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Reflection for Trinity Sunday 2025

Christian Witness

Reflection for Trinity Sunday 2025

Christian Witness

Reflection for Trinity Sunday 2025

Current Events, PNCC, Poland - Polish - Polonia, , ,

PNCC mourns Poland’s loss

From WNEP-TV: Local Polish Community Mourns Crash Victims

At Sunday masses, members of the Polish National Catholic Church in Scranton took time to remember the victims of the plane crash in Russia and to offer prayers for the people of Poland.

“Heavenly Father, we ask for your blessing on the people of Poland as they have lost their president, members of their government, we ask that You be with them and strengthen them,” said Right Reverand Anthony Mikovsky, bishop of the Polish National Catholic Church.

At Sunday masses at Saint Stanislaus Cathedral on East Locust Street in Scranton, members of the Polish National Catholic Church offered prayers for the nearly 100 people who lost their lives in Saturday’s plane crash.

Many parishoners share a heritage with the people of Poland and shared in their grief.

“Devastated. We were very devastated,” said Irene Jugan, president of the Polish National Union of America. “We’re mourning for Poland, we really are. That’s our homeland.”

Ninety-six people were killed when the plane carrying the president of Poland, his wife and many high ranking government officials went down Saturday in Russia.

They were on their way to visit the site where thousands of Polish soldiers were executed during World War II.

“It’s definitely a devastating tragedy. So many all on one plane. They were going to visit this site, again a site of tragedy back years ago,” said parishoner John Ostrowski, Jr. of Roaring Brook Township.

Many members of the church feel a connection to Poland and hope its people will be able to overcome the tragedy.

“We pray for those who have passed and we pray for those who have been affected by this and also for the people of Poland as they elect new leaders and move on in their journey,” added Mikovsky.

The president of the Polish National Union of America officially offered condolences to the people of Poland and offered support in whatever way it is needed.

Current Events, Poland - Polish - Polonia, ,

Tragedy

B.V.M. of Częstochowa pray for us.

I share the pain of Poles, Polonia in the United States, and their friends on today’s tragedy affecting a large share of Poland’s government. I also send my deepest sympathy to the families of President Kaczynski and of all the other victims who died in the tragic accident in Smolensk, Russia.

Ś.P.

+Lech Kaczyński Prezydent RP
+Maria Kaczyńska
+Ryszard Kaczorowski, ostatni Prezydent RP na Uchodźstwie
+Krzysztof Putra, wicemarszałek Sejmu RP
+Krystyna Bochenek, wicemarszałek Senatu RP
+Jerzy Szmajdziński, wicemarszałek Sejmu RP
+Władysław Stasiak, szef Kancelarii Prezydenta RP
+Aleksander Szczygło, szef Biura Bezpieczeństwa Narodowego
+Paweł Wypych, sekretarz stanu w Kancelarii Prezydenta RP
+Stanisław Jerzy Komorowski, podsekretarz stanu w MON
+Tomasz Merta, podsekretarz stanu w Ministerstwie Kultury
+Maciej Płażyński, szef Stowarzyszenia Wspólna Polska
+Mariusz Kazana, dyrektor protokołu dyplomatycznego MSZ
+Gen. Franciszek Gągor, szef sztabu generalnego WP
+Mariusz Handzlik, podsekretarz stanu w Kancelarii Prezydenta
+Andrzej Kremer (trzeci od lewej)- podsekretarz stanu w MSZ
+Andrzej Przewoźnik, sekretarz generalny Rady Ochrony Pamięci Walk i Męczeństwa
+Piotr Nurowski, prezes Polskiego Komitetu Olimpijskiego
+Janusz Kochanowski, rzecznik Praw Obywatelskich
+Prezes NBP Sławomir Skrzypek
+Janusz Kurtyka, prezes IPN
+Janusz Krupski, kierownik Urzędu ds. Kombatantów i Osób Represjonowanych
+Grzegorz Dolniak
+Leszek Deptuła
+Grażyna Gęsicka
+Przemysław Gosiewski
+Zbigniew Wassermann
+Sebastian Karpiniuk
+Izabela Jaruga-Nowacka
+Aleksandra Natali-Świat
+Arkadiusz Rybicki
+Jolanta Szymanek-Deresz
+Wiesław Woda
+Edward Wojtas
+Janina Fetlińska
+Stanisław Zając
+Ks. bp gen. dywizji Tadeusz Płoski – ordynariusz polowy WP
+Miron Chodakowski – prawosławny ordynariusz WP
+Ks. płk. Adam Pilch – ewangelickie duszpasterstwo polowe
+Ks. ppłk. Jan Osiński, ordynariat polowy WP
+Ks. Prałat Bronisław Gostomski
+Ks. Józef Joniec
+Ks. Zdzisław Król
+Ks. Andrzej Kwaśnik
+Kapelan prezydenta ks. Roman Indrzejczyk
+Gen. broni Bronisław Kwiatkowski – dowódca Sił Operacyjnych
+Gen. Andrzej Błasik – dowódca Polskich Sił Powietrznych
+Gen. Tadeusz Buk – dowódca Polskich Sił Lądowych
+Gen. Włodzimierz Potasiński – dowódca Sił Specjalnych
+Wiceadmirał Andrzej Karweta – dowódca Marynarki Wojennej
+Gen. Kazimierz Gilarski – dowódca Garnizonu Warszawa
+Tadeusz Lutoborski
+Stefan Melak
+Stanisław Mikke
+Bronisława Orawiec -Loffler
+Katarzyna Piskorska
+Andrzej Sarjusz -Skąpski
+Wojciech Seweryn
+Leszek Solski
+Teresa Walewska-Przyjałkowska
+Gabriela Zych
+Ewa Bąkowska
+Anna Maria Borowska
+Bartosz Borowski
+Edward Duchnowski
+Zenona Mamontowicz -Łojek
+Joanna Agacka Indecka
+Czesław Cywiński
+Ppłk. Zbigniew Dębski
+Katarzyna Doraczyńska
+Dariusz Jankowski
+Gen. bryg. Stanisław Komornicki
+Janusz Krupski
+Wojciech Lubiński
+Barbara Mamińska
+Janina Natusiewicz – Miller
+Ks. Ryszard Rumianek
+Izabela Tomaszewska
+Anna Walentynowicz
+Janusz Zakrzeński
+Jarosław Florczak
+Artur Francuz
+Paweł Janeczek
+Paweł Krajewski
+Piotr Nosek
+Jacek Surówka
+Marek Uleryk
+Dariusz Michałowski
+kpt. Arkadiusz Protasiuk,
+mjr Robert Grzywna
+Artur Ziętek
+Andrzej Michalak
+Barbara Maciejczyk
+Natalia Januszko
+Justyna Moniuszko.

