Dec 30, 2022 | NEWS
“Come into the world to settle accounts of losses,
to take an empty seat among us at the table.
Once again, let us enjoy the child in us…
(from “Carols for the Absent by Z. Preisner)
One of the customs of the Christmas Eve supper is to set an extra plate for an unexpected guest or a lonely person.
In our community in Świnoujście, this symbolic empty place was occupied by three people this year: Mrs. Barbara – a lonely elderly parishioner, and little Viktoria with her grandmother from Ukraine. The girl and her grandmother experienced Christmas Eve for the first time according to the Catholic tradition, i.e. with reading a fragment from the Holy Bible, sharing the wafer and singing carols. Viktoria experienced this meeting all week, asking every morning “when will Saturday be”. Grandma was happy and touched and willingly talked about the Ukrainian supper and tried every prepared Christmas Eve dish with reverence.
Mrs. Barbara also could not control her tears and repeated how happy she was that she was not alone that evening and was celebrating in such a solemn way.
After dinner, there was the moment Viktoria had been waiting for the most – the presents. All the sisters and ladies received gifts, but Viktoria received the most gifts (we know from the post-Christmas report that after coming home she spread everything on the floor and said: “Oh, I don’t know where to start”).
It was a joyful and friendly Christmas Eve. We thank God that this year the “empty seat at the table” was not just a tradition, but became a reality for us; that Jesus was born through love in our hearts.
Sisters from Świnoujście
Dec 24, 2022 | NEWS
The time before Christmas means visiting loved ones, wishing them well and rejoicing together. A community of sisters in the Philippines visited the women’s prison in Manila, where a Polish woman sentenced to life imprisonment there for twelve years has been held. Together with her, there are 106 women in one cell, most sleeping on the floor, without a mattress, one next to the other. The woman has no one in the Philippines and no family or friends come to visit her. In cooperation with the Polish embassy, our sisters visit her bringing not only small gifts, but above all comfort and support. Our pre-Christmas visit to Mrs Barbara caused her great joy and emotion. We brought her Polish Christmas dishes so that she could have at least a substitute for Christmas in prison. However, Mrs Barbara was most happy to receive a rosary and a prayer to Sister Dulcissima. She prays a lot in prison and participates in the religious meetings organised there. Not only for her, but also for us, it was a very important Christmas meeting. Due to the ban on bringing phones and taking photos, we are only publishing a photo from the outside and our passes that we were given.
Dec 21, 2022 | NEWS
At the invitation of our sister Janina Michnik, who teaches religious education in the nearby primary school in Racibórz Brzezie, on December 19, i.e. on Monday, we took part in a nativity play, a performance about the birth of Jesus.
Undoubtedly, this spectacle brought the viewers closer to the mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God and introduced us to the atmosphere of the long-awaited Christmas.
The roles of actors were played by almost all children and teenagers who, under the supervision of teachers, were preparing for the Nativity play for a month. The students performed in beautiful costumes and sung well-known carols or pastorals. The set could not miss the Holy Family, shepherds or angels. And when the Silesian family, sitting at the Christmas Eve table, appeared on the stage, its members talked about traditional, but also regional customs related to the preparation of the Christmas Eve supper.
Sr. Janina was watching over everything, who was moving the participants into the next stages of the performance. Dances, singing, playing many different instruments are the elements that enrich and enliven this Christmas performance.
The spectators were parents and invited guests who rewarded their children with thunderous applause.
It is amazing how many talents the students of the school in Brzezie have.
Thanks to God for His goodness, which is also happening thanks to the commitment of our sister Janina and the entire teaching staff of the school in Brzezie.
s. Małgorzata Cur
Dec 21, 2022 | NEWS
In the Philippines, many Christmas parties are held during this time. Different groups, neighbours, communities come together to celebrate together, make wishes and give each other small gifts. The sisters from the community in Manila organised a Christmas party for a group of women who have participated in all three editions of the sewing course at our house. The party was also attended by the Polish ambassador to the Philippines and his collaborators. It was a very joyful gathering. Many of the women who attended the sewing course are using the skills and are already earning money for their families by sewing. Some of them brought gifts to the sisters that they had sewn for them themselves.
Dec 17, 2022 | NEWS
The Novena before Christmas has started. In the Philippines, this is a special time, celebrated mainly by participating in solemn Holy Masses called “Simbang Gabi”.
Simbang Gabi in the Philippines takes place daily from December 16 to 24. It is celebrated at various times, from 3:00 to 5:00 am local time. On the last day of Simbang Gabi, or Christmas Eve, the service is called Misa de Gallo (meaning “rooster mass”).
This custom of attending Mass in the morning is very popular and also plays an important role in Philippine culture. The tradition dates back to the 17th century and was adapted from Spain.
A well-known folk belief is that if a faithful completes all nine days of Simbang Gabi, God can grant the request made as part of the novena. Perhaps for this reason, during the novena all churches are always full of faithful, despite such an early hour.
Similar to the Spanish tradition of lighting small oil lamps on Christmas Eve, Philippines decorates their homes with colorful star-shaped lanterns. It is believed that they were originally used by the faithful to illuminate the way to the church in the early morning, and also symbolized the Star of Bethlehem. Glowing stars continue to be popular Christmas decorations in the Philippines, as iconic and symbolic as Christmas trees in the West.
Dec 16, 2022 | NEWS
In Nanjota, thanks to the efforts of the sisters and good people, it has been possible to dig a well with water in it. This is a great joy, as water is particularly hard to come by in this area. The well is 180 metres deep. We thank Sister Sophie and all the people who worked on this project. May God be blessed for His grace.
