Our people are everywhere. It’s enough to write in Google browser: “Polish people in Salt Lake City” and you get the information about some events right away. There’s a Eucharist for the Polish community in St Ambrosius Parish on every first and third Sunday of the month. Fr Andrzej Skrzypiec is the parish pries, who came to Salt Lake CIty from Katowice Diocese in Poland in 1989  – and has performed his ministry ever since.

I had to visit them. Quite a large group of Poles came to the Mass, people of different age, with or without children. After the Mass we had coffee and cake baked by some of the ladies.

Even thought time was short, and the Mass took the majority of it, it’s good to stay even for a while among the people who had been shaped by the same history, culture and language. Not to mention the great relief of preaching in Polish.

The altar boys spoke Polish with a strong American accent, the “organist” played traditional Polish church hymns on the piano, and the Liturgy texts were in Polish too – and all that 11,000 km away from Poland. How important  faith is in saving your identity so far away from Home.

Fr Jay

Today I was at the concert: “Music and the Spoken Word,” which has been taking place each Sunday ever since 15 July 1929.Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square played five beautiful pieces of classical choir and orchestra music.*

During the concert Lloyd D. Newell** gave a short but moving speech (and he’s been doing that on every Sunday for 22 years). And I want to write about that. He talked about this wonderful device called GPS. When you happen to take the wrong route, it says calmly: “recalculating” and gives you the way to fix the mistake. No complaint, no giving reproachful looks or sighing. It just lets you go back on track.

We all need to recalculate our plans, goals and expectations. In the whole process it’s worth to keep calm, stay nice and a bit objective towards your own self. It’s good to remember we ARE LEARNING to grow and become better – and that takes a little time. We have to realize that mistakes are stepping stones on the path to better life – and not insurmountable obstacles.

Not to mention the fact that it’s always worth to be nice. Everywhere. Have a very nice day, Dear Readers from the Harbour.

Still from Salt Lake City,

Fr. Jay

15.07.2012, 21:16 US Mountain Daylight Time

* Concert:

**Od lewej Vice-President and President of the Choir, one priest you may know, Mary Ellen Smoot and Lloyd D. Newell – the speaker.

… is coming to an end. Even though it is the American Academy, the meeting has gathered people from outside America, too: Mexico, Canada, England, Ireland, Spain, Poland. Here they find the opportunity to extend their knowledge, consult in person the best specialists in the field of infertility treatment, share the joy of success and refresh friendships. Each of the participants experiences similar ups and downs; in their cities they often have to act in total isolation. They can talk about it here, find understanding and get insightful hints from the others.

The Canadian-Dutch friend that I meet at breakfast – and it is difficult for us to finish our conversations – has travelled here with his wife who takes part in the meeting. He and several other men who accompany their wives. But also the wives accompany their husbands. They take it as a chance to get to know each other better and to see why their life companions attach such great significance to their service. Because it happens all too often that spouses do not understand why their husband or wife she is so committed to their work.

Maybe you could use the time you spend together on holiday also to talk about your achievements and life’s passions. That’s what I wish to all of you.

Fr. Jay z SLC

What cafés are for – everybody knows that for sure. It turns out, however, that in the countries wih highly developed civilization some basic rules have to be reminded of.

I saw somthing like that on the table in a café where we went to talk. But I’ve also made another discovery: it is no accident they put those mats on the tables… Maybe it would be good to return to traditional communication?

Everywhere – children.

In the US you can see them everywhere. At least in the places I also visit: churches, ZOOs, restaurants, national parks. Just like in Poland.

What you can see in Utah, or even just in Slat Lake City, is beyond imagination. I haven’t seen so big families for a long time, nor so many children walking with their parents, or going shopping or watching movies in the cinema.

In SLC and around there are lots of parks, and in the parks – lots of attractions for whole familes. And you can see business booming everywhere. The unemployment rate is the lowest in the US. Where children come to the world, you need houses, churches, schools, shops and in them – priests, teachers, producers, shop-assistants.

In the West of Europe there are no children, because of poverty, crisis, difficult ecomic situation. In Utah there are children, because people enjoy economic prosperity.

Or is it the other way round?

Fr Jay

Salt Lake City, 12.07.2012, 12:22 US Mountain Daylight Time

It’s the same everywhere. Fortunately.  It was so in Amsterdam, and in Madrid. And so it is also here. When people see a priest sitting in the corner, wearing a stole, in the room where the Holy Mass is to take place, they associate it right away with the opportunity to go to confession. Even in America, where confession in many parishes is only “by appointment” or on some previously scheduled day of the month.

