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IWJ National Conference

Attend IWJ’s National Conference in Chicago June 19-21. Join in celebrating 15 years of fighting for workers’ rights and help plan IWJ’s future at IWJ’s 2011 National Conference at DePaul University in Chicago.

IWJ’s national conferences are unique in bringing together religious, community, labor and business leaders; faculty and students; low-wage workers, government professionals and members of the legal community under one roof to connect and discuss ways to reclaim justice for people. Click here for more Information and to register.

Invited speakers include:

  • Kim Bobo, Executive Director of Interfaith Worker Justice
  • Arlene Holt Baker, Executive Vice President of the AFL-CIO
  • Hilda Solis, Secretary of Labor
  • Rev. Dr. James Forbes, Jr., Senior Minister Emeritus of The Riverside Church and President of the Healing of the Nations Foundation

Those attending are also invited to IWJ’s 15th Anniversary Gala, Monday June 20th from 6-9pm. Ticket costs are included with your registration.

Art, Christian Witness,

Art for January 30th

The Sermon on the Mount, Cosimo Rosselli, ca. 1482

Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down his disciples came to him.
And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you. — Matthew 5:1-12

Christian Witness, Poland - Polish - Polonia, , ,

The Amish in Poland

From the Warsaw Gazette (Gazeta Warsawa): Polski Amisz: W Warszawie nie da się żyć (Amish in Poland – No life in Warsaw)

People come from all over Poland to Cezarowa, where they live. They look, nod, smile, then talk about them. They live in the forest, they have seven children, and time. They bake bread, and rarely shop. He wears a beard, she … etc.

Jacob Martin: We cannot live in Warsaw. Warsaw residents do not know how to use time. They do not have time because of the money chase, which equates to happiness for them. Once, at night, people sat on benches in front of houses and talked about everything. Now they only have time to sit in front of the television. They become depressed, go to a psychologist. There, for an hour, they talk and pay for talking with a neighbor. Anyway, here it is a bit like a village. But, people still do not want to cooperate. Everyone must have his own tractor. The world is stupid…

Anita and Jacob Martin (she is 43, he – 41) come from large Amish families who settled in Pennsylvania. The Amish strictly observe norms of behavior. The most orthodox do not use phones, household appliances, and use horse-drawn carriages for transportation.

17 years ago, several Amish families came to Poland on a mission. They were representatives of progressive churches, which allowed the use of electricity and cars. They settled in Cezarowa near Mińsk-Mazowiecki, building a settlement. The project collapsed after three years. All but Martins’ returned to the States. Their families did not accept their decision to stay, and the Amish community renounced them. In Poland, they are alone.

Jacob Martin: This project had no chance. American missions cannot succeed in Europe, because people have a different mentality. What can we say to the Poles? That our religion has 400 years of tradition? People will respond: and our’s has two thousand years of tradition!

Jacob Martin: There are three things you need in life: food, clothes and a house. However, people are chasing after things they do not need. Throughout the year they work hard to have two weeks off and spend their savings. Instead of considering what God wants, people do what they want and think it gives them good luck.

The church, which sent the Martins’ to Poland no longer exists.

Jacob Martin: There are communities to whom Lord Jesus comes quietly once, and to whom He never returns.

Christian Witness, PNCC,

Praying for Christian Unity in Scranton

From the Times-Tribune: Christian leaders gather at prayer service for unity

Leaders of Christian faiths from throughout the region gathered in St. Peter’s Cathedral in Scranton on Tuesday to sing, pray and talk together about strengthening bonds across denominations.

The annual ecumenical prayer service marked the end of the international Week of Prayer for Christian Unity – a period meant to inspire reflection and dedication to the beliefs and mission Christians share.

The Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, bishop of the [R.C.] Diocese of Scranton, said in his homily for the prayer service that such shows of unity should not be easy, hollow or temporary, especially because the “challenges to Christian unity” are “many” and “real.”

“We need to change our prayer, asking God to change us so that we may actively work for unity,” he said. “We are ready enough to pray for unity, but prayer alone can become a comfortable substitute for action.”

