Parafia p.w. Narodzenia Najświętszej Maryi Panny
ST. MARY’S POLISH PARISH
21 Wesley St., Sydney, NS, B1N 2M5
(meeting until our rebuilding at Holy Redeemer Church
with thanks to our friends of Holy Redeemer Parish)
Tel.: (902) 564-4847
Fax: (902) 564-2260
www.stmaryspolishparish.ca
Witamy wszystkich! Welcome to all!
We are pleased to share our faith and rich traditions with the whole community.
Established in 1913. Our second century of faith and service … WE WILL RISE AGAIN

PROBOSZCZ/PASTOR:  Father Paul Murphy 564-4355

MSZY/MASSES: Sunday at 9:30 a.m. (temporarily at Holy Redeemer Church)
Wednesday Masses on hold until we rebuild our church.
Novena to Our Lady of Częstochowa will now be said before Sunday Masses.

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

UROCZYSTOŚĆ CHRZTU PAŃSKIEGO / FEAST OF THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD: 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, St. 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.

TODAY’S MASS INTENTION is for Michael and Anna Kieć offered by Jean Annette & 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

TODAY’S RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Pan ześle pokój swojemu ludowi [The Lord will send His people peace.] Pronunciation: Pan /zesh-l-e / pok-ooy /svo-ye-moo/loo-doh-vee

The Vigil Candle this week is for Pope Francis's prayer intention for January: “That those from diverse religious traditions and all people of good will may work together for peace”

Eucharistic Minister for today: Suzanne Campbell

Ushers for collection today: Bernie LaRusic, Joe Gillis

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NASTĘPNY TYDZIEŃ / THE WEEK AHEAD

WEDNESDAY MASSES are on hold while we rebuild. We will regularly pray the Novena to Our Lady of Czestochowa before Sunday Masses (about 9:15). Copies of the Novena are included in this bulletin, but on future Sundays, please kindly bring the text with you.

Sunday, January 18, 9:30 a.m. The Mass intention will be for Nelgah MacDonald offered by Patsy & Raylene Kiley.
Lectors: Anne Marie Campbell, Janusz Wawrzyszyn                                                     
Eucharistic Minister: Janet Hawthorne
Altar Servers: Brianna, Nicholas, and Frankie
Ushers: Michael Melski, Robert Melski Sr.
Greeters: Anna Wesolkowska, Carolyn Ardelli-Kiley

Collection receipts for Sunday, January 4:  $1027.00 (broken down as follows: $832.00 general collection, $195.00 Rebuilding fund. Thank you very much for your generous support of St. Mary’s Polish Parish. Dziękujemy bardzo!

MASS CARDS/VIGIL CANDLE: Contact Tom Urbaniak (563-1226)

IN MEMORIAM DONATION: To make an In Memoriam donation, please speak with Shauna MacKay. These will be acknowledged in the bulletin. Building Fund contributions will go toward the new church. To contribute to the Building Fund, please write on your regular envelope or cheque “Designated to the Rebuilding of St. Mary’s Polish Church.”

“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 11: Paweł; Jan, Feliks, Matylda
January 12: Antoni, Arkadiusz, Benedykt, Czesław, Czesława, Ernest
January 13: Bogumił, Bogusława, Weronika
January 14: Feliks
January 15: Aleksander, Dąbrówka, Dobrawa, Domasław, Paweł
January 16: Marcel, Kevin
January 17: Antoni, Jan
January 18: Krystyna, Małgorzata, Piotr

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OGŁOSZENIA / ANNOUNCEMENTS

CATECHISM AND POLISH CULTURAL CLASS, for school-age children, led by Krista Ann Starzomski to resume shortly.

POLISH LANGUAGE CLASSES, led by Edyta Baczyk, will be resumed in the new year.

MASS INTENTIONS FOR NEXT YEAR: 902-563-1226

THANK YOU, everyone, for the wonderful Mass-for-shut-ins television recording by our parish on Tuesday. There was a great turnout. Also, thank you so much to everyone who participated in any way with last evening’s Oplatek supper, and for the contributions to Loaves and Fishes. “Wszystko to bowiem dla was […] przez dziękczynienie wielu” (2 Kor 4,15). We’re very blessed to have such a resilient and active parish.

SPECIAL MASS: This Monday, Jan. 12th is the Feast of St. Marguerite Bourgeoys, Patron Saint of the Sisters of Notre Dame. There will be mass at 8:45am at Holy Redeemer Convent on this day. The Sisters cordially invite you to join them as they celebrate their Founder. Please join us.

St. Mary’s Polish Parish collection envelopes for 2015 were available December 14th at the Polish Village Hall. Unclaimed envelopes are at the back of Holy Redeemer this morning.  If you or your family do not currently have envelopes, but would like to, please speak with Shauna McKay (902-539-4354).

BUILDING FUND ENVELOPES were lost in the fire but rebuilding envelopes were printed and distributed with the Christmas Eve bulletin. Building Fund contributions will go toward the new church. To contribute to the rebuilding, you can also write on your regular envelope or cheque “Designated to the Rebuilding of St. Mary’s Polish Church.”

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY PROJECT: Our parish continues to work with other faith communities on this project. We are nearing completion of “The Pier” boardgame. For a sponsorship of $100, you can have your name or your organization’s name along the side of the board. Please speak with Tom Urbaniak.

TRIVIA QUESTIONS FOR “THE PIER” BOARD GAME: A number of parishioners had submitted trivia questions about our parish, but these were unfortunately in a file in the church at the time of the fire. We would like to invite parishioners to resubmit (or submit anew). Please bring any trivia questions to Mass next week.

CAPE BRETON POLISH TARTAN ORDERS (proceeds to our parish) continue to be fulfilled. There is an order form on our website: www.stmaryspolishparish.ca . Orders will generally take a few weeks to complete.

Beautiful colour images of our historic church at Christmastime (with thanks to Christa Porter and Adam) are being sold for $5 as a fund-raiser for rebuilding.

YOU ARE INVITED TO JOE MACKENZIE’S DIACONATE ORDINATION to be held January 28 at 2 p.m. at St. Theresa Parish.

Bereavement Program offered by Hospice Palliative Care needs volunteers in the Cape Breton county area - training is provided, hours are flexible and you work from the comfort of your home. For more information, call Allan MacDonald 567-8137

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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TODAY’S HYMNS: Carols for this morning, as we close the Christmas season – please see insert for words.
Entrance: Bóg się z Panny narodził [God, Born of the Virgin]
Offertory: A wczora z wieczora [And Yesterday in the Evening]
Communion: W żłobie leży  [Lying in a Manger]
Post-Communion: Dzisiaj chór aniołów [Today a Choir of Angels]
Closing: Hej, w Dzień Narodzenia (On the Day of His Birth]