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: PLEASE NOTE: CHURCH RE-OPENING FOR MASS ON JULY 5, with health and safety requirements and pre-registration. Please see below for more information.

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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XIV Niedziela Zwykła / Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time

CZYTANIA / READINGS:
Pierwsze czytanie: Za 9,9–10
Psalm: 145
Drugie czytanie: Rz 8,9.11–13
Ewangelia: Mt 11, 25–30

First Reading: Zec 9:9-10
Psalm: 145
Second Reading: Rom. 8,9:11-13
Gospel: Matthew 11: 25-30

RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Będę Cię wielbił, Boże mój i Królu. / I will praise your name, my king and my God.

MASS INTENTION: Sunday’s Mass intention is for the soul of Irene Melnick from Stephanie and family. Wieczne odpoczywanie racz Jej dać Panie, a światłość wiekuista niechaj Jej świeci. Niech odpoczywa w pokoju wiecznym. Amen.

Please note: There will be no Wednesday Mass this week.

Friday, July 3, was a special feast day for our parish. At the time of the consecration of our present church building on July 3, 2016 – that date -- July 3rd of every year --  was designated to be a parish feast day

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OGŁOSZENIA / ANNOUNCEMENTS

PUBLIC HEALTH REQUIREMENTS FOR MASS, SPECIFIC TO OUR CHURCH – as of Sunday, July 5
Dear Fellow Parishioners and Friends:
Below are the public health requirements related to Mass attendance, as applied specifically to our church. A shorter, initial summary version was in last weekend’s bulletin. These have also been posted on our parish website and Facebook page. Thank you so much for your patience, understanding, and goodwill as we collectively adjust.
Please also see #3 and #4 below about the pre-registration / seat-designation system for Mass attendance.   Dziekujemy bardzo serdecznie! Z Bogiem.

CELEBRATION OF HOLY MASS AT ST. MARY’S POLISH CHURCH:

1. The COVID-19 virus is still a danger to our community, province, and country. As we have seen with our neighbours south of the border, it can re-spread very quickly. Please stay safe.

2. We as a parish must abide by all applicable guidelines to ensure the safety of all, while being able to worship in a safe way. This requires patience as we adapt to a new form of attending Holy Mass.

3. For the first week (Sunday, July 5), parishioners are being randomly called until our smaller capacity is reached to maintain social distancing. If you are not sure if the parish has your telephone number, or if you wish to ensure that the parish has a current telephone number for you, please call Stephanie Black at 902-578-3697 to leave your telephone number. Next week, persons who could not attend this first week will be called first.

4. At this time, attendance can only be through the pre-registration process outlined in #3. The parish will maintain a record of everyone who is present and their contact information (for contact-tracing should the need arise).

5. Please ensure that you are completely free of any of the potential COVID symptoms. If you are registered to attend, but feel at all ill (eg. fever, colds), or feel poorly for any reason, please do not attend. There is a dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass.

6. Masks are strongly encouraged to be worn. Please remember that this is also for the safety of others.

7. Physical distance of two metres (six feet) will be required inside and outside the church (if not in family bubbles). Everyone is requested to avoid handshakes, hugs and other close contact.

8.  Every second pew will be signed as “not in use,” as well as the entire side aisles of the church. Those pews that are being used will have the required spacing indicated.

9. Entry will be through Wesley St. doors. Staged (gradual) exit will take place through side (parking lot) doors.

10. There will be hand sanitization at the entrance.

11. There will be no choir for the time being, as per the public health requirements.

12. There will be one lector and no altar servers.

13. The church will be sanitized (pews, knobs, etc) after use in order to be fully clean for each Mass.

14. Ushers will assist with seating, from a distance.

15. There will be no Holy Water in the hand fonts.

16. Fr. Dennis will explain protocols for Communion, which will necessitate social distancing and extreme prudence.

17. Communion will be distributed only in the hand. The Priest will wear a mask, and he will sanitize his hands before and following Holy Communion. It is not permitted at this time to take Holy Communion to anyone outside the church.

18. Confession remains on an as-requested basis, maintaining social-distancing guidelines.

19. Other church in-person gatherings remain suspended for the time being.

20. There will be no paper bulletins in the church. Bulletins will continue to be provided electronically (on Saturday) or by regular mail (Canada Post). Please do not hesitate to e-mail or call (tom_urbaniak@cbu.ca; 902-563-1226) if there is anyone who is not currently receiving a bulletin who would like to receive a bulletin. 

21. Hymnals, brochures, and other items in the pews have been removed for the time being.

22. Collection baskets will be placed at the entrance and exit. (Collection will not be conducted in the usual way.) Thank you kindly for your support.

NOVA SCOTIA POLISH HERITAGE MONTH – SEPTEMBER 2020: Thanks to everyone who was part of the on-line/teleconference meeting last Sunday. Lots of positive energy and great projects in the works, albeit modified because this is a year of physical distancing. If you would like to do a personal or small-group project for Nova Scotia Polish Heritage Month, please be in touch with Tom Urbaniak (tom_urbaniak@cbu.ca). The approach is very decentralized. The idea is to get lots of people across the province to think of -- and “run with” -- positive initiatives that share Polish heritage with fellow Nova Scotians and that celebrate the rich history of Polish Nova Scotians, going back several generations!

