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THE WEEKLY MISSIVE
July 31, 2026
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Wild Flowers
Dear Friends,
Earlier this month, I had an opportunity to travel to Alaska. I saw bears, whales, and bald eagles, which left me in awe. But what surprised me the most about Alaska were the incredible flowers that adorned the city parks and local establishments, especially in Juneau. The flower boxes and gardens were lush and dripping with color. And so, I was reminded of Matthew’s gospel (6:25-34) in which Jesus asks us, “Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?”
Sometimes, I am one of little faith. I forget that God not only cares for me, but delights in me. I forget that I am loved and cherished, just as I am. I do not need to worry about whether I am worthy, or good enough. None of us does. And so today, let’s take a minute to marvel at all of God’s creation, and remind ourselves that beauty and love abound both around us, and within us.
I hope everyone in our community is enjoying God’s creation this summer, and that I have a chance to meet many of you at one of our upcoming meet-and-greets in August. I am excited to get to know you better as we all work to know God’s love.
Colleen, on behalf of the Paulist Center staff
Alvaro, Colleen, Deb, Dorothy, Gus, Norm, Fr. Rick, Rob, Sal, Susan, and Timmy
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- Meet Colleen!
- Eat Ice Cream!
- Join the Realm Team!
- 1 FREP teacher still needed
- Beware Spear Phishing!
- Adult Confirmation Classes
- New Community members
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- FREP 2026
- Young Adult Ministry, Summer Faith-Sharing Groups
- Young Adult Ministry needs your feedback
- Stewardship
- Community Gift
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Meet Colleen! - Eat Ice Cream! - Join the Realm Team!
Aug 8/9 and Aug 15/16
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We invite you to meet our new
Executive Director Colleen Burns
after each of the Masses on
August 8 & 9 and
August 15 & 16.
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At each of these meet-and-greets, we will serve ice cream while you get to know Colleen and
learn Realm.
There will be in-person guidance and laptops available to help you get up and running on Realm Connect.
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Still Looking for One Teacher for
Grade 4-6 Class!
Our energetic and inquisitive 4th through 6th graders are so much fun!
They have big questions about faith, science, and the meaning of life (why CAN'T I have more screen time???)
Help them navigate the answers this fall with a supportive group of teachers here at the Center. Curriculum, training and snacks all provided!
Please contact Susan Rutkowski at susan@paulistcenter.org or 617-948-2426.
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Beware Spear Phishing
This past week, several Paulist Center community members and staff received fake email messages, claiming to be from staff and other members, asking for gift cards, and/or sending
fake E-Invitations.
DO NOT CLICK ON LINKS OR RESPOND!
For tips from the state of Massachusetts on how to identify and respond
to social engineering and phishing attempts, here is the link:
https://www.mass.gov/guides/how-to-use-email-securely
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Summer Adult Confirmation Classes
at the Paulist Center
Four Consecutive Thursday Evenings -
6:30pm to 8:30pm
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August 13:
Introduce self…why are you here?
- Faith journey that got you to this point?
- What does it mean to be Catholic?
- Where is God in your life?
- How do you pray?
Prayer:
August 20:
Baptism, Eucharist, Mass, Scriptures
August 27:
Confirmation and Holy Spirit
September 3:
Healing Sacraments:
- Anointing of the Sick
- Reconciliation
Vocation/Service Sacraments:
A Confirmation Mass will be scheduled with the Archdiocese of Boston.
Please contact Fr. Rick Walsh, CSP at rick@paulistcenter.org for more information.
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Welcome To The Paulist Center!
The Paulist Center warmly welcomes recently registered members:
Claire Marie Kathleen Kuhn &
Benjamin Cole Skillin
from East Boston, MA
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Welcome to a New FREP Year
Continuing the work of re-imagining our Family Religious Education Program (FREP)!
Building on Last Year’s Foundation
Re-imagining FREP has been at the top of the pastoral plan for the past year. Last year, we began Phase 1 by streamlining the curriculum and placing special emphasis on the social justice theme of the dignity of all human beings. We met with teachers to streamline the curriculum and with parents to better understand what families need to raise children who love God and know that God loves them. Our goal was to keep what works and re-imagine how our program can continue to grow.
Please see the bulletin for details and further information on the below topics:
What’s New This Year
The Details
- Traditional Religious Education Classes
- Family Pods
- Parent Faith Formation
- Inclusive Confirmation Program
Looking Ahead
The finalized calendar will be available next week, but please mark Sun, Sept 20 as our FREP Kick-off celebration and social!
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Please Register!
Please take a moment to fill out your FREP registration at
https://www.paulistcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/FREP-Registration-Form-2026-2027.pdf
You can pay the registration fee online HERE or send a check to
Paulist Center, 5 Park Street, Boston, MA 02108.
If you have any questions or concerns about any part of our programming, please contact Susan Rutkowski at susan@paulistcenter.org or 617-948-2426.
Thank you for your continued support of our Family Religious Education Program!
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Paulist Center Young Adult Ministry (YAM)
Needs Your Feedback!
If you've ever felt the desire to be involved in, have had a gripe with, or, have enjoyed being a part of YAM, we NEED to hear about it.
In a moment of transition for the Young Adult Group, we have put together an anonymous survey to assist in discerning the future of the ministry. Please scan the below QR code to access the survey.
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We appreciate your honesty and sincere suggestions as we aim to cultivate a community of friendship, spiritual care, and commitment to service.
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Summer Schedule
Young Adult Ministry
Faith-Sharing Groups
This summer young adults (ages 18-39) are invited to join Young Adult Ministry's weekly faith-sharing group on Sunday evenings immediately following the 6:00 pm Mass in the 3rd Fl Library.
Gatherings will include:
- an invitation to check-in,
- a reflection on a brief text, and
- light snacks.
These gatherings are a great way to get to know other Paulist Center young adults, and 'center' yourself as the week begins.
The last faith sharing group sessions for the summer:
August 2nd, 9th, and 16th
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Come Celebrate
the Eighteenth 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.
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Eighteenth Sunday
in Ordinary Time
Sun, August 2, 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 August 1 - 2, we raise up Victory Programs which opens doors to hope, recovery, and community for individuals and families facing homelessness, addiction, or other chronic health conditions.
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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! | | | | |
