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 Rich Philiposki is currently NOT in residence as pastor. Contact info: rphiliposki@aol.com 702-881-3674 (cell)
-During Father Rich’s extended times outside the region, Father Evo DiPierro will serve as Administrator: dipierro@dal.ca 902-564-4222

MSZY/MASSES: PLEASE NOTE: Public health continues to strongly recommend wearing masks in congregate settings

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 / 14th Sunday of Ordinary Time

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

MASS INTENTION FOR TODAY 9:30am: Mass intention is for the souls of Catherine Ardelli and Julia Munshaw offered by Shirley and the family
WEDNESDAY, 6:30pm: Mass followed by Novena to Our Lady of Częstochowa

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OGŁOSZENIA / ANNOUNCEMENTS

A NOTE FROM FATHER RICH: Niech będzie pochwalony Jezus Chrystus! Greetings from Częstochowa! We are nearing the conclusion of our pilgrimage tour. The Lord has blessed us with very good weather throughout our journey. We were able to have a brief visit to Walbrzych last Sunday and had private Mass in the largest Catholic church. I expect to arrive back in Sydney this Wednesday afternoon and resume the Mass schedule at our church. Holy Mass will be offered on Wednesday and Friday at 6:30pm. And then Thursday, Saturday and Monday at 9:00am. I am grateful to Father Evo for celebrating Masses the last two Sundays and Wednesday.

STO LAT! Many blessings to Stephanie Black on her birthday. Wszystkiego dobrego!

SEA SUNDAY: Today, July 9, churches around the world mark “Sea Sunday.” We pray for the health of our oceans, for those who work on the water, and for people including migrants and refugees who face dangers at sea.

A LITTLE GIFT FROM POLAND FOR FELLOW PARISHIONERS AND GUESTS/VISITORS: On your way into Mass, please accept a stylized Polish folk-motif pencil – purchased in Wałbrzych – a small gesture of friendship from fellow parishioner Tom.

LOOKING AHEAD TOWARD OUR 110th ANNIVERSARY: We’re looking ahead to Sunday, September 10 with a special Mass followed by gathering at the Polish Village Hall. The Pogoria Polish Folk Ensemble displays will be up at the same time as part of NS Polish Heritage Month. We would also like to invite everyone to set aside Saturday, September 23. We will have a parish retreat in Gabarus. We will reflect on our history and have a conversation on where God might be leading us in the years ahead. We will then proceed to the Gabarus lighthouse for the unveiling of the new Copernicus sundial to mark the famous Polish astronomer’s 550th birthday. We think it will be very meaningful for as many of us as possible to come together in that way.

CHRISTIAN SERVICE AND OUTREACH: At its recent meeting, the Rada discussed the impact of last year’s Christian Service and Outreach budget line in the parish budget, where the parish has helped to meet some basic needs in the community and support effective programs for people who are living in extremely difficult circumstances. This budget line draws not on regular collections but on part of the annual return on investment on the parish endowment and is specifically intended to help us try to do more to be Christ’s hands and feet in our community. Among our parish’s recent impact are the following:
--We were a founding donor of the Father Greg MacLeod House (which serves as both a student residence and an ecumenical community of Christian service), allowing it to get started in 2021. We also helped it get through the winter of 2022-2023 (bridge to other donors and funding).
--We contributed at a crucial time to the community street nurse program (when it was still temporary) and the start-up of the emergency dental program (under the auspices of the Ally Centre)
--We have helped the Whitney Pier Youth Club to purchase food for youth and families who are struggling
--We have helped Howard House provide some crucial help to residents (hygiene kits, bedding, bus tickets for volunteer placements)
--And of course we have contributed significantly to Ukrainian humanitarian assistance through three charities, primarily our sister city Wałbrzych’s fund (via CBRM) to care for Ukrainian refugees in the city.
At the recent Rada meeting, and in keeping with previous practice, the Rada allocated a partial chunk (not the full component) of this year’s annual budget line as follows. (There will be more discussion later in the year):
• $2,500 to Whitney Pier Youth Club (Boys and Girls Club Cape Breton) for nutritious meals and snacks over the summer and for emergency food hampers.
• $1,500 to Howard House to assist with basic needs of residents.
• $2,500 to Whitney Pier Memorial Middle School’s lunch program for students in need, which has been patching together funding.
• $1,000 toward the KAIROS ecumenical network. Our parish has been hosting fellow churches in this region. The network is starting a pilot volunteer program to accompany student newcomers to meetings with landlords. The network would also like to start a housing bursary fund to give some support to students who do volunteer work in our churches but who are struggling with housing at the same time. A contribution from our parish will likely promote other contributions toward such a bursary.
• $1,000 to St. Alban’s Anglican Parish. We have worked with counterparts at St Alban’s on various projects. They have struggled through Fiona damage and loss of a minister. They have done a number of repairs, thanks to insurance, but are now raising money for a new roof, which would have had to be done anyway. They have some fund-raising events coming up.
• $1,500 to Pathways to Employment to do community projects. Pathways is a local charity that works with people who are living with mental illnesses on employment, training and volunteer opportunities. Our parish has been working with Pathways successfully on projects for several years.
In the parish’s 2023 parish budget, there was a recommendation that $5,000 of the draw on the endowment be kept in the operating account for costs related to the parish’s 110th anniversary/Polish Heritage Month – especially activities that have a spiritual discernment component and a community outreach component, such as the scheduled retreat and community celebrations

HOUSING CHALLENGES IN OUR COMMUNITY: Recruiting a core of volunteers from local churches for a time-limited volunteer pilot project to accompany students in their meetings with landlords. Please speak with Tom Urbaniak (tom_urbaniak@cbu.ca).

