Prayer

Cornerstone blessing at Holy Cross PNCC, Commack, NY

1 Comment / Community Events, PNCC /

Pictures from the blessing of the cornerstone for the new Holy Cross PNC Parish in Commack, New York. The Parish, formerly of Brooklyn, moved to Commack several years ago and has been worshiping at the Parish Cemetery’s Chapel. The blessing was conducted by the Most Rev. Anthony Mikovsky, Prime Bishop of the PNCC in the presence of the Very Rev. WisÅ‚aw Pietruszka, Pastor, clergy from the New York-New Jersey Seniorate, and honored guests on Sunday, May 29th.

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Lenten Services in East Meadow

Liturgical, Parish Life /

Ash Wednesday ‑ Mass and Blessing and Distribution of ashes will be held on Wednesday, March 9th at 7 p.m..

Stations of the Cross ‑ will be held each Sunday following Mass, during the season of Lent. Come join us, as we follow in prayer and devotion, the suffering, death, and burial of Our Lord, Jesus Christ! Renew and enlarge your sense of all our Lord has done for us…

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Pet Blessing memories

Community Events, Parish Life, PNCC /

Check out this article from the Neighborhood Files at EastMeadowPatch along with some great photos by author, Kim Plummer: Animal Instincts: Pets Receive Blessings at St. Francis Church

Residents and parishioners gather at St. Francis Church with their cats, dogs and fish for the annual blessing of the animals.

Residents, parishioners, cats, dogs and fish gathered at St. Francis Catholic Church on Saturday for the blessing of the animals.

Saint Francis of Assisi is known as the patron saint of animals and the environment. Traditionally, Catholic churches hold ceremonies to bless animals during the Feast of St. Francis on Oct. 4.

“Saint Francis referred to all animals as brothers and sisters, and it was reported that wild animals had no fear of him,” Thomas Kompa, parishoner, said during the ceremony.

St. Francis Catholic Church holds the annual event on the weekend so that more community members can attend. The church has held the blessing annually for the past 20 years.

Father Andrew Koterba said a prayer for all of the animals in attendance, as well as blessings for sick animals. In the spirit of St. Francis, Father Koterba encouraged those in attendance to help animals and our environment however they can: build a bird feeder, donate to an animal shelter, grow a garden or recycle.

For Joan McGratti of Wantagh having their cats blessed with her husband and daughters has become an annual tradition. Joan, her husband, Bill, and their two daughters, Lana and Laura, as well as each of their cats have been attending the ceremony for the past six years.

“It’s a beautiful and inviting Church, and it’s great that our cats are invited to be here, too, inside of the Church,” said Joan McGratti while holding her black cat, Raven.

For other pet owners it was their first time having their animals blessed. Jiselle MacDonald and her daughter Natalie brought their cat, Vinnie. Vinnie was dressed appropriately with a collar and black bow tie for the event.

“Vinnie is like a member of our family,” said Jiselle MacDonald, an East Meadow resident who moved here two years ago. “This morning my daughter was asking me if this was his Christening.”

Like MacDonald, most pet owners consider the ceremony an important way to strengthen bonds between a family and their pet. Carlo and Carla Calabrese, with their daughter Adrianna, brought their 2-year-old dog Daisy to be blessed for the third time.

“We want her to be protected fully. This is kind of like her baptism,” Carla Calabrese said. “Daisy is a major part of our family.”

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Åš+P Zachary B. Rosales

From the Pastor /

On August 8th Fr. Andrew celebrated a Requiem Holy Mass in memory of Zach B. Rosales who was tragically killed. During Holy Mass Zach’s whole family and his friends prayed for him, and for love and peace in our families, our neighborhood, and our world.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon:
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope
where there is darkness, light
where there is sadness, joy

O Divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Amen.

Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord, and may the perpetual light shine upon him.
May he rest in peace.
May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen.

Dale, Señor, el descanso eterno. Brille para él la luz perpetua.
Descanse en paz. Amén.

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June is Sacred Vocations Month

PNCC /

Each year during the month of June, the PNCC observes Sacred Vocations month. During this month, the Church reminds all of her faithful of the urgent need to pray for the gift of vocations to the Holy Orders. The Church asks all of us to offer special prayers to bless our Church with new vocations.

The purpose of this month of Sacred Vocations is to petition God, the Author of every vocation, to bless our Church with new priests and deacons who are blessed with strong faith, broad vision and solid academic background. PLEASE, PRAY FOR AN INCREASE VOCATIONS TO THE HOLY PRIESTHOOD of the Polish National Catholic Church.

Those interested should contact Fr. Andrew.

June is also the month when we are asked to remember those who labor in God’s field via our support for the Clergy Pension Fund. The letter below is from Bishop Anthony Kopka who is the Chairman of the Clergy Pension Fund of the PNCC.

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Advance Schedule for Lent, Passiontide, and Holy Week

Community Events, Liturgical, Parish Life, PNCC /

Sunday, March 14 — Solemnity of the Institution of the P.N.C.C., Holy Mass at 9am.
Sunday, March 21 — Passion Sunday (the beginning of Passiontide), Holy Mass at 9am.
Sunday, March 21 — St. Joseph and St. Patrick Dinner at 3pm.
Sunday, March 28 — Palm Sunday, Holy Mass and Liturgy and distribution of Palms at 9am.

