Weekly Bulletin August 29/30 & September 5/6
(A PDF version of the bulletin as printed is available here)
The 2025 Isaac Hecker Award for Social Justice will go to Colleen Sharka!
Please join us on Saturday, September 26 to celebrate Colleen Sharka, LMHC, co-founder of “CAN WE TALK” (CWT), a community sharing program on trauma and healing based at the Social Impact Center of Roxbury Presbyterian Church. Colleen will receive the Hecker Award in our chapel at our 5 PM Mass on September 26.
Colleen’s commitment to healing and reconciliation took root before her professional career began, when she co-founded a grassroots racial dialogue group connecting a Black Catholic church and a white Catholic church, building understanding through shared stories. That conviction — that healing happens in community, across lines has shaped her work ever since.
In 2014, Colleen partnered with Rev. Liz Walker to co-found CAN WE TALK, a spiritually grounded, peer-led program for trauma survivors. Colleen developed the program’s curriculum and built its network of sites nationwide; as of May 2025, CWT operates in 20 locations across six states and Washington, D.C. Since 2014, CWT has offered urban neighborhoods a peer-centered path through trauma, helping individuals move from surviving to actively helping others heal.
Colleen’s dedication to justice also spans her work at Still Harbor: Center for Discernment & Action, where she developed retreats on purpose and social action, and Trinity Boston Counseling Center, where she provided therapy to multi-ethnic populations in Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan.
At a moment of deep polarization and daily violence in our communities, Colleen’s work offers a model for healing that is spiritually rooted, clinically sound, and empowering. Isaac Hecker was committed to faith in action — Colleen Sharka lives that same commitment today.
Please join us on September 26 at the 5pm Mass to celebrate Colleen Sharka! A reception will follow.
Seeking a Dynamic Leader for our Junior High Youth Group (Grades 7 & 8)
Do you love God, youth ministry, and the distinct daily thrill of communicating with beings whose primary emotional vocabulary is a heavy sigh? We need a brave soul to guide our Jr. High Youth Group (comprised of 7th and 8th graders) through bi-monthly Sunday morning meetings (11:15 am-12:15 pm).
Why You’ll Love It
- The Challenge: Translate ancient scripture to humans who treat a two-minute car ride as a human rights violation.
- The Energy: Channel the intense, caffeinated mood swings of middle school into actual community.
- The Vibe: An open, progressive faith community that values questions over quietness.
What You Will Do
- Lead Sunday sessions for our Jr. High Youth Group during the FREP year.
- Decode awkward silences and sudden outbursts of extreme laughter.
- Share snacks and snacks-based bribery.
- Help kids explore a loving, inclusive God.
For more information, please contact our Pastoral Minister of FREP and Social Justice Susan Rutkowski, Susan@Paulistcenter.org or 617-948-2426.
Live-Streaming
Find all the livestreams and recordings on youtube.com/ThePaulistCenter
- Sunday, August 30, 10am, 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time – YouTube Link
- Sunday, September 6, 10am, 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time – YouTube Link
At the time of each livestream, the appropriate Order of Worship will be available at paulistcenter.org/order-of-worship.
The Paulist Center will be closed for Labor Day on Monday, September 7. There will be no 12 PM Mass that day.
Living Water: Season Of Creation 2026 – September 1 – October 4
The Creation Care ministry invites you to celebrate Creation and commit to prayer, action and advocacy:
Sunday Aug 30 –
Interfaith Prayer & Fellowship on the banks of the Charles River. Bring a picnic blanket & snacks to the Arthur Fiedler Dock on the Esplanade, 12:45pm. Organized by the Cathedral Church of St. Paul and. BICA (Boston Interfaith Climate Allies).
Sunday, Sept 6 –
A short pilgrimage to be with the elephants visiting Boston. Come experience the art installation through the lens of Creation Care and Laudato Si’ including brief commentary by community member Sonia Caus Gleason, reflection questions to consider, & a walk through the elephant exhibit. (45 minutes total). Meet us at the back of the chapel after the 10 am Mass, or join us at the corner of Dartmouth and Commonwealth Avenue at 11:30.
Sunday, Oct 4
“The Crisis in Plastic” after the 10am Mass, presented by Phil Landrigan, M.D., of Boston College, renowned pediatrician and public health expert. Phil’s lifelong work has focused on protecting children and communities from toxic environmental exposures and advancing healthier public policy.
Sept 1 to Oct 4 –
Daily Reflections – each reflection offers a 2-minute “pause–reflect–act” opportunity.
These are the same reflections as last year; if you received them before, you’ll receive them again (unsubscribing is easy). To subscribe (free), email: seasonofcreationdaily@gmail.com
Welcome to a New FREP Year – Phase 2 of Re-Imagining FREP
This phase includes more intentional ways to form the children of our community while strengthening the role of parents and families in that formation with new offerings such as Family Pods and Parent Faith Formation.
