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March 12, 2021
Dear Friends on the Journey,
From a book of Celtic blessings…
I have tasted the fruit of the earth, O God.
I have seen autumn trees hang heavily with heaven’s gifts.
I have known people pregnant with your spirit of generosity.
Let these be guides to me this day.
And may Mary who knew her womb filled with your goodness teach me the wisdom that is born amidst pain.
May I know that deeper than any fallowness in me is the seed planted in the womb of my soul.
May I know that greater than any barrenness in the world is the harvest to be justly shared.
Concerning Holy Week at the Paulist Center:
By now, you should have received, via snail mail, the schedule of services for Holy Week here at the Paulist Center. In discerning how to celebrate this most holy of weeks, as we have for the last year, we have been driven primarily by concern for safety in an era of Covid. This is not the time to let our guard down. Furthermore, our wonderful Liturgical Ministers (addressed below) have shared some of their concerns about large numbers which reinforce our own. While we have invested in better filters for our air circulation system, length of time in an enclosed space is one of the many factors affecting our decision. That is, the services on Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday are longer than an hour. Currently, we try to keep our in-person worship to 45-50 minutes (sometimes this windy preacher does go on!). But by their structure, the Liturgies of Holy Week always go more than an hour. So we will be doing all these virtually (as well as our Ecumenical Seven Last Words and Stations of the Cross). BUT we will have in-person worship for Palm Sunday Weekend (Saturday, 5pm; Sunday, 10am) and Easter Sunday (10am) which we are strictly limiting ONLY to those who register by phone beforehand (see below how to do this).
I will post the Holy Week Schedule in the next two Missives. But you should have received them hardcopy already in the mail.
Volunteer Appreciation…
March 15th marks one-year since Boston – including the Paulist Center – shut down due to Covid 19. From March 2020 to the present, you, our amazing volunteers, have stepped up to support the things you believe in regardless of the personal cost. We have not thanked you enough and want to let you know that your dedication is essential to the work that we do. We cannot do it without you. We would not want to do without you. You bring ideas, positive energy, and passion to our ministries, like the Supper Club, the Food Pantry, Religious Education, and Liturgical Ministries. Thank you so much for being an inspiration to us all! We look forward to continuing to minister with you virtually and, when Covid is controlled, in person, to continue to make a difference together. Thank you so much very much, our dedicated volunteers!
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 Fourth 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.) We ask for your feedback as to how this is working for you. Thank you for your participation.
Anti-Racism:
- Archdiocesan Racial Justice Workshop (Virtual) with Keynote Speaker Danielle M. Brown, Esq., March 13, 11am-12:30pm. Go here to learn more and to register (required).
- Help Commute William Allen’s Life Sentence. Go here.
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.
“Our Lenten practice this week is in the tradition of Lenten almsgiving. Consider making a contribution to the Global Catholic Climate Movement or to ‘Just Faith’ (source of these Lenten practices and of ‘Faith and Racial Equity’ recently offered at the Center, or another non-profit?”
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.
- Here’s the YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/e1gjJnaUMXE
- Here the Order of Worship
2) Paulist Center Families’ Liturgy of the Word, 10am, Sunday:
See Fr. Mike’s Email Missive for the link details.
- A delightful experience of Paulist Center members singing “Down to the River to Pray” here https://drive.google.
com/file/d/ 1m1oYdbBtpWi5VjPSYqaCZx6PS9GPy zPI/view?usp=sharing
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. A few exceptions to this pattern arise each year, and this week is one. This week we lift up New Entry Food Hub, a program of the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project. New Entry is a training program that helps beginning, immigrant, and refugee farmers gain business and farm production skills, as well as access to land, markets, and other resources necessary to start viable farm businesses 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:
- 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.” - 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.