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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Chrzest Chrystusa / Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

TODAY’S MASS INTENTION is for Michael and Anna Kieć offered by Jean Annette and Richard White. Eternal rest grant onto them O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon them. Wieczny odpoczynek racz Im dać Panie, a swiatłość wiekuista niechaj Im świeci na wieki wieków. Amen

The Vigil Candle this week is for Pope Francis’s January prayer intention, which is "that all may promote authentic economic development that respects the dignity of all peoples." (This was also one of the themes of the Holy Father's recent apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium).

Eucharistic Minister for today: Marilyn Gillis

Ushers for collection today: Bernie LaRusic, Joe Gillis

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NASTĘPNY TYDZIEŃ / THE WEEK AHEAD

Wednesday, January 15, 4:00 p.m. Mass followed by Novena to Our Lady of Częstochowa. Praying of the Rosary prior to Mass beginning at approximately 3:35 p.m. The Mass intention is for Joe Starzomski offered by Jancia and Bernie LaRusic.

Sunday, January 19, 9:30 a.m. The Mass intention will be for Nelgah MacDonald offered by Patsy and Raylene Kiley.
Lectors: Elaine Tynski-Shipley, Tony Melski 
Eucharistic Minister: Suzanne Campbell             
Altar Servers: Noah, Caleigh                                           
Ushers: Joe Gillis, Robert Melski Sr.
Greeters: Anna Wesołkowska, Marjorie Ardelli
Altar Society volunteers for January:  Evelyn Cook, Janet Hawthorne, Anne Marie Campbell, Jimmie Campbell                   

Collection receipts for Sunday, January 5:  $1046.25 (broken down as follows: $823.00 weekly contribution, $105.00 monthly supplementary contribution, $40.00 candles, $8.25 loose, $20.00 flowers, $30.00 building fund. Thank you very much for your generous 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:
January 12: Antoni, Arkadiusz, Benedykt, Czesław, Czesława, Ernest
January 13: Bogumił, Bogusława, Weronika 
January 14: Feliks, Radogost
January 15: Aleksander, Dąbrówka, Dobrawa, Domasław, Paweł
January 16: Marcel, Włodzimierz, Kevin
January 17: Antoni, Jan, Rościsław
January 18: Bogumił, Jaropełk, Krystyna, Małgorzata, Piotr
January 19: Andrzej, Bernard, Erwin, Henryk, Mariusz, Marta, Racimir, Sara

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OGŁOSZENIA / ANNOUNCEMENTS

UROCZYSTOŚĆ CHRZTU PAŃSKIEGO / FEAST OF THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD: “Coście wyszli oglądać na pustyni? (...) Proroka zobaczyć? Tak, powiadam wam, nawet więcej niż proroka. On jest tym, o którym napisano: Oto ja posyłam mego wysłańca przed Tobą, aby Ci przygotował drogę. Zaprawdę powiadam wam: Między narodzonymi z niewiast nie powstał większy od Jana Chrzciciela.”-Jesus describing John the Baptist as an inspirational individual. Previously celebrated at the same time as Epiphany, this Feast marks Jesus’ baptism in the River Jordan by John the Baptist, a holy man and cousin of Jesus, who led a general movement of repentance. John urged his students and associates to follow Jesus. John was murdered by King Herod around AD 30. We reflect today on the significance of Baptism – as an act of cleansing, of membership to our spiritual community, of our call to holiness. We renew our baptismal vows. To demonstrate the importance of Baptism, Pope John Paul II initiated on this day the practice of baptizing babies in the Sistine Chapel. This day is also the end of the Christmas season, an occasion that we will mark this evening at our Parish Opłatek Supper.

OD PROBOSZCZA: FROM THE PASTOR’S PEN: Our Christmas season is drawing to a close and our New Year is just into its second week. I want to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you for all the gifts, cards and good wishes given me during the Holy season. And special thanks must be given to all those who helped to make the Christmas liturgies run so smoothly and beautifully. To those who decorated the Church, our choir, lectors, ushers and servers – sincere thanks. Many people commented on the beauty of the liturgies and the church. I also want to thank our group of carollers who came visiting me and others on Sunday the 29th: it was delightful. It is my prayer for you that God and the Blessed Mother will watch over you and your loved ones in this year of 2014. Let us continue our prayers that St. Mary’s Polish parish will be here for many, many more years to come. Let us continue, priest and people, to make this parish a wonderful example of cooperation, unity and fidelity in the Faith. Thank you and God bless you all.  -Father Paul

TAKING DOWN CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS: We will start taking down the Christmas decorations on Monday, January 13, at 10 a.m. If you can spare some time, this would be very greatly appreciated. Thank you to all who decorated our church so exceptionally well.

