Continuing the Conversation
Latest Posts
Post Library
Dear Friends on the Journey,
I begin with a reminder: we are postponing our scaled-back Reentry into the Paulist Center Chapel. At this writing, we planning two weekend liturgies – 5pm Saturday and 10am Sunday – beginning Saturday, August 8th. See 2 important links below about Procedures we will be following.
A friend shared this prayer with me recently, and it certainly spoke to the mood I feel often. Maybe to yours, too:
My Lord and my God,
When I don’t know where to start, help me to rise.
When I don’t know how to begin, help me to pray.
When I don’t know what to say, help me to listen.
When I am overwhelmed, cast out evil voices.
When I don’t know what to do, help remind me that even the smallest task
can be made holy.
Lord, when I don’t know where to start,
Move me, speak to me, spur me,
Move me until I know where you want me to begin.
Our next Community Wide Conversation on Racism will be 7pm, this Sunday, July 19th. We continue to gather around the theme of “Our Faith and Its Resources to help us to be Anti-Racist.” Format: A Zoom meeting, beginning with an opening prayer, then a presentation by theologian and former Paulist Center member Craig Ford (now teaching at St. Norbert’s College), followed by an extended time for conversation in Zoom breakout rooms. Following some of the feedback from our last gathering June 29th, we are allowing more time for small group conversation. Please come prepared to converse with fellow community members. The best conversation will happen if we begin on time (we are depending on all having seen the same 16 minute presentation) and to stay through the end (ca. 8:15pm). Here is the link: Either press here or copy and paste the following:
https://zoom.us/j/99460495668?pwd=VEd5UEZ2aTNwRFFFRERUNFNuTHpPdz09
We wish to say, “thank you” and “Godspeed” to our Young Adult Minister and communications specialist, Kristin Hauser, as she moves on to being the fulltime Youth Minister at St. Thomas More Parish, Chapel Hill, NC. We will pray for you as we ask yours for us.
Two very important items…
About Reentry into Our Chapel (tentatively scheduled for August 8, 5pm; August 9, 10am & 6pm).
This is very important:
We are still in need of hospitality ministers for our Chapel reentry. It is absolutely critical that we have a minimum of three people at each Mass who can assist with welcoming, seating, and directing people into and out of the Chapel. 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.
2) A wonderful YouTube Video (hats off, in appreciation, to Vincent Rocchio & family and the Hankle/Spicer family): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5A6uzhJH-Y&feature=youtu.be
1) 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 19th, Live Streamed Liturgy/Mass from the Chapel, at 12N:
Here’s the link: https://youtu.be/xuvrWNX1A8c
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)
3) All are welcome to a prayer gathering with/from the Paulist Center’s LGBTQ+ prayer next Wednesday, July 22nd, 7pm. Here’s the Link: https://tinyurl.com/PCC-
Please keep in your prayers Paolo Puccini, C.S.P., Paulist Deacon who will be ordained to the priesthood on Saturday, July 25th, in Austin, Texas. May the Holy Spirit be his first and closest companion during the years of his ministry!
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. This week, we lift up Refugee Immigration Ministry (http://www.r-i-m.net/). Founded in 1986 as an Interfaith Ministry, RIM has offered Spiritual Care in the detention facilities. RIM has expanded to provide community-based services to uprooted and often isolated persons.
We are so very grateful for your support during this time of uncertainly and financial peril. Here are two ways to give:
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.”
An idea: Recently a few folks have made special contributions to help cover
expenses for our live-streaming equipment. How thoughtful, how generous.
What a great idea!
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
I will be sending out something every Thursday or Friday as the “shut down” continues.