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THE WEEKLY MISSIVE
March 27, 2026
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Palm Sunday: The King We Choose
Dear Friends,
This year, an unexpected juxtaposition invites our reflection. On March 28 in Boston and throughout the country, crowds will gather for the third “No Kings” rally—a collective rejection of worldly power, of leadership rooted in domination, control, and self-interest. It is a public witness against the kind of power that elevates authority over dignity, force over compassion.
And then, on that same weekend, we will gather for Palm Sunday—also known as Passion Sunday—where once more crowds converge. But this time, they will cry out: “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!” They hail Jesus as King, Messiah, Son of David, lifting their palm branches along with their hopes in the air.
The irony is striking.
In one moment, we reject a would-be king. In the next, we proclaim one.
But Palm Sunday invites us to look more deeply—not simply at the title of “king,” but at the nature of the one we acclaim.
Jesus enters Jerusalem not with displays of power, but in humility. He is not surrounded by armies, but by ordinary people. He does not command through fear but draws near through love. This is a king who heals the sick, who seeks out the lost, who welcomes the sinner, who reminds us—again and again—that every person is precious in the eyes of God.
And yet, the same crowd that cries “Hosanna!” will soon echo “Crucify him.”
Why?
Because the kind of kingship Jesus embodies unsettles the status quo. It challenges the world’s logic and exposes our attachment to power, control, and certainty. In the liturgy of Palm Sunday, we are confronted with the divide between apparent worldly success and faithful personal commitment. Jesus—the one who models true servant leadership—remains steadfast, and invites us to do the same, despite the many pressures, both within and around us, that pull us otherwise.
Palm Sunday is about exposing and holding this tension. It is both celebration and warning. It asks us not only what we reject—but what and whom we are willing to follow.
In a world still captivated by power, the Gospel offers another way: a king who kneels to wash feet, who embraces the outcast, who pours himself out in love.
This is the king we proclaim as we begin our observance of Holy Week. This is the one who is truly worthy of our endless songs of honor, glory and praise.
Norm, 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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- FREP
- Palm Sunday
- Holy Week at the PC
- Changes to PC schedule, Apr 2-6
- Easter Flower donations
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- Paulist Center Auction! - 5/2
- Infant Baptism Prep Class
- Prayer and Action in Trouble Times
- LGBTQIA Catholic Collective
- Stewardship/Community Gift
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Family Religious Education Program
this Sun, March 29
Classes K - 6, will meet in their usual locations. Teens will meet at Mosiac Interfaith at 2pm.
*There are no religious education classes next Sun, April 5 due to the Easter holiday. Classes will resume on April 12.
**The first communion families will gather on Sun, April 12 at 11:15am to celebrate a Seder Potluck Supper in the auditorium.
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Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion
“Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!”
Palm or Passion Sunday, is the first day of Holy Week.
There are two Gospels proclaimed at today’s Mass. The first Gospel, proclaimed before the procession with palms, tells of Jesus’ triumphant entrance into Jerusalem.
Riding on a borrowed colt, Jesus was hailed by the crowds as they blessed God and shouted “Hosanna!”
This event is reported in each of the four Gospels. At the Liturgy of the Word, the events of Jesus’ passion are proclaimed in their entirety. In Lectionary Cycle A, we read the passion of Jesus as found in the Gospel of Matthew.
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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. | | |
The Paschal Triduum:
Holy Week at the Paulist Center
The word “TRIDUUM,” the celebration of the Lord’s passion, death, and rising, means “three days.” In the biblical keeping of time, great days of celebration begin on the evening before the feast. Thus, the Triduum begins on Holy Thursday evening and ends with the liturgical celebrations on Easter Sunday.
Because the celebration of the Paschal Triduum - in its entirety- is the most important liturgical expression of our common faith, please join us as we celebrate together as a community.
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Solidarity is Sacred:
Good Friday Public Worship and
Action for Immigration Justice
Good Friday, April 3 @ 4PM, in downtown Boston, Christians and people of faith will gather in prayer and protest in solidarity with our immigrant neighbors.
Exact location will be shared closer to the day.
RSVP here: https://bit.ly/goodfriday2026
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Flower Donations for the
Easter Season
Honor your loved ones, living or deceased, by making a donation towards Easter flowers with which we'll adorn the Chapel throughout the Easter Season. The suggested donation is $10.