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

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

Christian Witness, Current Events, PNCC,

St. Barbara intercede for them

From Interfaith Worker Justice:

Mother Jones is often quoted as saying, “Pray for the Dead, Fight like hell for the Living.” The 25 miners who lost their lives in the Upper Big Branch mining disaster call us to both prayer and activism.

We must pray for the miners still missing, the miners who have lost their colleagues and the families of those killed. Let us pray for them individually and through our congregations. April 28 is Workers Memorial Day, a time to remember those who have lost their lives in the workplace. Consider using IWJ’s Litany for Workers Memorial Day in one of your congregation’s services later this month.

We must also fight to protect those who work in dangerous workplaces like mines. The Upper Big Branch mine is operated by the Performance Coal Company, a non-union company operated by Massey Energy. In the last 22 years, the company has committed over 1,000 health and safety violations. Since the beginning of March 2010, the company has had 12 serious ventilation violations, including 8 for failing to follow the ventilation plan. This company had a pattern of violating health and safety guidelines. Such patterns of violations kill and maim workers.

Thank you for your prayers and your action.

The PNCC was founded among the coal miners of Scranton, PA and the surrounding area. The PNCC worked to educate and organize miners and other workers, alongside and in conjunction with the efforts of the Polish National Alliance.

The immigrant miners of 1897 faced many of the same dangers existent today. In my profession it is well established that evident patterns of bad behavior in business (tax evasion, safety and health violations, wage theft) are indicators of deeper problems that permeate the entire business. It is time to take off the rose colored glasses and see the bad guys for who they are, and to level the playing field for those who work ethically and within the law.

St. Barbara, intercede for the missing.
Blessed Mother, pray for the deceased.
Lord Jesus, by your cross and resurrection, have mercy on them all.

Christian Witness, PNCC, ,

Christ is Risen! Chrystus zmartwychwstał!

Chrystus zmartwychwstał! Prawdziwie zmartwychwstał! Alleluja!
Christ is risen! Indeed He is risen! Alleluia!

In Poland, the duty of standing guard at the symbolic tomb typically falls on the local fire brigade. The members stand watch at the tomb arrayed in their dress uniforms and in the role of the Roman soldiers (Matthew 27:62-66) whom Pilate sent to guard the tomb. At the Resurrection Procession, when the Eucharist is raised up from the symbolic tomb and Wesoły nam (This joyous day) is intoned, the “soldiers” fall to the ground (Matthew 28:2-4).

[audio:https://www.konicki.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/WESOLY-NAM-DZIEN.mp3]
Poland - Polish - Polonia, , ,

Albany PCC hosts Dyngus Day at the Capitol

Join the Albany Polish Community Center on Monday April 5, 2010 between 10am – 2pm for Polish Festival 2010 featuring Dingus Day at the Empire State Plaza, South Concourse. The Polish Community Center will be introducing the general public to Polish culture and food. There will be a cultural exhibit, traditional Polish & Polka music, and the St. Adalbert’s Dancers will perform.

