Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish A Roman Catholic Parish in Houston established in 1982

Rectory Church & Hall 1712 Oak Tree Drive 1731 Blalock Drive Houston, TX 77080 Houston, TX 77080 713-973-1081 713-365-0684 Fax: 713-984-9501

Office hours 9-10am daily or by appt. Internet address: www.polishchurchhouston.com Email to: [email protected] Sunday – July 31st 2011 • Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

An Apostolate of the Society of Christ Liturgy for this Sunday Rev. Leszek Wedziuk, SChr In the first reading Isaias continues his prophecies about Administrator Pro-tem Christ, here using a banquet image to teach that all are invited Deacon: Anthony Rudnicki to the Church of Christ. The banquet imagery is taken up in Parish Council Pres: Marian Kruzel the New Testament, and underlies the accounts of the feedings, such as in today’s Gospel. Mass Schedule The feeding image continues in the Psalm, which celebrates Sunday 9:00 am - Mass in English God’s mercy and kindness. He is “near to all who call upon Sunday 11:00 am - Mass in Polish Him” and “He answers all our needs,” satisfying “the desire of Mon - Thur Mass 8:00am - in English every living thing.” Friday Mass at 7:00pm - in Polish Saturday at 6:00 pm - in Polish In the second reading Paul sends a message of hope based on God’s love for us in Jesus Christ, His Son, who’s death on the Sacraments Cross was a victory over the demonic powers. Who shall Confession daily before Mass “separate us from the love of Christ?” Paul lists seven forms Baptism by appointment of earthly sufferings that we overcome through Christ. He Wedding arrangements should be made six then identifies ten cosmic powers that he is convinced will not months in advance. be able to “separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus Visiting the sick and Holy Eucharist our Lord.” Paul is confident that, because of Christ’s victory, administered on request the faithful are able to withstand the onslaughts of these powers. Mass Intentions In the Gospel Mark gives us one of the several accounts of the Sun – 9am - † † Rose and Andrew Neuser feeding of the multitude. Jesus had pity on the crowd that 11am - † † Balbina, Jan, Alicja and followed Him. He fulfilled their needs, first curing their sick, Halina Lukaszewski then feeding them. He performed a miracle with the five Mon – Dantis loaves of bread and the two fish. He broke the bread (a ritual Tue - later performed by the early Christians on a daily basis). He Wed - gave the bread and the fish to His disciples, who gave them to Thur – the crowd. The people “ate and were satisfied.” “The hand of Fri – For All Parishioners the Lord feeds us; He answers all our needs.” Today, the Lord Sat - † Antoni Zaniecki feeds with His grace, and empowers us to overcome life’s Next Sun – 9am - tribulations and to combat evil. 11am - † Daniel Wojciechowski ______Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish Special Luncheon New parishioners are most warmly welcomed to our parish community and are Please join us for a Farewell Luncheon honoring encouraged to register as soon as possible. Father Leszek Wedziuk, S.Ch. TODAY Sunday, July 31st at 12:00 PM in our Parish Hall, given by all parishioners.

Wedding Anniversary Jubilee Masses A Message from Father Leszek The 2011 Wedding Anniversary Jubilee Masses My dear parishioners, honoring couples celebrating Golden (50th) and Silver th Today, as I celebrate my last Mass in this parish, I (25 ) Anniversaries of marriage in the would like to express my deep gratitude and warm will be held at the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart at thanks for all the good things and kindnesses I have 3:00 PM on Sunday, September 18, 2011 for couples th received during my stay here in Houston. Daily Mass in celebrating their 50 anniversary, and on Sunday, th English was a tremendous help to me in my knowledge September 25, 2011 for couples celebrating their 25 and understanding of this language. For your presence anniversary. Whether or not a couple attends the and prayers, I cordially thank you. Today, after the ceremony, they are eligible to receive a special Polish Mass, I would like to invite all of you to the certificate signed by Daniel Cardinal DiNardo. A couple parish hall for a farewell dinner. wishing to participate is asked to please see Fr. Leszek or call him at the rectory (713-973-1081), no later Your devoted pastor than July31, 2011to provide him with information to Father Leszek register you. Soon after August 14, 2011 the archdiocesan Office of Family Ministry will send registered couples a letter with detailed information Farewell to Father Leszek about the Mass, and they will have an opportunity to Father Leszek is leaving us for an assignment in R.S.V.P. , Maryland. He is going to Holy Rosary Death of Apostolic to the United States Church, another Polish ethnic Parish in the oldest Archdiocese in the United States. He will be greatly Archbishop Pietro Sambi, whomPope Benedict XVI missed. He has left his mark on our parish in the appointed Apostolic Nuncio to the Unted States in short one and a half years that he has been with us. 2005, died last Wednesday, July 27, in Baltimore from He has been the good shepherd. He has moved our complications following lung surgery. He was 73. He parish hall building project along to near completion. had previously served as Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to His good nature and ever-present smile have moved , Apostolic Nuncio to Israel and , and us and comforted us. He has been our friend, our Apostolic Delegate to and Palestine. leader, our strength, our inspiration, our parish priest. Archbishop Sambi’s funeral will take place at the We shall never forget him, and we shall forever miss Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate him - until, one day, perhaps, he may return to us. Conception in Washington on Saturday, August 6, the Farewell, Father Leszek. Keep us in your prayers, feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. Father, for we shall remember you in ours. The Year of Marie Sklodowska-Curie ______The United Nations has proclaimed 2011 as the International Year of Chemistry, commemorating, in The second collection will be for the new parish part, the awarding of the 1911 Nobel Prize in hall. Chemistry to Marie Sklodowska-Curie, the first woman to receive the award. The year 2011 has also Pope’s Prayer Intentions for August, 2011 been declared the Year of Marie Sklodowska-Curie by The Vatican has released the prayer intentions of Pope Poland and France. She is the only woman to win two Benedict XVI for August 2011. Nobel Prizes. She was honored with the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics (a joint award with her husband The Pope’s general intention is: "That World Youth Day Pierre Curie and Henri Becquerel) and the 1911 Nobel in Madrid may encourage young people throughout the Prize in Chemistry, which she received for her own world to have their lives rooted and built up in Christ.” work on radioactivity and the discovery of the His missionary intention is: "That Western Christians elements radium and polonium. Marie Sklodowska- may be open to the action of the Holy Spirit and Curie was born in Poland in 1867 and later lived and rediscover the freshness and enthusiasm of their faith.” worked in France, where she died in 1934 from overexposure to radiation. Sunday 9AM Lector Schedule Cardinal DiNardo Opposes Contraceptive Next Sunday - Margaret Ried Proposal August 14 – Elizabeth Wysocki In a July 22 letter to Congress, Cardinal Daniel August 21 - Mark Ried DiNardo of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities of the Stewardship United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, strongly Saturday/Sunday: 1st Collections $2,440.00; opposed the recommendation of the Institute of 2nd Collections $310.00; Medicine that the Department of Health and Human Building Fund Pledge Payments $970.65; Services mandate coverage of surgical sterilization and Votive Candles $95.00; all FDA-approved birth control in private health Lunch $291.00. insurance plans nationwide.