St. Nicholas surprised St. Stanislaus parishioners with a visit at the end of  each of  this weekend’s Masses.  He read a beautiful letter to the congregation and then called forward  all kids- from age 1 to 120!!!

pictured- Fr. Roman, Evan A, Amanda P, Esther M, & Mrs. Pamela Moore

The Hands of Christ Award is a recognition given to high school seniors in the Diocese of Rochester who have demonstrated a life of service, faith and Christian example in their parish, home and school communities.

We congratulate St. Stanislaus parishioners Evan Anderson, Ana Hayes, Konrad Juskiewicz, Esther Moore, Amanda Procaccini and Maria Wojciechowski, the 2019 recipients of this award!

Corpus Christi procession at St. Stanislaus Kostka Church concludes Year of the Eucharist at the Diocese of Rochester

Presider Most Rev. Bishop Salvatore R. Matano

Photo credit and full article available at Catholic Courier

In many Eastern European countries, it is a tradition to have a basket of food blessed on Holy Saturday or Easter Sunday. In Poland, for example, the blessing of the baskets is known as święcenie pokarmow wielkanocnych, a practice dating to the 15th century or earlier, and one which is still maintained by most families in Poland on Holy Saturday.

St. Stanislaus Kostka Church will be holding Food Blessing presided by

Most Reverend Bishop Salvatore Matano on Holy Saturday at 1 pm.

The food items in the Easter basket, as well as at the Easter Sunday breakfast where the blessed food is eaten, have special significance.

Decorating the Basket

A lot of thought, time, and care is put not only into the foods that will go into the basket but also how the basket is assembled. The basket is lined with an embroidered cloth or traditional folk fabric. Once the basket is filled, it is covered with a white linen cloth (some have a colorfully crocheted edging or embroidered design) representing the shroud of Christ. The basket may then be decorated with sprigs of boxwood (bukszpan) or Polish “palms ” made from dried flowers and colorful paper.

Filling the Basket

A typical Eastern European Easter basket would include any of these symbolic foods.

• Bacon–boczek/słonina. A symbol of the abundance of God’s mercy.
• Bread—chleb. Usually a braided sweet bread type, representing the staff of life given by God.
• Easter bread–babka. A round loaf of rich, eggy, yeast dough with raisins reminiscent of the risen Lord.
• Butter–masło. Dairy products are included to celebrate the end of Lent and the richness of our salvation. Butter is often shaped into a lamb (symbolic of the Paschal Lamb) and known as a baranek. (When the baranek is made of sugar, it is known as baranek cukrowy wielkanocny.)
• Candle–swieca. The candle symbolizes Jesus, the “light of the world,” and can be lit when the priest blesses the baskets of food.
• Cheese–ser. Cheese is a symbol to remind Christians of moderation.
• Colored eggs–pisanki (pee-SAHN-kee). Both colored and uncolored hard-cooked eggs indicate hope, new life and Christ rising from his tomb.
• Ham–szynka. Meats are symbolic of great joy and abundance in celebration of Christ’s resurrection.
• Sausage–kiełbasa. The sausage links are symbolic of the chains of death that were broken when Jesus rose from the dead, as well as of God’s generosity.
• Horseradish—chrzan. This is a reminder of the bitterness and harshness of the Passion of Jesus, and the vinegar it is mixed with symbolizes the sour wine given to Jesus on the cross.
• Salt–sól. Salt is represented to add zest to life and preserve us from corruption.
• Sweets–słodycze. Sweets suggest the promise of eternal life or good things to come.

Governor Cuomo has included his abortion expansion proposal in his current budget bill, so Catholics around the state are being encouraged to contact their NYS Senators to make sure they do not let this abortion expansion proposal pass in this budget (the State Assembly just passed the abortion expansion bill on its own this week, so the focus is on the State Senate).  Please read over the flyer for more information.  You may also check out these pages of the NYS Catholic Conference website:

http://www.nyscatholic.org/nys-catholic-conference-action-center/    (this is the page that the attached flyer directs people to in order to send a message to their State Senator)

http://www.nyscatholic.org/2018/01/budget-bill-s-7511-a-9511-in-relation-to-late-term-abortion-expansion-part-b-in-the-womens-agenda-article-vii-bill/

The Diocesan Public Policy Committee, now chaired by Fr. Dan Condon, chose abortion expansion as one of the three main issues in its annual legislative agenda. The committee was aware that this issue was likely to come to the forefront in the state legislature again this year as a key issue in Governor Cuomo’s political agenda.  This issue may well come up again in this legislative session (January-June 2018) even if it is defeated now, but defeating it in this budget is a crucial step.

1803 Abortion_Expansion_Flyer Public Policy  – please see attached.

St. Patrick’s Prayer

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the rock.

I arise today
Through God’s strength to pilot me;
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s hosts to save me
A far and near,
Alone or in a multitude.

Christ shield me today
Against wounding
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.

I arise today
through the mighty strength
Of the Lord of creation.