Holy Week and Easter in Schenectady

A Friend needs you!

Someone’s in trouble and He needs you!

Imagine if a family member were to call and say, “I’m going through something, could you visit with me? It would really help. Please.” That’s exactly what happens during Holy Week. Jesus is facing the toughest week of His ministry on earth. He’s put it all out there, has told it like it is, and He’s being hunted down.

From the heights of adulation on Palm Sunday, to His last meal on Maundy Thursday, His agonizing death and burial on Good Friday, and His time in the tomb, He needs you to sit with Him, to reassure Him of your love and support. Most of His apostles have run off, the crowds are gone. You are the only family He has left. Our Lenten theme has centered on family. Jesus created us as Church, not to be an organization, but to be real family to Him and each other. We all need to step up in His time of need, so please come. He needs you this week.

Then, on Easter Sunday, come back. He wants you to celebrate with Him. Find the stone rolled away, the tomb empty, and your heart filled. Don’t just look for an Easter church… Find the gift of salvation, love, community, family, the Word of God, and freedom with your Christian family at Holy Name of Jesus!

Holy Week and Easter service schedule

Sunday, April 1st: Palm Sunday

  • Blessing and Distribution of Palms, Worship Service, 9:30am.

Thursday, April 5th: Maundy Thursday

  • Reception of Holy Oils and Chrism, Holy Mass, Procession and Reposition of the Blessed Sacrament, and Stripping of the Altars, 7pm.
  • Private Devotion, 8:30 – 9pm.

Friday, April 6th: Good Friday

  • Church opens for private devotion, Noon.
  • Stations of the Cross, 1pm.
  • Bitter Lamentations, 2pm.
  • Opening of the Tomb, 3pm.
  • Liturgy of the Presanctified, 7pm.

Saturday, April 7th: Holy Saturday

  • Blessing of fire, holy water, renewal of baptismal promises, reading of the Exhortations, blessing of Easter foods/baskets, 4pm.

Sunday, April 8th: Solemnity of the Resurrection/Easter Sunday

  • Finding of the empty tomb, Resurrection procession, Holy Mass, 9:30am.
  • Easter Gathering/ÅšwiÄ™conka, 11am.

On behalf of Fr. Adam, the Parish Committee and with the deepest confidence in your love and support as members of the Christian family, I invite you to join us as we walk with and support our Lord through Holy Week and celebrate with Him at His resurrection.

— Deacon Jim

Basket Social – 4 weeks away!

Our amazing, wonderful, ever popular Basket Social is just 4 weeks away.

Our annual Basket Social will be held on Sunday, April 15th at the VFW Hall at 1309 Fifth Avenue in Schenectady. Doors open at noon. Besides our usual wide array of baskets, there will be door prizes, homemade afghans, and our traditional Polish kitchen serving all your favorites. Homemade desserts too…

Baket social, raffle, door prize, Polish food, Schenectady, Albany, Troy

67th Annual PNCC Bowling Tournament coming to Schenectady

We invite you to Schenectady:

On behalf of the Tournament Committee for the 67th Annual PNCC/YMS of R Bowling Tournament, please accept this invitation to participate in this year’s event, sponsored by our parish, Holy Name of Jesus in Schenectady, NY. The Tournament will begin on Friday, May 18th and conclude on Sunday, May 20th.

Schedule of Events:

Thursday, May 17, 2012 – Solemnity of the Ascension of our Lord

Friday, May 18, 2012

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Accommodations:

We recommend:

Ramada Plaza Albany
3 Watervliet Ave. Ext.
Albany, NY 12206 US

Check in: After 3:00 PM
Check out: Before 11:00 AM
Phone: 518-438-8431
Fax: 518-438-8356

Hotel website

The Ramada Plaza Albany hotel is right off I-90, Exit 5 and is right down the street from our Friday and Saturday evening venues (almost walking distance). The hotel’s location, adjacent to the I-90 interchange allows for quick access to the I-87 Northway which will get you to Spare Time Lanes and Holy Name of Jesus. The hotel is also close to great sightseeing in New York’s Capital, shopping and entertainment.

