where is Mexico?

April 29, 2013 8:28 pm

The last blog post penned by Fr Captain of the “Harbour” has got a post-script with the greetings sent for you, Dear Readers

already from the journey to Mexico

Fr. Jay, who soon will be renamed “Padre Jota” (“jota” – in Spanish means the letter “j”. That’s how I’m called – by the first letter of my first name, as almost nobody is able to pronounce Jarosław – not to mention “Szymczak”)

Yesterday in our parish the Homily for children was prepared by a Deacon and two seminarians – all from a missionary congregation. They asked the kids for help in getting a missionary-to-be ready for his trip to South America. So they picked different objects from the bag, asking if they will be useful for the young priest to reach people’s hearts. When the Deacon asked the seminarian, wearing already the poncho, straw hat and a stole, which country in South America he would like to visit, he confessed that he had always dreamt of going to Mexico. That was followed by some degree of confusion as to where Mexico was placed on the map, but they found their way out by saying that it’s somewhere between both Americas.

That’s why the blog editors decided to insert a map into this post, hoping it includes all that our Missionary, Fr Jay, may need on his way.*

Mexico City

*The bottom right corner is occupied by St Therese of Lisieux, the Patron Saint of missionaries. The map does not show our prayers, but it is as obvious as the Mexican sun that each of us may add up our (so necessary) support.

PS. On the day of the Pilgrimage of Families to St Joseph Shrine in Kalisz, Poland – we are also joining in prayers for healing Fr Darek (Fr Jay’s brother in priesthood from the Institute of the Holy Family) from cancer disease.

m

In St Louis

April 24, 2013 1:06 pm

Yesterday’s event was announced on the website of the Office of Natural Family Planning at the Archdiocese of St Louis:

SEXUALITY – THE FRAGILE GIFT

A rare opportunity – on April 23, 2013 at 7PM, in the Lally Room at the Cardinal Rigali Center, Fr. Jaraslow Szymczak will speak on Sexuality –the Fragile Gift.  A native of Poland, Fr. Jay has devoted his priesthood to families, marriage counseling and spiritual directions of couples.

Because in our messy times we need to give sexuality back its true meaning and teach again of its beauty, long lost and  distorted.

St Louis

We continue to add up our prayers to the global prayers for our Itinerant Father Jay,

The “Harbour” Team

There and Back Again

April 10, 2013 11:17 am

Father Captain started yesterday another missionary journey of his. Thie time it will last 6 weeks and it will lead him further than the end of the world and back.

The first stage of that trip is Education Phase II at Pope Paul VI Institute in Omaha, USA – and it will involve his pastoral care during the education program for NaProTechnology doctors and Creighton Model FertilityCare System Parctitioners. He’s not travelling alone –  but together with one of our blog Authors, Michał, who could not take part in EP II in Łomianki, as his little son was just born in that time. Now he’ll get the chance to be in the heart of NaProTechnology – we’re with him with all our hearts.

The Board of Editiors, while expecting any sign of life from their Mobile Team, started to look for the Bermuda Triangle on the map, doubting it could have been on the way from Poland to Nebraska. But luckily, an hour ago a text message arrived:

We got stuck at the airport in Chicago. 25 h ago we left Home in Łomianki. In 6.5 h we have the next flight, in the “stand-by” version, i.e. we’ll board if places are available. If not, the next flight is on Friday. For now, we do sightiseeing at the airport. Talk to you soon. From Chicago, Fr Jay

So we’re looking forward to the story of creative ways to spend time at the airport – hopefully in the shorter version of travel delay. 🙂

Podróż misyjna1M

Welcome to the world!

February 12, 2013 7:22 pm

Our edtiting team colleagues, Basia and Michał, have welcomed today their son Michal Junior at this side of the belly.

Congratulations! We send greetings and pray, thanking God for the safe delivery of the Small Man.

Welcome to the world! There are so many wonderful things before you, so much good – for you and through you.

The Harbour teamObrazek

a parcel for a Hermit

January 21, 2013 3:05 pm

So the Captain of the “Harbour” is leaving for his “me-time” alone with the One who holds all of us in the hollow of His hand.

So many of us owe him so much – of his time, being there for us, his readiness to share his experience, guidance and assistance. Always on the way, in journeys, called to all emergencies, pursued on the phone and by kilometers of texts or e-mails. On the train  or car – sleeping off the nights during which he stayed up to receive the last penitent. Because you must always find time for another man.

Isn’t it great that for the nearest two weeks we’ll be able to pay him back with our prayers, to ask Heaven for all the blessing needed in the hermitage?

pustelnia

So let’s support him in his stay at the end of the world. On the other hand – it is enough to stand in front of the Holy Sacrament to be quite close.

The Editors (=what’s left of them for the coming two weeks 😉 )

Catholic Priest

December 16, 2012 6:43 pm

When Fr Maximilian Maria Kolbe volunteered to replace a strange man in the underground starvation bunker in the Nazi Concentration Camp, an officer asked him who he was. His reply was: “A catholic priest”.

One could go on writing for miles about the meaning of these two words : about causing Our Lord to be tangibly present among us during each Holy Mass, about the service of reconcilliation, which adds up into thousands of hours, about being a father for dozens and hundreds of people who come to confide their difficulties and problems with a total trust, or about being a brother and “everything to everyone”.

On December,15th there was the 27th Anniversary of our Fr Jay’s Ordination. Bearing in mind the limitation of just one blog post, we can only express our gratitude to God our Father that He made him a Father to so many. Most probably Fr Jay would have been a great plumber, paratrooper or diver, but all those who owe him so much – their returns to faith, victories in martial crises and the support of his persistent prayer – give thanks to the Providence for making him a “Catholic priest”. And a priest who loves being a priest.

We would love to wish him God’s blessings and a lot of miracles of His love. It is good that you are there, Fr Jay – and that you are the way you are.

The Team of Editors

I+YOU equals WE also in the USA

October 20, 2012 10:27 am

While we’re waiting for the continuation of the little known account from the history of NaProTechnology (in the US it’s been already over 30 years of infertility treatment using that method – what a pity in Poland it’s still the difficult beginning), we interject a request for prayer for the Program I+YOU=WE which is about to start in Springfield, Chiara Center, as a form of diocesian couple retreat.

Dear Readers may support Fr Jay and the Couples. We, wives and husbands, all face basically the same problems and struggles all over the world. So.. “For your freedom and ours.” 🙂 And we’re looking forward to a postcard from this blessed time, which is a quest into the unknown, a challenge – both for the Program Leaders and Participants.

The “Harbour” Team

choose life – as they do in Madrid

May 24, 2012 7:00 am

“Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome” (Acts 23:11)

This time our Fr. Jay Szymczak is travelling to Madrid. Tomorrow begins the long expected and prepared World Congress of Families – its VI edition. There will be guests from the entire world, and they will speak about the family in this world – so often completely neglected by high and low politics.

And we owe so many talents and skills to our own families! Unfortunately, sometimes the “inheritance” includes also the burden of problems to deal with. So, there is nothing more important than a family. For a small child – their family is the whole world, and when the family is missing – the world collapses.

Today we would like to ask our Readers for their prayer for the Congress, and especially for the Captain of the “Harbour,” who in Madrid is going to talk about the process of becoming parents – and the hindrances to it. We count on your support!

And we’re already waiting for the letters from Madrid.

“Harbour” Team