Mother s Day Prayer. May Rt. Rev. Bernard Nowicki, DD - Pastor Rev. Janusz A. Lucarz - Assistant Pastor

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1 May 2018 Rt. Rev. Bernard Nowicki, DD - Pastor Rev. Janusz A. Lucarz - Assistant Pastor Welcome, welcome to May the month of Mary and mothers! We continue here at St Stanislaus with our devotions to the Blessed Mother each Wednesday evening at 7:00; and at home we re signing our contracts with Shari s Berries, Pro Flowers and Terry s Diner to demonstrate our devotions to our own mothers during this month of May. If I were a TV commercial I d stop my message right here and might even refer you to that cheery but somewhat impish May song from Camelot. However, as this is no infomercial on the holiday, I d like to chat here a while with both mothers and fathers to give them a bit of a reminder. I d like to remind them both that for all the fluff and flutter accorded our moms and, later, for all the ill-fitting socks and those ties of dubious taste inflicted upon our fathers (all given with the greatest love and deepest devotion, without question!), there is much more depth to the admiration for our dads and moms at this time of year than many realize. Many of us, focusing more on Shari s Berries, Pro Flowers, socks and ties tend to ignore the element of the divine in all of this. We forget that it is our God who is the basis of all of this. God is the ultimate issue in celebrating mommies and daddies on special days. A few brief observations then: 1-The origin of the family is God s idea, ordained by God in creation. God s idea of the heart of the family is a covenant relationship between one man and one woman, linked to each other alone, in a one-flesh union. 2- The family is God s basic school for instructing children in the moral actions of courtesy and gratitude and respect and faith in Christ. 3- Under God both fathers and mothers share in the responsibility of this family instruction. 4- God calls sons and daughters to be submissive to their mothers and fathers. Honor your father and mother (Exodus 20:12) by listening respectfully and by remembering what they taught you about right and wrong when you are away from home and no one can see but you and God. 5- God ordains a reward for sons and daughters who do not forsake the teaching of their parents, and goes out of his way to make this explicit to the children. So God bless our beloved moms and our cherished dads! May they all be showered with things fattening and questioningly fashionable, but may we all recognize them for who they truly are in our household of faith: They are divine agents for the uplifting of the Body, the Church, and the expansion of God s kingdom beginning with their children. Bishop Bernard Mother s Day Prayer God our Creator, we pray: for new mothers, coming to terms with new responsibility ; for expectant mothers, wondering and waiting; for those who are tired, stressed or depressed; for those who struggle to balance the tasks of work and family; for those who are unable to feed their children due to poverty; for those whose children have physical, mental or emotional disabilities; for those who have children they do not want; for those who raise children on their own; for those who have lost a child; for those who care for the children of others; for those whose children have left home; and for those whose desire to be a mother has not been fulfilled. Bless all mothers, that their love may be deep and tender, and that they may lead their children to know and do what is good, living not for themselves alone, but for God and for others. Amen.

2 page 2 Holy Week Holy Week started on Palm Sunday. Palms were blessed and distributed during all masses and at the Chapel in Tripp Park. The 10:00 a.m. Mass began with the traditional Palm Sunday liturgy which represents Christ s triumphant entry into Jerusalem. On Holy Tuesday, the Clergy of the Central Diocese met starting at 10:00 a.m. in the Youth Center. Following their conference, Chrism Mass was held where the oils needed for sacramental use are blessed and then distributed to those clergy in attendance. After Mass, the clergy and the choir were treated to a scrumptious meal made by the ladies of the ANS Catering. The choir then had to return to the church for choir practice for Easter. Holy Thursday was the Mass of the Institution of the Eucharist commemorating the Last Supper. It is very moving when at the Gloria, the bells are ringing, the choir is singing and the organ is resounding. After such glorious music, the organ is silenced and the rest of the mass continues with the choir singing a cappella. Good Friday services began at noon with Holy Hour, Litanies of the Passion and of Our Holy Mother of Sorrows. Mass of the Pre-Sanctified and Reflections on the Seven Last Words of Christ followed by the opening of the symbolic tomb of Christ. The Tenebrae, chanted by the gentlemen of the Cathedral, ended the evening. The Tenebrae service is to recreate the emotional aspects of the passion story with the singing of Matins and Vespers while extinguishing all the candles on the triangular shaped candelabra except the top one which represents Christ. It is taken behind the altar and emerges on the other side, representing Christ s death and resurrection. If you have never attended, plan on it some Good Friday evening. It is a moving experience. To end holy week on Holy Saturday, the blessing of Easter Food Baskets was held at various times during the day at the Cathedral and the Tripp Park Chapel and after the Vigil of the Risen One Mass. Beside the smell of the Easter flowers, the aroma of ham, kielbasa and other various Easter foods filled the church.