FOOD CUPBOARD: Please consider bringing a non-perishable food or personal care item (e.g. shampoo, soap, toilet paper) to church when you come to Mass. There is a collection box at the entrance to the church. We try to fill the Food Cupboard after each Sunday Mass. Thank you so much!

OUR POLISH-THEMED RADIO SEGMENTS: The Coast Radio 89.7 (weekdays at 3:50pm and 7:50pm or any time at coastalradio.ca). This coming week's topic will be the word “ulica”, the Polish word for street. Many thanks to Victoria Shulga for lending her voice this week. This week’s segment is dedicated in memory of Delores Starzomski
We’re always looking for sponsors and volunteers. It’s $100 for a whole week. Sponsors are recognized on air – and any dedications, too (eg. if you’re sponsoring as a memorial or as a birthday or anniversary gift). The Coast is generously redirecting the sponsorships back to the St. Michael’s Polish Benefit Society (which produces the segments), which has been a big help to the Society. If you think you might like to sponsor a week, please e-mail tom_urbaniak@cbu.ca or call 563-1226. Many thanks!

POGORIA POLISH FOLK ENSEMBLE: Practice/meeting after Mass today in the Polish Village Hall.

COLLECTION FOR JULY 2: information will be included in next week's bulletin. Sincere thanks! Bόg zapłać!

THANKS VERY KINDLY FOR YOUR DONATIONS TO OUR PARISH : Donations may be made during weekly Sunday Mass collection. Also, please feel free to use the mail: St. Mary’s Polish Parish, 21 Wesley St., Sydney, NS, B1N 2M5. Donations can also 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!

Last Sunday, a group of our parishioners and other Cape Bretoners (shown here) made a point of visiting Wałbrzych, Poland, the sister city of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality. They are part of a larger group, visiting many cities in Poland, led by Fr. Rich Philiposki. While in Wałbrzych the group met up with fellow parishioner Tom Urbaniak, who was facilitating Cape Breton University’s summer field school at Angelus Silesius University in Wałbrzych . The group took part in a special Mass at Holy Guardian Angels Church, the mother church of the city of Wałbrzych

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PIEŚNI / HYMNS:

Entrance: Weż w swą opiekę nasz kościόł święty (Take Under Your Protection Our Holy Church)
First verse: Weź w Swą opiekę nasz Kościół święty/Panno Najświętsza, Niepokalana;/Niechaj miłością każdy przejęty Czci w Nim Jezusa naszego Pana./x2

During the special blessing of the people (seventh anniversary of the consecration of the church): Witaj święta I poczęta (A special hymn to the Blessed Virgin Mary)
First Verse: Witaj Święta i poczęta niepokalanie!/ Maryja śliczna lilija, nasze kochanie;/ Witaj czysta Panienko\, Najjaśniejsza Jutrzenko,/ Witaj święta, w niebo wzięta,/ Niepokalana.

Offertory: Serce Jezusa Ciche Pokorne (A hymn by St. John Paul II about the sacred, humble heart of Jesus)
1. Serce Jezusa, ciche, pokorne, usłysz ach, usłysz Twe, biedne dzieci póki burze, zagrażają, Serce Jezusa broń.
Ref: Słodko spoczniemy na Boskim Sercu, nigdy nie dozwól rozłączyć się. Usłysz prosimy, Twych dzieci głos; Serce Jezusa, o ratuj nas

Communion: Już przyszedł Jezu Ukochany (The Beloved Jesus Has Already Arrived) – choir

Post-Communion:Zdrowaś Maryjo, Bogarodzico (Hail Mary, the Mother of God)
1. Zdrowaś Maryjo Bogarodzico, Błagamy Ciebie, święta Dziewico: Niech łaska Twoja zawsze nam sprzyja, Módl się za nami, zdrowaś Maryja!
2. Wśród czystych duchów w obliczu Pana/ Tyś przenajświętsza, niepokalana/ Jak pośród kwiatów wonna lilija,/ Jak wśród gwiazd zorza, zdrowaś Maryja!

Recessional: Pod Twą Obronę (Under Thy Protection)
1. Pod Twą obronę, Ojcze na niebie,/ grono Twych dzieci swój powierza los,/ Ty nam błogosław, ratuj w potrzebie i broń od zguby, gdy zagraża cios./2x

Życzymy błogosławionego tygodnia / Wishing you a blessed week!