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Month: January 2013

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Reflection for Septuagesima and Music Scholarship Sunday

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How can I know you’re happy?
I’m singing to God.

Make a joyful shout to God all the earth! Sing out the honor of His name; make His praise glorious – Psalm 66:1,2.

Our Holy Church places a right emphasis on the place of music in worship. In the ancient Church, the Bishop as minister of the Eucharist sung the words of the Eucharistic prayer, raising people’s minds to the beauty and glory of God.

Our worship transcends time. Heaven will always resound with worship. When we complete our life on earth, we will have eternal careers as worshippers praising Him around His throne.

Our days in the community of faith – the Church – are to be spent in preparation for this eternal career through worship.

Jesus said: “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him.”

Therefore, we encourage each other to worship and take this opportunity to stress the importance of worship through song. We further encourage study by our youth and adults through scholarships so that their talents might add to our worship.

Worship through music provides the body of Christ in the Church, and here in our parish, with an opportunity to engage in heartfelt and meaningful praise of the Triune God. The style of our worship songs varies, but through each we offer to God our praise and adoration in singing, choral music, ensembles, and special presentations.

Worshipping through song glorifies God, edifies the body, prepares our hearts for hearing the Word preached, and is our response to teaching. St. Paul told the people of Colossae, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

It is the Church’s goal that worship in song be a vital part of each believer’s life, allowing God to mold our attitudes and actions as we give voice to the “new song” He has placed in our hearts (Psalm 96:1).

The ministry of music plays a very important role in our worship. It expresses our joy in a special way and is a unique and vital aspect of our worship.

Our heavenly Father expects absolutely everything we do to be an act of worship. The purpose of worship in music is to bring Him glory by rehearsing His character through song. What better way to show Him, and each other, the joy we have in Christ.

Events, PNCC, , , ,

National United Choirs – Music Scholarship Sunday

Make a joyful shout to God all the earth! Sing out the honor of His name; make His praise glorious – Psalm 66:1,2

UnknownJanuary 27th, the last Sunday of January, has been set aside by PNCC Synodal resolution as Music Scholarship Sunday, which puts special emphasis on the Music Scholarship program of the National United Choirs of the P.N.C.C. It is the Sunday when the choirs, organists, directors and choir members should be recognized for their contributions to the music ministry of our church. It is also the Sunday when we look to the future and identify those that we hope will be part of the music ministry of the church. Thank you for your support of the music scholarship program. Scholarship applications are available on-line at the NUC website.

Christian Witness, Events, PNCC, , , ,

Honoring Dr. King

From the StrtfordStar: Stratford Clergy honors Dr. King

Father Michael Gitner of St. Joseph’s Polish National Catholic Church encouraged people to embrace freedom, justice and to promote love in their everyday lives during a service in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. on Sunday.

Gitner and other members of the Stratford Clergy Association conducted the service at the Stratford United Methodist Church not only to honor Dr. King, but to promote the spirit of peace and generosity.

Referencing a 1954 Dr. King sermon that was read by Rev. Dr. Bob Genevicz of the Stratford Baptist Church earlier in the service, Gitner mused on Dr. King’s sermon of Rediscovering Lost Values.

“Go back to the basic world values,” Gitner said. “Love our God above all things and love our fellow human beings as we are called upon to love ourselves.”

Sunday’s service included little in the way of extemporaneous speeches or sermons. Rather, a choir sang inspirational music in between readings of some of Dr. Kings many writings.

The Rev. Koonae Lee of the Stratford United Methodist Church offered a formal greeting and welcome to those in attendance and Father Bruce Roby of St. James Church offered an opening prayer.

The Rev. Lesley Hay of Christ Episcopal Church offered a reading of Dr. King’s The Most Durable Power sermon and the Rev. Ed Rawls of First Congregational Church read from Dr. King’s Riverside Church speech selections.

Following the reading of a portion of Dr. King’s Nobel Prize Speech offered by Rev. Meg Williams of the Stratford United Methodist Church, a litany was read before the choir and those gathered sang Let There Be Peace on Earth.

During the call for offering, Father Gitner made his remarks and explained the Stratford Clergy Association’s commitment to the spirit of Dr. King.

“For a number of years, the Stratford Clergy Association has been supporting Stratford and Bunnell high schools with scholarships in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” he said.

Gitner explained how the scholarships at first had been given only to African-American students.

“But then we realized, if we support only African-American students, then perhaps we are not living up to the ideals of Dr. King,” he said. “We have to go beyond that when we talk about equality and when we talk about love in concrete and tangible terms.”

Gitner said that over the years, the scholarships honoring Dr. King have grown to include not only one each for an African-American student per school, but one additional scholarship for ‘any student regardless of race’ per school.

“Hopefully, we the people of Stratford can rediscover lost values, especially the value of love,” he said.

Sunday’s collection will go toward funding the scholarships.

The service closed with the choir and congregation singing We Shall Overcome.

