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Team Paulist Center

May 9/10, 2020, Fifth Sunday of Easter 

Dear Friends on the Journey,

God our Father, be with us on our pilgrim journey of faith. Give us the grace and courage to step forward in faith and hope on the road ahead.

Open our eyes to see your face in all those we encounter. Open our ears to hear your voice in those who are often ignored. Open our hearts that we might be faithful disciples of mercy and truth.

Transform us. Empower us to give of ourselves to the poor; to welcome the lost; to forgive those who hurt us; to comfort those who suffer and are marginalized.

At the end of our Livestreamed Mass on Sunday, Fr. Chuck congratulated Team Paulist Center for their extraordinary efforts on the “Virtual Walk for Hunger.” Following the Mass, we had a blessing and celebration of their efforts on Zoom. To date, more than $62,000 has been pledged to Project Bread’s Walk for Hunger. And the Paulist Center’s team was – once again – first place in amount pledged! What generosity! Thank you so much!

1) Fifth Sunday of Easter, May 10, Live Streamed Liturgy/Mass from the Chapel, at 12N:
Here’s the link for this weekend: https://youtu.be/3JtcxWfR2UA

PREPARING OURSELVES FOR VIRTUAL EUCHARIST

Many of us are aware that it will be many weeks, maybe months, before we are able to physically celebrate Eucharist in our Paulist Center Holy Spirit Chapel.
As we consider what it might mean to celebrate Eucharist virtually, it is important to reflect more deeply on what being present to one another in virtual spaces actually means. Just as it’s possible to be in close physical proximity with others while simultaneously being absent mentally or spiritually, it’s also possible to be virtually present to one another in profound, meaningful and real ways even when we’re physically distant. The following suggestions are ways to help us celebrate in this new paradigm.

Read the scripture for the upcoming celebrations beforehand. You can easily access all readings from the USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) website. www.usccb.org/bible
Create a setting for the celebration. If possible, use your dining table as the place from which you participate. Light a candle. Have a cross, crucifix, or religious icon on hand. If you are fortunate to be with others, have a loaf of bread that can be broken at the time of communion.
Observe familiar postures. Standing and sitting at appropriate times throughout the celebration can enhance our prayer.
Remove distractions. Try to avoid using cell phones (unless of course that is your source of participating).
Dress up. Sleepwear might not be the most appropriate attire.

2) Paulist Center Families Prayer Service:
https://communityinclusion.zoom.us/j/451661081
Meeting ID: 451 661 081
One tap mobile
+16468769923,451661081#

3) Connect for a Chat. Patty Simpson patty@paulistcenter.org will be offering an hour a week for any Paulist Center members who might want to connect. Patty has in mind especially those who aren’t connected into any other small groups. You can join the conversation this evening, Thursday, May 7th, 7-8pm through this link. Also if anyone wishes to connect with Patty either on phone or video session, just email her or leave a message on her phone (617.948.2428) and she will get back to you ASAP.

Odds and Ends…

In order to keep this form of communication short (well, relatively), we will be sending out a biweekly “General Constant Contact” newsletter. Please review the last one, which included the virtual event entitled “Welcoming the Stranger – Our Calling and Responsibility.” Sunday, May 10th, 1:15pm. An opportunity to learn about the work some members of the Paulist Center Community have been doing in support of immigrants in the midst of crisis. Christine Tardiff, clinical social worker at Boston Children’s Hospital, recently traveled to the Humanitarian Respite Center in McAllen, TX. Below is the link to register for the event. When you register, you will be sent a link for the event.
The Link: bit.ly/RegisterMay10ImmigrationEvent

Pastoral Council elections are on hold; ordinarily they would occur in May. We have only one “turnover” this year.

See also the information about the Raffle in the last newsletter.

Ways of Giving:

This week, we resume our “Community Gift,” our Paulist Center tradition of giving away 5% of our weekend offerings (averaged out over the whole year). This week, appropriately, we lift up the Walk for Hunger. (Please consult the Constant Contact Newsletter that came on Wednesday for others).

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: Our give by text number for general donations is 844-899-7511; this will be designated as our “Weekend Offering.”

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.

https://bustedhalo.com/ministry-resources/keeping-the-faith-during-the-time-of-coronavirus