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7/24/2020

Become anti-racist

Dear Friends on the Journey,

A reminder: our scaled-back Reentry into the Paulist Center Chapel is now planned for the our scaled-back Reentry into the Paulist Center Chapel is now planned for the weekend of August 8-9:  5pm Saturday, August 8^th, and 10am Sunday, August 9^th. See two important links below about Procedures we will be following and an invitation to reply to a survey about Reentry.

This last Sunday evening, we estimate more than 100 Paulist Center members joined in a conversation about our community and racism via Zoom gathering. Together we listened to former Paulist Center Community member Dr. Craig Ford (now theology professor at St. Norbert’s College) speak about structural racism in our country and in our Church, and what he, as a black man, would want to hear from his white brothers and sisters. He quipped that most of the people he knows self-identify as not being a racist. He challenged us — by prayer, study, and strong action—to become anti-racists. Through the technology of randomly assigned breakout rooms, we had small groups address the question: What kind of spiritual work do you need to do to expand your imagination to move toward antiracism action that dismantles racist systems & structures in our society and Church? Through reporters from each group, we have received more than 12 pages of the distilled thoughts. Happily, there is much repetition, and, grace-fully, there are many humble, thoughtful, and bold ideas: prayer, study, engagement with Christian communities of color, and book clubs to dive deeper. Many noted some of the unique limitations of the Paulist Center Community in its engagement with other communities. Some noted that conversations like these can be very uncomfortable and yet are necessary.

So…how can we expand the circle when we know the conversations will make us uncomfortable? Stay tuned. More is coming. We have a lot of work to do, and, as far as I am concerned, this will be part of our ongoing work as a Catholic community.

I know I am not alone in this. Indeed, it was very gratifying to see that so many of the Paulist Center Community are committed to the long haul.

More next week…

Community Survey about Reentry: At its last meeting, the Pastoral Council engaged in a very lively discussion about various dimensions of our reentering our Chapel. In addition to following the guidelines of the CDC, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Archdiocese of Boston, and other Churches (both Catholic and Protestant), so far we have consulted with Staff, the Pastoral Council, the Worship Team, and a special Task Force set up by the Pastoral Council to address this major concern our community. Now we would like to hear from the Community to extend this consultation. This survey, we hope, will yield very important information as we prepare the slow process of reentering the Chapel. (To see the procedures we will be following, see later in this Missive). Here’s the link for our survey and the deadline for replying is July 31. We want to hear from you!

· Here’s the Survey Link: https://forms.gle/GfNYMCKsdUvFfA5P9

Points to Ponder. A recent article in the Jesuit journal America posed thoughtful, faith-filled considerations about when/whether to return for in person worship at the Paulist Center:

· Here’s the Article Link: https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2020/07/13/should-you-go-to-mass-pandemic-coronavirus-covid-catholic

Two very important items…

We have scheduled reentry into the Chapel for Saturday, August 8th, 5pm, and Sunday, August 9th, 10am. (Please note that live-streamed Masses will continue for the foreseeable future.)

This is very important:
We are in pretty good shape for the first three weekends of reentry…until Labor Day weekend. So 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.

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

1) 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 26th, Live Streamed Liturgy/Mass from the Chapel, at 12N:

Here’s the link: https://youtu.be/sVEQJAHEd5o

2) Paulist Center Families Prayer Service, 10 am, Sunday
Please click here to join us: https://zoom.us/j/97252474747?pwd=YktPNzE3ZVNJVEltS3FENHFRSnI4QT09
Meeting ID: 972 5247 4747, Password: 037026, One tap mobile
+16465588656,,97252474747#,,1#,037026# US (New York)