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Today’s intentions: 
Today’s Mass will be celebrated in the following
intentions:
1). For Karol Kamiński – May He rest in peace
2). For good health and strength for Father Edward
Woroniecki who works with local Polonia in
Lithuania.
3). For good health and happiness for Jan Szengofer
of Lublin.
| All
Saints, Patrons of Poland, plead to the Lord
for us and our brothers. |
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Amen |
| Today’s
readings: |
Today’s hymns: |
(Dn 12,1-3) First Reading
Psalm (Ps 16,5.8-11)
(Hbr
10,11-14.18)
Second
Reading
(Mk 13, 24-32)
Gospel according to Mark |
#122 – Nie rzucim Chryste
#115– Pod Twą obronę
# 64 – Pan Jezus już się zbliża
# 120
– Króluj nam Chryste
#121– My chcemy Boga |
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Polish Independence Day
Gdzie człowiek za brata gotów oddać życie
Gdzie kraj zanurzony w nieszczęśliwym bycie
Gdzie tragedia ludzkości w rzekę krwi
przelana
Gdzie Polska historia wszem wobec
nieznana...
Dla kogo kwiatów, przemów
i pochyleń głowy ? |
Gdzie życie ze śmiercią brutalnie się zderzy
Chwała bowiem tym, co nie boją się uwierzyć
Daj żyć Narodowi, co w niewoli byt wiódł
przez lata
Order bohaterom, winnym
i zdrajcom miecz kata
Tak jak wtedy łączono ich we wspólnej mogile
Tak teraz niech rosną w jedności i sile.
(poem in Polish – author unknown) |
 November 21 (Saturday)- St. Cecilia’s Concert
St.
Cecilia is the patron saint of musicians.
On November 21st we will celebrate St. Cecilia’s day
with a holy mass in English and Polish, as well as a
concert. Just like last year, all singers and
musicians are welcome to participate.
His Return (reflections)
 We don’t know the day, we don’t know the time. This
is certainly true. We don’t know how He will return,
either. But this is not important. God’s return into
this world is not related to any dates, is not
within any limitations (time or space), is not
dependent upon any factors, difficulties or
obstacles. God will simply return to us one day.
The end is close... says Jesus. Stars will be
falling from heaven. This is when the end of the
world will come. And then? Then God’s Son will
arrive, with the great power and glory in the skies.
And even though it will happen soon, nobody knows
the exact day or time. Not even Jesus. This must
mean something. This is supposed to tell us
something.
Towards the end of the year the readings clearly
remind us that Jesus is not only nice and pleasant.
He can also be demanding, and even warn us when
necessary. Be alert, Jesus says, the world is coming
to an end...... World is not everything. Even your
life is not everything, says Jesus, be alert. This
means that we need to look out for what is ahead of
us. Let our thoughts get ahead of us. Maybe there is
something else, out there. Definitely there is
something else. God’s Son will arrive. The world
will come to an end.
And you, the people, will experience this. In
whatever way. And then there will be the judgement
day, the assessment of everybody’s life. Who
respected and followed God’s will? The Judge will
decide. We do not know what will be decided. God is
fair, God is forgiving, God is loving. We should not
be afraid of the judgement. We can live according to
God’s will and look forward to be a part of His
heavenly kingdom, forever.
God Bless!
Fr. Kazimierz Abrahamczyk
St. John
Church – yard cleaning
Fr. Kazimierz invites everyone to come help clean
the yard (collect the leaves and garbage) around St.
John’s church. We will start at 9 am on Saturday
Dec. 12. Pizza will be provided for lunch. Everyone
is welcome!
 Dec. 6, 2009 –
Santa Claus will visit the children
After the Holy
Mass at 3 pm on Sunday, Dec. 6, we will have a
surprise for our youngest parishoners – a visit from
Santa Claus!
Interested parents are asked to contact Krystyna
Zawada, ph. 756-0587.
Traditional Christmas Oplatek
Traditional Polish oplatek is now available. It can
be purchased from Zofia Schmidt, at $2 a package (3
pieces).
Confession
Everyone is welcome to come to confession every
Saturday at 4 pm, before the evening vigil at St.
John’s (Lamar Ave.). If you cannot come at this
time, please feel free to call one of our priests
and set up a more convenient time (phone numbers
above).
Polish Midnight
Mass
This year the
Midnight Mass in Polish will be celebrated on
Thursday, December 24, at
9 pm at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church (Poplar
Ave. in Germantown). Everyone is welcome to
participate!
Polish
Christmas Mass
Our Christmas Mass
in Polish will take place on December 25 (Friday) at
12:30 in the afternoon at St. Anne’s Church in
Bartlett (Stage Road). This time there will be no
meeting after the mass. We look forward to seeing
you there!
