Reflection for Septuagesima and Music Scholarship Sunday

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How can I know you’re happy?
I’m singing to God.

Make a joyful shout to God all the earth! Sing out the honor of His name; make His praise glorious – Psalm 66:1,2.

Our Holy Church places a right emphasis on the place of music in worship. In the ancient Church, the Bishop as minister of the Eucharist sung the words of the Eucharistic prayer, raising people’s minds to the beauty and glory of God.

Our worship transcends time. Heaven will always resound with worship. When we complete our life on earth, we will have eternal careers as worshippers praising Him around His throne.

Our days in the community of faith – the Church – are to be spent in preparation for this eternal career through worship.

Jesus said: “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him.”

Therefore, we encourage each other to worship and take this opportunity to stress the importance of worship through song. We further encourage study by our youth and adults through scholarships so that their talents might add to our worship.

Worship through music provides the body of Christ in the Church, and here in our parish, with an opportunity to engage in heartfelt and meaningful praise of the Triune God. The style of our worship songs varies, but through each we offer to God our praise and adoration in singing, choral music, ensembles, and special presentations.

Worshipping through song glorifies God, edifies the body, prepares our hearts for hearing the Word preached, and is our response to teaching. St. Paul told the people of Colossae, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

It is the Church’s goal that worship in song be a vital part of each believer’s life, allowing God to mold our attitudes and actions as we give voice to the “new song” He has placed in our hearts (Psalm 96:1).

The ministry of music plays a very important role in our worship. It expresses our joy in a special way and is a unique and vital aspect of our worship.

Our heavenly Father expects absolutely everything we do to be an act of worship. The purpose of worship in music is to bring Him glory by rehearsing His character through song. What better way to show Him, and each other, the joy we have in Christ.

National United Choirs – Music Scholarship Sunday

Make a joyful shout to God all the earth! Sing out the honor of His name; make His praise glorious – Psalm 66:1,2

UnknownJanuary 27th, the last Sunday of January, has been set aside by PNCC Synodal resolution as Music Scholarship Sunday, which puts special emphasis on the Music Scholarship program of the National United Choirs of the P.N.C.C. It is the Sunday when the choirs, organists, directors and choir members should be recognized for their contributions to the music ministry of our church. It is also the Sunday when we look to the future and identify those that we hope will be part of the music ministry of the church. Thank you for your support of the music scholarship program. Scholarship applications are available on-line at the NUC website.

2011 National United Choirs Scholarship Recipients

We joyfully acknowledged our 2011 NUC scholarship recipients on Heritage Sunday, October 16th. Both recipients contributed their talents to Sunday’s worship. The Parish provided a cake during our coffee hour after Holy Mass in celebration.

Hannah Bilinski – received an endowed Scholarship named for Cecelia Shumlas. Cecelia was an active member of the Choirs, yielding not only through her inspiration, but also through her family many other church musicians and choristers. It was for this familial dedication that an endowed scholarship was named in her memory.

Victoria Konicki – received a Junior Incentive Award. This category is reserved for first time applicants. As her age and proficiency increase, Victoria will be eligible for additional consideration in the general and endowed scholarship categories.

There are other endowed Scholarships, many in honor and/or memory of persons vital to the history of the National United Choirs and music in the Church. There are also specialized scholarships for other disciplines in the sacred music field. Again, as interests in music change or become more defined, there is a scholarship out there waiting to be conferred.

It is through your support on every last Sunday of January that these scholarships are funded. We can now continue to witness how our worthy donations are being used.

May our Lord grant Hannah and Victoria much joy in their musical careers as they use those talents given to them by God for His glory and for use in the Church.

Thanks for your donations to the NUC Music Scholarship Program

The Music Scholarship Program will indeed be able to present financial help to its applicants once again this year with the help of your worthy donations. All across our Church, helpful church-people have offered their donations, which will turn into a blessed music ministry in our Church.

It was gratifying for this pastor, when asked to stand as a former recipient of a Scholarship at the Music Workshop in 2009, Hannah stood as well – a proud moment indeed.

This year the Scholarships will be announced at the Music Workshop to be held in our Diocese, hosted by Holy Mother of Sorrows parish in Dupont, PA.

The Deadline to apply for any Scholarships is April 1st. Applications for any of these awards may be received from the Music Scholarship Administrator: Mrs. Cathy Bilinski, 4051 Washington Crescent, Troy, MI 48085

Just to add a thankful, happy, yet tearful note: Yesterday, February 5th, the Chair of Music at the Savonarola Theological Seminary for over 30 years, Åš+P Michael Augustine, was buried in Scranton, PA. No doubt he will be directing the heavenly chorus, as he had the Cathedral Choir and the Scranton Circle of the United Choirs for many years. Åš+P Mr. Augustine was a brilliant teacher and a mentor to Father Stan who served as Father’s music instructor during his seminary matriculation.

History of the National United Choirs Music Scholarship Program of the PNCC

The Music Scholarship Program was instituted on August 8, 1964 by the Sixth General Convention of the National United Choirs of the Polish National Catholic Church held in Carnegie, PA. The program was implemented at the Seventh General Convention, held in Cleveland, OH, on August 6, 1966, when the first awards were presented. The XII General Synod of the PNCC established the last Sunday in January as “Music Scholarship Sunday.”

