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: Public health protocols in place, including mandatory masks. Additional restrictions announced this week.

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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Boże Narodzenie / Christmas

CZYTANIA / READINGS: PASTERKA / CHRISTMAS EVE
Pierwsze czytanie / First Reading: : Iz 9, 1-3. 5-6
Psalm: 96
Drugie czytanie / Second Reading: Tt 2, 11-14
Ewangelia / Gospel: Łk 2, 1-14
RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Dziś się narodził Chrystus Pan, Zbawiciel / Today is born our Saviour, Christ the Lord

CZYTANIA / READINGS: Świętej Rodziny: Jezusa, Maryi i Józefa / Feast of the Holy Family (Sunday, December 26)
Pierwsze czytanie / First Reading: : 1 Sm 1, 20-22. 24-28
Psalm: 84
Drugie czytanie / Second Reading: 1 J 3, 1-2. 21-24
Ewangelia / Gospel: Łk 2,41-52
RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Szczęśliwi, którzy mieszkają w Twym domu / Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord

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OGŁOSZENIA / ANNOUNCEMENTS

WESOŁYCH ŚWIĄT! CHRYSTUS SIĘ RODZI!

Thank you for your kindness and generosity during these challenging times. May the Christ child richly bless you and your families.
May the light of Christ shine from all of us. May that light bring hope, peace, and generosity to our world. May that light represent the Good News of Christ that we carry forth in our time, especially through our love and compassion.
May we find peace this Christmas and always. And may we have the courage to remember those who are most hurting, alone or marginalized.
Wishing you a very blessed Christmas. Niech nam Pan błogosławi i strzeże!

NAJSZCZERSZE KONDOLENCJE: Our parish offers heartfelt condolences on the passing of Anne Tynski Redmond. Anne was 101 and remained always very lively, wise, and caring. She regularly corresponded with us about the happenings of the parish until just a couple of months ago. We will miss her. Wieczny odpoczynek racz jej dac Panie. We would also like to extend sincerest condolences to Catherine Tucker on the death of her aunt, Cecila MacInnis, née Kowalczyk. Cecilia was a very kind and generous person. Her parents were among the founders of our parish. Wieczny odpoczynek racz Jej dać Panie. Niech odpoczywa w pokoju wiecznym

FOOD CUPBOARD: Thank you very much for your ongoing contributions to the Food Cupboard. If you can bring a non-perishable food or personal care item to the church (main entrance), we would be truly grateful.

CAPACITY RESTRICTIONS AND NEW PUBLIC HEALTH REGULATIONS:
Dear Fellow Parishioners and Friends:
Our capacity limits and the public health restrictions were further tightened as of Wednesday of this week.
-We are now at 25 percent of capacity, to a maximum of 50 in the building. That means we can seat up to 40 people in the main church (provided there’s distancing between bubbles), with the remainder of seating in Sala 1050.
-Group singing – including choir – is suspended at this time. Thankfully, we have our choir’s beautiful kolędy on CD and we will be able to use some of those selections.
- For Pasterka Christmas Eve, we worked with the previous pre-registrations, in sequence. We are truly sorry that some of the later registrants could not get a seat, because the capacity was further lowered this week as part of the tightened public-health restrictions to try to keep everyone safe. Please know that we hold each and every parishioner, family members of parishioners, and friends of the parish in deep esteem, and we miss seeing all of you.
- We would also like to warmly acknowledge the people who were early registrants but who volunteered to sit out or to reduce their family presence at Mass in order to give a chance to parishioners who were later registrants, especially those who live alone or might be experiencing a particularly difficult time. There were a number of gestures of goodwill, for which we are truly grateful.
- If you have pre-registered for Christmas Eve but find that you are not feeling well for any reason, please still remain at home. With the rapid spread of the omicron variant, it is best for us all to remain very cautious.
- Let’s continue to stay in touch. And if there’s anything the parish can do to be of help to you at this time, please do not hesitate to let us know.
- Looking ahead after Christmas Eve … For Sunday Masses (Dec. 26 and onward), there is no need to pre-register, but we do have a hard cap of 50 people spread between the main church and the Sala.

UPCOMING MASSES – AFTER WIGILIA -- CHRISTMAS EVE:
-No Mass on Christmas Day
-9:30am on Sunday, December 26 – Feast of the Holy Family
-9:30am on New Year’s Day – Feast of Mary, Mother of God
-9:30am on Sunday, January 2

PRAYER REQUESTS: There have been some changes recently in Mary Pierrynowski’s health situation, and Mary and her daughter, Wandzi, have asked to keep Mary in your prayers in the days and weeks ahead. They are very grateful for the prayers and the phone conversations with fellow parishioners. Please keep Delores Starzomski in your prayers, as she continues to struggle with her health, but with a spirit that is solid. Kindest thanks!

OUR PARISH “OPŁATEK GATHERING” TO CLOSE THE CHRISTMAS SEASON: It is tentatively scheduled (scaled-down) for Sunday, January 16, at 2:00pm at the Polish Village Hall. As we did last year, we will be prepared to pivot to on-line, with a pop-up Jaselka (Polish folk Christmas pageant – where lots of people learned a few Polish lines). It was a lot of fun last year.

OPŁATEK and POLISH CHRISTMAS CARDS: Please see Tom Urbaniak. There is no charge, but if you wish to contribute an item to the Food Cupboard that would be really kindly appreciated.

2022 PARISH ENVELOPES ARE AT THE BACK OF THE CHURCH. If you do not have parish envelopes and would like a package, please call 902-563-1226.

