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Day of Recollection of Lay Fraternity of St. Dominic

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Corpus Christi Church hosted the Lay Fraternity of St. Dominic, of the Providence of St. Joseph, located in the Buffalo Diocese, for a Day of Recollection on Saturday, July 25, 2020.

The itinerary for the day started in the Church with a song to the Holy Spirit so the hearts and souls of those attending would be open to God’s graces and healings. Approximately 35 of the members then joined in praying the Divine Office and Morning Prayer associated with the feast of St. James, the Apostle.

Morning prayer was followed by a Continental breakfast in the Kolbe Center. After this refreshing break, Father Pastor Michal gave the first of his two conferences. His first conference dealt with images and symbolism found in the stained glass window of St. Hyacinth located in the rear of the Church. Father explained how St. Hyacinth met St. Dominic during a visit to Rome and was one of the first to receive the habit of Order of Friars Preachers from St. Dominic himself. St. Hyacinth was the first Dominican of Poland. The stained glass window shows him fleeing the Tartars, before they are able to sack his Church. He has the ciborium in his left hand and a statue of Mary with Jesus in his right hand. The story is recorded that he heard a voice as he was exiting the Church with only the ciborium, “Hyacinth, my son, why dost thou leave me behind? Take me with thee and leave me not to mine enemies.” Father went on to explain how in any and all difficult times it is the Blessed Sacrament and the Mother of God who will get us safely through to the other side.

Following the first conference, Confessions were heard, the Rosary was prayed at the usual time of 11:00, followed by Saturday Mass of 11:30. Father Jan Kolmaga, OSPPE celebrated Mass with Father Michal Czyzewski, OSPPE concelebrating.

After a break for lunch and fellowship, the second Conference began with Father handing out cards on which were a variety of questions concerning one’s faith. Each person was to choose two questions and share their answers with their individual group. This lead to members getting to know each other better, and getting to know himself or herself better. The day ended with praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. It was a grace-filled day of spiritual refreshment for the Lay Dominicans.

“This was the first time I had attended a Dominican Retreat for the Lay Fraternity,- said Cathy Bergen from Lackawanna. I believe my connection to St. Dominic is through my love and devotion to Our Blessed Mother and the praying of her Rosary. When first asked by our president, one year ago, to attend a meeting, I felt blessed that God would invite me to be a part of the Dominican Family. St. Dominic was a saint of the XII Century. However, I can daily ask his help with my prayer life and with being more aware of the needs of those around me.”

The Lay Fraternity of St. Dominic is open to men and women who have the desire to deepen their relationship with God by learning and engaging in the pillars of the Dominican life. Those being 18 year of age or older, study, attend Chapter meetings on a regular basis, actively participate in Chapter life and in the apostolate. If anyone would like additional information in regard to becoming a Lay Dominican, please contact Corpus Christi Parish.

Photo:  The stained glass window of St. Hyacinth located in the rear of the Church.

Visit of a Provincial in Buffalo

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According to the instructions of the Constitution and the General Directory of the Order of Saint Paul the First Hermit, as well as the Statutes of the American Province, on June 16-17, 2020, an ordinary canonical visit was carried out in the Pauline religious house, Corpus Christi parish and the parish of St. Stanislaus in Buffalo, NY. The visit was conducted by Father Provincial Tadeusz Lizińczyk in the company of Father Karol Jarząbek, Secretary of the Province.

On Wednesday June 17th, a special mass was celebrated at Corpus Christi Church in Buffalo to bless a new painting of Pope St. John Paul II.  The Mass was celebrated by the Father Tadeusz Lizińczyk, Provincial of the Pauline Order in the USA, who gave a beautiful homily about how Pope St. Pope John Paul II, “taught us about God.”  The saint is known as being, “the pilgrim Pope” visiting 129 countries during his papacy and for being a spiritual protagonist in two main world events:  the fall of European communism and the passage to the third millennium of Christianity.  The saint is also known for instituting the World Day of Consecrated Life, World Day of the Sick, World Meeting of Families, World Youth Day, Divine Mercy Sunday, and the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary.

Before the final blessing, the Provincial dedicated a portrait of Pope Saint John Paul II, painted by parishioner Roman Kujawa. Br. Piotr Lisiecki, who served in Buffalo in 2004-2009, is remembered as a prayerful and hard-working Pauline. During a meeting with the artist, it was suggested to paint a portrait to celebrate 100th Anniversary of the birth of the Saint from Wadowice. The painting was rendered by artist Roman Kujawa who is known for his restoration work on the church’s expression of “the Disputa” which appears above the main altar.

Roman Kujawa graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow in the field of conservation and of works of art. After studying, he worked for a year in Poland. During this time he did some serious work, including reconstruction of a large bas-relief on Florianska Street in Krakow and conservation of stucco in the castle in Libiąż. He then came to the USA. For 5 years he worked in a private painting conservation studio. He preserved the works of many European masters: Rubens, the crucifix of Francis de Zurbarán, and the works of American masters that hang in museums, such as Winslow Homer’s portrait.

Roman Kujawa and his brother Grzegorz, with emotion, took part in the liturgy and the ceremony of consecrating the image. The Pauline fathers, parishioners and people participating in this event paid tribute to the artist for gratitude for such a unique gift to the parish to honor the Pope and his own Polish heritage. The artist is also known for his conservation work, which he performed in 2012, renovating the vault above the main altar at Corpus Christi Church.

During the visit, parish books were reviewed in the parishes of St. Stanislus and the Corpus Christi parishes and they got acquainted with the condition of the buildings: the church, convent, presbytery and other buildings belonging to both parishes.

Evening prayer in the monastery chapel and the blessing of the Provincial of the Pauline Order in the USA ended the two-day ordinary canonical visit to Buffalo.

Fr. Michał Czyżewski, OSPPE

Video and Photos: Corpus Christi’s organ underwent some minor maintenance

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Last week, the organ underwent some minor maintenance by Brad Wingert, with the tuning of some of the pipes. Much like a car, a musical instrument of this size needs to receive regular maintenance in order to ensure it works properly and plays in tune. The organ console is the place at which the organist plays the instrument. This cosmetic for musical equipment, before the feast of the Corpus Christ Sunday was prepared so that parishioners and visitors through music could experience the presence of God.

Since 2008, Brad Wingert has been on the music faculty at Niagara County Community College where he is currently serving as Interim Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs, and is an adjunct professor of music at Canisius College. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in music and music education from Niagara County Community College, Canisius College, and the University at Buffalo, and has been a church musician since 2001.

The organ at Corpus Christi has three keyboards (called manuals), and a pedalboard (keyboard played with the feet). The organ has 32 ranks of pipes. A rank is generally a set of pipes that have a unique sound and is activated by a stop. Some of the stops are imitative of orchestral instruments and produce sounds similar to that of a flute, trumpet, or strings. Other organ stops have unique sounds. The variety of sounds through these ranks allows the instrument to play anything from soft celestial music to majestic fanfares. The size of the pipes in each rank can vary from 16-feet tall to the size of pencil, the bigger the pipe the lower the sound, and vice versa.

The exceptional pipe organ at Corpus Christi Church is one of the only pipe organs in the Buffalo (199 Clark St.) area whose builder is of Polish heritage. The three manual 32 rank pipe organ dates to 1928. It was installed in a divided case by the A. Radziewicz Pipe Organ Company of Milburn, New Jersey. The casework of the instrument is made of chestnut wood The instrument had 2,014 pipes when it was installed, ranging in size from a half inch to twenty feet with most of the facade pipes actually speaking. We invite you to pray and sing together to the accompaniment of our unique organs.