Friends and family (Przyjaciólmi i rodzina):
On behalf of the “Kolędy Polskie” organizers, we want to invite you, your families and friends to join “Kolędy Polskie” on Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 12:45 p.m. in Chappell Hill, Texas at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church. This will be our fifth annual “Kolędy Polskie” and we hope that you will invite your families and friends to join in this historic Polish tradition. Everyone is encouraged to attend and participate celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ and embracing our Polish culture.
The “Kolędy Polskie” will convene at 12:45 p.m. on the steps of St. Stanislaus Catholic Church until 1:00 p.m. We encourage everyone to bring a Polish covered dish for our evening meal. You are welcome to take your dish early to Jozwiak’s store if it is something that needs to stay warm. In addition, we would like for you to dress in nativity costume and bring a candle for our cemetery vigil at dusk. Dressing in nativity costume is an old Polish custom dating back to the 14th century and we would like to honor that tradition. However, you do not have to have anything elaborate or fancy. You may dress as a beggar, an angel, a shepherd, a devil, St. Nickolas, a wise man and/or make a homemade costume. To reduce the number of cars in procession and to foster fellowship, we have rented a school bus that will seat 50 people. Vehicles will be left in the St. Stanislaus parking lot.
This year the “Kolędy Polskie” organizers changed the date from our traditional date of December 26 to Saturday, December 29. The change was made to accommodate the host families and participants that were not able to take off of work in the middle of the week. However, the first day after Christmas, December 26 is known as St. Stephen’s Day and it was traditionally the first day outside of the home after Christmas to visit friends and family. Sometime during the 14th century, the tradition of ”Polskie Kolędy” began on St. Stephen’s Day and continued until Epiphany, January 6 the 12th day of Christmas. We encourage you to go visit your friends and relatives on St. Stephen’s Day to bring cheer and joy to those in need, especially our elderly in nursing homes and those living alone. Please join us in celebrating the true meaning of Christmas by sharing your time with friends and family honoring the birth of Jesus Christ with one of our most beautiful Polish customs ”Kolędy Polskie”.
2012 ”Kolędy Polskie” Schedule for Saturday, December 29
12:45 p.m. Convene at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church
1:00 p.m. Sing on the steps of St. Stanislaus Catholic Church and take a group photo
1:10 p.m. Leave by bus for Chappell Hill Sausage and the Cone family (on Hwy 290)
1:25 p.m. Cone family visit
1:55 p.m. Leave for Kaminski family visit ( in Sunny Stand)
2:05 p.m. Kaminski family visit
2:35 p.m. Leave for Faterkowski family visit ( in Chappell Hill)
2:50 p.m. Faterkowski family visit
3:20 p.m. Leave for Mazurkiewicz family visit ( on county road 84)
3:35 p.m. Mazurkiewicz family visit
4:05 p.m. Leave for Tommy Lindsey ( in Chappell Hill)
4:15 p.m. Tommy Lindsey visit
4:25 p.m. Return by bus to St. Stanislaus Catholic Church
4:35 p.m. Walk to the Moszkowicz family
4:40 p.m. Moszkowicz family visit (in Chappell Hill near the church)
5:10 p.m. Walk to Mikolajchak family
5:15 p.m. Mikolajchak family visit (in Chappell Hill near the church)
5:45 p.m. Leave for St. Stanislaus Catholic Cemetery in personal vechicles
5:55 p.m. Candle light vigil at the cross of John Kmiec
6:15 p.m. Leave for Jozwiak’s Store
6:20 p.m. Fellowship, music and Polish Pot Luck Supper furnished by the participants (Polish recipes)
Once again, we look forward to celebrating “Kolędy Polskie” with each of you and passing down our Polish traditions to another generation of Polish decedents. Each year, it continues to grow in attendance and participation. Your presence would help make this year’s “Kolędy Polskie” the most memorable and fun to date.
Wesołych Świąt i Szczęśliwego Nowego Roku!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Jim
See the article and photos of last years Kolędy Polski.
Jim Mazurkiewicz is a Texas native whose family originally settled in Washington County, Texas at the turn of the twentieth century. His family still owns and operates the family farm in Chappell Hill. He graduated from Waller High School and received a B.S. and Ph.D. from Texas A&M University and a Masters from Texas Tech University. Dr Jim is currently a Professor and Extension Specialist for Leadership Programs as TALL Director for Texas AgriLife Extension a member of The Texas A&M System and its statewide Agriculture Program. Jim takes great pride in his Polish heritage and plays Polish music on his concertina accordion.