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
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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Czwarta Niedziela Adwentu / Fourth Sunday of Advent

TODAY’S MASS INTENTION is for Catherine Ardelli & Julia Munshaw offered by Shirley Ardelli & family. Wieczny odpoczynek racz Im dać Panie, a swiatłość wiekuista niechaj Im świeci na wieki wieków. Amen

TODAY’S RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Odnów nas, Boże, i daj nam zbawienie (Renew Us, O God, and give us salvation.) Pronunciation: Od-noof / nas / bo-dg-e / ee /da-ee / nam / zbav-ye-nee-e

Eucharistic Minister for today: Janet Hawthorne

Ushers for collection today: Robert Melski Sr., Toni LaRusic

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NASTĘPNY TYDZIEŃ / THE WEEK AHEAD

WEDNESDAY MASSES are on hold while we rebuild. Please note that Father Paul leads the Novena to Our Lady of Czestochowa every Sunday before Mass (starting at about 9:10 a.m.). Copies of the Novena are at the back of the church.

Thursday, December 24, 10 p.m. PASTERKA / CHRISTMAS EVE MASS: The Mass intention is for all parishioners and friends of St. Mary's Polish Parish, living and deceased.
Lectors: Stephanie Black, Janusz Wawrzyszyn                                                                     
Eucharistic Minister: Marilyn Gillis
Altar Servers: Brianna, James Clarke, and Caleigh 
Ushers: Larry Gniewek, Robert Melski Jr
Greeters:Marjorie Ardelli, Carolyn Kiley, Toni LaRusic, Janina MacCormack

PLEASE NOTE: THERE WILL BE NO 9:30 MASS ON CHRISTMAS DAY

Sunday, December 27, 9:30 a.m. FEAST: HOLY FAMILY: The Mass intention will be for Jim Leonard offered by the Kyte family.
Lectors: Elaine Tynski-Shipley, Andrzej Cebula                                                                     
Eucharistic Minister: Suzanne Campbell
Altar Servers: Caleigh, Nicholas, and James Campbell  
Ushers: Joe Gillis, Tony Gniewek
Greeters: Teresa Fagan, Stephanie Black

Collection receipts for Sunday, December 13: $4157.05 (broken down as follows: $1172.05 general collection, $2985.00 rebuilding fund). Thank you very much for your generous support of St. Mary’s Polish Parish. Dziekujemy bardzo.

MASS CARDS/VIGIL CANDLE: To reserve Mass Intentions or Vigil Candle intentions, please call 902-563-1226. Please note that any 2015 Mass intentions recorded before the fire were lost and we would be most grateful if parishioners could check in again.

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 Rebuilding Fund, if you do not have an envelope, you can 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:
December 20: Dominik
December 21: Tomasz
December 22: Beata, Franciszka, Zenon
December 23: Wiktoria
December 24: Adam, Adamina, Adela, Ewa, Ewelina, Grzegorz
December 25: Anastazja, Eugenia, Piotr
December 26: Szczepan
December 27: Cezary, Jan

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OGŁOSZENIA / ANNOUNCEMENTS

PASTERKA / CHRISTMAS EVE MASS will be at 10 p.m. with Polish Christmas carols (kolędy) to begin at about 9:30 p.m. Please note that there will be no 9:30 a.m. Mass on Christmas Day.

THE FAMOUS HAND-CRAFTED “SZOPKI” (NATIVITY SCENES) IN KRAKÓW: At this time every year, the Historical Museum of the City of Kraków organizes a large competition of nativity scenes. Each scene contains the same basic elements but also designs, architecture, colours, and symbols that reflect different Polish regions. In fact, the tradition of building elaborate “szopki” in Poland dates to the 13th century. There are categories for master craftspeople as well as for amateurs, and for children of different ages. On the first Thursday of every December, the craftspeople gather with their scenes at the Adam Mickiewicz monument and have a procession through the Sukiennice and the Market Square to the Historical Museum.

ST. MARY’S POLISH CHURCH 1913 TIME CAPSULE FOUND! The original cornerstone was one of the few items saved from the fire. We are having it restored for the new church. Leo Steele of John D. Steele’s Sons in North Sydney (the same company that worked on the original cornerstone more than 100 years ago) is doing the restoration. This week, he found something that was deeply embedded into the granite: a time capsule. It has Canadian, British and Newfoundland coins, as well as 1913 copies of Gazeta Katolicka (a Polish-language newspaper from Winnipeg – which is where our first pastor, Fr. Antoni Płucinski, had been posted before Sydney), copies of The Casket, and a Polish-language newspaper from Buffalo, New York. The newspapers are damaged but are being dried at the Beaton Institute in Cape Breton University. The Beaton Institute has kindly agreed to hold the items until we are ready to display them.

REBUILDING UPDATE: Windows will be arriving from Amherst tomorrow or Tuesday. Many thanks to Armour Transport and Wayne Weatherbee for the very kind donation of transportation. The steeple is still being made at a boat building shop in Port Morien and should be ready early in the new year. The drywall tender was awarded this week, and that work should also begin early in the new year. Drywalling will take about six weeks. PLEASE NOTE: If you were not at the parish lunch last week for our rebuilding update, we had an up-to-date budget report on the rebuilding. Please speak with any member of the Rada or call 563-1226 or e-mail tom_urbaniak@cbu.ca .

