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4/9/2021

He is Risen!

April 9, 2021

Dear Friends on the Journey,

He is risen, truly risen! Alleluia, alleluia!

This reflection from Maryknoller Joseph Veneroso tickles me each time I read it…

Resurrection?
Who can believe such an impossible dream?

Life after death?
Where do you get such an idea?

Show me a sign! Give me proof!

I don’t understand what you Christians mean when you say, “Caterpillars of the world, rejoice!”

How very grateful we all are for the extraordinary talent, competence, creativity, time, and work our Liturgical Ministers (singers, instrumentalists, technicians, environmental artists, hospitality ministers), beginning with Peter Ghiloni, invested in our in-person and virtual worship during Holy Week. From my perspective, there was a wonderful integrity to the whole week, perhaps gathered best under the word “prayerful,” true to the flow of Holy Week. Thank you so much!

We are grateful, too, to all the contributors to the Ecumenical Seven Last Words Service; the Stations of the Cross (led by our Young Adult Ministry); and the Liturgy of the Word for Families on Easter Sunday morning. How rich, how blessed, how beautiful!

I do want to comment, too, on the music which we have prayed, enjoyed, sung along with, tapped our fingers to, over the last number of pandemic months. Part of the challenge of choosing and performing music during these months is that preparation for Liturgy means we only have one singer for all the music. Before March 2020, we were used to multiple singers with beautiful harmonies and multiple instruments. Furthermore, over the last few months, we have tried to introduce some new music, especially by woman composers, with more inclusive language. Some old favorites, conversely, we have left behind for a number of reasons. So many factors contribute to a new and re-newed repertoire. Thank you for your openness to new directions!

* * * * *

Racial Justice: Report Back Event to the Paulist Center Community

Important Community-Wide Meeting on
Racial Justice

Paulist Center Community is committed to working toward Racial Justice. Last October, 62 community members signed up for an 8-session program offered by JustFaith Ministries facilitated by our Pastoral Minister of Social Justice, Susan Rutkowski, and community member Patricia Shea, SNDdeN. For four months (Oct-Feb), the participants read, listened, learned, prayed, and discussed awakening to the economic systems, public policies, cultural norms, and hidden biases that empower some and oppress others. At 7-8pm, Thursday, April 22nd, participants of this program will report back and debrief to the broader community the significance of what they experienced. Furthermore, they will propose what this community can do to continue to be active learners in the fight for racial justice. We will listen to faith testimonies from participants in the program, and we will hear from a guest speaker from the Free Minds organization in Washington, DC, who uses books, creative writing, and peer support to awaken incarcerated and formerly incarcerated youth and adults to their own potential. Afterwards, we will talk about next steps in how the Paulist Center will continue the fight for racial justice. Please join us on zoom for this important event. Here is the link.


Will you join us at Project Bread’s 53rd Walk for Hunger (virtual this year, of coures) on Sunday, May 2? The Walk for
Hunger, started by members of our Paulist Center, is a com-munity event that raises millions of dollars for anti-hunger organizations across Massachusetts. Thousands of people “show up” every year to speak up against the injustice of hunger at this decades-long MA tradition. Money raised provides grants to hundreds of community-based programs that rely on this support—food pantries, hot meal programs, summer meals for kids, farm and garden initiatives, health center programs, and more…including our very own “Wednesday Night Supper Club” which feeds over 120 people weekly. Based on the use of social media for fund-raising, the more people throughout our community — congregation members, volunteers, staff, neighbors, friends, family, coworkers— who join, the more impact we will have! Therefore, let’s grow our tradition even more: please join “The Paulist Center: Home of the Wed. Night Supper Club” team! Go here.


Jesus said, “I was in prison and you visited me.” Don’t know how to do this, or don’t have the time? Here is one way that doesn’t take a lot of time: working for clemency for William Allen. Go here for more information.


The Paulist Fathers are offering a Virtual Discernment Retreat on Saturday, April 10th, for those curious about becoming a Paulist Father. For more information, go here.


Worshiping In-Person at the Paulist Center Chapel (imperative if you will be worshiping with us)…
Please reserve a place for either the 5pm Mass on Saturday or the 10am on Sunday.

How to reserve a place?   Please call the Center (617.742.4460) Wednesday through Friday and, on the voicemail, leave your 1) name, 2) contact information (either email or phone number), and 3) which Mass you wish to attend. (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). Thank you for your understanding.

Note Carefully: If you are experiencing ANY symptom that would indicate that you are ill (not just for Covid), please stay home. If in doubt, please stay out! Also, please read carefully the Procedures and watch the video (both links below). Of special note:

  • The doors open 10 minutes before the service;
  • Since there is no singing, we invite you to hum along with the songs.

Procedures:

1) Here are the expectations and requirements
2) A wonderful YouTube Video


If you can assist as a Minister of Hospitality 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) For the Second Sunday of Easter, April 11th, Live-Streamed Liturgy/Mass from the Chapel, at 10am (available as recording at same link after 11:15am):

To use the Order of Worship, you may wish to

1.   Print it out to have in hand as you tune in; or
2.   Use a second “tab” in your browser for the Order, to alternate with viewing the Mass; or
3.   Bring it up on a second device (e.g., smart phone, iPad) while following the Liturgy on the Desktop.

2) Paulist Center Families’ Liturgy of the Word, 10am, Sunday:
See Fr. Mike’s Email Missive for the link details.

3) Paulist Center Rosary Circle. 7:30pm every Monday.
Here’s the Zoom Link: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/487503158
pwd=aVFZb3BWNFBiQzZMSXdhbmo3NUozUT09
Meeting ID: 487 503 158; Passcode: 021078

4) All are welcome to a half-hour prayer gathering with/from the Paulist Center’s LGBTQ+ led prayer next Wednesday, 7pm. See Fr. Michael’s email missive for the link.

Ways of Giving:

Our “Community Gift” is the Paulist Center’s 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 Annunciation House which provides shelter to economically poor immigrants and refugees at several houses of hospitality in El Paso, Texas, and Juarez, Mexico. Thank you so much for your generosity!

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 now with the Prophet Micah 6:8:

Our Faithful God has told you, O mortal, what is good;
   and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, to love kindness,
   and to walk humbly with your God?

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 COVID-19 restrictions continue.