Holy Name of Jesus National Catholic Church

The Music Scholarship Program will indeed be able to present financial help to its applicants once again this year with the help of your worthy donations. All across our Church, helpful church-people have offered their donations, which will turn into a blessed music ministry in our Church.

It was gratifying for this pastor, when asked to stand as a former recipient of a Scholarship at the Music Workshop in 2009, Hannah stood as well – a proud moment indeed.

This year the Scholarships will be announced at the Music Workshop to be held in our Diocese, hosted by Holy Mother of Sorrows parish in Dupont, PA.

The Deadline to apply for any Scholarships is April 1st. Applications for any of these awards may be received from the Music Scholarship Administrator: Mrs. Cathy Bilinski, 4051 Washington Crescent, Troy, MI 48085

Just to add a thankful, happy, yet tearful note: Yesterday, February 5th, the Chair of Music at the Savonarola Theological Seminary for over 30 years, Ś+P Michael Augustine, was buried in Scranton, PA. No doubt he will be directing the heavenly chorus, as he had the Cathedral Choir and the Scranton Circle of the United Choirs for many years. Ś+P Mr. Augustine was a brilliant teacher and a mentor to Father Stan who served as Father’s music instructor during his seminary matriculation.

The chant style of the PNCC is based upon Slavonic Chant.
The new hymnal of the PNC will be published in 2011.

The Music Scholarship Program was instituted on August 8, 1964 by the Sixth General Convention of the National United Choirs of the Polish National Catholic Church held in Carnegie, PA. The program was implemented at the Seventh General Convention, held in Cleveland, OH, on August 6, 1966, when the first awards were presented. The XII General Synod of the PNCC established the last Sunday in January as “Music Scholarship Sunday.”

The Music Scholarship program was instituted and tailored to develop musicians within the Polish National Catholic Church. The program was further expanded to establish a Chair of Music at the Savonarola Theological Seminary of our Church in Scranton, PA, and to also make scholarships available in other areas of music to enrich the musical life of the Church.

The Scholarship Program awards are divided into 2 categories: general scholarships and endowed scholarships.

General Scholarships

• The Bishop Francis Hodur Award
• The Bishop Francis Bonczak Awards
• The Bishop Francis Bonczak Youth Awards
• Church Music Award for Clergymen
• The Bishop Thaddeus Zielinski Awards
• Junior Incentive Awards

Endowed Scholarships

• The Polish National Union Award
• The Adam P. Pikulski Award
• The Cecelia Shumlas Award
• The Bishop Walter A. Slowakiewicz Award
• The Emil Swantkowski Award
• The George J. Balcar Award
• The Bishop Eugeniusz W. Magyar Awards
• The Edward and Frances Bialoglowicz Award

The Deadline to apply for any of these Scholarships is April 1st. Applications for any of these awards may be received from the Music Scholarship Administrator by writing to:

Mrs. Cathy Bilinski, Administrator
4051 Washington Crescent
Troy, MI 48085

Or by E-mail.

A few questions to test your personal knowledge of music history within the PNCC (answers will be posted February 1st):

The chant style of the PNCC is based upon _________ Chant.
The new hymnal of the PNC will be published in 20__.

Congratulations to the Clergy, Parish Committee, members, and friends of Holy Name of Jesus Parish on this our Patronal Feastday, the Solemnity of the Holy Name of Jesus.

Now that Jesus is born among us, may we always trust is the power of His name. – from the Preface for the Solemnity of the Holy Name of Jesus

We also offer up our prayers for those who served the Parish in love and honor of our Savior’s Holy Name, who have been called home to their eternal reward.

To sustain our democratic Church, its members are encouraged to be involved, and to exercise their right to a voice and a vote.

Call to Volunteer Ministries

Once again, we turn to the parish family and ask for assistance in the tasks we share as a community:

Altar Servers – This ministry is open to all who have made their First Holy Communion, especially those of this past year’s class. If you would like to share in this ministry, please give your name to Father Stan.

Lectors – This ministry is open to all adult members of our parish, including those who have made their Confirmation. Additionally, if you would like to enter into this ministry, please give your name to Father Stan.

Womens’ Society for the Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament – we are always looking for more of our parish women to join the long-standing organization. We thank the women thus organized for their ministry thus far in the service of our Lord and to this parish. Please consider this invitation.

Saturday Night Bingo Workers – we are entering into a new chapter in our efforts on Saturday evening. We could always use some extra help, even if you can only give a few hours between 5-7 pm. If you can offer these or a few more, please see Father Stan.

Nominations and our Annual Congregational Meeting

Please remember that nomination forms found in the December Newsletter are due next Sunday, January 2, 2011. This will give the Nominations Committee some time to fill any positions which have no names suggested for them. Please interact with this democratic aspect of our parish government.

Our Annual Congregational Meeting will be held following Holy Mass on Sunday, January 30, 2011.

Sincere thanks and deep appreciation are extended to the parish family concerning the collection of items during the Advent season. The economic recession had not diminished your giving:

• Seventy-two (72!!!) (2.5x the amount of last year) bags of food were donated and collected. These were taken to the Schenectady Inner-City Ministry.
• Twenty pairs of mittens, gloves, and hats (mostly child size) were collected. These were taken to the Northeast Parent and Child Association.
• Two (2!!!) blankets and two toys were collected. These were also taken to the Northeast Parent and Child Association.

There are many needy families in our area that are being blessed this holyday season. And think of those who are enjoying the shoeboxes you prepared For “Operation Christmas Child.”

May God bless you for your kind concern and gracious generosity!!!

With sincere and heartfelt recognition of offerings and God-given talent. . .

