Friends and family (Przyjaciólmi i rodzina):
On behalf of the “Kolędy Polskie” organizers, we want to invite you, your family and friends to join “Kolędy Polskie” on Saturday, December 28, 2013 at 12:30 p.m. in Chappell Hill, Texas at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church. This will be our sixth annual “Kolędy Polskie” and we hope that you will invite your loved ones to join in this beautiful Polish tradition. Everyone is encouraged and welcome to attend and help celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ embracing our Polish culture.
The “Kolędy Polskie” will convene at 12:30 p.m. on the steps of St. Stanislaus Catholic Church. In addition, we encourage everyone to bring a Polish covered dish for our evening meal to share for a pot luck supper. 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 costume and bring a candle for our cemetery vigil at dusk. Dressing in 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 king, 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 and we will come back for them before we go to the cemetery candle light vigil.
The “Kolędy Polskie” organizers changed the date from our traditional date of December 26 to Saturday, December 28. 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 ”Kolędy Polskie” began on St. Stephen’s Day and continued thru Epiphany, January 6 (the 12th day of Christmas) until Candle Mass, February 2. 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”.
2013 ”Kolędy Polskie” Schedule for Saturday, December 28
12:30 p.m. Convene at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church
12:35 p.m. Sing on the steps of St. Stanislaus Catholic Church and take a group photo
12:50 p.m. Leave by bus for the Chris Kaminski family visit (off of Hwy 290)
1:05 p.m. Chris Kaminski family visit
2:00 p.m. Leave for Krolczyk/Malinowski families ( in Chappell Hill)
2:10 p.m. Krolczyk/Malinowski families visit
2:40 p.m. Leave for Max and Maggie Faterkowski family ( outside of Chappell Hill)
2:45 p.m. Max and Maggie Faterkowski family visit
3:10 p.m. Leave for Andrew and Theresa Januhowski family ( off of county road 84 on Pulaski Road)
3:20 p.m. Andrew and Theresa Januhowski family visit
4:10 p.m. Leave for Tommy Lindsey family visit ( in Chappell Hill)
4:20 p.m. Tommy Lindsey family visit
4:30 p.m. Leave for Moszkowicz family ( in Chappell Hill neat the church)
4:35 p.m. Return by bus to St. Stanislaus Catholic Church and walk to Moszkowicz family home
4:40 p.m. Moszkowicz family visit
5:35 p.m. Leave for St. Stanislaus Catholic Cemetery in personal vehicles
5:50 p.m. Candle light vigil at the cross of John Kmiec at the St. Stanilaus Catholic Cemetery
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) at Jozwiak store
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. Please feel free to invite your family and friends to join in the celebration. This tradition is open to everyone!
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.