St. Valentine's PNCC

On March 20th, this year we elect the New Parish Committee for 2011 following 9:30 Mass.

I hope that you are aware that your attendance on this meeting will testify to your maturity and responsibility. If you as the members of the PNCC, and as the parishioners of the Saint Valentine Church, you will live and work according to teachings of Jesus, and will propagate the democratic principles of Christ. You may then be assured of His presence, help and cooperation. If we gather for common prayer, tasks or efforts; if we will work and struggle for His Holy Cause; Jesus, our Master, Jesus our Leader and Jesus our Savior, will sustain us. For our work is His work; our toil, His toil. Jesus is with us. He wants to help us. We must work together the young parishioners and aged parishioners, Parish Committee members and the rest of parishioners. Because the Church is a Body of Christ, in the church is Jesus Christ, the Church is His, and He is ours. Let us pray together, let us work together. Come, and testify that You are responsible for St. Valentine’s Church.

As a Pastor of Parish I want you to know, that Parish is a Community of people who believe in One God in The Holy Trinity and worship God together as a Assembly minimum once a week on Sunday. This is the reason of existence of Parish.

In St. Valentine’s Parish are three categories of people:

1. parishioners who use Church as a holy ground for prayer and worship; listening the Words of God and receive Holy Sacraments; and also they take care of material matters of parish, paying dues, offerings and support parish organizing and participating in many fundraiser events.
2. parishioners who are shut-ins, or aged, and who support Parish according to their means and abilities. Also parishioners who only pay dues and offerings, but they never or very rarely attend church; probably keeping their membership for funerals or other events of life (weddings, Baptisms, First Holy Communions, etc.)
3. people who don’t pay dues, who are like sympathizers of parish, and make offering in support.

According to the Constitution of Polish National Catholic Church, every year is called Parish Meeting to elect a Parish Committee. The Parish Committee together with Pastor has to manage and develop Parish, taking care of parish finance and properties.

Who is able to be elected as a parish committee member? Only parishioner who belong to the first category: true parishioner/members who use Church as a holy ground for prayer and worship; listening the Words of God and receive Holy Sacraments; and also they take care of materials matters of parish, paying dues, offerings and support parish organizing and participating in many fundraiser events.

The lot of St. Valentine’s Church, depends on you, your presence at the Parish Annual Meeting will be expected and is very necessary.

We will celebrate St. Valentine’s Day on Sunday, February 13th with a Solemn High Mass at 9:30 a.m. followed by a St. Valentine’s Brunch and St. Valentine’s Beneficial Society Meeting. Everyone is welcome! Happy Valentine’s Day!

Wigilijny Opłatek – Christmas Wafers: are available in Church (table at vestibule), in Rectory, or Church Hall as well as by mail. Donation: $3.

Polish Christmas Open House: Saturday, December 11th from 11am till 2:30 pm at the Polish Cultural Center, 308 Walnut St. Philadelphia -– Great fun for children. Everyone is welcomed to enjoy this wonderful event. For more information call or see Father.

Decorating of the Parish: The church is going to be decorated after the 9:30am Holy Mass on Sunday, December 19th. Please, support & help us in these events.

Candle Light Service & Sacrament of Penance, Vigilia Dinner with “Opłatek:” Sunday, December 19th. Service at 4pm followed by dinner at about 5:30pm. Santa is coming to our children and youth.

Solemnity of Nativity of our Lord – Christmas and Christmas Season Holy Masses:

• “Pasterka” Shepherd Mass will be celebrated the 24th/25th of December at Midnight.
• Holy Mass on Christmas Day will be celebrated in the morning 9:30am.
• Feast of St. Stephen, Protomartyr will be observed on Sunday, December 26th with Holy Mass at 8am (Polish) and 9:30am (English)
• Solemnity of the Circumcision of our Lord will be celebrated on Saturday, January 1st, 2011 at 9:30am.

Special All Souls Day services will be held as follows:

• In church on Sunday, November 1st at 8 and 9:30 AM.
• At the Parish Cemetery in AndalusIa, 875 Mill Rd., Bensalem, PA on Sunday, November 1st at 2 PM.

All services will include a reading of the Rote of the Departed/Wypominki.

St. Valentine’s will hold its annual Holiday Bazaar at the St. Valentine’s Parish Hall, 2330 Margaret St., Philadelphia, PA on Saturday, November 7th (9 AM – 4 PM) and Sunday, November 8th (10:30 AM – 2 PM).

The Holiday Bazaar features crafts, Christmas gifts, a flea market, raffles, and games. We are serving home made Polish Food including: piergi, gołąbki, kiełabsy, kapusta and cake. We will also have hot dogs and hamburgers available. You may eat-in or order for take-out.

For more information please call us at 215-535-4978.

Everyone is welcome at St. Valentine’s!
Zapraszamy!

Our Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Anthony Mikovsky visited St. Valentine’s Parish on Sunday, September 27, 2009 to administer Confirmation, the completion of the Sacramental journey our confirmands began in Baptism. We also express our thanks to the Rev. Frederick Mechowski of Our Savior Parish in Lawrenceville, NJ who joined us on this special day.