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THE WEEKLY MISSIVE
December 12, 2025
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Mother of Us All
Dear Friends,
Today marks a beautiful holy day for Catholics in the western hemisphere, Our Lady of Guadalupe.
What began in 1531 as an apparition in the form of a Nahuatl Queen to the Nahuatl peasant Juan Diego, became the symbol of Marian devotion for believers, first in Mexico and then throughout North and South America.
Celebrating the Blessed Mother in her expression of solidarity with the native people of the western continents gives us an opportune time to reflect on and pray about the current situation our nations face these days. We would do well to hear the words Our Lady spoke to Juan Diego almost 500 years ago: "Am I not here, I who am your mother?"
In the early years, the devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe grew, despite the many great obstacles placed by persons of influence including non-believing clerics.
As our faith is tested in these interesting times, we would do well to include Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe in our prayers for solidarity, justice and peace for all her children who seek safety and security.
Fr. Rick, on behalf of the Paulist Center Staff
Alvaro, Barbara, Deb, Dorothy, Gus, Liz, Norm, Fr. Rick, Rob, Sal, Susan, and Timmy
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- Come To Set Us Free - THIS weekend!
- FREP
- Service of Reconciliation and Reflection - 12/18
- Jesse Tree - last week to take a tag
- LGBTQ+ virtual Advent Prayer
- Christmas Flower donations
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- Wed Night Supper Club Holiday Gift Drive
- Sign Postcards for Gov. Healey
- Mass Schedule for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
- IRA/Year end gifts to the PC
- Early bulletin deadline for Epiphany
- Stewardship/Community Gift
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This Weekend!
Come To Set Us Free:
A Festival of Readings and Carols
Our annual Advent-Christmas Program is here!
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Join us on:
Sat, December 13, 8:00 pm
Sun, December 14, 2:00 pm
Please invite friends and family for this joyful celebration of community and faith.
Both concerts will be live-streamed for those unable to attend in person.
Sat, Dec 13 Link
Sun, Dec 14 Link
The Sunday program begins with a Christmas Pageant presented by the youth of the Paulist Center.
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We are not selling tickets; instead, we welcome
free-will offerings. Click here to donate online and select the "Festival of Readings and Carols" category.
You do not need to donate in order to attend!
A reception will follow each concert.
We look forward to celebrating with you!
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Family Religious Education Program (FREP)
Sun, Dec 14:
This Sun, Dec 14, is our last class for 2025 before enjoying a long winter break!
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All FREP classes K - 6 meet in their usual locations.
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Christmas Pageant rehearsal begins at 12:15pm in the Chapel. Please get into costume.
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- Pizza Party in auditorium at 1:00pm!
*All Religious Ed classes are on break Sunday Dec 21 and Dec 28. Classes resume Sunday, January 4, 2026!
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Last Week To Take A Tag From Our Jesse Tree!
The Jesse Tree, the Paulist Center’s Advent Giving Tree,
will be up for one more week!
This is an opportunity for community members to support:
· families resettled from Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Haiti
· families living at Crossroads Family Shelter
· families who come to our Food Pantry and Supper Club
· the Catholic Worker House in Worcester, and
· the Agape Community
If you feel so moved, please take a tag and bring the unwrapped gift/giftcard back to the Center by Sunday, December 21. Gifts/giftcards can be dropped off at the Food Pantry (elevator lobby) or mailed to Susan Rutkowski at the Center. Please do not leave any gifts under the tree or anywhere that is unsecured.
Thank you in advance for your generosity!
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Pick up your copy in the
vestibule of the Chapel.
Suggested donation
per booklet
is $3.
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LGBTQ+ Ministry Advent Virtual Prayer -
Monday Evenings
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The Paulist Center's LGBTQ+ Ministry will be leading virtual prayer sessions via Zoom
during the Advent Season.
The sessions are 30 minutes each on
Mondays, December 15, and 22
from 7:00 - 7:30pm.
The access link is
https://tinyurl.com/ysccxudn
All are welcome!
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Advent Service of
Reconciliation and Reflection
Our God Will Come to Save Us
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This Thur, Dec 18 @ 7pm
Please join us for this annual lay-led service of
prayer, song, and reflection.
Opportunities for individual confession will be available.
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Christmas Flowers
To Honor Your Loved Ones
Honor your loved ones, living or deceased, by making a donation towards the Christmas decorations with which we'll adorn the Chapel.
The suggested donation is $10.
Contributions can be made:
- at the front desk Mon - Fri from 10:30am - 4:30pm
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by going to Donate Online, and choose “Flower Donation” and note who it is “in honor of" or, "in memory of”
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by using the envelopes in the pews
Please write legibly when notating your name and your loved ones’ names.
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WORSHIP MATTERS
Weekend of Dec 13-14, 2025
For recent columns on the Advent season please visit
www.paulistcenter.org/worshipmatters
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You Can Still Sign Postcards
to Gov. Healey!
Postcards urging Governor Healey to take Bold Executive Action to protect the civil rights of all MA residents from ICE are available in our Chapel vestibule.
Our Immigration Advocacy Group, together with the Mass Community Action Network (MCAN), is supporting the Protecting the People and Sovereignty of Massachusetts campaign.
Please add your name and town and leave in the basket.
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CALENDAR YEAR-END GIFTS TO THE CENTER
WARMLY WELCOMED
Are you required to take minimum distributions from your IRA?
Consider making a year end,
tax advantaged donation through a qualified charitable distribution (QCD) to the Paulist Center.
We are a qualified 501c(3) organization, tax ID 04-2012978.
Check is payable to the “Missionary Society of St. Paul the Apostle in MA”
at 5 Park St, Boston, MA 02108.
Contact Deborah Heimel at deborah@paulistcenter.org with any questions or consult your tax professional.
Thank you for ALL you give in so many ways to the Center!
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The Wednesday Night Supper Club
Holiday Gift Drive
We are collecting new hats, gloves, scarves, and socks of all sizes to prepare small gifts for our guests this holiday season.
Items can be dropped off by Sun, Dec 21
at the Paulist Center.
Contact supperclubfood@gmail.com if you are interested in volunteering.
Thank you!
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Come Celebrate
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. | | |
Mass Schedule for Christmas Eve &
Christmas Day
Christmas Eve:
· 4pm Wednesday, December 24 - YouTube Link
· 8pm Wednesday, December 24
Christmas Day:
· 10am Thursday, December 25
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Holiday Bulletin Schedule - | |
The bulletin for the Solemnity of the Epiphany,
Jan 3 - 4,
will have an early submission deadline.
Please email all announcements to your staff liaison,
and copy Dorothy at info@paulistcenter.org
by 5pm Fri, Dec 26.
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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.
| - The Community Gift the weekend of Dec 13 and 14 is United Negro College Fund (UNCF) Boston. UNCF Boston is charged with raising funds to support UNCF’s mission of getting highly motivated deserving students to and through college at UNCF-member institutions and more than 1,100 colleges and universities across the country.
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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! | | | | |
