Today’s intentions:

Today’s Mass will be celebrated in the following intentions:
1). For Krystyna and Bernard Zawada, on their 29 wedding anniversary – to thank for God’s protection and ask for His blessings for many years to come 
2). For Tadeusz Tomaszczyk - Agnieszka Cieślak’s father –  on the 7th anniversary of his death
3). For Bolesław Karecki - Teresa Rudnicka’s father – on the 6th anniversary of his death

Our merciful Mother, please help those souls who have always loved you, and now are praying to you.
These are your children, so please help them and lead them to salvation. Amen.

XXIX Sunday of Ordinary Time – Reflections

From the very early years of his life, a child tries to get attention from everybody around him. This seems to be a natural instinct, as a desire to be noticed and appreciated is quite natural to us. Another step is to experience the surrounding world. A common phrase „I want a star from heaven” is a good indication of how many of us would like to see or touch something that is beyond our reach.  At first, a child points to what he wants. It is not until later that he learns what different things are called. Parents do not give their children everything they want though, they teach them to ask for it first. We should also learn to ask our Father in Heaven for what we need to achieve salvation – this is the first thing we need to ask for, before all other earthly things. A similar situation can be found in today’s reading when Jacob and John are asking to be seated at the right and the left side of Jesus, which is a very ordinary, earthly thing.... Christ responds: „you don’t know what you are asking for”. Do we know what to ask God for in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ?

["Honors resulting from faith are not anything wrong, therefore Jesus does not refuse them to Jacob or John. However, looking for priviledges for the glory itself may be dangerous. What can a person do to be worthy to receive God’s priviledges? Can we co-participate in salvation without the special glory given to us by God? Our priviledge is Jesus who understands our weaknesses and who looks at our sins and faults with tolerance”. Fr. Mariusz Jedliczka, „Oremus” October 2009, s. 79 ]

God Bless - Fr. Krzysztof Rusin 

October – Month of the Holy Rosary – Get to know the mysteries

Below is the newest version of the Holy Rosary, as recommended by John Paul II. Each of the four parts of the Rosary consists of 5 mysteries:

The Joyful Mysteries
(to be recited on Mondays and Saturdays)
1.The Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, who is the Mother of Jesus.
2.The Visitation of St. Elizabeth.
3. The Nativity.
4.The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple.
5. The Finding in the Temple among the wisemen. 

The Mysteries of Light
(to be recited on Thursdays)
1. Our Lord’s Baptism in the Jordan.
2. Our Lord’s Self Manifestation at the Wedding of Cana.
3. Our Lord Proclaims the Kingdom of God and Calls Us to Conversion.
4. Our Lord’s Transfiguration.
5. Our Lord’s Institution of the Eucharist as the Sacramental Expression of the Paschal Mystery.

The Sorrowful Mysteries
(to be recited on Tuesdays and Fridays)
1. The Prayer in the Garden.
2. The Scourging at the Pillar.
3. The Crowning with Thorns.
4. The Carrying of the Cross.
5. The Crucifixion.

The Glorious Mysteries
(to be recited on Wednesdays and Sundays)
1.The Resurrection.
2. The Ascension of Jesus.
3. The Coming of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles.
4. The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin.
5. The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin.
Each of the five mysteries equals to a decade recited in honor of this mystery.

How to recite a Holy Rosary?
Chose one set of mysteries (Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious, of the Light), remember of the day of the week. Before you start, try to concentrate and focus!                                                            

Make the sign of the cross, take the rosary and kiss the cross. While holding the cross, recite „The Apostles’ Creed”. Then hold a larger bead and say „Holy Father”. Then hold three smaller beads and say „Hail Mary”, three times per bead, asking for faith, hope and love. Before you go to another larger bead recite „Glory Be”.
Now you can recite the remaining decades of the Rosary and contemplate its mysteries.
The title of a mystery should be said before each larger bead, followed by a decade of Hail Marys:
1 x Holy Father (larger bead)
10 x Hail Mary (small beads)
1 x Glory Be (before another large bead)
You should continue reciting the following decades of the Holy Rosary. At the end you can pray for protection of the Virgin Mary. Finish by making the sign of the cross.

September 26th Fundraiser is a great success!