3 page 3 Christ Is Risen! He Is Risen Indeed! Easter Sunday began with Solemn Procession which turned joyous with the singing of Come Rejoice Our Lord Is Risen sung by the Cathedral Chorale and the congregation, accompanied by Dr. Peter Picerno on the organ and Jack Partyka on trumpet. During the Mass the rejoicing continued with the Cathedral Chorale and St. Stanislaus Bell Choir teaming together in the offertory anthem Now All the Vault of Heaven Resounds by John A. Behnke. After Mass many said how beautiful and moving the anthem was; even bringing some to tears. In between Easter Masses, the Cathedral Chorale shared an Easter Breakfast supplied by Dr. Barbara Nowicki and Dr. Peter Picerno. This was fuel for the body and soul to continue the rejoicing with the offertory anthem Worthy Is Christ by Richard Hillert for the second Easter Mass at 10:30 a.m. It was so magnificent to share in the joy of Our Risen Lord with our families and parish community. Come join us every week as we share in worship and song. Call for Delegates The National Synod of the PNCC will be held at Our Lady of the Snows in Belleview, Illinois on October 1st to 3rd. As a parish we are allowed to send 6 delegates. We are still in need of a few more volunteers. If you are interested being a delegate, please contact the rectory or the parish office as soon as possible. Time to Pinch Those Pierogi During the last week of April, the ladies from the Adoration Society and the ANS Catering were rolling, cutting, stuffing, pinching, double pinching (a lost art) and boiling those delicious pierogi. The ladies are getting ready for the Annual Flea Market to be held the last full weekend in August. Besides having the Best Flea Market in Scranton, the ladies also sell many mouth-watering Polish foods including their homemade pierogi. Thanks to all those dedicated ladies for their labor of love and may God bless them all.

4 page 4 Smell Those Chickens on the Barbeque It s that time of the year again when we begin planning for our upcoming Chicken BBQ s. We are entering our 4th season providing delicious chicken dinners for our members, as well as those in the local community. Our events have proven very successful as an out-reach program since we ve been fortunate to have returning customers ask, when is the next one. Many have stated it s the best BBQ in Scranton, while being very reasonable. Great conversation and interaction is also part of this event and lends itself to our success. We will kick off the season by holding our first event on Saturday, May 26th, on our corner Pittston Avenue and East Elm Street property, from Noon till Sold Out. Preorder, sign-up sheets are available in the lower church hall. Or call Paul or Sylvia The other Saturday dates to remember are; June 16th, July 14th, August 11th, September 8th and October 13th. The menu includes: ½ chicken, baked potato and butter, vegetable, roll with butter, dessert and bottled water. Cost is $10.00 with take outs only, drive thru service and ample parking. Join us, on the corner, for an excellent Chicken BBQ dinner at a reasonable price. You won t be disappointed.

5 page 5 Welcome New Members The Clergy, Parish Committee and Parishioners of Saint Stanislaus would like to WELCOME quite a few new members to our Parish community. In 2017 we had three new members; Regina Petrunich, Kelsi Matylewicz and Sammy Raub II. So far this year, we have accepted 8 new members into our parish: Hermina Koshinski, Stacey Zygmunt, Laura Nitch, Ann Marie Bekage and just this April, Peter Arvonio III, Miranda Rybak, Berit Nowicki and Amy Reap. We welcome them most warmly to our Parish family and look forward to worshiping with them and enjoying Christian fellowship together. Proverbs 22:6 NIV 6 Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. Proverbs 1:8-9 NIV 8 Listen, my son, to your father s instruction and do not forsake your mother s teaching. 9 They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck. March Madness Is Over! Wow! What a season! On March 23rd, the St. Stanislaus Basketball League had their last games plus a final game of the oldest team against the coaches. There were some coaches in need of Icy Hot the next day. Each of the 88 participants ranging from Pre-K through 11th grade received a trophy. Then after each of the age group games, the players were treated to pizza and a drink. This year the league had to purchase a new bracket for the stationary hoops in order to adjust the height on these baskets to compensate our range of age groups. After all expenses were taken care of, the proceeds from this league were donated to the Youth Center for operational expenses. The Cathedral received a check for $2100 from the league. Thank you so very much. We are thankful for all the basketball families who have supported the league throughout the season. We appreciate everyone s support and commitment each week and look forward to keeping this organization alive and active within our church for our youth! Hopefully we can continue to maintain this league net year and would love to see some more new faces and volunteers to help out.