LOCAL FOOD INITIATIVES IN WHICH OUR PARISH AND ST. MICHAEL’S POLISH BENEFIT SOCIETY ARE INVOLVED:
Food hamper program (St. Michael’s Polish Benefit Society was looking after the Pier) is now transitioning into the Good Food Bus. More details to follow.
Food Cupboard outside the Polish Village Hall continues. Thanks to everyone who has been helping to keep it stocked.
Food garden (ogródek) on our parish gardens (with vegetables to go to Loaves and Fishes) is in collaboration with Pathways to Employment, charity that creates employment and volunteer opportunities for people in our community who are living with mental illness. Our past collaborations have been very successful.
Community Kitchen remains on hold for the time being due to the physical distancing constraints.

A NOTE OF THANKS: Wayne Joseph would like to extend his sincere thanks to fellow parishioners for your kindness and outreach during his recent convalescence. Bóg zapłać!

PARTIAL RE-OPENING OF POLISH VILLAGE HALL – with public health restrictions and limitations. Rentals for certain smaller activities, subject to detailed protocols (similar in some ways for those in place for the church) and a cleaning surcharge, are again available. Please contact Bernie LaRusic at 902-561-6500. Thanks for your ongoing support!

CAN YOU SPARE SOME TIME WEEKLY OR OCCASIONALLY TO HELP WITH MOWING / GARBAGE CLEAN-UP FOR THE CHURCH GROUNDS? Please contact Property Chair John Morykot at 902-756-2722 (Whycocomagh exchange) or 902-564-9652 (Sydney) or e-mail jmorykot@eastlink.ca. Thanks so much for your help!

WEEKDAY RADIO SPOTS ABOUT POLISH CULTURE AND LANGUAGE IN CAPE BRETON: The Coast Radio: Every weekday at 3:50pm and 7:50pm (FM 89.7). It’s called the “One Minute Polish Broadcast”. Learn a new Polish word, phrase, or cultural tradition. Presented by the St. Michael’s Polish Benefit Society. Would you consider sponsoring a whole week for $100? The Coast has kindly agreed to allow us to do this as a fund-raiser (they are not charging for air time). This will be a huge help to bridge the Society through the pandemic (the radio spots will continue afterwards as well), since hall revenues have dried up. Sponsors will be acknowledged on air (IMOs are welcome, birthday tributes, etc). Thanks so much! Dziekujemy!  And, we’re recruiting volunteers to go on air (pre-recorded). We’ll help you get ready. No previous experience required, and you do not have to be a Polish speaker. This will be a great way for us to bring forward members of our community, as well as promote and share Polish language and culture in our region.Our radio theme this coming week will be mizeria (Polish summer cucumber salad).. Thank you to Marjorie Ardelli for doing this segment! Thank you to the Ryba family, IMO Walter Ryba, for sponsoring. Thank you to our radio sponsors so far, who have each sponsored a week (all proceeds are helping the St. Michael’s Polish Benefit Society get through the pandemic and the temporary hall shut-down): Fr. Dan Doucet, John Morykot, Ryba family IMO Walter Ryba, Steve Melnick, Stephanie Black, Michael and Ursula Melski, Jerry Pocius, Sophie and Roddie O’Toole, Jeni Jackson, Catherine and Herb Tucker, Bernie and Jancia LaRusic, Anne Marie and Jimmie Campbell, , Kathleen MacKenzie, Andy Parnaby, Paul Lenarczyk, Alison Etter, Tom Urbaniak

DOŻYNKI 2021 – THINKING AHEAD TO NEXT YEAR: The Polish community in Alberta has kindly offered to join efforts with us, on our parish and hall grounds, for Dozynki (Polish Harvest Festival), a year from now in September 2021, during Nova Scotia Polish Heritage Month. They will send a delegation and show some of the displays or peformances that they normally do. We’re looking for a few people to be part of a liaison group with our counterparts in Alberta (occasional meetings by telephone or on-line) to map out what this will look like. On the Alberta side, our main contact is Thomas Lukaszuk, whose family came to Canada when he was a child and spent their first year here in Cape Breton. They then moved to Alberta, where Thomas eventually became a Cabinet minister and deputy premier. He is no longer in politics, but is still very active in Polonia and in the broader community.

DONATIONS TO OUR PARISH DURING THE TEMPORARY SHUTDOWN: Thanks very kindly for any help you can provide toward our ongoing expenses. As we have not had weekly collections for the past few months, until this Sunday, we are very grateful for any support toward covering the expenses of our parish. Donations can be made securely on-line at Canada Helps (which will email you an instant tax receipt):   https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/st-marys-polish-parish/. (link to this site is provided on our parish website homepage). Or by regular mail to St. Mary’s Polish Parish, 21 Wesley St., Sydney, N.S. B1N 2M5. Thanks for your support! It’s really appreciated. Bog zaplac!
For those attending Mass, collection baskets will be at the entrance and exit. (Collection basket will not be passed around.) Dziekujemy bardzo!

Życzymy błogosławionego tygodnia / Wishing you a blessed week!