The idea to organize a Polish dinner to raise funds for the Polish Catholic Mission was a great success, thanks to Father J. Edwin Creary’s authorisation to use the Parish Hall of  Our Lady of Perpetual Help Chirch in Germantown. The large hall, beautifully decorated by a group of volunteers led by Krystyna Zawada and Ray Podgorski, held as many as 220 participants from various parishes of our diocesis, including the Church of the Sacred Heart in Humboldt, TN (near Jackson).
The Polish Dinner was supposed to not only raise funds for our Mission, but also introduce our country and its culture to a larger group of people from the Diocese of Memphis. Father Krzysztof, who is an associate pastor at OLPH, as well as Fathers Kazimierz and Jacek rolled up their sleeves and helped prepare the meal and clean afterwards. Teresa Rudnicki’s culinary talents did not fail us once again, but without help and the hard work of many members of our Polish community the 220 guests would most probably be hungry...
We would like to thank all the volunteers, especially the members of the OLPH church Elżbieta and Radek Słomiński, as well as  Bożena Kucza, Urszula Bis, Zofia and Bob Schmidt, Agnieszka and Darek Miga, Jadwiga and Czesław Grabowicz, Joanna and Janusz Hofman, Krystyna, Jurek and Monika Milczek, Kazia and Magda Szymanek as well as Monika Radkowska, Zofia Gruszczyńska, Monika Huserik, Marysia Śnieżek, Agnieszka Cieślak, Stasia Surówka, Ela Skorupska and our very dedicated organist Mike (Michał)  Meeks.
The hard work brought the Polish Catholic Mission the profit of approximately $2,500.
On behalf of our Mission we thank everyone for your participance, help and any kind of support!

All Saint’s Day – the Mass of November 1

The fifth traditional All Souls’ Mass dedicated to the memory of our loved ones will be celebrated on Sunday, November 1, 2009 at 4 pm at St. John’s Church. It is going to be another opportunity for us to celebrate our Polish tradition and spiritually unite with our families back at home. Just like it is done in Poland, everyone will have an opportunity to light a candle to commemorate their loved ones. The candles will be provided, and all the participants are asked to bring a list of names of the family members for whom the candles will be lit. Please write clearly or print. The notes should be placed in the basket near the main altar . Perpetual fire, the symbol of light and unification with our loved ones will remain with us until the Mass is over. Please be punctual.

Independence Day

This year we will celebrate our national holiday, the Independence Day, by participating in the Holy Mass on Saturday, Nov. 14 at 6:30 pm at St. John’s Catholic Church  (2742 Lamar Ave.). Everyone is welcome to celebrate another Mass in Polish with us.  

November 21 (Saturday)- St. Cecilia’s Concert

St. Cecilia is the patroness 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. Please call Fr. Kazimierz or Zosia Schmidt if you would like to take part in this event.

The Financials

The offering collected at the September mass came to $230.  Expenses: $100 for church operations, $75 for funeral and church flowers.
Please note that there are donation envelopes on the table near the church entry: one for the Polish Catholic Mission, and one for the Seminarian Fund.

Help needed!

We encourage everyone to let us know if you can help with any of 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, preyer and song. If you can help, please contact Zofia Schmidt or Fathers Kazimierz, Krzysztof or Jacek.  

Polish Masses throughout the rest of 2009

BEATIFICATION OF FATHER Popiełuszko

The Vatican’s Canonization Bureau announced that in several months the beatification process of Fr. Jerzy Popiełuszko will be completed and the date of his beatification will be known. The last stage is the conference of cardinals and bishops assisting in the process. Oct. 19 is the 25th anniversary of Father Popieluszko’s assassination.  

MORE SEMINARIans

According to Father Professor Krzysztof Pawlina, rector of the Metropolitan Seminary of Warsaw, compared to 2008, this year more young men joined Polish seminaries. The rectors of Polish seminaries announced that so far this year 718 candidates joined the seminaries, which is 23 more than last year (per Catholic Information Agency, PAP and „Nasz Dziennik”).

To those who watch their flock please give the strength to carry the burden of everyday life. Mother of God, Queen of the Polonia abroad, and all the saint patrons and patronesses of Poland, please plead to the Lord for us and our brothers.

Amen.