Current Events, ,

Support One Story

April 1st was the 8th Anniversary of One Story’s launch. To celebrate, One Story is hosting its first ever fundraiser on Friday, May 21st, 2010, in The Old American Can Factory—”the arts space in Brooklyn that houses the One Story office!

The event is being dubbed as the Literary Debutante Ball: A Celebration of Emerging Writers. The ball will celebrate One Story’s debut and emerging authors, with artists, performers, and filmmakers producing work inspired by issues of One Story. These original works will be displayed at the ball and then auctioned off.

The highlight of the evening will be the formal presentation of writers who have made their debuts in One Story. Each writer will be escorted by an established author. The presentation will be announced by author and comedian John Hodgman (The Areas of My Expertise, The Daily Show) who wrote One Story’s very first issue. The One Story Literary Debutante Ball was covered by the Los Angeles Times, and is shaping up to be the literary event of the season.

Anyone wishing to support One Story may join in. Ticket are $50 each and are now available online. Visit One Story’s benefit page for complete details.

One Story is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit magazine that features one great short story mailed to subscribers every three weeks.

Poland - Polish - Polonia, , , , ,

Dyngus Day in Buffalo

In my opinion, the most extravagant, most fun Dyngus day is in Buffalo, NY. It is everything you would ever want in a city that celebrates the heritage of one-third of its residents — good strong horseradish, fresh kielbasa, and Polka dancing.

When you need a break from the breakneck partying check out the Polish Cafe at the Polish Army Veterans Post, 617 Fillmore Ave., Buffalo, right along the route of the Dyngus Day Parade, which starts at 5pm. The Cafe will feature homemade pastries, Polish soup (zurek), stew (bigos), and coffee while listening to acoustic music, starting at 4:30 p.m. The Polish Legacy Project is sponsoring the event.

Homilies

Good Friday

Isaiah 52:13-15, Isaiah 53:1-12
Ps 31:2,6,12-13,15-17,25
Hebrews 4:14-16, Hebrews 5:7-9
John 18-19

—I told you that I AM.
So if you are looking for me, let these men go.—

Lord for us your wounds were suffered.
Oh Christ Jesus, have mercy on us

Words we’d like to hear

I am going to suppose that in a pinch, in a tight or dangerous spot, those are words we would love to hear. —Let these men go.—

We like escape

Part of our natural human reaction is self-preservation. The dark side of our broken humanity is a tendency to avoid what is difficult. Calls to witness might go against our natural self-preservation. Given a choice we prefer to hear: —Let these men go.—

The disciples were relieved

Now, I also imagine that the disciples were relieved. They got to escape. They ran away from the soldiers, swords, clubs, and the very same dangers brought home to the high priest’s servant when he had his ear cut off. The dogs were at their heels and they had to run full speed to get out of sight. They were thankful that the power of God, standing in that garden, gave them the chance when Jesus said: —Let these men go.—

Where is our example?

When I was in seminary we conducted an interesting experiment. We had to identify with a disciple. Were we Peter or John? That’s something to think about today. Which character in the Passion do you identify with? Did you argue at the Last Supper? Did you fall asleep in the garden? Did you pick up the sword and strike the high priest’s servant, trying to protect Jesus? Did you follow along like Peter, and stand in the courtyard of the high priest? Did you run? Did you deny Him? Did you betray Him? Did you slap and mock Him? Were you a false witness or did you stand silent? Were you in the crowd, jeering at Him? Did you wipe His face with a towel? Did you bewail Him on the road to crucifixion? Did you stand under the cross and witness to Him? Were you the good or bad thief? Did you take Him down from the cross and bury Him? Did you prepare spices for His entombment? Would you have appreciated hearing: —Let these men go?—

We find affinity but we need to look elsewhere

At any point in our lives we might find affinity with one or more of these characters. That is who we are as we follow the path to heaven. We fall because of that kind of affinity and God raises us back up. We are heroes at times but many times prefer to hear: —Let these men go.— We need to change our affinity.

Our affinity is in Jesus Christ

The real question, the real issue we need to reflect on this evening is: are we Jesus? Are we Jesus who did not run, who did the Father’s will. Do we have the courage of Jesus, to be fully human and humane?

Whomever we might find affinity with, that connection is solely a connection in our broken humanity. We must judge that broken connection as something to be overcome, replacing it with our affinity with Jesus. We must make Jesus our only example and our model. Jesus’ perfect humanity is not a symbol or something esoteric. It is a call to reality, to being who He is.

Let us ask that Jesus not say for us: —Let these men go,— but rather —Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.— We will get there by living our lives courageously, modeled on the one who died so that we might have life —“- eternal life. Amen.

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