Tarnów

Heaven gave us a window of beautiful weather and our Catholic hearts gave themselves fully. On Saturday, November 27, 2021, we celebrated the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary revealing the Miraculous Medal – 191st Anniversary of Her Revelation. A Marian procession from the Tarnów cathedral to the church of XX Missionaries. As a votive offering of gratitude to Our Lady Immaculate for her care for the Pastoral Care of the Faithful of the Catholic Tradition, at the Holy Family Parish in Tarnów, with a plea for the protection of Catholics in Poland and in the world at this time of trial of faith.

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Krakow

In the chapel of the Provincial House, Mass. was performed by Father Józef Łucyszyn, CM and Father Director Bogdan Zapotoczny, CM. Father Józef spoke in his homily about places, times and experiences where Heaven meets Earth. They are, among others The Immaculate Conception of Mary, the Nativity of Jesus Christ… Such events also include the meeting of Our Lady with Saint Catherine Labouré and the presentation of the Medal, which is a gift from Heaven and a sign of hope for the Earth. The Daughters of Charity are also a sign of hope for the world. They give life to the poor for body and soul – as did St. Vincent.

This day was a great celebration: at 15.00 Chaplet of Divine Mercy, then meditation, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Rosary, Vespers, Novena to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal.

www.krakow.szarytki.pl

Zakopane

On November 27, 2021 in the Sanctuary of the Miraculous Medal in Zakopane – Olcza, Poland, the official opening of Novena 200 took place. (In anticipation of the 200 anniversary of the apparition in 2030, they started a nine year long novena to prepare for this big anniversary.)

In this, the only such sanctuary in Poland, the local people and pilgrims from the country gathered in great numbers. From what I learned, two busses arrived from the diocese of Bielsko-Żywiec, from Moderator of Przemyśl,  Paulina Kowol with a parish priest. From our diocese of Gliwice, 111 people participated in this beautiful event, led by the Moderator Wiesława Bromer and Fr. Leszek Skorupa from Krupski Młyn.

We prepared very carefully for the celebration. To live this Great Feast with dignity and fruitfulness, we prayed the 9-day Novena to the Immaculate. On the way to Olcza, we took our prayers to God on the bus, asking for the most abundant fruits of this novena.

The Triduum inaugurating the 9-year-long Novena began with an evening service on Friday, November 26. Our group participated in the Saturday Mass, which was presided over by the Visitor of the Polish Province of the Congregation of Missionaries, Fr. Dr. Paweł Holc CM, assisted by numerous priests from the congregation and diocesan priests. The setting of the Holy Mass was very important. The singing and musical setting performed in highlander dialect made for a unique atmosphere.

During the Holy Mass, we joined the procession with the gifts of the altar and offered: honey, mass wine, a financial offering and a set of books about the seminarian Alfons Mańka from Lisowice. The gifts were carried by the chairman of AMM Danuta Szuluk from the community from Zabrze Rokitnica, dressed in a beautiful regional Silesian costume. The community from Lisowice also took its banner. After the Holy Mass, we went to the lower part of the church for the performance of the “Giewont” band and a snack prepared by the AMM community from Zakopane, headed by Marysia Pawlikowska. We, wanting to share the joy of this celebration, brought a “Silesian Kołocz”, which is traditionally served and welcomed by honorable guests on important occasions.

We returned home tired, but very spiritually strong and full of joy.

All with the Immaculate!

Chairwoman of the AMM
Renata Piosek