In an emotional moment, Bishop Bambera invoked instances when such unity was evident, including at a funeral last week for a Holy Cross High School student killed in a car crash that drew families and religious leaders of many faiths to St. Stanislaus Polish National Catholic Cathedral, where the student was a member.

Tuesday’s prayer service included leaders of many faiths gathered in pews at the front of the cathedral and in chairs lining the altar.

Music, including an opening song with the refrain “all are welcome in this place,” was provided by students from the LaSalle Academy liturgical choir, and a collection was donated to the St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen and the homeless shelter at Bethel A.M.E. Church.

Prayers, readings and a litany of petitions for unity were presented by leaders of Episcopal, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Polish National Catholic, Methodist and Roman Catholic churches in the region, as well as the Rev. Dave Twiss of the Green Ridge Assembly of God and Maj. Bea Connell of the Salvation Army.

Christian Witness, PNCC, ,

Fraternalism – working together for the betterment of all

From the Times Leader: Fraternal Societies of Northeast Pennsylvania support Domestic Violence Service Center

Domestic Violence Service Center, which serves Luzerne and Carbon counties, has received a large donation of personal care products, other items and a monetary Christmas gift from the Fraternal Societies of Northeast Pennsylvania. DVSC provides safe shelter and direct services to battered and homeless women and their children. FSNEPA is comprised of six fraternal benefit societies whose charitable efforts are primarily funded by the sale of life insurance and other financial services.

Presenting the donations were John C. Andrzejewski III, secretary general, and Rose Wartko, president, Polish National Union of America; Charlotte L. Androckitis, general secretary and CEO, Polish Union of USA; Mary Jo Savidge, secretary and treasurer, Ladies Pennsylvania Slovak Catholic Union; Theresa Kluchinski, president, Ladies Pennsylvania Slovak Catholic Union; Mary Ann Ewasko, chair of Trustees, Ladies Pennsylvania Slovak Catholic Union; and Magdalen Iskra and Martha Iskra, First Catholic Slovak Ladies Association.

Christian Witness, Political, Work,

Support Unemployed Workers

From IWJ: How Your Congregation Can Support Unemployed Workers

Is your congregation helping unemployed workers? IWJ’s new Faith Advocates for Jobs campaign plans to organize 1,000 local congregation-based or interfaith support committees to assist the unemployed and their families in communities across the country. Want to get your congregation or group involved? Contact Rev. Paul Sherry, the campaign’s coordinator, at 202-525-3055.

Art, Christian Witness, ,

Art for January 23rd

The Calling of Saints Peter and Andrew, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, ca. 1603

As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. — Matthew 4:18-20

Art, Christian Witness, PNCC,

Where charity and love prevail

From CBS4 Denver: Good Samaritan Comes To The Rescue After Church Vandalism

(CBS4) – A Good Samaritan has come to the rescue for a Catholic church in the Denver area.

In July someone stole the 5 foot statue outside the Saint Francis Assisi Parish. The church bought a $1,500 replacement but then that statue was vandalized.

An Adams County woman saw the story in the paper and decided to help. She just goes by Angie and has experience working with fiberglass. In her free time she has been piecing together the statue.

“Here was this horribly damaged statue, and I felt bad. So I thought ‘Well, I can do that,’” she said.

Angie said there’s a message she’d like to share in relation to her efforts.

“If you can help out, volunteer and help out. It’s not harming anyone to help,” she said…

God bless you and thank you Angie.

Christian Witness, Events, Poland - Polish - Polonia, , , ,

This Sunday – The Great Orchestra – WOŚP

It is time once again to support the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity.

The 19th Grand Finale of the Great Orchestra will be held on Sunday, January 9th. This year, the Orchestra will be raising money to buy medical equipment for children with urological and nephrological diseases

Sylwester Prokurat, Assistant Professor, Ph. D explains the need:

We would like to be able to detect diseases of the urinary tract earlier, because this enables early treatment and urological intervention. The reason why it is so important is that an early diagnosis may have a considerable impact on the patient’s future life.