December
27(Sunday) – Mass at St. John’s and traditional
oplatek
Everyone is invited
to participate in the Polish-American-Korean Mass on
Sunday, December 27, at 12:00 (noon) at St. John’s
Catholic Church (Lamar Ave). Right after the mass we
will share the oplatek and sing some beautiful
Christmas carols. Let’s remember that each Christmas
carol sang during the holidays is a form of prayer.
Dec. 27 is also St.
John’s Day so we will perform the traditional
blessing of the wine. Please bring some cake,
cookies or fruit to share with the group. Everyone
is welcome !!!!
Holy Mass and
the New Year Mass – January 2 (Saturday)
We invite you to
come to the Polish Mass on Saturday, January 2 at
6:30 at St. John’s Church (Lamar Ave.). After the
Mass we will get together at St. Jude Hall to
celebrate, share some desserts and sing some more
Christmas Carols. Participation in a Saturday vigil
is a substitute for a Sunday Mass.
 Traditional „Kolęda”
Those of you who would like to open their door for
our Polish priests for the traditional Christmas
koleda, please give Fr. Kazimierz, Fr. Krzysztof or
Fr. Jacek a call. Numbers provided above.
Help needed!
We encourage everyone
to let us know if you can help with any of the
activities performed by the Polish Catholic Mission.
We need choir singers, collection ushers, lectors,
altar servers as well as volunteers to help in the
sachristy. Let’s remember that all talent comes from
God and he deserves our respect and glory by our
work, prayer and song. If you can help, please
contact Zofia Schmidt or Fathers Kazimierz,
Krzysztof or Jacek.
Polish Masses in 2009/2010
|
November |
December |
January |
|
14- Polish Mass –
Independence Day
21- St.
Cecilia’s – concert |
6- Holy Mass and St. Claus for
24-Midnight Mass
25-Christmas Mass
27- Polish-American-Korean Mass. |
2- Polish Mass to celebrate New Years
9 – Polish Mass |
„Where a Pole lives,
even one, there is Poland. Where a Polish heart
beats, even one, there is Poland”.
Fr.
Piotr Kufliński
Holy Sacraments
 According
to the Catechism of the Catholic Church
the Sacraments of
the Catholic Church are, "efficacious signs of
grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the
Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. The
visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated
signify and make present the graces proper to each
sacrament. They bear fruit in those who receive them
with the required dispositions." Though not every
individual has to receive every sacrament, the
Church affirms that, for believers as a whole, the
sacraments are necessary for salvation. Through each
of them Christ bestows that sacrament's particular
grace, such as incorporation into Christ and the
Church, forgiveness of sins, or consecration for a
particular service.
The Church teaches that the effect of a sacrament
comes ex opere operato,
 by the very fact of
being administered, regardless of the personal
holiness of the minister administering it. However,
a recipient's own lack of proper disposition to
receive the grace conveyed can block the
effectiveness of the sacrament in that person. The
sacraments presuppose faith and through their words
and ritual elements, nourish, strengthen and give
expression to faith. There are seven sacraments in
the Church: Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist,
Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders and
Matrimony.
 Division of Sacraments
Sacraments which can be accepted only once in a
lifetime – non repeatable (Baptism, Confirmation,
Matrimony, Holy Orders) and those that can be
accepted several times (Eucharist, Penance,
Anointing of the Sick). Sacraments can also be
divided based on who receives them. Confirmation,
Eucharist, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders,
Matrimony are sacraments for the living, and Baptism
and Penance are sacraments of the dead, received to
redeem sins. Sacraments of Christian initiation
(Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist), sacraments of
healing (Penance, Anointing of the Sick), sacraments
for the faithful (Matrimony, Holy Orders).
7 GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
1. Gift
of Wisdom
2. Gift
of Understanding
3. Gift
of Councel
4. Gift
of Fortitude
5. Gift
of Knowledge
6. Gift
of Piety
7. The
fear of God
Gift of Wisdom is an enlightement by the Holy
Spirit, which allows our mind to clearly see the
truths of faith, and feel the joy of faith
exploration. Gift of Understanding enlightens us,
spreads the living light, which in turn explains to
us the revealed truths and gives us the true
understanding of God’s Gospel. With the gift of
knowledge, we understand the meaning of God's
Revelation, especially as expressed in the life and
words of Jesus Christ. With the gift of right
judgment, we know the difference between right and
wrong, and we choose to do what is right. With the
gift of courage, we overcome our fear and are
willing to take risks as a follower of Jesus. With
the gift of reverence, sometimes called piety, we
have a deep sense of respect for God and the church.
A person with reverence recognizes our total
reliance on God and comes before God with humility,
trust, and love. The Fear of God prevents us from
committing sins because of fear to offend God, and
because of the respect that we have for Him.
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