OPŁATEK for your Christmas meals is available after Mass from Shauna McKay ($3 for large envelope and $2 for small envelope). We should also still have a few Polish religious Christmas cards, Christmas bulbs showing our church, Polish Cape Breton tartan scarves, and other items. These sales support our rebuilding.

NEW YEAR'S EVE AT THE POLISH VILLAGE HALL: DJ Robin Krszwda. Tickets Tony Melski 537-1417

RECENT IMO (IN MEMORY OF) CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE REBUILDING FUND:
IMO Grandparents John & Josephine Stryczek from Josephine O'Sullivan
IMO Kathy MacCormack from Frank & Delores Starzomski

BLESSING OF HOMES: Father Paul and Deacon John are available to do the traditional annual Polish blessing of homes (with the chalk inscription K+M+B 2016, to signify that like the wise men we are dedicated to following Jesus in how we relate to our world and to others). The sign-up sheet is at the back of the church today.

PARISH OPŁATEK SUPPER: Saturday, January 9, 2016 at 6 p.m., Polish Village Hall. There is no charge, but please bring a dish if you can and an item for Loaves and Fishes. Please invite family and friends. Everyone is welcome. There is no charge.

THE PEACE LIGHT OF BETHLEHEM: In several countries, including Poland – where this has become a major undertaking - the “Peace Light of Bethlehem” (a special candle) has been passed from town to town for the past 25 years during Advent. The effort is led by Scouts and Guides, who have reached out to people of other nationalities and faiths as a gesture of goodwill. The Scouts and Guides even take the Peace Light of Bethlehem to the Sejm (the Polish Parliament) and remind dignitaries of their sacred trust – to promote the good of all.

TO CONTRIBUTE ON-LINE TO OUR REBUILDING, PLEASE GO TO OUR PARISH WEB HOME PAGE (www.stmaryspolishparish.ca) and please click the link to our Canada Helps donation page. It’s a secure system and you’ll receive your charitable tax receipt promptly. Thanks for your support! Please spread the word.

REBUILDING FUND ENVELOPES are at the back of the church. Thank you for your support.

REBUILDING FUND CONTRIBUTIONS: Building Fund contributions will go toward the new church. To contribute to the rebuilding if you do not have an envelope, you can also write on your regular envelope or cheque “Designated to the Rebuilding of St. Mary’s Polish Church.”

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

Życzenia na miłego nowego tygodnia / Wishing you a blessed week! Bóg zapłać!

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TODAY’S HYMNS: Please see bulletin insert for the words.
Entrance: Witaj święta i poczęta  [Greetings, Holy and Immaculate]
Offertory: Spuśćcie nam na ziemskie niwy [Watch over us on the earthly plain]
Communion: Pan Jezus już się zbliża [The Lord Jesus is Already Near]
Post-Communion: Zdrowaś bądź, Maryja [Blessed Be Mary]
Closing: Oto Pan Bóg Przyjdzie  [Thus Will Come the Lord God]

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A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF SOME POLISH WIGILIA (CHRISTMAS EVE) TRADITIONS
For generations, most families at St. Mary’s Polish Parish have been upholding Wigilia traditions, which are rich with symbolism. The following is a brief overview. More on our customs for the Christmas season and other times of year can be found in our parish’s 2013 book, Przez Pokolenia: Prayers and Customs of St. Mary’s Polish Church  and in the Parish Centenary Cookbook.
PIERWSZA GWIAZDKA – THE FIRST STAR: Families wait for the first star before commencing their meal. It symbolizes the Star of Bethlehem. The Christmas tree lights should only be turned on at this time.
OPŁATEK:  Before the meal begins and after the prayer, everyone takes a piece of Opłatek and goes around the table sharing it with the others who are present and exchanging blessings and best wishes.
SIANKO – CHRISTMAS HAY: A piece of hay is placed under the white tablecloth or sometimes in a glass bowl at the centre of the table. Sianko represents the crib where Jesus was born.
THE MEATLESS SUPPER: Wigilia marks the end of Advent and so, except for fish (especially carp or herring), there is no meat at this candle-lit meal. Typical dishes (it is common to have 12 or 13 dishes) include soups (often red beet with uszka, fermented rye, fish, dried mushrooms), sauerkraut with beans, pierogi, sometimes noodles with poppy seeds and honey, sweet strudel, and a compote made with dried fruit.
THE EXTRA PLATE: It is the custom to set an extra plate at the table. The place is symbolically for Jesus but also for a stranger who may be in need of a meal or assistance. There is a Polish saying that “When a guest is at the house, God is at the house.”
KOLĘDY: After dinner, it is customary for the family and guests to gather to sing Christmas carols. In some homes, St. Nicholas visits in person at this time.
PASTERKA (MIDNIGHT MASS): The whole family attends the Midnight Mass (which we will hold at 10 p.m. this year).