6 page 6 May is a Busy Month in the Cathedral Mother s Day falls on Sunday May 13th this year. Come and pray with us as we honor our mothers past and present. We pray for God s blessings on all our mothers both those who are our angels in heaven and those who are still our angels here on earth. This Sunday, the School of Christian Living will also distribute their end of the year certificates. We will be confirming 4 young people this year on Sunday, May 20th, Pentecost Sunday, at the 9:30 a.m. Mass. They have completed their two years of catechetical classes and are ready to affirm their place in the Christian Church Memorial Day Mass will be celebrated on Monday, May 28th at 10:00 a.m. at our cemetery rain or shine. The rainy day venue will be in the park pavilion. Join us this solemn day of remembrance at Holy Mass and honor those who died serving in the United States Armed Forces. The Scranton Seniorate Corpus Christi celebration will be held here at the Cathedral on Thursday, May 31st, at 7:00 p.m. Hope you can join in this Holy celebration with our fellow members from the surrounding parishes. Steeple Update The steeple project is progressing despite the terrible Spring weather we had this season. First Men s Spiritual Retreat: The Making of a Godly Man The men of the United Y.M.S. of R. would like to formally invite you to the First Men s Spiritual Retreat, The Making of a Godly Man, to be held May at historic Spojnia Farm in Waymart, PA. Please Join Us!!! The cost is only $100, and includes room and all meals. The Cathedral YMS of R will cover ½ the cost ($50) for any gentleman of the Parish who will attend the Retreat. Registration deadline is May 13, This retreat filled with spirituality and brotherhood, will provide many opportunities to grow personally and as a group. For more information contact Fr. Carmen G. Bolock at , padrecarmen54@gmail.com. Registration Forms are available in the lower auditorium or on the PNCC website, under upcoming events. CJ Diirner and Sons have completed the lower part of the tower where the church bells are housed and have now progressed to the upper tower. The old tin cladding has been removed and the installation of the new aluminum is almost complete. The final part will be the crown of the steeple which will be clad in aluminum to resemble the patina look of weathered copper. With God s help and good weather, the steeple should be finished by the end of May when a special blessing will be planned. Watch the bulletinfor details. Who knows, we might even get to see a Bishop fly to the top!

7 Convo 2018 The Convo 2018 Committee of the Central Diocese met on March 24th to discuss their plans for the upcoming Convocation to be held this July at the University of Scranton. Many topics were discussed and finalized so that the registration packets could be sent out. Included in their scheduled events is an inspirational Christian speaker/illusionist, Tom Coverly; a day at the Cathedral with Holy Mass at 11:00 a.m. and touring of the Cathedral, PNU, Chancery and National Church Center; an excursion to Kalahari Water park; and a community service project to benefit homeless teens to name a few. To help with the costs of Convo 2018, the committee has appealed to Church groups or individuals to donate toward their various expenses. Donations can be sent to Convo 2018, 515 E. Locust St., Scranton, PA Please keep these young people in your prayers as they prepare for this wonderful event for the Youth of our Polish National Catholic Church. Blessing of New Oil Stock On April 22nd at the 9:30 Mass, a large Chrism oil stock was blessed and consecrated in memory of sp. Walter Loss offered by wife, Frances and daughters Wanda Donihoo and Carol Hurwich. This Chrism Oil stock will be used whenever the bishop celebrates Confirmation or any blessing which require Chrism. Bog zapłac.

