Yet another event in a very busy summer

 Yes, I know, I am not Polish; but in the words of our parish secretary, "You are, however, Mrs. Afelskie!"  Polack by marriage - but not to our wonderful bishop who, pictured below, looks strangely patriarchal in an Eastern Rite sort of a way.
Sunday was the official opening of a year of celebrating our church's 100th anniversary.  Our bishop, Bishop Michael Mulhall, came to celebrate mass and attend the formal lunch following the mass.  The bells were rung 100 times, the Knights of Columbus were in full regalia ... and so were the Afelskies.  A good friend of mine, who also happens to be a neighbour, sits on the Anniversary Committee for the parish.  Our priest had asked her and her family to dress as the Kaszubian family for Sunday's celebrations.  A member of the local heritage society dropped off a mountain of costumes at her house a few days before.

 So many costumes that my friend happened to find exactly enough for our family to dress in traditional Polish and Kaszubian costume as well.  The previous Saturday, Jacob had already been enlisted to help people entering the church light 100 candles surrounding the baptismal font.  With enough costumes for the rest of the family, Father assigned the remaining Afelskies as greeters and bouquet hander-outers - that's an official title particular to the Kaszubian Catholic Church.  I felt a little silly at first, but was quickly amazed hy how many people were genuinely touched to see their native costumes on display at mass.  We were the subject of many photos and tears were shed by more than one native Polack.  (Before you ask:  yes, Hannah and I felt extremely pretty wearing costumes embroidered with sequins, ribbons and the most exquisitely detailed flowers.  The costumes themselves really were works of love and art.)

 Joseph and Isaac were also decked out in traditional fare; but in the interest of maintaining sanity at the nap-time meal, we opted to hire a babysitter to look after the three youngest at home.  Dave managed to escape the costumes by virtue of having outgrown a costume more suited to his teenage years.  He breathed a sigh of relief and wore an understated combination of yellow and black, the traditional Kaszubian colours.  Ben managed to sneak that reserved sign into most of the lunch photos and even presented himself to the bishop with the sign in hand.  For what Ben is reserved, I am still unsure.  You might recognize little Felicity (she of the amorous feelings for Jacob) as the one non-member of the Afelskie clan.  She is, nevertheless, a distant cousin despite the obvious difference in skin tone.  (Is it only me who sees the rosiness of the Afelskies?)  And, if you recall her from a February post when her little brother was born, she hopes one day to also be a daughter-in-law.  Time will tell.