News of Polonia Serving the Polish Community since 1995 Wiadomości Polonijne Volume 14, No. 07 December 2008 Free or Home Delivery

Christmas cribs... Celebrate the Season with Polish style an Open House and an By: Robert Strybel, Open Heart Polish/Polonian Affairs writer By: Joanne Winetzki

Christmas crčches, cribs or nativity sets Grandmother Józefa was a devoutly are things we take for granted, but religious woman married to a man probably few Polish Americans know that dedicated to the study of archaeology and it was St. Kinga (1234-1292), the ancient cultures. She good naturedly Hungarian-born wife of ‟s tolerated his avocation by believing that the Bolesław the Bashful, who first brought Almighty would favorably judge him. them to Poland. Kinga (also known as “Andrzej‟s a fine man, generous to a fault Kunegunda) greatly admired the Italian, and devoted to his family,” she would reply St. Francis of Assisi, who had set up the to her eldest sister who disapproved of the first Christmas crib in a church in 1223. “tall tales” he persisted in relating to the The story of ‟ birth was portrayed by grandchildren. My favorite recollection is life-size statues or re-enacted by people the Christmas holiday when we children (usually monks or seminarians) for the would gather in Grandmother‟s kitchen to benefit of largely illiterate medieval decorate cutout cookies with frosting, sugar congregations. In time, these portrayals sprinkles and tiny silver candies. became increasingly elaborate. Grandfather would sit on a kitchen chair, Eventually, nativity puppet stages his cane dangling precariously on the back emerged, and in the 18th century the of it, and wait for the opportunity to impart mechanized crčche first made its fascinating lore about some venerable appearance. The well-known 18th-century culture. He always saved the most historian, Rev. Jędrzej Kitowicz, thus “controversial” discourse for the moment described one such nativity scene: Grandmother disappeared into the pantry to “There was the little person of Lord beat the seven minute frosting to its Jesus, and standing to the side Mary and optimum spreading consistency. Joseph, bent over in a sign of great “The Persian God Mithras was born on affection and admiration. Above the December 25 just like Our Lord Jesus,” he stable, were soaring on wings and began speaking on one wintery afternoon. seeming to sing „Gloria in excelsis Deo‟. “His followers believed Mithras, like Our On either side of the stable were peasants Lord, helped them to enter heaven, the and little shepherds, some tending their realm of light. Since prehistoric times flocks, others sleeping, still others people have celebrated the return of the sun hastening to the stable with sheep and or light on the winter solstice. It‟s a period goats in their arms, and among them of hope, renewal and optimism for the characters expressing every human estate: future. That is why the early Christians lords riding in carriages, nobles and chose this auspicious time to observe the burghers on foot, peasants carting timber, birth of Our Saviour.” grain and hay, leading oxen, ploughing Grandfather went on to explain other fields, selling bread, farmwives milking precepts and rituals related to this period cows, Jews displaying various goods for when daylight overtakes darkness once sale and similar such human endeavors.‟ again. He told us how Jewish families As more and more secular, even observe Hannukah by setting a lighted humorous elements began creeping in, the menorah, a ceremonial candelabrum, in a Church Schedules of the Holiday Season

Christmas cribs to page 15 window of their home. Next, he asked the Our Lady of the Bright Mount (Masses in Polish) youngest of us to tell about our Polish 3400 W. Adams Blvd. - Los Angeles (323) 734-5249 custon of placing a candle in a window to

Wiadomości Polonijne Dec. 24 Wed - Vigil 10:00 p.m., Pasterka - midnight light the way for the “uninvited guest” on

Grobelny—Powrót do Phoenix 20 Dec. 25 Th Christmas Masses at 10:00 a.m., noon, 14:30 (*Pol/Eng.*) . Then Grandmother chimed in with Ks. Bigda - Kryzys 21 Dec. 26 Fri St. Stephen, First Martyr - Masses at 10:00 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. a description of her youngest sister‟s Ks. Kamieński - Dzisiaj Betlejem 17 Christmas Eve observance. Malina and her Moje własne refleksje 19 Dec. 31 Wed Solemnity Evening prayer and Mass of Thanksgiving will be husband Mario combined Wigilia and the Kerosky - Visa Waiver 20 held at the end of the old year. 5:00 p.m. southern Italian La Vigilia. Observant Józef Lądowicz  18 Happy New Year - Jan 1 Th Leon Kulikowski  18 Catholics in both countries ate no meat on Kaczerowska - Mieczysław Haiman 19 Feast of the Motherhood of Mary 10:00 a.m., noon, 18:30. this day. Polish carp joined red snapper and Małek - Socjalizm 19 Jan. 4 Sun Epiphany of the Lord - Masses at 8:30 and 10:00 a.m. - noon tempura prawns to reach the traditional Narębska - Gwiazdka 17 After the noon Mass - an Opłatek luncheon in the hall. Italian minimum requirement of seven Petryka - Opłaatek Kongresu 18 seafood dishes. Nodding his head in Piechocki - Modlitwa Turysty 20 ______approval, grandfather concluded by saying, Prof. Pogonowski - Organiczenia 17 Prof. Przystawa - Hipostaza 17 Pope John Paul II Polish Center “My dears, our grand Polish traditions are Oświadczenie 18 3999 Rose Drive - Yorba Linda (Orange County) (714) 996-8161 more than mere local customs and folklore.

Styrna - Być albo nie być 19 Together with people all over the world, we Trybala - Świętego Bożego Narodzenia 17 Sundays of will follow the usual schedule… honor the Divine Light that loves, protects Wilczek Nagrodzony 21

and guides us all.” Ball, Justyna - Christmas 2 Christmas Eve It was trickier to regale us with “unholy” Birth - Konrad Moran 3 Dec 24 Wed English 4:00 stories when visiting great aunt Annie, Calendar of SoCal 2 grandmother‟s eldest sister who held strict Christmas Forgineness 7 Vigil Mass in English 10:00 p.m. Jamel’s Corner - UN Climate Conf. 4 Midnight - Pasterka in Polish religious beliefs. However, Andrzej was her Katyn - Rotfeld article 6 favorite, so he could get by with all sorts of Legal - Visa Waiver 3 Christmas Day mischief, as long as he agreed SHE was the Mirecki - Kulkiński tribute 6 Dec. 25 Th . 7:00 a.m. best pierogi maker. I remember the Music News - Deaer Friends 3 Mass in English, 9:00 a.m. afternoon Grandfather tapped his cane on Northern California 12 auntie‟s back door just as we were Obituary - Wojciech Wierzewski 9 Mass in Polish 10:30 a.m. Orange County news - 8 Dec 31 Wed Vigil Mass in English, 4:00 p.m. beginning the tedious process of preparing

Pilgramage for Grandpa’s Opłatek 8 several hundred of the tasty little pillows. Polish American Christmas tales 3 Happy New Year - Jan 1 Thursday Aunt Annie pulled a dining room chair up PAC - Sen. Specter and PAC Opłatek 6 Latin Tridentine Mass 7:00 a.m. to the kitchen door for him, well out of the Polish Univ. Club Opłatek 4 Mass in English, 10:00 a.m. way of the pierogi assembly line. Profiles - Guarian Angels 2 Mass in Polish, 7:30 p.m. Grandfather held tight to his cane thumping Pułaski Day Parade 7 Taxes - IRA Retirement Savings 3 Celebrate the season to page `14