• Holy Mass at 6 p.m.

Christmas Schedule:

Vigil of the Nativity of our Lord – Saturday, December 24th

• Holy Mass in St. Johnsville – 4 p.m.
• Holy Mass in Little Falls – 8 p.m.

Nativity of our Lord (Christmas) – Sunday, December 25th

• Holy Mass in Little Falls – 11 a.m.

Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord and may the perpetual light shine upon him.
May he rest in peace. Amen.

Wieczne odpoczynek racz mu dać Panie, a światłość wiekuista niechaj mu świeci.
Niech odpoczywa w pokoju, Amen.

Ś.P. Peter Vercz, age 85, of Mohawk, passed away at Bassett Healthcare in Cooperstown on Aug. 9, 2011, with his loving family at his side.

Peter was born on July 11, 1926, in Columbia Center, the son of the late Elek and Justyna (Krushynski) Wereszczak. He was educated in Mohawk schools and was a lifelong resident of the Mohawk Valley. He married Carol Osley on July 20, 1984, in Herkimer, and at the time of his passing, they were married 27 years, sharing a loving and committed relationship.

Peter was a World War II U.S. Army veteran, entering on Dec. 8, 1944, and was honorably discharged on Nov. 26, 1946, having served in the Philippine Islands. He was the owner and operator of Peter Vercz Construction Company.

Peter was very active with the German Flatts Town Park, a member of the United Polka League and the National American Legion. He was also a member of Holy Spirit Polish National Catholic Church in Little Falls.

Peter was a “history buff” and had a great admiration for the Civil War, visiting battle sites along with his wife. He was an avid fisherman and loved watching the birds, deer and turkey that came into his yard, a true wildlife watcher. He enjoyed dancing the polka, his collection of blacksmithing and loved to build. Peter loved his family, his wife, children and grandchildren, and considered them to be the most important part of his life.

Survivors include his wife, Carol; his two sons, Paul and Michael Vercz, of Mohawk; his two daughters, Barbara March and husband, Owen, of Mohawk, and Michele Morton, of Little Falls; nine grandchildren, Michael Vercz, Rachel O’Brien, Zachary Vercz, Owen March, Robert March, Thomas March, Sarah March, Tara Lurz and Ray Morton; a brother, Alek Wereszczak and wife, Margaret, of Herkimer; four sisters, Kay Wereszczak, of Utica, Olga Pyc, of Ilion, Mary Langow, of Cedarville, and Ann Cioch, of Herkimer; mother-in-law, Frances Osley, of Herkimer; brother-in-law, Stephen Osley, of Mohawk; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by a brother, Nicholas Vercz.

The family will receive friends and relatives at the Enea Family Funeral Home, 220 N. Washington St., Herkimer (866-1011), on Friday evening, Aug. 12, 2011, from 5 to 7 p.m. A prayer service will be conducted at the funeral home at 5:30 p.m. The funeral will commence on Saturday, Aug. 13, 2011, at 8:15 a.m. from the Enea Family Funeral Home, with a funeral Mass at 9 a.m. at Holy Spirit Polish National Catholic Church, Gansevoort Street, Little Falls, with Fr. Rafal Dadello, Pastor, officiating. Procession will follow to Holy Spirit Polish National Catholic Cemetery, town of Herkimer, where he will be laid to rest. Military honors will be accorded by the U.S. Army.

Memorial contributions may be made in Peter’s memory to the National Kidney Foundation or Mass intentions to Holy Spirit Polish National Catholic Church.

Eternal rest grant unto her O Lord and may the perpetual light shine upon her.
May she rest in peace. Amen.

Wieczne odpoczynek racz jej dać Panie, a światłość wiekuista niechaj jej świeci.
Niech odpoczywają w pokoju, Amen.

St. Johnsville, N.Y. — Mrs. Anna Bladek, age 97, formerly of Old Meadow Road, most recently residing with her granddaughter, Bethany, and husband, Marc, and their children, Trevor and Caelan, on Prospect Avenue, Gloversville, entered into eternal rest peacefully on Saturday evening, July 23, 2011. At the time of her passing, which occurred at the Nathan Littauer Hospital, Gloversville, she had the love and support of her family by her side.

She was born on March 24, 1914, in Windber, Pa., daughter of the late John and Katherine (Seredich) Zazwirsky, and educated in Pennsylvania and Fairfield schools. She lived most of her life in the Little Falls area before moving to St. Johnsville in the early 1990s. On June 10, 1934, she was joined in marriage with John J. Bladek at Holy Spirit Polish National Catholic Church, Little Falls, a blessed union of 56 years until Mr. Bladek’s passing on April 5, 1991. For many years, Anna assisted her late husband in the operation of the Bladek Family Farm on Snells Bush Road, Little Falls. She was, at one time, employed with Melrose Slipper Co., Little Falls. Anna was a member of the Holy Spirit Polish National Catholic Church, Little Falls, and the church Adoration Society. She also belonged to the Danube Home Bureau, Little Falls Polish Community Home (life member), AARP of Herkimer County, Nowadaga Grange of Newville, Herkimer County Pomona, New York State Grange and the Rock City Chapter Order of the Eastern Star.

