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THE WEEKLY MISSIVE
June 12, 2026
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Looking forward
Dear Friends,
Today, the Paulist Fathers are wrapping up two weeks of visioning and planning at the General Assembly, an opportunity for the Paulists to discern and identify needs and priorities for the next four years.
Here in Boston, we are in the midst of our own visioning and planning, our own discerning and identifying. First, we welcome Colleen Burns as our new Executive Director this summer. The process to hire Colleen has been foremost in many of our minds and it is a blessing to anticipate her leadership.
This is only one step in ongoing future planning for the Paulist Center, and clarification of the Center’s reporting structure is a large part of it. The ED will report to the Paulist Fathers, who are creating a Board of Directors to support her position. In the last two months, we have identified a founding group of board members for the Paulist Center:
Fr. René Constanza, President of the Paulist Fathers
Fr. Charlie Donahue who lived in Boston from 2016-2017
Fr. Mike Kallock who served as Director of the Paulist Center in the 1990s
Mary Lesko, Finance Committee Chair
John Domino, Pastoral Council Chair
Colleen will be working with these initial board members to continue to clarify the role of the board. In the fall, we will be asking for additional board members to join.
In other endeavors, we will be launching a new member directory and donor database called Realm Connect in August. If you’ve been thinking, how can I help the Center during this time of transition, this is your answer! Please pay attention to emails from the Paulist Center this summer as we share more information on this project. By utilizing Realm Connect, we’re updating the administrative tools our staff uses to run the daily operations of the Paulist Center and adding more ways to communicate and connect as a faith community.
We will be starting in August by asking everyone to claim a profile and update your contact information, including sharing a photo of yourself if you wish to do so. We intend to use this system to help us with communications within volunteer ministries, a church event calendar, registration for events, and more. The entire rollout will be a two-year undertaking that we will attempt to accomplish in phases, starting with updating profile and demographic information.
There is much to do, and much to look forward to as we move through this time. Most importantly, we need your prayers for our incoming ED, for our Board of Directors, and for the future of the Paulist Center.
Thank you for journeying together through this time.
Deb, on behalf of the Paulist Center Staff
Alvaro, Deb, Dorothy, Gus, Norm, Fr. Rick, Rob, Sal, Susan, and Timmy
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- Pastoral Council Elections
- Auction Outcome and Save the Date for 2027
- Summer Young Adult Faith-Sharing Groups - Schedule
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- Juneteenth
- Welcome Colleen Burns!
- Worship Matters
- Stewardship/Community Gift
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Make Your Voice Count —
Vote for Pastoral Council!
Our Pastoral Council elections are underway, and your vote truly matters in shaping the future of our Paulist Center community.
After every Mass this weekend, you can cast your ballot right here at the Center. It only takes a moment, and your participation helps us welcome new Council members who will guide and support our shared mission.
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Prefer to vote from home or on the go? Just scan the QR code or go to Pastoral Council Election 2026 to vote virtually! It’s quick, secure, and open to all community members.
Elections run June 13–21, and we’re choosing three new Council members who will serve from September 1, 2026, through
August 31, 2028.
We have four (4) candidates running for the three (3) spots:
Mares Beauvais, Valerie Fletcher,
Barbara Lapinskas, Tara Mullan Rousseau
To learn about the candidates, please go to:
https://www.paulistcenter.org/pastoral-council/
Let’s celebrate our community, and make our voices heard.
Thank you for voting!
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We are closing the books on the
43rd Annual Paulist Center Auction!
And asking you to Save The Date for 2027!
We want to thank everyone who helped make this year's auction a very successful one for the Paulist Center. Given the feedback we've received it certainly met the FUN-raiser goal for all who attended. Likewise it exceeded the FUND-raiser goal, as it was one of the most financially successful auctions we've had.
All of that is thanks to you!
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The auction raised over $86,000 of revenue for this fiscal year. Of that money, $12,850 was raised and matched to upgrade the sound equipment in the auditorium. This event is an incredible team event, with many people pitching in to help keep our costs down. Incredibly, our expenses will only be around $8,000. Through the generosity of community members and generous vendors, an additional $3,000 was donated by specific and dedicated contributions - not to mention all of the donations for the actual auction items. We budgeted for $70,000 in income and $15,000 in expenses and we have surpassed both of these goals!
The income breakdown for the evening:
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Sponsors:
Attendees:
Live Auction:
Silent Auction:
Dessert Auction:
Raise A Paddle:
Bar:
Raffle:
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$23,752
$8,250
$24,610
$7,825
$2,045
$12,850
$2,024
$5,365
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Next year's Auction will benefit by Easter being earlier in 2027. So mark your calendars for Saturday, April 10, 2027!
We will not interfere with either end of the school vacation week or the Walk For Hunger weekend!
