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: MASSES ARE ON HOLD DURING THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS.
Please see bulletin for information about televised Masses and opportunities to gather for prayer by telephone or computer

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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Piąta Niedziela Wielkiego Postu / Fifth Sunday of Lent

CZYTANIA / READINGS:
Pierwsze czytanie: Ez 37,12-14
Psalm: Ps 130
Drugie czytanie: Rz 8, 8-11
Ewangelia: J 11, 1-45

Reading 1, Ezekiel 37:12-14
Responsorial Psalm, Psalm 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
Reading 2, Romans 8: 8-11
Gospel, John 11:1-45

TODAY’S RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Bóg Zbawicielem, pełnym miłosierdzia / With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption

If we had been together in person today, one of our hymns would have been “Ach Mój Jezu” You can find an excellent version on this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4w7DboFzXA Translated, the refrain says “Arrive, My Jesus, and lift my spirits.”

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OGŁOSZENIA / ANNOUNCEMENTS

Let us continue to pray for everyone on the front lines of the struggle against COVID-19, for everyone who has died, is ill, for people who have lost employment, or are feeling particularly isolated at this difficult time.

As per the bishop’s letters of March 17 and 26 (which was circulated to fellow parishioners for whom we have e-mail addresses), all Masses, meetings, and in-person activities in the diocese are suspended until further notice due to the COVID-19 crisis.

FR. DENNIS’S DAILY MASSES ON LINE: Fr. Dennis’s daily Masses are recorded and posted here: http://www.sainttheresasydney.com/ . Father Dennis’s letter of March 26 was circulated by e-mail. He is praying for all of us during this challenging time.

PRAYERS: Please pray for Vicky Aucoin, who had her long-awaited operation this week in Halifax. Her niece called to say it went well

HELP WITH PICKING UP AND DELIVERING GROCERIES / PRESCRIPTIONS: Please call 902-563-1226. The St. Michael’s Polish Benefit Society is pitching in to assist. We’d be happy to help.

THE COMMUNITY KITCHEN: Due to the COVID-19 situation and to respect the most recent guidelines from the province about gatherings and social-distancing, the operations of the Whitney Pier Community Kitchen at St. Mary’s Polish Church are suspended for the time being.  However, for anyone in the area who might need help at this time picking up groceries or prescriptions, please note that the St. Michael’s Polish Benefit Society will be pitching in to assist (as a service to the community). If you need help with getting groceries or prescriptions, please call 902-563-1226. Take care, everyone. Keep well. And keep in touch. God bless. Bóg zapłać!

A NOTE FROM FR. RICH PHILIPOSKI (former pastor): “I concelebrated the Mass [with no parishioners present] in Polish for this Sunday (5th Sunday of lent) with father Julian Kaczowka (parochial vicar at our parish). He was the main celebrant, but I was able to say a few words of greetings to the people of St. Mary's as well as my monthly Tucson congregation in Polish and English. It will be posted Sunday morning on the website of Our Lady of Las Vegas Parish (www.ollvchurch.org ). Please remember that there is a four-hour time difference, so it may not be available until the afternoon your time. There will also be a separate Gorzkie Zale service after Mass.”    “Please share this information with others in the community. I hope and pray that all the people at St. Mary's are healthy and ok.”

OPPORTUNITY TO GATHER BY TELEPHONE OR COMPUTER: Rev. Alison Etter (who is connected to our parish through marriage to Tom Urbaniak) would like to extend a warm welcome to any members and friends of St. Mary’s Polish Parish to join her every few days (you can drop into any of the gatherings any time) by live connection through telephone or computer to share prayer intentions and for a chance to check in on each other. 
There are two easy ways to connect:
By phone at 1 647 374 4685. Enter the meeting ID: 941 052 1825
Or by computer by going to this link: https://zoom.us/j/9410521825
Weekday prayer (15 minutes):
Tuesdays at 4:00 pm (except this coming Tuesday)
Fridays at 10:30 am
Sundays:
10:00 am - for 30 minutes followed by virtual tea time
11:00 am - children's time
11:30 am - for 30 minutes followed by virtual tea time

ECUMENICAL SERVICES ON FACEBOOK AND RADIO: Alison is also working with a Roman Catholic colleague (Fr. Duaine Devereaux), an Anglican colleague (Rev. Dorothy Miller), and Pastor Dave Sawlor of Lighthouse Church to do ecumenical Lent and Easter services every week for Facebook and radio.
This week, Father Duaine recorded the homily. And it’s very uplifting for these times.  
Facebook is 12 noon every Wednesday: https://www.facebook.com/GlaceBayChurches The recording then stays on-line.
And Sundays at 12 noon on The Coast Radio (89.7 FM)

“PEOPLE’S SCHOOL” ON CBC RADIO ONE: Theme – Community Resilience and Leadership: the COVID-19 edition. Every Tuesday and Friday at 4:40pm. This is a collaboration of CBC Radio and CBU Tompkins Institute.  This past week, we had guests from CBRM’s Polish sister city, Walbrzych, who shared what there city is doing at this time. In the coming week, we will look at the role of churches and other faith communities in serving and aiding the broader community. Back episodes can be found here: https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-36-mainstreet-cape-breton . Or go to the Facebook page of CBC Cape Breton. Look for links that say “People’s School.