There is a line of people waiting, but there’s still enough time to devote heart and attention to each person without haste.

My “parish” is continually growing. Even though the Eucharist is so early in the morning, many people want to start their day from meeting Lord Jesus. How good it feels to be part of “one holy catholic and apostolic Church.”

Fr Jay

Salt Lake City, 11.07.2012, 23:37 US Mountain Daylight Time

After a short, though sufficient, night, I got up at 6 in the morning to see the city before the meeting was to start.

Salt Lake City – taking its name from the Great Salt Lake, is often called just “Lake City” or  SLC – has almost 200 inhabitants and is the capital of Utah. It was founded in 1847 by the Mormones, the members of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who are still the majority of the Utah population.

I combined the sight-seeing with the so-called running trip, because then the sight-seeing goes faster.

SLC has broad streets and one-storey housing. Only hotels and very few buildings stand out as taller structires over the rest of the development. The most impressive part of the city is linked with the Mormones and their Temple, the building of which took 40 years.

Running up-hill (SLC is on the altitude of 1200m AMSL), I reached the Utah State Capitol Hall – the residence of the Governor of Utah – which resembles the White House. Due to early hour I resolved not to drop by for a cup of tea. 😉

On the way I met a lot of runners. I ran together with one of them to see one more beautiful running trail along a stream. It was a really hard workout, but it was worth it.

See you tomorrow,

Fr. Jay

Salt Lake City, 10.07.2012,18:20 US Mountain Daylight Time

A long journey. Changing planes twice. In Munich – one hour of waiting, in Washington – three. Long flights (1:40, 8:30, 4:45; and when you add up half an hour before taking off, it makes the “aboard time” even longer), a long line to the Immigration, long time of waiting for the plane. Waiting for the luggage.

But how could I complain, when there is no other way to see this place… I’m sending my greetings to you in my still first day of the journey – though in Poland it’s already day two.

With prayer,

Fr. Jay

Salt Lake City, 10.07.2012, 1:42 a.m. US Mountain Daylight Time

A very intense weekend – with the Marriage Preparation Program and “You and I are We” couple retreat – has just come to an end. It was a wonderful time that I shared between the two groups of participants, confessions, individual meetings with the participants and prayer.

So now it’s time to start packing. The luggage limits set by the arilines make one watch each item several times with the question: “Do I really need it?”.

I used to take a bit more with me, because, as we know, “he who takes his own stuff doesn’t have to ask it from the others”. But this time I’ve resolved to be radical. I want to take all the things in a backpack. The trip will take one month. Lots of places to visit, frequent changes of accomodation, differing conditions. Various means of transportation. Starting with the planes, trains, buses and cars, to finish with hiking in the mountains. It’s difficult to imagine all that with a suitcase on the wheels. So I’ve got at my disposal the 52 liters of the “Prophet” (North Face) backpack, where – apart from personal items, I have to store hiking shoes, an alb and a portable set called by my friends “a miniature priest” – including everything necessary to celebrate the Mass.

In four hours there’ll be the Mass at Home, after which I’ll head for the airport. The first stage of the journey consists of the flight to Munich, where I’ll board on the plane to Washington, and after a three hours’ break I’ll fly to Salt Lake City, where I’m going to stay for a while. I’ll take part in the meeting of the board of directors of FertilityCare Centers International, followed by a very important conference of the American Academy of FertilityCare Professionals. An EXTREMELY intense time. But also very fruitful. The meeting will gather the people who devoted their whole lives to assisting married couples who experience the pain of infertility.  They know that without prayer, without the Eucharist, without a personal relationship with the One “who is the source of all parenthood in Heaven and earth,”, there is no real help. I am to assist them with my prayer, confessing and celebrating the Mass. Can there be a greater joy for a priest from the Institute of the Holy Family?

I’m listening again to the guidelines expressed in God’s Word: “Don’t take a traveling bag for the trip, two tunics, sandals, or a walking stick.” (Mathew 10:10) OK. I’m not taking a bag, but a backpack. Don’t take two tunics – that’s right, I’ve got only one cassock that I’m wearing on the way, a walking stick – fortunately it wouldn’tfit in anyway (I don’t have any, and the Nordic Walking sticks are two long). Worse with the sandals. I’ll be wearing my hiking shoes, as I don’t have any decent sandals; eventually I’ve packed the old ones to the backpack – they might be useful on a mountain trail. A small concession.

I can’t wait to set off. My Superior gave me his blessing. And that is the most valuable equipment. And I’ll let you know as soon as I’ve arrived. See you very soon, stay with the Lord,

Your

Fr Jay

Łomianki, July 9, 2012, 2:16 a.m.