The Music Scholarship program was instituted and tailored to develop musicians within the Polish National Catholic Church. The program was further expanded to establish a Chair of Music at the Savonarola Theological Seminary of our Church in Scranton, PA, and to also make scholarships available in other areas of music to enrich the musical life of the Church.

The Scholarship Program awards are divided into 2 categories: general scholarships and endowed scholarships.

General Scholarships

  • The Bishop Francis Hodur Award
  • The Bishop Francis Bonczak Awards
  • The Bishop Francis Bonczak Youth Awards
  • Church Music Award for Clergymen
  • The Bishop Thaddeus Zielinski Awards
  • Junior Incentive Awards

Endowed Scholarships

  • The Polish National Union Award
  • The Adam P. Pikulski Award
  • The Cecelia Shumlas Award
  • The Bishop Walter A. Slowakiewicz Award
  • The Emil Swantkowski Award
  • The George J. Balcar Award
  • The Bishop Eugeniusz W. Magyar Awards
  • The Edward and Frances Bialoglowicz Award

The Deadline to apply for any of these Scholarships is April 1st. Applications for any of these awards may be received from the Music Scholarship Administrator by writing to:

Mrs. Cathy Bilinski, Administrator
4051 Washington Crescent
Troy, MI 48085

Or by E-mail.

A few questions to test your personal knowledge of music history within the PNCC (answers will be posted February 1st):

The chant style of the PNCC is based upon _________ Chant.
The new hymnal of the PNC will be published in 20__.

Congratulations to Adam Konicki & Hannah Bilinski

These are our National United Choirs Music Scholarship recipients for 2010. The announcement of the Scholarships was made during Convo 2010 in July. Of the 18 Scholarships awarded this year, eight were in attendance at the Convo and were able to receive the accolades of their peers.

Adam, a first-time recipient, received the Polish National Union Award. This Award is endowed by our fraternal organization and is given to a member of both the Church and Spójnia. We congratulate Adam for this accomplishment and look forward to his sharing his God-given talent with us here in church sometime in the future.

Hannah received the George J. Balcar Award. George was a lifetime member of the Church. His home parish was SS. Cyril and Methodius in Chicago, IL. He was a dedicated churchman seriously devoted to his parish and his Church. George was also intricately involved in the United Choirs, being both the Treasurer of the Western Diocesan Circle Choirs and of the National Board. After his passing, and in recognition of his fierce love for the Choirs and the Church, this Fund was established to honor those of the same mettle.

Our heartfelt congratulations are extended to our 2010 recipients.

Applications for 2011 Scholarships will be available in February. Let us have all our parish musicians apply to be so honored.

National United Choirs Music Scholarships and Choir Sunday

Our National United Choirs (NUC) is asking every choir throughout our church to sing a common hymn next Sunday, January 31st, on its annual observance of its ministry to our Church. The National United Choirs is one of the oldest organizations we have in our history.

The Music Scholarship program has at its core a ministry to the musicians studying in all disciplines. There is a scholarship and category for instrumental, vocal, conducting, and study of sacred music. If anyone of our congregation is eligible to apply for a scholarship, please see Father Stan for an application. He can also fill you in on the details of the application and its process.

The Scholarship program was begun in 1967 at a convention in Cleveland, OH, and has been highly prolific in its years of operation. Father Stan was a two-time recipient back in the last century. We are also blessed to have a multiple-year recipient in Hannah, and singular year winners in Jenna, Melissa, and Claudia.

If you have read the articles in the church papers, you would have seen the notices to purchase the CD’s and/or tapes that were made of the concerts performed at the bi-ennial gatherings of the Choirs. And, God being kind, the long-anticipated bi-lingual hymnal will soon see the light of day.

Again, if anyone is taking lessons in any of the music disciplines and would like to apply for a scholarship this year, the application request must be mailed soon to meet its completion deadline of 1 April.

We thank our good Lord for the ministry of the Choirs, and pray that they will continue to serve our Church in the years to come.

Congratulations Music Scholarship winners

Bishop Francis BonczakWe pause to take this opportunity to acknowledge and congratulate the National United Choirs (NUC) Music Scholarship Recipients for 2009 in our parish. The announcement of these conferrals was made during the Music Workshop program in July.

Both Claudia Bertasso and Hannah Bilinski received scholarships this year in the same category. These were endowed scholarships given in memory of Åš.P. Bishop Francis Bonczak, who was a fierce supporter of the Choirs in a time past.

CONGRATULATIONS, Claudia and Hannah, for this honor begin bestowed upon you, and may our gracious Lord continue to enhance and bless the gift He has given to you.

A note about Åš.P. Bishop Francis Bonczak:

He was born December 1, 1881. Ordained to the Holy Priesthood on December 30, 1903. Consecrated Bishop on August 17, 1924. Entered into Eternal Rest September 21, 1967.

Holy Name of Jesus Parish, Milwaukee, WIFr. Bonczak organized Holy Name of Jesus Parish in West Milwaukee, WI in 1914. The Parish’s first church building was completed in 1917. Father Bonczak was succeeded in 1922 by Father Leon Grochowski, but he returned to the church as Bishop in 1930, retiring in 1953.