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Summer Young Adult Faith-Sharing Group Schedule
This summer all young adults (ages 18-39) are invited to join Young Adult Ministry's weekly faith-sharing group, (almost) every Sunday immediately following the 6:00 pm Mass in the 3rd Fl Library.
Gatherings will always include an invitation to check-in with the group, and a reflection on a brief text to be provided. These gatherings are a great way to get to know other Paulist Center young adults, and 'center' yourself as the week begins. We hope to see you there!
Faith sharing group sessions will occur:
June: 6/14, 6/28
July: 7/5, 7/12, 7/19, 7/26
August: 8/2, 8/9, 8/16, and 8/23
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Juneteenth - June 19
Juneteenth (June 19) is a federal holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans.
The Emancipation Proclamation extended freedom to enslaved people; however, making that order a reality depended on military victories by the U.S. Army and an ongoing presence to enforce them as enslavers deliberately withheld the news. It wasn’t until more than two years later, in June of 1865, that U.S. Army troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas to officially announce and enforce emancipation. Texas was the last state of the Confederacy in which enslaved people officially gained their freedom.
The Paulist Center offices will be closed on Friday, June 19 in observance of Juneteenth.
There will be no 12:00pm Mass or Confessions that day.
| Paulist Center Announces Lay Executive Director | |
We are thrilled to announce that Colleen M. Burns will be the first lay Executive Director of the Paulist Center!
The Executive Director is a new lay leadership position, and Colleen will be responsible for deepening our identity as a center of mission and outreach rooted in meaningful prayer and liturgy.
Colleen holds a Master's in Business Administration from Yale and a Master's in Theological Studies from Boston College's School of Theology and Ministry. She is eager to bring together her professional expertise, pastoral experience, and Catholic faith in this new role.
Colleen will be getting oriented behind the scenes this June and July, spending time with staff and the Paulist Fathers while also taking pre-planned vacation time.
She will be fully present and available to the broader community starting August 1. We will communicate about opportunities to meet her once we have them scheduled.
Welcome Colleen!
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WORSHIP MATTERS
June 7, 2026, Issue #27
THE SIGN OF PEACE
Just before we approach the altar to receive the Eucharist, the Church invites us to share a simple but profound gesture: the Sign of Peace.
This often-misunderstood pause in the liturgy is one that carries deep theological meaning. Through the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, the Church renewed its understanding that Christ is present in many ways during worship: in the Eucharist, in the proclaimed Word, in the presider, and in the gathered assembly. The Sign of Peace flows from this recognition that Christ is present in one another.
Far from being a modern addition, the Sign of Peace is one of the oldest rituals in Christian worship. Known in the early Church as the "Kiss of Peace," it was a visible expression of reconciliation, unity, and love among believers preparing to share the Eucharist. Over the centuries, the practice evolved and, in some places, disappeared altogether before being restored following Vatican II.
Today, the form of the gesture varies according to culture and custom. Some exchange a handshake, others an embrace, a bow, a smile, or a simple spoken greeting. No single gesture is prescribed. What matters is not the form itself, but what it signifies: the recognition of Christ's presence in another person and our desire to live in peace and unity with one another.
The Sign of Peace is not intended as a social greeting or a time for conversation. Rather, it is a sacred expression of the communion we are about to share. It is a moment to acknowledge that, despite our differences, we are one Body in Christ. Like a family gathering around a common table, we turn toward one another with a gesture of reconciliation, affection, and unity.
As we exchange this sign, we echo the words of Jesus: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you." In that brief moment, we proclaim a profound truth—that Christ is among us, and that we are bound together in his peace and love.
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Come Celebrate
the Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
with Us!
We hope to see you at Mass in person, but if you can't make it through the big red doors,
we welcome you to join us online:
| Remember: all of our live streams are available in real time on our YouTube channel & available there afterwards as recordings. | |
Eleventh Sunday
in Ordinary Time
Sun, June 14, 10am
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Ongoing Opportunities/Needs & Notes
The most comprehensive listing of what's going on at the
Paulist Center is in the bulletin. Check it out!
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Encouragement to sustain our vibrant liturgies and our mission of healing, reconciliation, & justice through your financial investment in the Paulist Center. We prefer that you donate electronically through our website, but you can also use Apple Pay or Google Pay to donate via DonorBox if you do not require an annual tax donation statement. More info in the bulletin.
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For the Community Gift the weekend of June 13 - 14 we raise up SS Francis & Thérèse Catholic Worker - a small community in Worcester that provides hospitality to homeless men and women and publishes a periodical. Communal prayer, a weekly peace vigil, tending a squatters garden, and baking at the Bread not Bombs Bakery are some of the works there.
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How can the Paulist Center Community accompany you on your faith journey?
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Mass Cards - Please stop by the Front Office 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.
| | | | Attentive to the Holy Spirit and nourished by vibrant liturgy, we are a Catholic community that welcomes all, fosters healing and reconciliation, and acts for justice. | | Follow us on social media, and please share our posts with others! | | | | |