The hotel offers a free deluxe breakfast buffet. There is a fitness center as well as indoor and outdoor pools. You can also stay connected to home with free Wi-Fi Internet access. The hotel is pet-friendly. Rooms feature in-room microwaves and refrigerators, guest laundry services and free parking for vehicles of any size.

Venues:

A = Albany Polish American Citizens Club, 110 Commerce Avenue, Albany, NY 12206
B = Spare Time Lanes, 375 Troy Schenectady Road, Latham, NY 12110
C = Holy Name of Jesus Parish, 1040 Pearl Street, Schenectady, NY 12303

Registration and Forms:

You may click on any of the following links to download these forms to your computer, or just click and print them from this website.

Please return all forms and fees by April 15, 2012. Make all checks payable to: 2012 Tournament Committee.

Mail completed packets to:

Holy Name of Jesus
Attn: Deacon Jim Konicki
1040 Pearl St.
Schenectady, NY 12303-­‐1846

Thank you and we look forward to seeing you in New York’s Electric City – Schenectady for some powerful bowling action and competition, great fellowship, and fun over a Spirit filled weekend.

Reflection for the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Freedom is not free…
But we are free because the Lord has delivered us!

“Brothers and sisters: I should like you to be free of anxieties.”

There was a lot of anxiety in 1897. The people of Scranton had scrimped and saved to build a church. The parish they had built, that their generous donations supported, didn’t want them. They had been ejected from their former parish by a cruel pastor who demanded only obedience, who derided the hard working people, threatening them will hellfire. He sought only to be the lord and master of the people.

Think of their anxiety. They were outcasts, without a parish, without a pastor, without a spiritual home. Their investment in a spiritual home was gone and its doors were shut to them. In their anxiety they reached out to God and in doing so found comfort in a pastor, a shepherd who made the grace of God available once again. Not a pastor who demanded to be their lord and master, but a pastor who was their brother, teacher, and guide; a pastor whose heart was for the people.

God sent Åš.P. Bishop Hodur to take their commission. He let them know the one key way to alleviate anxiety. It was not submission to priests, bishops, and a pope who defined themselves as royalty, as lords and masters, but instead knowledge of the one Lord and Savior who frees us.

Bishop Hodur showed them the true Jesus who came to give us His word, to teach us, to show us the way to the Father. He showed them that Jesus was not preparing hellfire for His people, but rather the joys of heaven. He pointed and led to Jesus who takes up every one of our anxieties, big and small, and frees us; Jesus, who promises us joy.

Today we honor our freedom as we exercise our voice and vote in our annual parish meeting. This freedom was hard won, but has given us the best of all churches – one that is fully Catholic and fully democratic.

The people of Scranton took their anxiety to the Lord and He showed them the way, provided for them. Let us too rely on the Lord who has made us free.

Epiphany and Home Blessings

The Solemnity of the Epiphany was celebrated on January 6th. On that day we blessed of chalk and incense for use in the blessing of homes. Fr. Adam or Deacon Jim are available to come to your home for the traditional Epiphany home blessing. Please see them to make an appointment. Blessing appointments are available through February 21st (prior to Ash Wednesday).


Solemnity of the Holy Name of Jesus

First Reading: Sirach 51:8-12
Psalm: Ps. 113:1-6
Epistle: 1 Corinthians 1:1-3
Gospel: Matthew 1:18-25

I will praise thy name continually,
and will sing praise with thanksgiving.

Given a name:

Today we celebrate the name we were given. Our parish, “Holy Name of Jesus.”

Have you ever considered the name you were given, and why you ended up with that name?

Perhaps your mom or dad told you the story of your name. You were named after… We always liked… Your name means…

Today, let’s consider our name, what it means to be named after Jesus and His holiness.

Name and being are one:

In biblical times names had particular importance. The name one was given might reflect something that was happening at the time of their birth. It might reflect a prophecy or a hope. The most important name was the name of another person given to the child. When a person gave their name to another it meant that they were joined in very close unity. Furthermore, the closest possible relationship exists between a person and their name. Particularly in biblical times, and in many cultures today, if someone’s name were removed, they pass out of existence, out of relationship with their community. Name and existence are one, and signify being.

