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THE WEEKLY MISSIVE
May 8, 2026
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So Very Grateful
Dear Friends,
I always find reasons to be grateful for the people who make the Paulist Center their spiritual home and this past weekend "my cup runneth over" with gratitude!
Many thanks to EVERYONE who made this year's auction a grand success as a funraiser and as a fundraiser for the Center. Special kudos to this year's co-chairs Maggie Keefe and Jordan Johnson.
The other event that always brings out a good number of Paulist Center members is the Annual Walk for Hunger. This year our walkers raised another tens of thousands of dollars that will go toward our Wednesday Night Supper Club!
To everyone who has brought joy and laughter, true grit and determination to these efforts - thank you!
Fr. Rick, on behalf of the Paulist Center Staff
Alvaro, Deb, Dorothy, Gus, Norm, Fr. Rick, Rob, Sal, Susan, and Timmy
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- Holy Day - Solemnity of the Ascension - 5/14
- Auction - Results and Thank You!
- Walk for Hunger - Thank You!
- First Communion Rehearsal/ Sacrament - May 16-17
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End of FREP year /First Communion celebration - 5/17
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- Catholic Social Teachings - 5/17
- Families Planting Trees - 5/30
- PC's IAG - May events
- Worship Matters - The Sprinkling Rite
- All Are Welcome Mass
- Stewardship/Community Gift
- Around the Community - IVC
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Holy Day -
Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord
Please join us this coming Thursday, May 14 to celebrate the Solemnity of the Ascension.
Masses are at 8 am (no music);
12 noon (with music); and
5 pm (livestreamed with music). Here is the link to the live stream.
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Tentative Auction Results Are In - Another Successful Event!
What a wonderful community event we had last Saturday night!
Our annual auction fundraiser raised over $75,000 and was a lively and joyous evening together.
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We budgeted to raise $70,000 so this tentative total exceeds our budget -
THANK YOU!!
Not only did we raise the money we were hoping for, but the energy in the room was joyous and friendly.
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We are so grateful to the dozens of volunteers who made this event happen - and in particular a HUGE THANK YOU to our Co-chairs Maggie Keefe and Jordan Johnson for their work this spring to make this auction a wonderful event. Thank you everyone!
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The 2026 Walk For Hunger -
Thank You from the Wednesday Night Supper Club!
We wanted to send out a huge THANK YOU to our team members following the Walk For Hunger last Sunday. We loved seeing those of you who could attend, and so greatly appreciate all of the fundraising efforts from those who could not. We would not be able to do what we do every Wednesday without you all.
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It’s also not too late -
we are still accepting donations!
We are at $58,000 and counting of our $60,000 goal.
Thank you, again, for all of your hard work and fundraising for the Wednesday Night Supper Club!
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Family Religious Education Program (FREP)
While formal religious education classes are over for the year,
there are still family activities to participate in ...
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First Communion Rehearsal
Saturday May 16 @ 10am:
The First Communion rehearsal will take place next Saturday, May 16 from 10am to 12pm in the Chapel.
First Communion Sacrament
Sunday May 17 @ 10am:
The First Communion sacrament will take place the following day, Sunday, May 17, at our 10am Mass.
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First Communion Reception /
End of FREP year celebration
Sunday, May 17 @ 11:15am
First Communion Reception and end of year FREP celebration in the auditorium!
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Families Planting Trees!
Save the Date -
Saturday, May 30
Our very last Family Religious Education activity is planned as an intergenerational session with our Creation Care Ministry team on Saturday, May 30 from 10 AM to 2 PM.
Together, with Catholic Climate Covenant, the Catholic Cemetery Association, and along with Speak for the Trees, Boston, we will help plant 10 trees in Roslindale and Mattapan. This is an activity for all ages!
We need strong teens and adults to dig and plant and we need smaller children to fill holes and help spread mulch. Speak for the Trees, Boston is designing specific child friendly activities for the day.
We hope you’ll join us by planting, preserving and advocating for trees in under canopied, underserved neighborhoods to combat climate change and address environmental justice.
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Lessons from Catholic Social Teachings -
Last Session
The last session of our Catholic Social Teaching series is scheduled for Sunday, May 17 at 7 pm.
It will be led by the talented Dr. Raúl E. Zegarra, Community member and Asst. Prof. of Roman Catholic Theological Studies at Harvard Divinity School.