When a developmental defect of the urinary tract is detected in a little patient, additional diagnostics is necessary, including bladder functioning tests. Since very often such defects are spotted in newborn babies, it is crucial to provide early treatment with the help of precise urological devices.

Another significant problem connected with kidney patients is the growing number of cases of severe kidney damage. As medicine progresses and new difficult yet necessary procedures are being introduced such as bone marrow transplant, liver transplant or heart transplant, the number of patients with acute kidney insufficiency is growing.

It is extremely important that the doctor has the access to so-called continuous hemofiltration methods, instead of having to send a patient to another clinic, sometimes hundreds kilometers away, where it is possible to eliminate toxins. Today, so-called intensive nephrology also includes early kidney support treatment or continuous hemofiltration treatment, aimed at stabilizing the patient, controlling the amount of water in his or her organism, supporting treatment of sepsis (especially within the first 24 hours), and eliminating toxins in cases of mushroom and drug poisonings.

In all those cases time and accessibility of treatment play a decisive role. Modern continuous hemofiltration devices give doctors a wide range of possible treatments, including plasmapheresis (therapeutic plasma transfusion) used in cases of poisoning. These methods are recommended and used in all European countries.

That is why it is very important now that specialists from the fields of nephrology, urology and intensive care work together in order to:

  • Improve early diagnostics of urinary tract and provide efficient treatment;
  • Prevent severe kidney damage in cases of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome in patients in intensive care units;
  • Keep high standard of continuous hemofiltration treatment in children with acute kidney disease;
  • Diagnose and treat hypertension in children.

Finale Centers have been set up in the United States at:

Stamford, CT
Polska Sobotnia Szkoła
360 Washington Blvd.
Contact: Kazimiera Ferenc, 203-940-2185

Pomona, NY
Polskie Radio NEW YORK
1551 RT – 202
Contact: Marcin Filipowski, 845-354-2000

Chicago, IL
Copernicus Foundation
5216 W. Lawrence Ave.
Contact: Gregg Kobelinski, 773-777-8898

Christian Witness, Poland - Polish - Polonia, ,

Ś+P Sister Christine, CSSF

From the Buffalo News: Sister Mary Christine Ganczewski, educator

Oct. 6, 1922—Dec. 27, 2010

Sister Mary Christine Ganczewski, a Felician Sister for 68 years and educator for more than 40 years, died Monday in the Blessed Mary Angela Care Center in Buffalo. She was 88.

The former Mary Ganczewski was born in Buffalo and entered the Immaculate Heart of Mary Province of the Felician Sisters in 1942. She professed perpetual vows on Aug. 6, 1950.

She was a member of Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Parish. She graduated from the Immaculate Heart of Mary Academy and earned a Bachelor of Science in Education at Mount St. Joseph Teachers College, now Medaille College.

Sister Christine taught students in the primary grades and was an elementary school teacher for 48 years, serving in the Diocese of Buffalo for 41 years and in the Diocese of Syracuse for seven years.

She also was principal at St. Casimir School in Buffalo and St. John Gualbert School in Cheektowaga.

In 1989, she was recognized as “Religious Educator of the Year.”

Sister Christine retired from teaching in 1992 and became an aide at the Villa Maria Infirmary.

She is survived by her sister, Gertrude Zablotny.

A Mass of Christian Burial was offered Friday.

Sister taught me in the third and fourth grade and was my school’s principal for many years. She remembered me whenever we happened to run into each other through the years.

My days in her class were a fond memory, and in the waning days of traditional education and respect in schools. She taught us Polish Christmas Carols, how to stand up and greet our Pastor with “Niech będzie pochwalony Jezus Chrystus” whenever he entered the class. She took care of her little community of sisters at our school, and ensured we were ready for life, artistically, religiously, in the sciences, mathematics, and in literature.

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

Wieczne odpoczynek racz jej dać Panie, a światłość wiekuista niechaj jej świeci.
Niech odpoczywają w pokoju, Amen.

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