THANK YOU VERY KINDLY FOR YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO HELP COVER ONGOING PARISH BILLS AT THIS TIME. It is possible to make a secure on-line donation to our parish (and receive an instant charitable tax receipt) by going to Canada Helps. Their site address to contribute is:  https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/st-marys-polish-parish/. (link to this site is provided on our parish website homepage). The parish’s mailing address is St. Mary’s Polish Parish, 21 Wesley St., Sydney, N.S. B1N 2M5. Thank you. God bless. Bog zaplac!

DAILY MASS IN POLISH: Every day at 9:00am our time, you can watch Mass in Polish at www.kolbe.ca. This is from St. Maximilian Kolbe Polish Parish in Mississauga (which is also closed to the public at this time, but where the priests are broadcasting Mass on line). They are also making plans to livestream traditional Polish Lenten Lamentations (Gorzke Zale) and other significant celebrations.

POLISH BARSZCZ (BORSCHT)/ EASTER BARANKI (Polish small Easter lamb figures): For anyone who would like a Polish barszcz (borscht) soup-mix package, it can be mailed to you (no charge). Please call 902-563-1226 or email tom_urbaniak@cbu.ca

ST. MICHAEL’S POLISH BENEFIT SOCIETY ZARZĄD (BOARD) will meet by teleconference today Sunday (March 29) at 7:00pm. Teleconference dial-in information will be sent out to all board members. Any members who are not board members but wish to be part of this meeting, you are most welcome. Please call 563-1226 to obtain the dial-in code.

FROM POPE FRANCIS’S HOMILY ON FRIDAY, MARCH 27, ON AN EMPTY, RAINY ST. PETER’S SQUARE:
The Lord asks us and, in the midst of our tempest, invites us to reawaken and put into practice that solidarity and hope capable of giving strength, support and meaning to these hours when everything seems to be floundering. The Lord awakens so as to reawaken and revive our Easter faith. We have an anchor: by his cross we have been saved. We have a rudder: by his cross we have been redeemed. We have a hope: by his cross we have been healed and embraced so that nothing and no one can separate us from his redeeming love. In the midst of isolation when we are suffering from a lack of tenderness and chances to meet up, and we experience the loss of so many things, let us once again listen to the proclamation that saves us: he is risen and is living by our side. The Lord asks us from his cross to rediscover the life that awaits us, to look towards those who look to us, to strengthen, recognize and foster the grace that lives within us. Let us not quench the wavering flame (cf. Is 42:3) that never falters, and let us allow hope to be rekindled.

Embracing his cross means finding the courage to embrace all the hardships of the present time, abandoning for a moment our eagerness for power and possessions in order to make room for the creativity that only the Spirit is capable of inspiring. It means finding the courage to create spaces where everyone can recognize that they are called, and to allow new forms of hospitality, fraternity and solidarity. By his cross we have been saved in order to embrace hope and let it strengthen and sustain all measures and all possible avenues for helping us protect ourselves and others. Embracing the Lord in order to embrace hope: that is the strength of faith, which frees us from fear and gives us hope.

“Why are you afraid? Have you no faith”? Dear brothers and sisters, from this place that tells of Peter’s rock-solid faith, I would like this evening to entrust all of you to the Lord, through the intercession of Mary, Health of the People and Star of the stormy Sea. From this colonnade that embraces Rome and the whole world, may God’s blessing come down upon you as a consoling embrace. Lord, may you bless the world, give health to our bodies and comfort our hearts. You ask us not to be afraid. Yet our faith is weak and we are fearful. But you, Lord, will not leave us at the mercy of the storm. Tell us again: “Do not be afraid” (Mt 28:5). And we, together with Peter, “cast all our anxieties onto you, for you care about us” (cf. 1 Pet 5:7).

This would have been our closing hymn today:
“Któryś za nas cierpiał rany, Jezu Chryste, zmiłuj się nad nami!” (You who suffered, wounded, for us, Christ Jesus, have mercy on us.)