A COUPLE OF BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS: Teddy bears (“Misiu” and “Misia”) with the Cape Breton Polish tartan and The Polish Cape Bretoners Colouring Book. We still have a limited supply of both!

RECRUITING VOLUNTEER ANNOUNCERS AND SPONSORS FOR THE POLISH RADIO SEGMENTS ON THE COAST: You do not need to know Polish. The segments are pre-recorded and we work off scripts. With regard to sponsorships, they are $100 for a whole week and all proceeds support the St. Michael’s Polish Benefit Society. The segments run weekdays at 3:50 and 7:50pm. We are very grateful for the support.

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). And archived at coastalradio.ca. 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 of our radio segments for $100? The Coast has kindly agreed to allow the St. Michael’s Polish Benefit Society to do this as a fund-raiser (they are not charging for air time). Sponsors will be acknowledged on air (IMOs are welcome, birthday tributes, etc). 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. Our radio theme for this coming week will be about Polish kolędy – and in particular Lulajże Jezuniu. Thank you to Jean Annette White for being the guest voice and for her beautiful singing, as always! This week’s segment is dedicated in appreciation for the support of the Society by Mary Pierrynowski and Wandzi Pierrynowski.

COLLECTION FOR DECEMBER 19: $886.00 Thank you very kindly for your support of our parish.

THANKS VERY KINDLY FOR YOUR DONATIONS TO OUR PARISH DURING THE PANDEMIC: We are truly grateful for everyone’s generosity through the pandemic. If you are able to make a donation, the parish’s mailing address is St. Mary’s Polish Parish, 21 Wesley St., Sydney, NS, B1N 2M5. 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). Thanks for your support!

PLEASE HELP US KEEP VIBRANT THE POLISH CUSTOMS FOR CHRISTMAS EVE:
Dear Friends: We invite you to keep up our Polish customs for Wigilia (Christmas Eve). It means a lot that we are keeping our community going from generation to generation! Here are a few of our customs:
-FIRST STAR: We wait for the first star before starting our Christmas Eve meal
-OPLATEK: We share the Christmas wafer around the table and bless each other.
-AN EMPTY PLATE: To symbolize that we welcome Jesus and people in need.
-SOME STRAW IN THE CENTRE OF THE TABLE: To represent the manger
-12 MEATLESS COURSES (except for fish): To represent that we are completing the Advent season
-KOLĘDY: We sing Polish carols after the meal. (Please let us know if you would like words, notes, and translations.)

GROCERY HAMPERS: A big thank you to everyone who helped on Monday at the Polish Village Hall with the putting together of the St. Michael’s Polish Benefit Society food hampers for delivery and who helped Święty Mikołaj (St. Nicholas) with children’s presents for delivery. What a wonderful team!

THANK YOU: A big thank you to students of Whitney Pier Memorial Middle School, including students of Krista Ann Starzomski, for filling the Food Cupboard at the Polish Village Hall.

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BISHOP’S CHRISTMAS MESSAGE:
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness – on them light has shone.”

These words from the prophet Isaiah reverberate during our celebration of Christmas. Our experience of life is at times an experience of darkness. This year, there are many who feel plunged into darkness and are finding it difficult to enter the joy of Christmas. People are troubled as we confront yet another wave of the pandemic. We lament not being able to be with family and loved ones. We have become perhaps increasingly impatient with restrictions on our movements and gatherings. Many are struggling with loneliness, financial or health issues, family struggles, the death or illness of a loved one, concerns about the future. In so many ways, we have all been walking in darkness.

The birth of Jesus, which we celebrate, during the darkest time of the year, is a celebration of light. Jesus’ birth, God’s entry into our humanity, is a source of pure light that can penetrate and remove all darkness. Jesus’ birth speaks to us of the value of every person before God. The light of Jesus’ birth announces that the human family is one; we who inhabit the earth are all brothers and sisters. Jesus’ birth proclaims that God, who is the source of light, is with us and in us. Indeed, we have every reason to rejoice!

The shepherds at Bethlehem came out of the night into the warmth of the stable drawn by the message of an angel. The light of God’s Son filled their hearts with wonder as they gazed upon the Holy Family, Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

The Magi saw the light and made a journey of faith to search for him, to discover him and to worship him. With the journey of the Magi, there is another underlying story within the story, that of travelling in faith toward God. They remind us that God came as a light to the nations. They are a summary of all who journey in faith to Jesus and find in him, their heart’s desire. Every time people encounter Jesus, he changes their life. Matthew, the Evangelist tells us, that the Gentile visitors from the pagan lands of the East left for their country by another road, guided no longer by the light of a star but by the light of faith. Like the Magi we too journey in faith – it may be long or short journey we do not know. The important thing is to be open to our God and continue on the same journey of faith.

The Christmas celebration calls us to draw near to the Lord Jesus in faith and hope. When we listen to his words and when we try to follow his way, we allow the power of his love to shine in the darkness that surrounds us. The presence of Christ that illuminates our lives becomes a light for the world, a light for those who live in a land of deep darkness.

May our faith be so deepened during this holy season that in the midst of any darkness, we may help one another see and appreciate that we are bathed in the glorious light of Christ. With Christ our Saviour who said, I am the Light of the World, we will never be overcome by darkness. May you enjoy a peaceful, happy and blessed Christmas.

Fraternally,
+ Wayne Kirkpatrick, Bishop of Antigonish

Życzymy błogosławionego tygodnia / Wishing you a blessed week!