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2/26/2021

The Daughters of Hope

February 19, 2021

Dear Friends on the Journey,

If you find that a beloved quotation was said by the person you thought, is it still true? (That philosophical question we will hold for another time.)

In the last two weeks, I found this quotation, attributed to St. Augustine:

“The virtue of Hope has two beautiful daughters, anger and courage. Anger with the way things are and courage to change them for the better.”

The scholars cannot find any place where Augustine said this. But whoever said it, I am intrigued, especially during a Lent during a global pandemic. In a time of despair, of depression, hope is our virtue. Hope, not so much as a gift but as a mission.

Another unsourced quotation has it, “If you’re not angry, you’re not paying attention.”

Well, yes. But anger, Hope’s first daughter, doesn’t go too far and it’s not good for digestion. So I move on.

For me the Biblical exemplar of Courage, Hope’s second daughter, is Mary, the Mother of Jesus. As in Denise Levertov’s poem Annunciation:

She [Mary] did not cry, “I cannot, I am not worthy,”
Nor “I have not the strength.”
She did not submit with gritted teeth,
Raging, coerced.
Bravest of all humans,
Consent illumined her.
The room filled with its light,
The lily glowed in it,
And the iridescent wings.
Consent,
Courage unparalleled,
Opened her utterly.

If we, in our Lent, prepare for Resurrection, if we prepare for our Hope, then our Lent does indeed have a destination.

Next week: more about a destination I hope we of the Paulist Center Community have in sight. This week, over 60 Paulist Center folks completed an eight-week journey in racial equity. They give me great great hope. The resurrection has a horizon. We will see how they can be the leaven in our community.

In the meantime, I hope you have been learning about a great African American saints each week of February and that you will listen to Gloria Purvis speak of her experience as an African American woman in our Church (link here and below).

What do you think?


Anti-Racism:

  • Who will be our next Black American saint? How about Katherine Drexel (1858-1955). Actually she already is a saint and there’s a parish named after her here in Boston. You should know about her. Visit Katherine Drexel here.
  • A passionate Catholic, Gloria Purvis, speaks about being Black and Catholic. (about 65 minutes)

IMPROVING OUR LIVESTREAM WORSHIP

In order to improve our camera angles during our celebrations we are going to provide an order of worship with the music selections (rather than posting them on the screen). Here is the Second Sunday of Lent. (This link will also be available on the YouTube broadcast and our website. You will also be able to scan a QR Code from your screen.) After a few weeks we will ask for your feedback as to how this is working for you. Thank you for your participation.

 


Here are a number of devotional and study resources for Lent.


2019 Isaac Hecker Award for Social Justice Recipient- Sr. Joan Chittister, Saturday, March 6, 7-8:15 pm

All are invited to attend a Zoom event celebrating the 2019 Isaac Hecker Award winner for Social Justice, Sr. Joan Chittister. In many ways, Sr. Joan demonstrates an unwavering commitment to many social justice issues including special care for the poor and marginalized. Her attention is focused now on the plight of immigrants fleeing violence and persecution, rampant social and economic inequality, and the perils of climate change – issues of special concern to the Paulist Center community as well. We look forward to celebrating our treasured award with Sr. Joan, 7 pm on March 6.

Here is the registration link to this event. After you register, we will email you a zoom link the day before the event.

For more information on the Sr. Joan event, follow this link,


From our Care for Our Common Home Ministry: We Catholics share a strong tradition of embracing Lent with prayer, repentance, self-denial, and generous action. This year our Common Home ministry encourages us to use the Laudate Si “lens” the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor’ for our Lenten practice. Each week, this message will include one practical suggestion for action.

This week, Our Lenten practice this week is to conserve and protect the gift of water. Consider giving up bottled water this Lent and beyond. And how else could you conserve water?


Paulist Fathers’ News:

A retreat: “Crisis Spirituality: St Paul of the Shipwreck, Pray for Us”: Go to this link to learn more about a national Paulist Fathers Retreat, led by Frs. Frank Desiderio, Terry Ryan, and Mark-David Janus. Saturday, February 27th, 1-3pm, by Zoom. Registration Fee: $25.


Worshiping In-Person at the Paulist Center Chapel
(imperative if you will be worshiping with us)…

How to reserve a place?

Please call the Center (617.742.4460) Wednesday through Friday during business hours (10am-5pm). Sal, our receptionist, will take your name and contact information (either email or phone number. 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).

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 Link


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 2nd Sunday of Lent, Sunday, February 28th, Live-Streamed Liturgy/Mass from the Chapel, at 10am (available as recording at same link after 11:15am):

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 url.

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 the Church in Africa, and Central and Eastern Europe which funds projects in 28 countries to build the pastoral capacity of the Church and to rebuild and restore faith in these countries. 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 “shut down” continues.