Holy Name of Jesus National Catholic Church

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.

These are our National United Choirs Music Scholarship recipients for 2010. The announcement of the Scholarships was made during Convo 2010 in July. Of the 18 Scholarships awarded this year, eight were in attendance at the Convo and were able to receive the accolades of their peers.

Adam, a first-time recipient, received the Polish National Union Award. This Award is endowed by our fraternal organization and is given to a member of both the Church and Spójnia. We congratulate Adam for this accomplishment and look forward to his sharing his God-given talent with us here in church sometime in the future.

Hannah received the George J. Balcar Award. George was a lifetime member of the Church. His home parish was SS. Cyril and Methodius in Chicago, IL. He was a dedicated churchman seriously devoted to his parish and his Church. George was also intricately involved in the United Choirs, being both the Treasurer of the Western Diocesan Circle Choirs and of the National Board. After his passing, and in recognition of his fierce love for the Choirs and the Church, this Fund was established to honor those of the same mettle.

Our heartfelt congratulations are extended to our 2010 recipients.

Applications for 2011 Scholarships will be available in February. Let us have all our parish musicians apply to be so honored.

SOCL: Our School of Christian Living sessions begin next Sunday, October 17th. Registration for these sessions continues. Children who have reached the necessary age for sacramental preparation will be enrolled for those session. We’re looking forward to another great year!

Music Scholarships: We will recognize and congratulate all Music Scholarship recipients from our Parish next Sunday, October 17th. In honor of their accomplishment we will share in coffee and cake following Holy Mass.

Semi-Annual Rummage Sale: Our Fall edition of our semi-annual rummage sale will take place on Saturday, October 23rd. Have something that needs a good home, a good home looking for something, make the connection.

Donations to Help Pets: Our annual tradition of gathering items for pets in need and pet rescue organizations continues. Please drop items off at the Parish.

Operation Christmas Child: We will be collecting shoeboxes during the last two weeks of October and the first two weeks of November. Let us once again help Samaritan’s Purse bring the love of Jesus to a child somewhere on our plant once again this year.

Pampered Chef: Stay tuned for further details on our Pampered Chef party following Holy Mass on Sunday, November 7th. Will Father Stan and Deacon Jim put on another edition of “Cooking with Clergy?”

Come, O Holy Comforter, and grant me a relish
for heavenly things. Produce in my soul the
fruits of virtue, so that, being filled with all
sweetness and joy in the pursuit of good, I may
attain unto eternal blessedness. As the Holy
Synod will gather tomorrow to begin its
historical deliberations and planning for the
next four years, allow Your gifts to be ever-
present in all that is said, done, prayed for,
believed in, and accomplished until
adjournment. Allow also that all that is decided
upon be for the praise of Your Holy Name and
for the benefit of all the members of the Polish
National Catholic Church.

Come, O Spirit of Wonder, penetrate my inmost
heart, that l may set You, my Lord and God,
before my face forever; and shun all things that
can offend You so that I may be made worthy to
appear before the pure eyes of Your divine
Majesty in the heaven of heavens, where You
live and reign in the unity of the Ever-blessed
Trinity, world without end. Especially allow
our Holy Synod to gather and deliberate while
all the while having wonder in Your Presence,
and allow them to depend on Your interaction
in all the deliberations that shall take place
during the time of Holy Synod.

Come, O Spirit of Piety, possess my heart;
incline it to a true faith in You, to a holy love of
You my God, that with my whole soul I may
seek You, and find You my best, my truest joy.
Especially give this gift to our Seminary, its staff,
program, and those who shall answer the call to
ordained ministry. Allow our Seminary to stand
with holiness in Your presence, as it prepares
shepherds of Your Holy Church.