS GREAT TEAMWORK AND CHRISTMAS CHEER. YOUR HOURS AND CREATIVITY ARE APPRECIATED. GOD BLESS!

Thank you and Bóg zapłać for the beautiful and memorable Midnight Mass in our church.

NEW YEAR’S EVE (“SYLWESTRA”) at the Polish Village Hall. Hosted by St. Michael’s Polish Benefit Society, 9p.m. - 1 a.m. DJ Robin Krszwda. Tickets are $15, available from Tony Melski 537-1417

WHY IS NEW YEAR’S EVE CALLED “SYLWESTRA” IN POLISH?: December 31st is the feast of St. Sylvester, who was Pope from 314 until his death on the final day of the year in 335. Because Sylvester had a good rapport with the first Christian emperor, Constantine, there was a marked expansion during his pontificate of Christian institutions. Many of the first impressive churches were built during this period, and a great deal of work was done on defining and standardizing the Liturgy. Surprisingly, we don’t have many detailed accounts of Sylvester’s pontificate, but his contemporaries associated him with a high level of administrative competence as well as a gentle and pastoral nature. He is often depicted in iconography slaying a dragon. In many churches there are evening vigils on “Sylwestra.” Taking inspiration from St. Sylvester, many people try to welcome the New Year in calm and prayer, re-energized to take on the tasks and burdens of the 12 months to follow.

TRADITIONAL POLISH DOOR-TO-DOOR CAROLLING – Kolędowanie -- TODAY: Please speak with Shari McKay after Mass. No experience is required to be a caroller.  And if you would like to receive carollers, please write your name, address, and telephone number in the brown folder at the back of the church.

RECENT IMO (“In Memory of”) CONTRIBUTION TO THE BUILDING FUND:
IMO Mary Mirwald from Dorothy Rozeluk

PARISH SERVICE PROJECTS: We had good success with our Sto Darów Centenary Community Service Projects and hope that many of these can continue, including the monthly food drives for Loaves and Fishes, the Polish food garden on the parish grounds, and the rebuilding of the kapliczka.

PLEASE SIGN UP FOR THE BLESSING OF HOMES! In keeping with this important Polish custom, Father Paul will be visiting parishioners’ homes early in the new year. There was a great response last year. The following is the schedule (please note – the visits would take place in the afternoon – but if it must be evening due to your work/school schedule, please indicate same):
January 3 and 7 -- suburbs of Sydney (eg. Sydney River, Coxheath, Westmount, Howie Centre)
January 8 and 9 -- Sydney proper (excluding Whitney Pier)
January 10 and 13 -- the Pier and points north (eg. South Bar). On these days, Father Paul will also endeavour to make it to homes elsewhere in the CBRM not covered in the preceding geographic areas.

There is a white binder for sign-up on the table at the back of the church. Please indicate your name, telephone number, and address, and we will try to ensure that you are visited for the blessing. It is traditional during the blessing to inscribe with chalk above a doorway inside your home the following:  K+M+B and the year (2014). This signifies that we are ready, as were the wise men in Matthew’s Gospel, to defer our present preoccupations to follow Christ. If your visit happens before the Feast of Epiphany, the visiting priest will bring the blessed chalk. Otherwise, you will be able to obtain blessed chalk in the church.

ROOF ISSUE/CEILING WATERMARKS: We have identified what appears to be the source of the watermarks on the ceiling on the eastern side. Estimates have been obtained, and the contractors have promised to be available early in the new year as soon as the weather permits. For work of this nature, we draw from the Building Fund and are very grateful for any contributions made by parishioners and friends of the parish.

PREPARING TO CELEBRATE THE CANONIZATION OF BLESSED POPE JOHN PAUL II. When the Polish Pope becomes a saint on April 27 along with Blessed Pope John XXIII, both exemplary leaders of the church, we hope to celebrate in a special way. Father Paul and the Rada hope that this will be a very special Divine Mercy Sunday. An additional proposal that has come forward is to name the laneway that runs alongside the church (the laneway that belongs to the parish) after Karol Wojtyła. More to follow, but any and all input is welcomed.

PARISH OPŁATEK SUPPER – SUNDAY, JANUARY 12, at 6 P.M. – PLEASE MARK ON YOUR CALENDARS. This will also be an opportunity to acknowledge everyone for the exceptional, collective volunteer effort that went into our 100th anniversary service projects, events, exhibit, publications, and other legacy initiatives – and to recharge for our second century of faith and service!

WANTED: YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS FROM OUR 100th ANNIVERSARY ACTIVITIES: During the Oplatek supper, we hope to have a running slide presentation of the various activities held throughout the year for our centenary. We would be grateful to anyone who could e-mail any photographs. Please e-mail them to tom_urbaniak@cbu.ca.

PARISH CENTENARY COOKBOOKS have sold out, but more will be printed based on orders received. Please speak with Shari McKay or Shauna McKay.

OUR BOOK PRZEZ POKOLENIA: Prayers and Customs of St. Mary’s Polish Church also makes a great gift ($10 each). Please speak with Tom Urbaniak.

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

Szczęśliwego Nowego Roku! Happy New Year!

Wishing you a blessed week! Bóg zapłać!