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10 Prayers to Pray in a Pandemic

September 25, 2020

Dear Friends on the Journey,

These came across my desk, and I liked them. I hope you do, too. They are called “10 Prayers to Pray in a Pandemic”:

1. Good and Gracious God, help me to so honor you through my online presence and chosen words and spirit that people will see, hear, and feel Jesus through everything I post.

2. Please help me, whenever I am tempted to focus on how I am being inconvenienced and poorly served, to instead think of how I might serve others.

3. Dear Lord, may I long to privately worship you as much as I long to return to publicly worshiping you.

4. I pray for my Black brothers and sisters. I cannot imagine what this time is like for them, but I can pray for them. O Holy One, forgive me for any and all racism and help me to work for justice at every opportunity. I confess I do not often know what that means, so please, through my own efforts to learn and the power of the Holy Spirit to convict, lead me.

(or)

4. I pray for my White brothers and sisters. Their eyes are opening, and I pray for full vision. Father, forgive me for any and all racism on my part, and keep me from any and all bitterness and resentment. Do not let the evil one gain any foothold in my spirit. Strengthen me to never tire as I work for justice in ways that continually honor you and lift up all of humanity.

5. I need you to give me financial faith that I do not have, obedience I do not want to give, and trust that does not come naturally.

6. I pray this to my God: I may not know the reasons for all that has happened, but I have faith in the One who does.

7. God Ever Strong and Gentle, I know how much I thirst for grace for my own life—help me to be quick to offer the same drink to others around me.

8. Somehow, someway, help me to rise above the seeds being sown all around me—seeds of fear, division, and anger. Instead, somehow, someway, help me to plant trust, unity, and love.

9. Dear God, I am online so much. I offer this Scripture as a prayer and plea to you: “I will set no worthless thing before my eyes….” (Ps 101:3a).

Please hold in your prayers Stephanie Messina, longtime Paulist Center Community member, who died this last week. May she rest in peace.

Worshiping In-Person at the Paulist Center Chapel
(imperative if you will be worshiping with us) …

We continue our reentry into the Paulist Center Chapel. Please reserve a place for either the 5pm Mass on Saturday or the 10am on Sunday.

How to reserve a place?

Call the Center (617.742.4460) Wednesday through noontime Friday during business hours (10am-5pm).  Sal, our receptionist, will take your name and contact information (either email or phone number. We need this information so that we can contact you should we become aware, after the liturgy, of a person with Covid who attended your Mass).

Again, please read the Procedures carefully and watch the video [both links below]).  Of special note:

• The doors open 10 minutes before the service.
• Masks must be worn at all times in the Chapel.
• Please follow the directions of the hospitality ministers when entering, exiting, and at communion.
• Once seated, please stay in place.
• We invite you to hum along with the songs (no singing).

Procedures:

1) Here are the expectations and requirements: Procedures
2) A wonderful YouTube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5A6uzhJH-Y&feature=youtu.be

If you can assist with welcoming, seating, and directing people into and out of the Chapel, we would love to hear from you! If you are not in a vulnerable group with regard to COVID-19 and are willing and able to assist in this very important ministry, please contact Peter Ghiloni at peter@paulistcenter.org.

1.) 26th Week in Ordinary Time, Sunday, September 27, Live Streamed Liturgy/Mass from the Chapel, at 10am (available as recording at same link after 11:15pm):
Here’s the link: https://youtu.be/KHLdUMOLI0I

2) Paulist Center Families Prayer Service, 10 am, Sunday
New Zoom meeting ID.  See the emailed weekly Missive from Fr. Mike McGarry for the link.

Please note that this service – to which all are invited – is only live. That is, you can join only at 10am. The recording of the live-streamed Mass can be viewed anytime: “live” at 10am or recorded any time after 11:15am, same link.

4) All are welcome to a prayer gathering with/from the Paulist Center’s LGBTQ+ Group next Wednesday, September 30th, 7pm. See the emailed weekly Missive from Fr. Mike McGarry for the link.  All are welcome! 

Mark your Calendars: the Paulist Fathers Nationally invite you to: “Hope Coast to Coast: A Virtual Groundbreaking with the Paulists.”
Saturday, October 17, 8:30pm. More next week, but for a sneak preview, go to Hope

Ways of Giving:

Our “Community Gift” is our tradition of giving away 5% of our weekend offerings, averaged out over the whole year, to a group outside of ourselves.

We are so very grateful for your support during this time of uncertainly and financial peril. Here are two ways to give:

1. To make a one-time or recurring donation using your bank account or credit card, click on the following link: https://tinyurl.com/DonatePaulistCenter
   Giving by text: Text 844-899-7511 with the amount you would like to donate (whole dollars only). Donations collected this way will be designated as part of the “Weekend Offering.”
2. Giving by text: Text a whole dollar donation amount to 844-899-7511; this will be designated as your “Weekend Offering.”

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I conclude with the wise words of St. Teresa of Avila:

Nothing can trouble,
nothing can frighten.
Those who seek God shall
never go wanting.
Nothing can trouble,
nothing can frighten.
God alone fills us.

And let us pray for/with one another.

Michael
Michael McGarry, C.S.P.
Director, the Paulist Center

Along with Patty, Chuck, Susan, Peter, Dorothy, John, Barbara, Rob, Alvaro, and Sal. Please feel free to call upon your Pastoral Ministers if you wish.

I will be sending out something every Thursday or Friday as the “shut down” continues.