8 page 7 May Birthdays May 1 John Shiner May 2 - David Mays Nathan Ostroski May 4 David Ostrowski Jake Aebli May 5 Richard Runsky Germaine Matylewicz Ann Egelski May 6 Theresa Ogonowski Nathan Kaszuba May 7 Angelo Valvano Atty. Ernest Gazda May 9 Jessica Notari May 10 Corey Kowalski May 12 Troy Petrillo May 13 Kevin Allen May 15 Richard Kieler May 21- Robert Matylewicz May 22 Allison Golembeski May 24 Dauna Mays May 26 Robert Bogdanski May 27 Lynn Oliver May 28 Nicholas Cimino May 29 Stanley Zigmont May Anniversaries May 4 Chester & Cheryl Lukasiewicz May 20 Frank & Dolores Farrence Jacek & Holly Grotnik Green Thumbs Needed Now that it is finally getting warm and Spring has really sprung, we are in need of some volunteers to help plant the annuals in front of the church, rectory and at the cemetery by the gates. If you enjoy gardening and could be helpful, please contact the Parish Office at or office@saintstanislauspncc.org. Also there is some light to medium work that needs to be done at the cemetery such as leveling small areas and reseeding or lifting cornerstones to make them ground level. If you can volunteer to help, please contact the Parish Office or Ed Borek. We would like to keep our properties as beautiful and appealing as possible. The Joint Was a Jumpin On April 28th, the Youth Center was hoppin when Swingin in NEPA held a swing dance event. This group holds swing dances around the Scranton Area with a live band and beginning lessons 1 hour before the dance begins. They will have another event in our Youth Center on Saturday, June 30th. For more information on their upcoming events, go to Swingin in NEPA on Face book or contact Tara at Happy Mother s Day Choosy mothers choose Jesus! God could not be everywhere and therefore He made mothers. Make your mother proud; go to Church on Sunday, and the next Sunday, and the next Honor your Mother and you will honor God.

9 page 8 Mark Your Calendars! Here are some of the upcoming events, so mark your calendars to keep them in mind. May 8th & 9th PNCC-RC Dialogue Commission in Scranton May 9th, 16th, 23rd - Marian Devotions at the Cathedral 7:00 p.m. May 10th Ascension Day at the Cathedral May 15th Parish Committee Meeting May 21st-23rd - National Liturgical Commission, Scranton June 2nd One Hot Meal 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the Church Hall, Come enjoy a meal or be a volunteer June 10th First Holy Communion at the Cathedral June 8th thru June 10th 73rd Annual YMS of R/PNCC Bowling Tournament June 16th 2nd Chicken Pittston Ave. and Elm St. Noon until sold out. July 7th One Hot Meal 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the Youth Center. Come enjoy a meal or be a volunteer July 8th Church Picnic for our Parishioners at the YMS of R Park. Refreshment will be provided by POSH July 14th 3rd Chicken Pittston Ave. and Elm St. Noon until sold out. July 23rd to 27th Youth Convocation to be held at the University of Scranton The Cathedral is the host parish. July 30th to Aug. 23rd Preparation for the Annual Flea Market. We will need volunteers to help with the set up of the Flea Market items and to prepare the food. Check your calendars to see if you can be helpful. August 4th One Hot Meal 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the Church Hall. Come enjoy a meal or be a volunteer August 11th 4th Chicken Pittston Ave. and Elm St. Noon until sold out. Aug. 24th thru Aug. 26th Annual Flea Market in the Youth Center. As you do your spring cleaning consider saving those old but usable items for donation. We can arrange to pick up large items such as furniture. Donations qualify as tax deductible. Sept. 1st One Hot Meal 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the Youth Center. Come enjoy a meal or be a volunteer! Sept. 8th 5th Chicken Pittston Ave. and Elm St. Noon until sold out. 1st in a series of programs; Rejuvenating Your Religion in the Youth Center October 1st to 3rd National Synod at Our Lady of the Snows in Belleview, Illinois. October 13th 6th Chicken Pittston Ave. and Elm St. Noon until sold out. October 21st ANS Dinner June 24th Youth Sunday Honoring 2018 Graduates. The parish would like to acknowledge and honor all high school and college graduates during the 9:30am Youth Mass on June 24, To have your or your graduate(s) included in this recognition, please submit all names to the parish office by Sunday June 17, You can call ( ) or (office@saintstanislauspncc.org) with the graduate s name, school from which he/she is graduating, and any future plans. We would also ask each graduate, if at all possible, to be present on June 24th. We are looking forward to wishing so many of our young adults well in their future endeavors.