Thank you!
Contributions can be made:
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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”
- at the Front Desk, Mon - Fri from 10:30am - 4:30pm
- by using the envelopes in the pews
Please write legibly when notating your loved ones’ names.
Donations must be made/checks received by Tuesday, April 7 and a listing of the flower donations will be included in the bulletin for the April 18 weekend.
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Exceptions To Our Usual Schedule
There will be no 12:00pm Masses on 4/2, 4/3, or 4/6.
We apologize that no confessions are available on 4/3.
Office closed on Easter Monday, 4/6.
We wish you the blessings of Holy Week and Easter!
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43rd Annual Paulist Center Auction
Set Sail Together: A Mediterranean Journey
Saturday, May 2 - 6:15pm
Step aboard and set sail on an unforgettable evening inspired by the beauty and romance of the Mediterranean!
We hope you’ll join us for the Paulist Center’s largest annual fundraiser in support of our ministries and operations.
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WAYS YOU CAN ASSIST:
DONATE AN ITEM: We are looking for items for our silent and live auctions. Dinners, sporting or cultural events, vacation homes, themed baskets, and more, are all welcome. Go to:
tinyurl.com/donatepaulistauction26.
SPONSOR THE AUCTION:
Go to paulistcenter.org, click on Giving/Donate Online, and select
Auction Sponsorship and notate your sponsorship $ amount, and how you would like to be listed.
BUY YOUR AUCTION EVENT TICKET(S):
You can buy tickets in the following ways:
- In person after all Masses the weekends of April 11/12, April 18/19, and April 25/26.
At the bottom of the form, click the link:
I want to pay for my ticket(s) now. Take me to Electronic Giving!
Select Auction Event Ticket and note the number you wish to buy
@ $50/ea. Or, note that you will send a check.
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Many of us may be feeling discouraged by events both close to home and in the larger world.
As a faith community, we can dispel darkness by deepening our bonds to one another and by celebrating life with one another.
We hope to see you!
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Please contact Auction Co-chairs Maggie Keefe or Jordan Johnson with any questions or ideas at Auction@PaulistCenter.org.
Thank you!
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Infant Baptism Preparation Class
This is for parents and godparents.
We offer this class for those participating in an infant Baptism elsewhere as well as for members of the Center community who wish to have their child baptized here.
Upon completion, you will receive a needed "Certificate of Attendance" to send to the parish.
Next Session will be on Saturday, April 11 from 10am to Noon at the Center.
Please write to Fr. Rick Walsh at rick@paulistcenter.org to register for the class.
We ask for a $25 donation to the Paulist Center for this class.
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Prayer and Action in Troubled Times:
Lessons from Catholic Social Teachings
Please join us for our next session, April 12 - the topic will be Centesimus Annus: On the Hundreth Anniversary of Rerum Novarum (John Paul II, 1991) - focus on finding a middle way between communism and capitalism, while affirming the importance of the common good.
Raúl E. Zegarra, a community member and Asst. Prof. of Roman Catholic Theological Studies at Harvard Divinity School, will lead the session.
We will meet in the 3rd Fl Library - pizza will be served.
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Walk for Hunger
Sunday, May 3
Please join the Wednesday Night Supper Club at the 57th annual Walk for Hunger! The Walk started here at the Paulist Center in 1969. It is now a collaboration with Project Bread: 60% of what we raise comes back to sustain our operations each Wednesday and 40% goes towards advocacy.
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How can you help?
Please join us on May 3rd for the Walk, create a fundraising page or make a donation here: https://give.projectbread.org/team/809754.
We appreciate your support!
Questions: Contact supperclubfood@gmail.com
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LGBTQIA Catholic Collective
The Paulist Center is a member of the Greater Boston LGBTQIA Catholic Collective which offers monthly Zoom meetings for friends and family of LGBTQIA Catholics and could be a resource for Paulist Center members who are actively supporting their families in embracing transgender or nonbinary family members.
Email greaterbostonlgbtqiacatholics@gmail.com for the meeting schedule and Zoom links.
More info @ https:/www.bostonlgbtqiacatholics.org
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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 March 28 - 29 we raise up Freedom Ministries, Inc., an organization that provides free rides so families can visit their children in prison and other facilities all over the state.
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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! | | | | |