Christian Witness, DNKK, PNCC, , ,

Ś+P Abbot Dom Klaus Schlapps OPR

śp. Abbot Dom Klaus Dieter Schlapps OPR of the Abbey of St. Severin in Kaufbeuren, Germany, which is part of the Christ-Catholic Church in Germany under the auspices of the Nordic Catholic Church, entered into his eternal rest on Sunday, January 20, 2013. śp. Dom Klaus was also the Abbot General of the Order of Port Royal, an Ecumenical Cistercian Congregation of secular professed monks, nuns, and oblates.

śp. Dom Klaus’ passing was sudden and unexpected. He passed in the midst of his brothers in the Abbey. Our thoughts and prayers are with the brothers as well as his family, friends, and all in community of the Order of Port Royal.

Brother Johannes, speaking on behalf of the Abbey of St. Severin recalled śp. Dom Klaus as a candle burning at both ends. “He spread twice as much light, but his life was thus shorter. Dom Klaus helped so many people. He had a deep abiding faith and trust in God. Whenever problems arose he encouraged his brothers, saying: ‘Faith in God, trust in God, it opens up a path, there is a solution.’ God used him as an instrument of his love.”

śp. Abbot Klaus Dieter Schlapps, 9/30/1959 + 1/20/2013
śp. Abbot Klaus Dieter Schlapps, 9/30/1959 + 1/20/2013

The cords of death encompassed me,
the torrents of perdition assailed me;
the cords of Sheol entangled me,
the snares of death confronted me.
In my distress I called upon the LORD;
to my God I cried for help.
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears.
He reached from on high, he took me,
he drew me out of many waters.
He brought me forth into a broad place;
he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he recompensed me.
For I have kept the ways of the LORD,
and have not wickedly departed from my God.
For all his ordinances were before me,
and his statutes I did not put away from me.
I was blameless before him,
and I kept myself from guilt.
Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness,
according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight. (Psalm 18:4-6,16,19-24)

Eternal rest grant unto your servant, priest, and abbot Klaus and may the perpetual light shine upon him.
May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace.

Ewige Ruhe schenke ihm, o Herr! Und das ewige Licht leuchte ihm!
Lasse ihn ruhen in Frieden. Amen.

Christian Witness, Events, PNCC, ,

Dr. Jim Ploskonka on “God & Finances”

Holy Mother of Sorrows PNCC, Dupont, PA held the next in its Sermon, Soup & Sandwich series on Saturday, January 12th featuring Dr. Jim Ploskonka speaking on “God & Finances.” Dr. Ploskonka spoke on the subject of personal finances, specifically providing documented insights into how God has provided us means to be at peace with money and its use.

Dr. Ploskonka is a graduate of Mansfield University where in 2012 he was inducted into the Hall of Fame for distinguished educators. He received his master’s degree from Boston Conservatory, his PhD from the University of Kentucky and was the recipient of the Sagan Scholarship for the dissertation of the year. Most recently, Dr. Ploskonka completed studies at Harvard University focusing on critical issues in higher education.

Christian Witness, Events, PNCC, ,

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Rt. Rev. Bernard Nowicki, Bishop Ordinary of the Central Diocese of the PNCC will join with other Christian leaders in celebrating the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity which is celebrated each year from January 18 to 25. Faith leaders will gather on Thursday, January 24th at 12:10pm for an Ecumenical Celebration of God’s Word at St. Peter’s R.C. Cathedral, Wyoming Ave., Scranton, Pennsylvania. The event will also be televised locally on CTV and will be available online at the Roman Catholic Diocesan website. Bishop Nowicki will be the homilist.

The theme for the 2013 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is “What does God require of us?” The theme comes from the book of the prophet, Micah 6:6-8.

This observance, first organized in 1908 at Graymoor in Garrison, New York, seeks to gather together diverse communities of the Christian faith to express the degree of communion which the churches have already have, and to pray together for greater unity in the one Church of Jesus Christ.

Events, PNCC, ,

Open House at St. Stanislaus Elementary, Scranton, PA

On Sunday, February 17th St. Stanislaus Elementary will hold an open house for prospective students. Anyone interested in learning more is invited to attend.

St. Stanislaus Elementary School offers an exceptional education for children from kindergarten through eighth grade. Features include:

  • A Full-Day Kindergarten
  • Parental Involvement is Encouraged
  • Small Class Size with Individual Attention
  • A Faith-Based Environment
  • Excellence in Math and English with Outstanding Results

Contact (570) 342-2224 for more information and details.

Christian Witness, Homilies, ,

Reflection for the Second Sunday In Ordinary Time

Shirt Wording Cutout

Are we going over?
Yes, yes we are.

Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him.

Anne Rice, writing about the life of Jesus, describes Cana as follows: “It’s a winter of no rain, endless dust, and talk of trouble in Judea. All who know and love Jesus find themselves waiting for some sign of the path he will eventually take. After his baptism, he is at last ready to confront his destiny. At the wedding at Cana, he takes water and transforms it into wine. Thus, he’s recognized as the anointed one and called by God the Father to begin a ministry that will transform an unsuspecting world.”