The Sunday before Easter is known as Palm Sunday. It celebrates Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem for the Jewish festival of Passover. Great crowds of people lined the streets waving palm branches to welcome him. The people were very excited. They spread branches on the road – and even laid down cloths. They shouted ‘Hosanna!’ which means ‘Save us now!’

Thursday, April 1 — Maundy Thursday, Holy Mass at 7pm.
Friday, April 2 — Good Friday Liturgy at 7pm.
Saturday, April 3 — Holy Saturday Liturgy including blessing of Easter food, blessing of new fire and holy water at 1pm.

The blessing of the Easter food or the “ÅšwiÄ™conka” is a tradition dear to the heart of every Pole. Being deeply religious, he is grateful to God for all His gifts of both nature and grace, and, as a token of this gratitude, has the food of his table sanctified with the hope that spring, the season of the Resurrection, will also be blessed by God’s goodness and mercy. The usual fare on the Easter table includes ham and kielbasa, cakes of all kinds – particularly babka; eggs- some shelled or some decorated. There is usually a Paschal Lamb or “Baranek” made of butter, some cheese, horseradish, salt, vinegar and oil.

The food is brought to the church and blessed by the parish priest on Holy Saturday. The food can also be blessed in the home. After the blessing the food is usually set aside until Easter morning when the head of the house shares the blessed egg, symbol of life, with family and friends. Having exchanged wishes, all continue to enjoy a hearty meal.

This centuries old custom is indeed richly symbolic and beautiful. It is one in which the whole family can participate and help prepare.

May this tradition endure for many generations to come. All of you can enjoy this beautiful Polish custom by participating at the blessing of the Easter food “Swieconka” at St. Francis Polish National Catholic Church. This is an excellent way to teach the younger members family about this treasured Polish tradition — a tradition you can make your own.

Sunday, April 4 –- Solemnity of the Resurrection (Easter Sunday), Procession of the Resurrection and High Holy Mass at 8.30am.

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A beautiful gift, a lasting memory

Community Events, From the Pastor, Parish Life /

In this season of giving, our Parish of St. Francis received a very kind and generous gift, on the Feast of the Epiphany (The Feast of the Kings).

Our need called for an outdoor Nativity to display. This Sunday we received this beautiful gift, of an eleven piece set, detailed to per­fection, three foot in height.

The Nativity was given in Memory of Å›p. +Anna Ruggiero, who was called to eternal life on Christmas Day, December 25, 2009. The Nativity was donated by Å›p. +Anna’s daughter Maria and William Piro.

We note that Anna so loved Christmas for its spiritual and family orientation. This will remain a lasting and enduring gift giving to many for years to come. Anna, we know returned to God on Christmas. She is now witnessing the greatest gift of gifts, Jesus Himself, the Son of God. In this knowledge we extend our continued thoughts and prayers.

Eternal rest grant unto her O Lord and may the perpetual light shine upon her. May she rest in peace. Amen.

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All Saints Day and All Souls Day service at the Polish Cemetery in Commack, Long Island, NY

Community Events, Liturgical, Parish Life, PNCC /

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

All Saints Day is an ancient holiday celebrated by members of the Catholic Church to commemorate the saints. Also, the day after All Saints Day, All Souls Day, is set aside so that we might pray for the souls who have yet to find their way to Heaven. These two holidays are of great importance to the faithful; moreover to Poles. In Poland many people visit the graves of loved ones on these days so to pray for their repose and to place candles and flowers on their graves. The special candles, which can burn for many hours, are placed there so that departed souls can find their way through the darkness. Cemeteries are lit by many hundreds of these candles and at night the cemeteries can often be seen glowing from long distances.

Considering this rich and meaningful Polish tradition, as well as our obligation to pray for the faithful departed, you are cordially invited to come and join us in our celebrating of All Saints Day at the Polish Cemetery located at 99 Old Commack Road, Commack, NY 11725, Long Island on Sunday, November 1st, 2009 at 12 noon.

Keeping all of you in our prayers

Holy Cross Parish – Very Rev. WiesÅ‚aw Pietruszka
Commack, NY; # (631) 543-1674

Saint Francis Parish – Rev. Andrzej Koterba
East Meadow, NY; # (516) 794-5189

Parish of Resurrection – Rev. Jozef Kolek
Brooklyn, NY; # (718) 389-3674

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Wishes for Christmas and New Year 2009

From the Pastor /

Dear Parishioners and friends of the St. Francis Parish,

I wish with all my heart that you find peace in your life, in your family, and in your work. I wish you the peace of Christ, so that you may experience the joy of being His disciples, His very own. May Jesus Christ fill you with endless hope and joy. I wish His peace to you, and also to your families who are near or far away, your children, parents, relatives, and friends, especially to those who are sick. I personally invite you to join us for the beautiful liturgy of Christmas.

The Peace of Christ be with you!!
Merry Christmas

Father Andrew Koterba

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