Traditional Religious Education Classes – Grade-based classes, as have existed in the past, will meet approximately twice per month.
Family Pods – Families will be assigned to a group (pod) which will include children, parents and grandparents and will meet five times over the course of the year. The intention is to offer an opportunity to get to know one another better and create community learning in a smaller intergenerational group. Families in each pod will share family traditions, holiday ideas, best practices on how to raise children in the Catholic faith, etc.
Parent Faith Formation – Four times a year, parents will get together during their child’s class time to drink coffee, eat food, and discuss faith formation topics that interest them.
Inclusive Confirmation Program – Our community includes neurodiverse children and teens and we all learn differently. We are shifting to a supportive environment built on inclusive language, flexible learning spaces, and multimodal options for exploring faith. Your teens can engage through art, discussion, or movement, and we will collaborate directly with you to meet their unique sensory and processing needs. The Body of Christ is glorious, beautiful, and neurodiverse! All are welcome!
2026-27 FREP calendar: https://www.paulistcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026-2027-FREP-Calendar.pdf
Sun, Sept 20 is our FREP Kick-off celebration and social!
Register at https://www.paulistcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/FREP-Registration-Form-2026-2027.pdf
You can pay the registration fee online HERE or send a check to Paulist Center, 5 Park Street, Boston, MA 02108.
If you have any questions or concerns, contact Susan Rutkowski at susan@paulistcenter.org or 617-948-2426.
25th Anniversary September 11 – A Prayer of Remembrance
Holy God,
Creator of all people and all nations,
It is with sorrow and apprehension we remember the tragic events that occurred on this day.
We lift to You in prayer all those who died
in the Twin Towers, at the Pentagon, and on United Airlines Flight 93 in Shankesville, Pennsylvania.
We entrust them to Your loving care.
Console their families, friends, and all who mourn this loss in the hope that all who trust in You find peace and rest in Your Kingdom.
We pray for those who courageously responded to provide aid and comfort to the afflicted.
May their painful memories of that day be healed and transformed into strength and positive resolution.
We also pray for ourselves as we seek Your strength and guidance.
We live in the aftermath of this tragedy and under the shadow of future acts of aggression;
We stand in need of Your assistance.
Enable us, Dear God, to put an end to fear:
By resolving to live lives that are based on respect for one another;
By resolving to abide in a peaceful manner and never settle disagreements in our lives in a violent way;
By resolving not to fall into the trap of blaming entire ethnic groups, races, or religions in response to acts of hostility;
By resolving that justice, not revenge, prevail in our world.
Let us resolve that in the face of hatred, we will show love;
That in times of despair, we will be voices of hope and creators of new dreams;
That in times of darkness, we will be sources of light.
Let us resolve that we never regard forgiveness as weakness,
But rather as a source of strength in our lives and in our world.
And, let us honor the memory of nearly 3,000 individuals who died on September 11, 2001
by resolving, with Your help Almighty God,
to truly live this way so You may be glorified and Your love made known to others through us.
Amen.
– Bro. Darrell Burns, S.J.
A.I. Ethics Through a Catholic Lens: Can A.I. Be Ethical?
Sun, Sept 27, 7pm at the Paulist Center – Save the Date!
In a world increasingly driven by algorithms, what does it truly mean to love our neighbor? As artificial intelligence reshapes our society, how do we ensure it serves the common good rather than leaving the most vulnerable behind?
Join us for an intriguing discussion at this first in a series of seminars on Catholicism and the ethics of Artificial Intelligence. We will look at tech through the framework of Catholic Social Teaching—exploring how ancient wisdom can help us guide tomorrow’s tools.
Dr. Raúl Zegarra will introduce the historic new papal encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, which directly addresses the protection of human dignity and labor in the age of automation.
Richard Geruson Author and lecturer at Harvard Divinity School, will dive deeper into our moral obligations to harness technology for human liberation and systemic fairness.
https://bulletin.hds.harvard.edu/ai-harms-are-not-ethically-inevitable/
Following these two dynamic presenters, the evening will open up to a robust Q&A session with YOU! —the public.
Doors Open: 6:45pm Refreshments: Will be served before the event.
We hope to see you there as we explore how to build a more just and inclusive future!
Community Service project: Come paint with us! Sat, Sept 19, 9am – 4pm
Join the Paulist Center St. Joseph Society for a painting project at Christo Rey High School in Dorchester, a high school created by the Society of Jesus to serve students from families with limited financial resources. We will scrape and paint the old metal fence to create a more inviting entrance for students. NO SKILLS required. Lunch will be provided.