OPŁATEK SUPPER: We hope everyone can make it to this evening’s Opłatek supper (6 p.m.) here in the church, downstairs. Please bring a dish if you can, as well as a non-perishable food bank item. We’ll take some time to say “DZIĘKUJĘ” to everyone for the impressive collective effort that went into our 100th Anniversary projects, events, publications, service initiatives, and renovations. We’re looking forward to another century of faith and service!
Here are some highlights of our recent 100th anniversary initiatives :
-Special prayers and devotions; the year began with the blessing of chalk and homes
-Two books issued to mark the Centenary (Przez Pokolenia: Prayers and Customs of St. Mary’s Polish Church and Parish Centenary Cookbook); special video also produced (it can be accessed on our website: www.stmaryspolishparish.ca)
-Centenary Historical Exhibit – CBC Radio’s Mainstreet program broadcast live from the opening reception
-Joint “STO LAT” Concert – Choir of St. Mary’s Polish Church (the only Polish-language choir in Cape Breton) and Men of the Deeps, paying tribute to our Centenary. Polish Consul General presented Polish miners’ uniforms.
-Conference of the Canadian Polish Research Institute (with visitors from various parts of the country) and Memories and Stories Workshop with our elders
-Parish dinner theatre presentation of The Odyssey of the Polish Treasures – incorporating aspects of the history of our church; a number of parishioners acted for the first time!
-Free community barbeque to acknowledge the broader community
-Parish family reunions, including a community reception
-Centenary Banquet with the participation of many dignitaries
-Centenary Mass and Polish Festival -- The CBRM Council declared September 8th as “St. Mary’s Polish Parish Day” throughout the region. Bishop and Lieutenant Governor of NS were present.
-Special St. Michael’s Day lunch marking the receipt of congratulations to the parish from Pope Francis and recognizing the St. Michael’s Polish Benefit Society
-Centenary prayers for the deceased of our parish at several local cemeteries and ceremony honouring our veterans over the past century
-Enhanced St. Nicholas Day celebration with a public-education component
-To be unveiled shortly: a Cape Breton Polish tartan; the design will be owned by our parish and used to help with fund-raising
-Numerous Centenary Service projects (Sto Darów) throughout the year in the broader community (eg. Polish Food Garden, collaborating with other groups on developing a public parkette with a kapliczka – roadside shrine – as its centrepiece, assisting Loaves and Fishes, Operation Christmas Child, helping with local housing initiatives, etc.)
-“Virtual tour” for our website (in collaboration with CBU)

ROOF REPAIR: This past week, despite the cold, contractors repaired several small breaches in the roof on the eastern side, where the weather had taken its toll and where there were some nailing issues from much earlier work. For greater certainty, a special sealant may be added as a way to avoid more costly repairs in the near future. We hope that this will now stop the watermarks and cracking in the ceiling. The situation will continue to be monitored closely. Thank you for your support of our Parish Building Fund, which is drawn upon when such issues arise.

VOTIVE CANDLES: There have been some incidents of plastic casings for the votive candle refills starting to burn. A meeting was held this week with a representative for Tradition Candles. Causes appear to be lighting sticks breaking off inside the candle during the lighting process and possibly also some wicks being too large. For the time being, refill candles will be extinguished when no one is in the church and re-lit when the church is open. We have ordered glass-only candles – no plastic (which are a little more expensive, but appear to be safer). Once these are used, we will send them back to be refilled and get a partial credit.

KAPLICZKA UPDATE: Many of you have shared feedback that you would like to see the rebuilt kapliczka (shrine) in a more prominent location. The terms of provincial funding for the heritage parkette and also CBRM support have designated the Bryan St. site, but we are looking into whether the various partners may be open to alternatives. In other news, the Cape Breton Blacksmiths Association will be doing a design workshop with local students this month as work continues on developing a durable design.

POLISH CAPE BRETON TARTAN: Opinion from those who gave feedback was almost evenly divided between the two versions distributed on December 8. A number of parishioners wrote comments to the effect that the designer’s proposed modified version would be more compelling if it had the brightness (especially the bright red and more white) of the earlier version (the one that emerged as a front-runner from our event on May 4th). Designer Deana Lloy is now making changes to come closer to the first version but with the more-“tartan-like” qualities of the second. The idea is to keep working on this until we arrive at something distinctive that all of us (or almost all of us) really like. There will be something to show the parish for more feedback soon.

POLISH “MICRO MARKET”: This will be a periodic fund-raiser, benefiting various parish projects. It will consist of one table at some of our special events with popular Polish products, like cake and soup mixes, teas, candies, greeting cards, etc. The first one will be set up this evening at the Opłatek Supper. The proceeds from this one will help launch a fund to support some of our youth to attend World Youth Day with Pope Francis in Kraków, Poland, in 2016.

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

Wishing you a blessed week! Bóg zapłać!
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OUR CLOSING CAROL TODAY -- Hej, w Dzień Narodzenia
(This carol refers to singing praise and making haste to Bethlehem in honour of the saviour’s birth)

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TODAY’S HYMNS:
Entrance: A Wczora z Wieczora [And Yesterday in the Evening Time] -- #34 in the coil-bound hymnal
Offertory: Bóg Się z Panny Narodził [The Lord was Born of the Blessed Virgin] -- #37
Communion: W żłobie leży [Laying in a Manger] -- #64
Post-Communion: Oj Maluszki [O Little One] – not in the hymnal
Closing Hymn: Hej, w Dzień Narodzenia [On the Day of the Birth] –please see back of bulletin insert.