We have been following Jesus’ path from His birth, the visit of the shepherds, His circumcision, the visit of the Magi, and His baptism. After His baptism, John pointed out that Jesus was the One everyone expected, the Messiah. He told his followers to follow Jesus. Disciples began to flock to Jesus because some had heard the Father’s voice from heaven and had seen the Spirit descend on Him. Others followed based on John’s word. What a great build-up.

We are at Cana today. We know something amazing is going to happen. This period of build-up has to be fulfilled. We can sense it. It is like being at the top of a rollercoaster, knowing what’s coming next. Yet we are fearful. We might even wonder if we will be stuck without ever going over. Suddenly, we are rushing headlong filled with the thrill of the moment, feeling exhilarated. No fear, only joy.

The disciples were now rushing headlong. They experienced the power of God at work in Jesus. God was among them, what an amazing rush.

Church and the life of faith is more than pretending we were there or sitting on the edge. Each week we live with Jesus by our presence in the community of faith, entered by baptism.

Just as Jesus intervened to help the newly married couple He continues to intervene in our lives. In our weekly worship and Holy Communion we don’t just remember His great deeds, we don’t just retell an interesting story, we become a real and living part of that story. We are there with Him in the very same way His disciples were. We have the same pledge.

We could sit at the top of the rollercoaster with anticipation or fear. Like Ryder, who joins with us in taking that plunge off the edge into the life of faith today, we live a powerful and exhilarating life by going over. Fear is destroyed by joy. Adventure is here. We are transformed and we transform others. We are in the present with Jesus, over the edge, alive.

Art, Events, Poland - Polish - Polonia, , , , ,

Movie Night at the Albany PCC

A movie night will be held at the Albany Polish Community Center on Friday, January 18th at 7:30 pm featuring Chopin: Desire for Love.

The movie night is sponsored by the Center’s Ladies’ Auxiliary. The Polish Community Center is located at 225 Washington Ave. Ext. Albany, NY 12205

plakat02Chopin: Desire for Love is in Polish with English subtitles

The drama chronicles the stormy affair between the great piano virtuoso Frederic Chopin and the flamboyant feminist writer Aurore Dupin, who called herself George Sand. Academy Award nominated Jerzy Antczak directs this sweeping portrayal of the famed composer and his intense but hurtful relationship with George Sand and her children. Chopin’s music, known and loved by millions worldwide, provides a powerful score that underlines the drama. The world recognized Yo-Yo Ma (cellist), Emmanuel Ax (pianist), Yukio Yokoyama (pianist), Janusz Olejniczak (pianist), Pamela Frank (violin), and Vadim Brodsky (violin) use their talents to brilliantly perform Chopin’s music.

Pizza and soda will be served. Donations of $2 for Ladies’ Auxiliary and PCC members, $5 for non-members. Children free!

A meeting of the Ladies’ Auxiliary will precede the event starting at 7 pm.

Art, Poetry, Poland - Polish - Polonia, , , ,

Literary awards, social media

Found in Translation Award:

The Polish Book Institute, the Polish Cultural Institute in New York, and the Polish Cultural Institute in London announced that the winner of the Found in Translation Award for 2011 is Joanna Trzeciak for her translation of Tadeusz Różewicz’s “Sobbing Superpower”, published by W. W. Norton & Company (USA). This award is in recognition of exceptional translation quality, and the great importance of the text awarded. The volume, counting over 300 pages, is a selection of Różewicz’s poems covering all the periods of his work.

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Poland’s top literary award

Marek Bieńczyk was awarded the Nike Award, Poland’s most prestigious literary prize for “Książka twarzy,” which translates as ‘A Book of the Face’, the work is described by the author as ‘my Facebook’.

The book is a collection of essays which blend elements of various genres, including poetry, press articles and criticism, and merge intellectual discourse with autobiographical reflections on a wide range of subject matter, from literature and films to tennis and wine. Nike jury chairman Tadeusz Nyczek described the book as ‘Bieńczyk’s grand self-portrait’.

Mr. Bieńczyk is a graduate in French studies at the University of Warsaw. In addition to pursuing a teaching career at the Institute of Literary Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences, he is a prolific writer and translator from the French. He also wrote the novels Terminal and Tworki (the latter translated into English by Benjamin Paloff) and several collections of essays and literary criticism.

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Polish Social: A new Polish Webzine

Polish Social, a new webzine, is the brainchild of two Chicago women with a commitment to community, a pulse on Chicago’s art & culture scenes, and a belief in the power of networking and organizing. It provides links to events, job opportunities, innovators in disparate fields; and provides news of interest to a new generation of Polish Chicagoans.

Being Polish in Chicago is sort of a tale of two cities – in one (the collection of Polish communities that dot this city), there is a strong culturally Polish identity, in the other (the city of Chicago as a whole), there is an opportunity for Poles from all fields to step into leadership positions and showcase the Polish community as a vibrant and essential part of this city’s fabric.

You can subscribe to the site via the home page subscription icon or by E-mail. You may also add events or items for the editorial team to cover by sending an E-mail.

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