THE WEEKLY MISSIVE

January 10, 2025

Does It Still Look Like Christmas Season in Your House?

Dear Friends -

Is your Christmas tree still up, like mine is? This weekend we celebrate the Baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist, liturgically considered the end of the Christmas season and the start of Ordinary time. My tree may still be up as we head into Lent given the effort it takes my husband to set up and take down his train set around the tree, but I am always comforted by getting this extra "official" week of liturgical calendar grace for still having our decorations up!

More seriously, Jesus' baptism is also considered the start of his public ministry. As we head into this new calendar year, if we are already baptized, I invite each of us to spend some time this week reflecting on whether we have started our "public ministry." Given each of our unique set of gifts/talents/challenges in life, what might that look like for us this coming year? I pray we will each feel the Holy Spirit's presence and God's affirmation of us as viscerally in our lives and public ministries as it sounds like Jesus and those who witnessed His baptism experienced that gift and grace.

At the time of this writing, we keep in prayer all those impacted by the horrific fires in California and those working to contain and suppress them.

All are invited to our intergenerational family religious education session after this Sunday's 10 Mass. Led by our Racial Justice Advocacy Group (RJAG), the session's theme, on the 50th anniversary of the Boston Housing Crisis, is: Examining anti-racism up close and personal: The Boston Busing Crisis, what does excluding and including mean, and our Catholic Social Teaching 

Sacramental preparation sessions for First Communion and Baptism are coming up. See below and the bulletin for registration details and other happenings.

Wishing everyone a good week to come as you exercise your public ministry wherever you may find yourself.

Patty, on behalf of the Paulist Center Staff

Rick, Patty, Susan, Norm, Gus, Alvaro, Dorothy, Sal, Barbara, Timmy and Rob

In This Week's Bulletin

• FREP/RJAG - this Sun, Jan 12
• FREP - 1st Communion Class, Jan 26
• THANK YOU to Supper Club volunteers
• Parent Prep for Infant/Child Baptism - Jan 18
• Annual Paulist Appeal

• FREP Service Project
• Christmas Flower Donors/Honorees
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day Observed
• IAG Community Meeting
• Stewardship/Community Gift

Family Religious Education Program (FREP) and Racial Justice

All community members are welcome to join our FREP intergenerational gathering where our Racial Justice Advocacy Group will lead the session this Sun, Jan 12, at 11:15am.

On the 50^th anniversary of the Boston busing crisis, our theme will be anti-racism through a local lens.

Please join us in the auditorium for refreshments, video presentations, and discussion.

Our First Holy Communion preparation classes will begin on Sun, Jan 26. 

This is a meeting for both parents and children looking to celebrate the Sacrament of First Holy Communion at the 10am Mass on Sun, May 18 at the Paulist Center. 

Please register online on the Paulist Center website or contact Susan Rutkowski at susan@paulistcenter.org with any questions or concerns.  

Please see the bulletin for further information.

A Huge THANK YOU!

To all our Wednesday Night Supper Club volunteers who made Supper Club

happen on both Christmas and

New Year’s Day this year!! 

Wednesday Night Supper Club has never missed a Wednesday in the 53 years we’ve been doing this!

Annual Paulist Appeal

We are still working out the details, but Fr. Rick wants you to know that we hope to have our Annual Paulist Appeal (APA) take place close to the Paulist Fathers' feast day of January 25 - The Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle.

This year we lift up in gratitude three Paulists who live in residence here at the Center.

Jubillarians Tom Ryan, John Duffy and Michael McGarry will each mark 50 years of priestly service!

We look forward to honoring them later this spring.  

More to come... 

Parent Preparation for Infant/Child Baptism

The Paulist Center offers a preparation session on Saturdays, from 10am - 12pm. 

The next two (2) dates are Jan 18 and March 15 in the

3^rd Fl Library/Chapel.

Expecting parents are invited to attend before their child is born/adopted.

To register for the session, please contact 

Fr. Rick at rick@paulistcenter.org.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Observed

The Paulist Center will be closed on Mon, Jan 20 in observance of

Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

There will be no confessions or Mass on Mon, Jan 20.

There will be no Family Religious Education Program classes on

Sun, Jan 19.

Can You Help Buy Supplies for Our Service Project?

Please support our FREP children and the Immigration Advocacy Group in a service project on Feb 9 to create 330 hygiene kits for the migrant shelters supported by Catholic Charities Boston. 

Please see the bulletin for the specific items that are needed.

You can shop directly for these items on our Amazon wish list (https://tinyurl.com/4dx6x6fd) or you can scan this QR code.

We appreciate your help! 

Thank You!

We extend our thanks to those who donated to the flowers and art and environment for the Christmas season.

There is an insert in this bulletin listing the donors and their loved ones.

Additionally, here is a link to an online version of this list.

Wednesday Night Supper Club

Every Wednesday night in the Paulist Center auditorium, volunteers serve a hot, delicious, dignified,

sit-down meal for our neighbors who are hungry.

Please consider coming in on a Wednesday to help serve (5:30pm) and clean up (7pm).

If you can plan on coming, please email supperclubfood@gmail.com to let our team know.  

If it’s last minute, no worries. Just show up and we’ll put you to work! Thank You!

Immigration Advocacy Group (IAG) Community Meeting

Please join us at our quarterly community meeting on Sun, Feb 2 after the 10am Mass in the 3^rd Fl Library for a listening session in response to the changing priorities of the Trump administration. 

For further information, email paulistcenterimmigration@gmail.com  

Come Celebrate

The Baptism of the Lord 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:

The Baptism of the Lord

10am, Sun, Jan 12

Remember: all of our live streams are available in real time on our YouTube channel & available there afterwards as recordings.

Ongoing Opportunities/Needs & Notes



The most comprehensive listing of what's going on at the

Paulist Center is in the bulletin. Check it out!

• 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.

• Consider including the Paulist Center in your estate planning/will. For information on our legal name and tax ID, please contact our Administrator, Patty Simpson, at patty@paulistcenter.org. We and future Paulist Center members thank you!

This weekend's named Community Gift is Boston Rescue Mission which operates an emergency overnight shelter, offers meals, basic necessities, and helps homeless individuals achieve life skills necessary to become self-sufficient. 

• Young adults (ages 18-39), whether or not Catholic, are welcome to schedule a one-on-one conversation with our Young Adult Minister, Gus Kellerman. How can the Paulist Center Community accompany you on your faith journey?

• We really need your help with our Marriage Preparation program! It is a great spiritual gift to 400-600 couples throughout the Archdiocese of Boston each year. Paulist Center couples who volunteer for this ministry find it very rewarding. It's also a major source of new members and outside income for our community. We can only sustain this important ministry if 10-15 couples can each help for 3 hours on 3 weekends per year. Are you and your partner interested in learning more about what would be involved? If so, contact Fr. Rick. Thanks!

• Our Rosary Circle meets 7:30pm via Zoom on Mondays.

ID: 487 503 158; passcode: 021078. 

Submit a prayer request.

• Mass Cards - Please stop by the reception area during the week, email Sal Whooley at sal@paulistcenter.org, or call

617-742-4460, if you would like

to arrange 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.