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Buncrana Christmas, Polish style 12.12.08
by Simon McGeady, Inishowen Independent
BUNCRANA priest Fr Rafal Januszewski will spend his
first Christmas away from his native Poland this
year. The 30 year old, from the town of Bialystok in
North Eastern Poland, was assigned to the Derry
Diocese in October. Based in Buncrana for the time
being, he is already making preparations for his
first Irish Christmas. On Saturday last he said Mass
for over 100 members of Inishowen’s Polish community
at St Mary’s Oratory, and he has just scheduled a
special Christmas Eve service for the Polish
community, set for 10pm at the same venue. The way
the Polish celebrate Christmas is significantly
different how we do it in this country, as Fr
Januszewski made clear.
“Christmas Eve is a bigger day in Poland than
Christmas Day. It is the Day of Silence. We
celebrate with a dinner of twelve dishes [one for
each apostle], but we don’t eat meat or drink
alcohol.
“In my family we read the Holy Gospel according to
St Luke, the prayer about the birth of Jesus, then
pass around the Oplatek, a white soft, bread, like
communion, that the oldest person in the family
breaks and gives to the rest of us. We say wishes
for one another and say sorry for the things we’ve
done,” said Fr Rafal who explained it’s traditional
to set an extra plate at the table and leave one
seat empty, in part in remembrance of Poles taken to
Siberia and never seen again, but also for family
members that have passed on.
“After the meal we sing songs and have Santa Claus,”
said Fr Rafal, in reference to the fact that in
contrast to most Irish families, Poles open their
presents on Christmas Eve.
In days gone by, Fr Rafal’s family would gather
around the TV to watch Pope John Paul II say
Midnight Mass.
It would seem the Polish Christmas Day is a lot like
the Irish St Stephen’s Day. Fr Rafal said people
visit family and friends. It’s more of a party day,
with alcohol most definitely allowed.
The young priest is keen to experience his first
Irish Christmas.
Since he’s been in Inishowen his Buncrana-based
compatriots have welcomed Fr Rafal with open arms
and his services are much in demand. While talking
to the Inishowen Independent, a young blonde-haired
women calls to the Buncrana Parish Office to ask if
he will baptise her child.
“At my first Mass last month, 150 Poles turned up,
mostly they live in Buncrana, but there were around
20 from Derry.”
He hopes to make Christmas a little bit more special
for Inishowen’s Poles.
In the spirit of the season, Fr Rafal finishes off
with a Christmas blessing.
“Blessings for all the people of the diocese of
Derry and blessings to all the people of Buncrana. |
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