Biuletyn / Bulletin – 13-ego grudnia 2020 roku / December 13, 2020

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-OPENED 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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Trzecia Niedziela Adwentu / Third Sunday of Advent

CZYTANIA / READINGS:
Pierwsze czytanie: Iz 61, 1-2a. 10-11
Psalm: Łk 1
Drugie czytanie: 1 Tes 5,16-24
Ewangelia: J 1,6-8.19-28

First Reading: Isaiah 61: 1-2a, 10-11
Psalm: Luke 1
Second Reading: 1 Thess. 5:16-24
Gospel: John 1:6-8, 19-28

RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Raduj się, duszo, w Bogu, Zbawcy moim / My soul rejoices in my God

MASS INTENTION FOR TODAY is for Irene Melnick offered by Stephanie Black and family

Wednesday Masses and Novena to Our Lady of Czestochowa are not being held during this phase of re-opening.

Altar Society designated volunteers for December: Stephanie Black, Anne Marie Campbell

PLEASE NOTE: Please see the end of the bulletin for the detailed public health protocols specific to our church. Please note that we are using a pre-registration system, where persons attending must receive a prior call. If you have not recently been called, please contact Stephanie Black (902-578-3697). Thanks very kindly.

AFTER-MASS PROTOCOL: We depart out the side entrance, row by row, starting with front rows and maintaining distancing. Singing of “Sto lat” for birthdays and anniversaries can happen outside with distancing, as indoor singing is not permitted at this time because of the health regulations. Many thanks. Dziekujemy bardzo!

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OGŁOSZENIA / ANNOUNCEMENTS

Fr. Dennis still has on-line Mass available: http://www.sainttheresasydney.com/

PASTERKA (CHRISTMAS EVE SHEPHERDS’ MASS) will be at 10:00pm on December 24. We will have to continue to do seat assignments, but are hoping to have spill-over seating in the Sala 1050 and the Polish Village Hall. If you have not recently been in touch or received a call about Mass attendance, please call Stephanie Black at 902-578-3697.

DECORATING OUR CHURCH FOR CHRISTMAS: After Mass next Sunday, December 20. Thanks to anyone who can stay for a short time to help!

WOULD YOU LIKE OPŁATEK AND POLISH CHRISTMAS CARDS? Please speak with Tom Urbaniak (tom_urbaniak@cbu.ca; 902-563-1226).There is no charge (it’s a gift to you) – just a kind request to bring an item for the food cupboard. Although gatherings will be very small this year, it's also a common and heart-warming Polish tradition to place a piece of Oplatek (traditional Christmas wafer) inside a Christmas card as a way of sharing blessings and best wishes with the recipient

A REQUEST FOR NON-PERISHABLE ITEMS: If you are registered to attend Mass this Sunday (or in the following weeks), and if you can, we would be very grateful if you could bring a non-perishable food item or personal care item (eg. shampoo, soap, toilet paper). There will be a box at the entrance. These items will help to stock our Food Cupboard outside the Polish Village Hall and also assist Loaves and Fishes.

FOOD CUPBOARD AT THE POLISH VILLAGE HALL: Thank you for your help. The sign on the Cupboard says “Take what you need, leave what you don’t, give what you can. Thank you!” The Cupboard was put up this spring by the St. Michael’s Polish Benefit Society, working with carpenter (and fellow parishioner) Adam McCormick and Sixty Minute Signs. The Food Cupboard had very good support from the community, including weekly from our parish.

PUTTING TOGETHER FOOD HAMPERS FOR CHRISTMAS: The St. Michael’s Polish Benefit Society will be having a small gathering (Fri., Dec. 18, 6:00pm Polish Village) – with physical distancing and masks – to put together food hampers for Christmas (to the households in the area to whom the Society was delivering in April, May and June, before the Food Bus came back on line). If you would like to help out that evening, please call 902-563-1226.

INVITATION TO A WEEKLY ADVENT EVENING PRAYER AND DISCUSSION (join in by computer or telephone): By Zoom. Facilitated by Rev. Alison Etter, who extends a welcome to members of our parish.Thursdays at 8:00 pm
By computer. Please use this link: https://zoom.us/j/9410521825 Password: 227259
By phone: 1 647 374 4685. Enter the meeting ID: 941 052 1825

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). 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. This is 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 bekoledowanie (Polish carolling)  Guest will be Robert Schella. Many thanks to this week’s sponsor, Fr. Rich Philiposki! This week’s episode is in memory of deceased members of the St. Michael’s Polish Benefit Society. Please note: The last week of December and the weeks of January are open for the radio segment sponsors! We would be so grateful to anyone who can sponsor a week for $100!

COLLECTION FOR OUR PARISH DECEMBER 6: $1670.00, including $140 flowers and $100 for fuel. Many thanks for your generosity. Bόg zapłaƈ!
If you are attending Mass, you will find a collection basket near the entrance and exit (since we are not passing around the basket due to the public health restrictions).

DONATIONS TO OUR PARISH: Thanks very kindly for any help you can provide toward our ongoing expenses. 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!

A RECENT MESSAGE ON TWITTER FROM POPE FRANCIS: “I want to be close to all doctors and nurses during this time in which the pandemic calls us to be near all men and women who suffer. Thank you for drawing near to them, thanks for your tenderness, thanks for your professionalism in taking care of the sick.

VIDEO OF THE ŚWIĘTY MIKOŁAJ (ST. NICHOLAS) VIRTUAL VISIT LAST SUNDAY: It’s on our parish Facebook page: www.facebook.com/stmaryspolishparish/  .

THANKS so much to students of Whitney Pier Memorial Middle School and their teacher, Krista Ann Starzomski, for filling our food cupboard this week at the Polish Village Hall. Among the students is Anthony Melski, son of our Society's past president, Tony Melski. All of you are kind and wonderful people!

   

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PUBLIC HEALTH REQUIREMENTS FOR MASS, SPECIFIC TO OUR CHURCH – as of Sunday, July 12
Dear Fellow Parishioners and Friends:
Below are the public health requirements related to Mass attendance, as applied specifically to our church. 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.
  1. 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.
  1. For the first week (Sunday, July 5), parishioners were 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. In subsequent weeks, persons who could not attend the previous week were being called first.
  1. 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).
  1. 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.
  1. Masks are now mandatory. (All attendees have been wearing masks in church – and masks were available at the entrance. Thank you!) Please remember that this is also for the safety of others.
  1. 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.
  1.  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.
  1. Entry will be through Wesley St. doors. Staged (gradual) exit will take place through side (parking lot) doors.
  1. There will be hand sanitization at the entrance.
  1. There will be no choir for the time being, as per the public health requirements.
  1. There will be one lector and no altar servers.
  1. The church will be sanitized (pews, knobs, etc) after use in order to be fully clean for each Mass.
  1. Ushers will assist with seating, from a distance.
  1. There will be no Holy Water in the hand fonts.
  1. Fr. Dennis will explain protocols for Communion, which will necessitate social distancing and extreme prudence.
  1. 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.
  1. Confession remains on an as-requested basis, maintaining social-distancing guidelines.
  1. Other church in-person gatherings remain suspended for the time being.
  1. 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. 
  1. Hymnals, brochures, and other items in the pews have been removed for the time being.
  1. 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.

Życzymy błogosławionego tygodnia / Wishing you a blessed week!