St. Joseph Society members can assist as needed; volunteers needed to help work flow. We’re also looking to borrow as many paint scrapers and electric grinders as people can spare. Contact Vincent Rocchio at vfrocchio@gmail.com if you have any questions or would like to participate!
Upcoming Retreat For LGBTQ+ Catholics, Families, and Allies
September 11 – 13
Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center (West Hartford, CT)
New Ways Ministry is hosting a weekend retreat titled “Unfolding the Moral Life,” led by Fr. James Keenan, SJ. This retreat offers a restorative space of reflection, presentation, shared meals, and prayer for LGBTQ+ individuals, family members, and allies navigating faith and identity. Registration is $435 (includes overnight accommodations and all meals). Partial scholarships are available prior to August 31. To register or view the full schedule, visit NewWaysMinistry.org/unfolding or email info@NewWaysMinistry.org for more details.
Summer Adult Confirmation Classes at the Paulist Center
Last Evening – 6:30pm to 8:30pm, Thursday, September 3: Healing Sacraments: Anointing of the Sick, Reconciliation
Vocation/Service Sacraments: Marriage, Ordination
LGBTQ+ Ministry at the Paulist Center
The Paulist Center welcomes LGBTQ+ identified individuals. The LGBTQ+ Ministry hosts occasional events and social gatherings. To be added to a confidential email listserv with announcements and information, contact Bob Bordone at bobbordone@gmail.com.
Stewardship
The Paulist Center receives no funding from outside sources. All costs to operate our ministries for both members and the wider Boston community, maintain the building, and pay our staff are supported solely by your financial donations. We are so grateful for your financial support! See paulistcenter.org/give/ways-to-give for a variety of ways to give to the Paulist Center.
Two options include:
Give a one-time or recurring donation using your bank account or credit card by visiting tinyurl.com/DonatePaulistCenter or scanning the QR code on this page outlined in blue. You can use this method for donations for specific programs, too, and, if you are a registered member with us, these donations will be included in a year-end tax statement sent to you for any donations that are tax deductible per IRS regulations. Giving by this method helps us with our budgeting and stewardship efforts.
Use Apple Pay or Google Pay by visiting donorbox.org/paulistcenter, scanning the QR code on the red cards in the pews, or scanning the QR code on this page outlined in red. Please note that these donations will not be included in any year-end giving tax records, and they solely support our general operations.
Community Gift
The Paulist Center gives 5% of our annual offertory to 52 other charitable organizations with missions consonant with our own. These organizations receive an equal amount from our annual offertory.
The Paulist Center gives 5% of our annual offertory to 52 charitable organizations with missions consonant with our own. These organizations receive an equal amount from our annual offertory.
Aug 29 – 30 we raise up Massachusetts Community Action Network https://www.mcan.us/, a statewide faith and values based community organizing collective working for racial equity & economic justice.
Sept 5 – 6 is the annual Mission Co-op Appeal. This year, we welcome Fr. Kenneth from the Benedict XVI Institute. Envelopes will be in the pews if you wish to make an additional donation. Please make checks payable to “Propagation of the Faith” and in the check memo write “Mission Co-op Appeal”.
Mass Intentions
Please stop by the reception area during the week, email Sal Whooley at sal@paulistcenter.org, or call 617-742-4460, if you would like to arrange for a Mass and/or purchase a Mass card:
- in memory of someone who has died,
- in honor of a special occasion,
- or for the special intentions of yourself or a loved one
LGBTQIA Catholic Collective
The Paulist Center is a member of the Greater Boston LGBTQIA Catholic Collective which offers monthly Zoom meetings for friends and family of LGBTQIA Catholics and could be a resource for Paulist Center members who are actively supporting their families in embracing transgender or nonbinary family members. Email greaterbostonlgbtqiacatholics@gmail.com for the meeting schedule and Zoom links. More info @ https:/www.bostonlgbtqiacatholics.org
Paulist Center Rosary Circle
All are welcome to the Paulist Center Rosary Circle which meets every Monday at 7:30pm via Zoom. ID: 487 503 158; passcode: 021078.
Do you have a special intention that you would like the Paulist Center Community to pray for? Our weekly Rosary Circle is happy to include your intentions (may be anonymous). Go here for the form.
Low-Gluten Hosts
Low-gluten hosts are available upon request. Please see the presider in the Chapel or Sacristy fifteen minutes before Mass and indicate where you will be seated in the Chapel so the communion minister in that section will have the low-gluten host for you at communion.
Spiritual Direction
Spiritual Direction is an opportunity for one to reflect and share one’s life and prayer experience and be guided in one’s search for God. Spiritual Direction is available at the Center from Sister Kathleen Hagerty, CSJ, or Christopher O’Rourke.
Sister Kathleen can be reached at 617-755-9729.
Christopher can be reached at 617-817-3977.