Anna loved crafts and making Ukrainian eggs. She enjoyed gardening, cooking and golfing in her spare time. She spent her happiest moments in the company of her loving family who will dearly miss her.

Survivors include her loving family: her son, John Bladek, and wife, Thelma, of Little Falls; two daughters, Toshie Wilson, of Wilmington, Del., and Teddie Colorito and husband, Rick, of St. Johnsville; a sister, Alice Sunderlin, of Yorkville; nine cherished grandchildren, Jodi, Ricky, Gary and wife, Amy, David and wife, Sue, Karen and husband, Dan, Doug and wife, Kelly, Jason and wife, Stephanie, Rebecca and husband, Brett, and Bethany and husband, Marc, with whom Anna lived with; and fifteen adored great-grandchildren, Samantha, Jillian, Michael, Melissa, John, Jesse, Jeremiah, Samuel, Hayley, Emma, Grace, Luke, Trevor, Caelan and Ada. Also surviving are many nieces and nephews.

The family would like to acknowledge her very special friends, Deb and Dan Porter, Josephine (Buff) Colorito, Ruth Gorski and Peg and Brian Patrei. She was preceded in death by a sister, Olga Fox, and by six brothers, George, William, Vladimir, Richard and Eugene Marko and John Zazwirsky.

Relatives and friends are invited to visitation at the Enea Family Funeral Home, 24 W. Monroe St., Little Falls, on Thursday, July 28, 2011, from 4 to 7 p.m. The funeral will commence at 11 a.m. on Friday, July 29, from Holy Spirit Polish National Catholic Church, with the Rev. Rafael Dadelo, Pastor, officiating. Procession will follow to Holy Spirit Polish National Catholic Cemetery, where she will be laid to rest with her husband, John. Father Dadelo will offer a prayer service at 5 p.m. on Thursday evening at the funeral parlor. Kindly consider memorial offerings in Mrs. Bladek’s name to the Holy Spirit Polish National Catholic Church or Mountain Valley Hospice; envelopes will be available at the funeral home.

The family would like to acknowledge the third floor nurses and aides at Nathan Littauer Hospital for the excellent care and compassion given during her hospital stay and a special thank you to Kathleen Jablonski and the staff of Hospice for the care and support provided to all. Members of the Eastern Star will conduct a 5 p.m. service on Thursday at the funeral home.

The first Parish Committee consisted of the following trustees; John Lolo, Henry Wiernicki, John Fortuna, Peter Wojcicki, Peter Mikus and Alexander Mikus.  

The new committee, elected at the meeting, consists of Chairperson John Rogers, Vice-chair Teddie Colorito, Treasurer Francis Crandall, Financial Secretary Karen Filipski, Recording Secretary Janice Kupidlowski-Rogers and Directors Suzanne Bladek, Joan Crandall, Amy Brien, Tim Brien, Anita Dulak, Jimmy Filipski, Ron Hrobuchak, Gary Crandall, Jennifer Crandall and Ken Scherer.

The PNCC was organized in Scranton, PA in 1897.  Some of the differences between the denomination and Roman Catholicism are that PNCC priests are allowed to marry, the use of birth control is a personal decision, and the PNCC is democratically organized.

Holy Mass is normally offered at the church on Sundays at 11 a.m. and on Saturdays at 4 p.m. in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 32 West Main Street in St. Johnsville.

To learn more about the parish please call Fr. Rafal at (315) 823-0793.

The visit by the priest to bless the home of the faithful is known as Kolęda. This word is derived from a similar Polish word which refers to Christmas carols and hymns. In Poland, carolers would stroll through the towns and villages, singing the beautiful hymns to share the message of peace, love and salvation that was brought to the world by the birth of the Christ child in Bethlehem. Christmas decorations in the U.S. often appear before Thanksgiving and are gone shortly after New Year’s Day. The Polish tradition is to decorate at the end of Advent and to enjoy the beauty of the decorations into February. Thus the true meaning of Christmas is carried well into the New Year. Everyone is invited to contact Fr. Dadello at (315) 823-0793 to schedule a Kolęda visit and blessing of their home.

Christmas Schedule:

Friday – December 24 – Christmas Eve Holy Masses

Holy Mass in St. Johnsville – 4.00 p.m.
Holy Mass in Little Falls – 8.00 p.m.

Saturday – December 25 – Christmas Day Holy Mass

Holy Mass in Little Falls – 11.00 a.m.

Saturday – January 1 – Solemnity of the Circumcision of Our Lord

Holy Mass in Little Falls at 11.00 a.m.

Sunday – January 2 – Solemnity of the Holy Family

Vigil Holy Mass on Saturday, January 1st at 4.00 p.m. in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 32 West Main Street in St. Johnsville.
Holy Mass in Little Falls – 11.00 a.m.

Thursday – January 6 – Solemnity of Epiphany

Holy Mass in Little Falls at 6.00 p.m.