Day: July 10, 2008

PNCC, Poland - Polish - Polonia

Polish fest in Mosinee, WI

From the Wausau Daily Herald: Polish fest celebrates ethnicity, togetherness

MOSINEE — The Rev. Marion Talaga is proud that his church celebrates central Wisconsin’s Polish heritage — but that doesn’t mean the festival in its honor is by any means exclusive.

“We want everyone to come,” he said, casting aside preferences of nationality, religion and background in general. “I’m just enjoying these people.”

The 33rd annual Polish Fest, put on by Our Savior National Catholic Church in Mosinee, will be held Saturday and Sunday. Organizers are again promising traditional Polish food, live music and activities.

Traditional Polish food will include the pierogi — a large dumpling filled with various combinations of potatoes, cheese, meat or sauerkraut. But it’s not exclusive, Talaga said, with hamburgers and other popular items available.

Polka bands will provide the music, performing polka, country and other varieties of music. There also will be a polka dancing contest, and on Sunday the church’s popular polka Mass.

And kids can enjoy a variety of games, in addition to all the traditional fun.

The result is a well-rounded community event, Talaga said.

Talaga also emphasized the event’s affordability, with free admission and organizers keeping the price of food and games down.

That, he hopes, will encourage everyone to become a part of the tradition.

“We try to make sure that we do keep our tradition alive,” he said.

Details:

When: 4 to 11 pm Saturday, polka Mass 10:30am, Sunday, with festival continuing until 8pm.
Where: Mosinee Recreation Center, 701 11th St., Mosinee, WI
Cost: Free
Contact: 715-693-2241

Parish information:
Our Saviour PNCC
802 Jackson Street
Mosinee, WI 54455-1347
Telephone: 715-693-2241

Christian Witness, Political

Rally in Support of Coptic Christians in Egypt

From ChristianNewsWire:

American Egyptian Coptic Christians to organize a peaceful demonstration, on July 16, 2008, in front of the White House, to protest violent attacks against Coptic Christians in Egypt.

Coptic CrossCoptic Organizations in America along with activists from Egypt, the Middle East, Europe and the United states, will conduct a peaceful demonstration in front of the White House on Wednesday July 16, 2008, from 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm. The purpose is to convey, to world’s opinion and international human rights organizations, recent incidents of persecution, discrimination and marginalization inflicted on Coptic Christians of Egypt by the Egyptian government and Muslim extremists.

The Copts of Egypt are the largest Christian minority in the Middle East. They number about 15% of Egypt’s population of 80 million. Not a month passes by without their churches, homes and businesses being attacked. According to a study made by Ibn Khaldoun Research Center in Cairo, over 240 major attacks against the Copts took place during the period from 1972- 2003. Magdy Khalil, a writer and researcher, estimates that as a result of these attacks more than 4000 Copts were killed or injured. This, in addition to damages to Coptic properties that could exceed hundreds of millions of dollars, during the last three decades alone. Hundreds of Coptic girls are abducted and forced to embrace Islam while security forces act as accomplices and helpers of the criminals.

During the last few weeks, the extremists attacked a jewelry store owned by Copts killing four Copts. The extremists also attacked Abu Fana Coptic monastery injuring many monks and kidnapping three. The abducted monks were tortured, while they were ordered to announce abandoning their Christian faith and embracing Islam. In Fayoum, Muslim extremists attacked homes and businesses owned by Coptic Christians. A Coptic Christian man was killed by Muslims in the town of Dafash, governorate of Minia, in the southern part of Egypt.

We call on the American and International Media, human rights organizations and all freedom loving people to join our demonstration in an effort to send a message to the Egyptian government to stop persecuting the Copts and take responsibility in providing adequate protection for them.

For more information, contact:
Mounir Bishay, Los Angeles (310) 641-3387
Jacob Keryacos, New Jersey (732) 414-9451
Fayez Khella, New Jersey (201) 424-0278
Selim Naguib, Montreal (514) 485-4550
Atef Makar, Chicago (630) 878-1333

Fathers, PNCC

July 10 – Mar Jacob of Serugh from A Homily on the Reception of the Holy Mysteries

The Church in the world is like a scribe to men; and she teaches and makes them wise, and binds up the sores of all who come to her. And from her teaching the soul draws light, that she may overcome the darkness of death when it meets her. Come, enter, ye foolish, that were stained with lusts, and furbish your lives with the doctrine of the daughter of lights. Be not impatient to be gone from the supper which the bride of the whole world has made, that we should delight therein. Go not forth as soon as the consecration is (begun) in the sanctuary; for thou art a son of the household, not a stranger, that thou shouldst depart. When thou hearest: “Whoso has not received the sign, let him depart”; do not thou depart, who art signed, yea, and brought near. Be thou one of the household at the hour of these Mysteries; do not thou get up and go forth and become as one of the externs. Thou art signed with the sign, thou art stamped with the stamp, among the brethren thou art written: why shouldst thou go forth with the unsigned, as one that cometh short? “Him who is not baptised” the priest drives out when he is about to consecrate, not thee does he drive out, who art one baptized in the Divinity. Baptism, daughter of lights, is the King’s sign, and thou hast put on the great sign: why shouldst thou go forth? With the oil they have signed thee, with the cross of light thy face is signed: it is to “him that is not signed” as thou art signed that they say, “Let him go forth.” The sign of life has made thee a brother of the Only-begotten and a son of His Father; and thou art in the household: thou shouldst not go forth. Remain within the door, and cry, “Abba, our Father”; for thou, being a son, it is permitted to thee to cry, “Our Father.” “Whoso is not baptized” — for this reason do they drive him out when the consecration is (begun), that it is not permitted to him to call the Heavenly One “our Father.” And “whoso is not baptized,” his number is not set among the sons; and if he should call the Father “our Father” it is a lie. And for this cause they say, “Whoso has not received the sign, let him depart,” that a lie may not be uttered among them that are true. Forth they drive him if he is not born with the second birth, lest he should dare to cry, “Our Father,” with the many, and make use of a word that is full of lying in the pure congregation, which daily sings those things that are true. Wherefore, when they drive out that unbaptized one, do thou enter in, for it is easy for thee to cry, “Our Father.” Thou art born with the second, the spiritual birth: it is fitting for thee to cry, “Our Father”: stay and cry it.