Baptism:

When someone is baptized they are given Jesus’ name. They bear His mark, the sign of the cross. His name is their name, and the baptized person and Jesus are one.

God’s name:

If a person were ever to forget God’s name, they would depart from Him. God’s name is particularly important because knowing His name, being baptized into Him, makes us His people.

Holy Name:

God’s name is holy. God’s revelation in the old testament is made complete and explicit in the coming of Jesus. Knowing Jesus and knowing His name means that we also know and acknowledge His holiness. Jesus is the full revelation of God’s holiness.

In Jesus we see the true nature of God’s holiness. His holiness is exactly this: That God is pure and loving, that He is righteous, that there is nothing evil in Him.

Because of this pure, loving, and righteous holiness, God gave Himself for our redemption. Jesus came to us to save us, and to reveal the fullness of God’s holiness to us. That holiness longs and desires to make itself known to us personally and to all, universally.

Let’s consider:

So let us consider the name we were given. Let us think about the name we were given, Holy Name of Jesus Parish.

Our name is not only important, but it is the most important of names, because we are given, granted the name of Jesus. This means that we are joined with Jesus. We are at one with Him in His work, in His mission, and His ministry.

Our name and our being are not only important, but create oneness, unity with Jesus. Our name represents a community with Jesus at the center, and all of us joined with Him. Apart from Him we do not exist. Our name and our mission are one.

Our community is a baptismal community. Baptism is the gate through which we all enter, where we are made one with Jesus. He gave us His name – not just as a building or a parish, but as individuals and a community.

Each of us and our community are joined to the holiness of God. God’s holiness is in all times and places. It is in every institution associated with His worship — and in particular with this place of worship because we bear His name. It is our high and distinct honor to be called by Jesus’ name.

Our mission:

Our mission is to reveal God, to share Jesus’ holy name with all. We are to bring people to baptism into Jesus, so that Jesus’ name will be their name. We are to bring people to the holiness of God by revealing His holiness – His pure, loving, and righteous holiness. In their joining with us, under His name, they will receive all the promises of Christ. They will know God, they will have abundant life, and they will have everlasting life.

Jesus’ Holy Name — His name and His holiness are given to us. We, by taking His name, have entered into a personal and communal relationship with God. We exist because we abide in His holy name. We are blessed by His name, and we have our work and mission before us. Honoring His holy name, we shall be victorious.

Blessed be the name of the Lord forever!

Amen.

For the Solemnity of the Holy Name of Jesus – our Parish Feast

Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father, he will give it to you in my name. (John 16:23)

Our Patronal Feast is the occasion on which we annually celebrate and honor the Holy Name of Jesus as our protector and special benefactor. As you well know, and see among our faithful, every time we pronounce the Name of Jesus we bow our heads. This is significant, because the honor we give to Jesus’ Holy Name, and our prayer on behalf of each other and the parish before the Lord, is not in vain. Already, wonderful things are happening. We have much to be grateful for, and much that we must yet pray for.

So, let us gather on Monday, January 2nd at 7pm for Holy Mass on the occasion of the Solemnity of the Holy Name of Jesus. Let us offer prayer and supplication, and give great thanks by praising Jesus’ Holy Names:

Son of God, Jesus, Yeho-shua, Yeshua, Yahweh saves, Yahweh is my help, Ἰησοῦς, ΙΗCΟΥC, IESVS, Christ, Χριστός, Christus, King, Prophet, High Priest, Messiah, Anointed One, Lord, Son of man, King of the Jews, King of Israel, Rabboni, Master, Rabbi, Emmanuel. Divine, Redeemer, Liberator, Savior of the World, Teacher, The new Adam, Logos, The Word, Head of the Church, Star from Jacob, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, Man of Suffering, Son of Mary, Nazorean, Word of God, Lamb of God, Messiah, Anointed One, Bread of Life, Gate of the Sheep, Good Shepherd, Holy and Just One, Apostle and High Priest, Alpha and Omega, Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Root of David, Lamb Slain, Lord of Lords, King of Kings.