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5/21/2021

Notice Anything Missing?

May 21, 2021

Special Notice: We are “publishing” our bulletin online every other week, but available each week through my Missive. Here is our first, which covers last AND this week.

I want to share with you a recent experience: John Morton, our Young Adult Minister, gathered some folks on Zoom (of course) who had recently graduated from Boston College and were looking for a place of worship. So when John asked me to talk about the Paulist Center Community as a way of inviting them to join, I rattled off a stunning litany of opportunities at the Paulist Center: the Family Religious Education Program, our Immigration Advocacy Group, Wednesday Night Supper Club, our Prison Reform Committee, our Care for our Common Home Committee, our Sister Community in El Salvador, our wonderful LGBTQ+ Ministry, our Adult Education offerings, and our Young Adult Ministry, to say nothing of the numerous musical and other Liturgical Ministries. Probably a few more and probably forgot a few as well.

Notice anything missing?

Yes, what was missing from my litany of our attributes is the core of what gathers us together: Jesus Christ. We are His disciples, all on a journey to be ever more faithful, but still with much that we celebrate in Mass and in each other. For Jesus calls us, not only for Himself, or for our spiritual growth, but also for the sake of the world. How could I have for-gotten?

What do you think?

For those who may have missed it, last week I announced the very sad news that Peter Ghiloni, our Pastoral Minister of Liturgy and Music, will be leaving us at the end of July. The Staff, Worship Team, Liturgical Ministers, and Pastoral Council will be putting together a celebration of gratitude to Peter for his extraordinary contribution to the Paulist Center. At the same time, we have begun a search for a new Pastoral Minister of Liturgy and Music. We will keep you apprised.

While we are already worshiping in-person on a weekly basis, the good news is that we will be opening the 6pm Sunday Liturgy on Sunday, June 6th.

At the same time, Staff and Pastoral Council are planning for celebrating our return, as a community, to our beautiful chapel for safe, in-person worship. This will probably take place after Labor Day. We hope to acknowledge many dimensions of what these last fourteen pandemic months have meant: the grieving, the loss, the mourning, what we have learned, how our faith has grown stronger, and how, committed, we intend to gather. We will be sending out a survey to take a pulse of our community.

Attentive to the Holy Spirit and nourished by vibrant liturgy, we [of the Paulist Center] are a Catholic community that welcomes all, fosters healing and reconciliation, and acts for justice.

…our mission statement

What about India and Brazil? you may ask. All the Boston Archdiocese is taking a “second collection” this coming week to support the Indian and Brazilian communities who are being devastated by Covid. We think that’s a good idea, but here we invite you to support our brothers and sisters directly. 1) To support both India and Brazil, go to Catholic Relief services here. 2) To support only India, go to Catholic Near East Welfare Association here.

The Paulist Fathers received a number of Gabriel awards (kind of like “Catholic Oscars”). Go here to see them, including some Paulist Center alumni.

Cardinal Seán’s recent statement calling for solidarity with Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and working against racism. Go here.

Worshiping In-Person at the Paulist Center Chapel…

Starting May 22nd and May 23rd, you need not register in advance for weekend worship. This weekend, we will be able to sing WITH OUR MASKS ON! We will need to keep socially distanced, so please follow the directions of the Hospitality Ministers. (That may mean that you don’t get to sit in your favorite place, but it will mean that we will accommodate as many people as we can, some coming in groups of two, three, or four.) Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

Beginning June 6th, we will be reinstating the Sunday 6pm Mass. Same protocols apply. A wonderful way to begin the summer.

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

Procedures Around Receiving Communion:

• A wonderful YouTube Video

1) For Pentecost, May 23rd, Live-Streamed Liturgy/Mass from the Chapel, at 10am (available as recording at same link after 11:15am):

Here’s the YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/JcMXBYLefZY
Here’s the Order of Worship

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  All are Welcome!

4) All are welcome to a half-hour prayer gathering with/from the Paulist Center’s Paulist Associates-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 New Ways Ministry, a Church ministry working for reconciliation for LGBTQ+ Catholics within Christian and civil communities.. 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
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.