• to all those who had stayed to prepare the parish church for the Nativity holydays and to those preparing the hall for the “coś do chleba” and to Marilyn for providing the food with David and Rose Petrosky (Deborah’s parents) for providing the kielbasa for the after mass repast;
• to our choir director/organist, Liz, for her work in preparing for the Nativity liturgies; for all the voices aiding our prayers to praise God’s gift, Jesus;
• to the acolytes for their service in God’s House;
• to Deb Bilinski, Kim DonVito and our SOCL students providing the Christmas keepsake we have traditionally come to treasure;
• to all who have gathered to worship and praise the Father for sending to us His most precious Gift, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Ileż to wspomień łączy się że świętami Bożego Narodzenia. Wracamy myślą do dawnych lat, do czasów naszych młodych latach. Zatarły się okresy smutne i przygnębiający, pozostało jedynie wyrażenia radości powszechnej, jaka się zawszy łączy z tymi pięknymi świętami, przypominającymi nam, że narodził się Chrystus Pan. Który po to przyszedł na świat, aby zbawić ludzkość, aby skierować ja na drogę wiodąca do Królestwo Bożego na poszczególnymi Iudzmi i narodami, opartego na wzajemnym poszanowaniu i na wzajemnej miłości.

Celu tego dotychczas jeszcze nie osiągnięto i nie wkrótce będzie zresliżowany. A jednak patrząc wstecz na ubiegłe wieki, widzimy, że ludzkość kroczy, chociaż powoli, po wskazanej drodzy, wspina się na coraz wysze regiony ducha, buduje, cegiełka po cegiełce, lepsza przyszłość dla siebie i dla następnych pokoleń.

Zasiane ziarno nadzieji przed dwoma prawie tysiącami lat, nie zmarniało, Iecz rozrasta się stała w potężne drzewo wiary, które daje pewność, że idąc za wskazówkami Tego. Który się w Betlejem narodził a potem umarł na nas krzyżu, nie zbłądzimy, Iecz do celu ostatecznego ludzkości dojdziemy.

Dlatego tak radośnie obchodzimy Święta Bożego Narodzenia, ponieważ one przypominają nam to największe, a zarazem zbawienie dla nas wydarzenie, które dało światu całemu światło nadzięki, które zapowiadało że położy kres naszym cierpieniom, naszym obawom i naszym trosko.

W dzisiejszych czasach, wiara ta jest niezbędnie konieczna. Musimy więc mieć nadzieje na lepsze przyszłość i musimy dążyć do tego, aby nowszechna miłość zapanowała na świecie, aby ten Prawdziwy Pokój Chrystusowy mogł być prawdziwa częścią naszego osobistego życia.

ldżmy za Jezusem, a napewno nie zbłądzimy! Błogosławionych Świąt Bożego Narodzenia.

+Ks. Stanisław

Vigil of the Nativity and the Solemnity of the Nativity of our Lord

Midnight Holy Mass/Pasterka (Mass of the Shepherds) will be celebrated on Friday/Saturday, December 24/25, beginning at midnight with the procession to the manager and the reading of the Christmas proclamation.

The Holy Mass for Christmas Day will be celebrated on Saturday, December 25th at 10am.

Solemnity of the Humble Shepherds

Holy Mass will be celebrated on Sunday, December 26th at 9:30am. The blessing of wine in honor of St. John the Evangelist will take place following Holy Mass. Blessed wine will be distributed and shared.

Solemnity of the Circumcision of our Lord

Holy Mass will be celebrated Saturday, January 1st at 10am.

Solemnity of the Holy Name of Jesus

Holy Mass will be celebrated Sunday, January 2nd at 9:30am. This Solemnity marks the Feast Day of our Parish.

Solemnity of the Lord’s Epiphany

Pastoral Epiphany visitations begin.
Holy Mass will be celebrated Thursday, January 6th at 6:30pm.

Solemnity of the Baptism of the Lord

Holy Mass will be celebrated Sunday, January 9th at 9:30am.

Solemnity of the Presentation of the Lord

Candlemas Day, End of the Christmas Season.

As we look forward to the beginning of a new liturgical year, we look at the season of Advent as a time of preparation and expectation.

There are those around in our community, however, that have little to prepare for or expect.

As we approach this new liturgical year and this penitential season, let us re-new our efforts to provide for those in need: We shall begin our food drive collection, our mitten tree collections, blankets, and various other ways to lend a hand.

Please look with anticipation to this new liturgical year with the hope and peace of Christ, and see how much you can give of yourself this upcoming preparatory season. Thank you.

On Sunday, November 28th, the First Sunday in Advent, we will be holding the blessing of Opłatki (Christmas Wafers), our Advent Wreath, and our Jesse Tree prior to Holy Mass.

On Sunday, November 21st, the seventh Prime Bishop of the Polish National Catholic Church will be formally installed for service in a solemn ceremony prior to Holy Mass concelebrated by all the Bishops of our Church. (we currently have 2 Prime Bishops Emeritus, 1 retired bishop, 6 active bishops and 1 bishop-elect).

The Ceremonies shall begin at 3pm, with a dinner following at the Scranton Hilton Hotel. The Supreme Council of the Church is hosting this dinner at no charge to the attendees.

Ecumenical dignitaries have been invited to participate as well as local governmental officials. Local television coverage has been arranged, with the possibility of the ceremony being carried into the national broadcast venue.

We will need to let the National Church Office know of the number of attendees by November 5th. Again, there is no cost to attend the dinner.

We won’t have to consider the planning of an event like this for another eight years; and, since our new Prime Bishop is only 44 years old, we may not have to consider this event for another 16 years. So it is of importance that we consider witnessing this great event in the life of our Holy Church.

Please let Father Stan know of your intentions to represent our parish for this important time in the life of our Holy Church.