Dr. Zegarra will focus on Dilexi te: I Have Loved You (Leo, 2025) for our final gathering.
We will meet in the 3rd Fl Library - pizza will be served.
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Paulist Center’s Immigration Advocacy Group (IAG) - May Events
Seasons of Faithful Witness - Boston is holding an in-person meeting on Tues, May 12 from 7 - 8:30pm at BC High School (150 Morrissey Blvd, Boston) to welcome people to join the following workstreams:
1) Responding to direct needs in our communities: This group will support the direct needs of heavily migrant Catholic parishes whose members have been detained or risk detention by ICE by coalescing the anonymized stories to call for solidarity and explore direct support including financial and legal resources.
2) Public Witness on Corpus Christi: Corpus Christi, the feast celebrating the body of Christ and that we are the body of Christ, takes place on Sun, June 7. This group will coordinate a Catholic coalition at Bearing Witness for Corpus Christi.
IAG Thursday Monthly Gathering - theme is partnering with Seasons of Faithful Witness - Boston
Join the Paulist Center’s Immigration Advocacy Group by Zoom on Thurs, May 21 from 7 - 8:00pm.
We will start with a prayer, review the May 12th meeting and as a group consider our partnership with this effort.
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83054229759?pwd=NJbToCyu4ULpR8phxN9284Q9B6z8bP.1
Meeting ID: 830 5422 9759
Passcode: 245183
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WORSHIP MATTERS
May 10, 2026, Issue #24
RITUAL & SYMBOL: Water of Life: The Sprinkling Rite
Along with light and fire, oil, bread and wine, water is one of the primary
symbols of our Christian faith. This is not surprising, as water is essential for all life. From the beginning of creation, it reveals both God’s creative power and sustaining presence.
Throughout salvation history, water emerges as a powerful and dynamic sign. Its force is seen in the great flood through which Noah and his family are saved, and in the parting of the Red Sea, where the Israelites pass from slavery to freedom. The psalms speak of waters that both threaten and console, giving voice to our longing for God. In the New Testament, water takes on deeper meaning: in the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan, in his washing of the disciples’ feet, and in the water flowing from his pierced side on the cross—signs of new life poured out for the world.
For us as Christians, our entrance into the Body of Christ begins with water. Whether poured over us or entered through immersion, the waters of Baptism mark us as participants in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. In these waters, we are both buried with Christ and raised with him—freed from sin and reborn into new life.
Throughout the Easter season, the Church invites us to return to this foundational grace. Week after week, the Sprinkling Rite recalls our baptism. While it may be used at other times during the liturgical year, during the Easter season it replaces the Penitential Act as a communal remembrance of who we are and whose we are.
As the blessed water is sprinkled over the assembly, we feel its touch—cool, refreshing, alive. In that simple encounter, we are drawn back into the very mystery it signifies. Water cleanses and renews; it restores and gives life. Yet it also carries a deeper invitation: to let go of what no longer gives life, to die to the old self, and to be renewed in the light of Christ’s resurrection.
In this way, the waters of Baptism are never just a memory. They are a living reality, continually calling us to conversion, to renewal, and to a deeper participation in the life of Christ. Each drop reminds us that we are claimed, loved, and sent forth—renewed again and again by the grace that flows from the heart of God.
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Come Celebrate the Sixth Sunday of Easter
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. | |
6th Sunday of Easter
5pm, Saturday, May 9
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All Are Welcome Mass
Paulist Center will host a Mass at 6:30pm on Friday night June 5th as part of Pride weekend in Boston.
The Paulist Center is a member of the Greater Boston LGBTQIA Catholic Collective and we invite everyone to come worship with us on the 5th.
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Around the Community ...
Ignatian Volunteer Corps (IVC) New England is seeking service corps members for the coming (September to June) year. This is a volunteer opportunity for women and men 50 years of age and better.
IVC service corps members give one or two full days/week of service and commit to a monthly spiritual reflection program in the Jesuit tradition.
IVC works with nonprofits in the Boston/Worcester/Providence areas that address problems of homelessness, education, immigration and more.
Get info and application by contacting regional director Dave Hinchen at newengland@ivcusa.org, or on the IVC New England website: www.ivcusa.org/newengland. IVC is interviewing now for September placements.
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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 May 9 - 10 we raise up St. Francis House, Boston, the largest day shelter in Massachusetts, offering guests comprehensive refuge, recovery, employment and housing services.
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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! | | | | |
