Today marks the 25^th anniversary of September 11, 2001. Many of us remember exactly where we were when we learned that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. Some of us had loved ones who were on the planes or in the Towers and lost their lives. All of us have been affected, whether we were born before 9/11 or after. It changed life, in ways visible and invisible.   

And so, on this solemn day, we honor all those who died in this terrible tragedy; who sacrificed their own life to save others; who suffer from ill health because the air they breathed at ground zero was unsafe; who endure the heartache of losing someone they loved; and for all who continue to work toward building a kinder, more loving world.

Here at the Paulist Center, we continue to build a loving community through our liturgy, social justice initiatives, programs for families and children, and our outreach to young adults, and those on the margins. Over the last year and a half, Deborah Heimel has played a significant role in these efforts, as she stepped in as the Interim Administrator during a time of transition and change at the Center. Among other things, Deb improved operations and upgraded financial systems; integrated data sources and initiated the roll-out of RealmConnect.  We cannot thank Deb enough for all her hard work. On October 2^nd, Deb will be transitioning from staff member “back to” community member, where she will continue to serve on the Finance Committee and volunteer-at-large. We are truly grateful.

Lastly, the staff has spent much of the summer months planning for the coming year, to include new initiates and programming. As part of these efforts, we are in the process of hiring a full-time Ministry and Operations Coordinator; and a part-time Minister of Young Adult, as Gus Kellerman left to continue his studies in religion and film in Milan, Italy. We thank Gus for all his service and wish him well. Stay tuned for more details about the Fall schedule!

Colleen, on behalf of the Paulist Center Staff

Alvaro, Colleen, Deb, Dorothy, Norm, Fr. Rick, Rob, Sal, Susan, and Timmy

Haven't Signed Up for Realm Connect, Our New Church Membership Directory Yet?

 You'll receive a new invitation email this

 Friday morning, Sept 11 and we hope to see you after one of the Masses this weekend so we can tell you more about it and help you create a profile.

You can find more information at https://www.paulistcenter.org/realm/. 

Religious Education and Sacramental Preparation for your Child(ren) Starts in a Week -

Sunday, September 20

Families, if you have not yet signed up for either formal religious education or sacramental preparation classes (1st Reconciliation, 1st Communion, and/or Teen Confirmation), please do so this week! 

Our kick-off liturgy and celebration are Sunday, September 20 at 10:00 am! 

FREP calendar: https://www.paulistcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026-2027-FREP-Calendar.pdf

Register: https://www.paulistcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/FREP-Registration-Form-2026-2027.pdf 

You can pay the registration fee online HERE or,

send check to Paulist Center, 5 Park St, Boston, MA 02108.

 You can sign up for:

• Traditional Religious Education Classes
• Family Pods
• Parent Faith Formation
• 1st Reconciliation and 1st Communion (Grades 2-3)
• Inclusive Confirmation Program (Grades 8-11)

Please see the bulletin for details on these faith formation offerings.

 We are still looking for a leader(s) for our Jr. High Youth Group

(Grades 7-8).

 Please contact Susan Rutkowski, susan@paulistcenter.org, if you would like to explore this exciting volunteer position!  

Liturgy and Music

Called to Proclaim the Word?

Have you ever considered serving as a lector at the Paulist Center? Proclaiming Scripture at Mass is a wonderful opportunity to deepen your relationship with God’s Word, share your gifts in service to the community, and grow in faith alongside other ministers.

Join us for a Lector Ministry Information Session on Tuesday, September 22 or Tuesday, September 29 at 7:30 PM on Zoom. Come learn more about the ministry, formation, and what it means to serve as a proclaimer of the Word. There is no commitment—just an invitation to listen, learn, and discern!

Youth Liturgical Ministry Program

We are excited to once again invite the young people of our community to share their gifts through the Youth Liturgical Ministry (YLM) Program! Young people are invited to serve as lectors, liturgical dancers, musicians, and audio-visual ministers at designated YLM Masses throughout the year.

Participating in YLM is a wonderful way for our young people to become more actively involved in the life and worship of our community, deepen their faith, develop their gifts, and experience the joy of serving alongside others.

Interested? Please complete the YLM Interest Form using the link or QR code provided. New and returning participants are warmly welcome!

Festival of Readings and Carols —

Call for Musicians

Come, share your voice and make music with us! Preparations are beginning for the Paulist Center’s annual Festival of Readings and Carols, and we invite singers from throughout our community to join the Festival Choir.

Rehearsals are Thursdays from 7:00–9:00 PM in the Chapel, beginning September 24, with performances on Saturday, December 12 at 8:00 PM and Sunday, December 13 at 2:00 PM.

Whether you are a longtime member of our Music Ministry or have been thinking about joining for the first time, we would love to have you! Come experience the joy of making music together and helping create this beautiful celebration of Scripture, prayer, and song.

 Interested in participating? Please fill out the Musician Information Form using the link or QR code provided. For more information please contact

Norm Gouin at norm@paulistcenter.org.

Community Service project: Come paint with us! 

Saturday, September 19, 9am - 4pm



Join the Paulist Center St. Joseph Society for a painting project at Christo Rey High School in Dorchester, a high school created by the Society of Jesus to serve students from families with limited financial resources. We will scrape and paint the old metal fence to create a more inviting entrance for students.

NO SKILLS required. Lunch will be provided.

St. Joseph Society members can assist as needed; volunteers needed to help work flow. We're also looking to borrow as many paint scrapers and electric grinders as people can spare.



Contact Vincent Rocchio at vfrocchio@gmail.com if you have any questions or would like to participate!

The 2025 Isaac Hecker Award for Social Justice will go to

Colleen Sharka!

Please join us on Saturday, September 26 to celebrate Colleen Sharka, LMHC, co-founder of "CAN WE TALK" (CWT), a community sharing program on trauma and healing based at the Social Impact Center of Roxbury Presbyterian Church. Colleen will receive the Hecker Award in our chapel at our 5 PM Mass on September 26.

Colleen's commitment to healing and reconciliation took root before her professional career began, when she co-founded a grassroots racial dialogue group connecting a Black Catholic church and a white Catholic church, building understanding through shared stories. That conviction — that healing happens in community, across lines has shaped her work ever since.

In 2014, Colleen partnered with Rev. Liz Walker to co-found CAN WE TALK, a spiritually grounded, peer-led program for trauma survivors. Colleen developed the program's curriculum and built its network of sites nationwide; as of May 2025, CWT operates in 20 locations across six states and Washington, D.C. Since 2014, CWT has offered urban neighborhoods a peer-centered path through trauma, helping individuals move from surviving to actively helping others heal.



Colleen's dedication to justice also spans her work at Still Harbor: Center for Discernment & Action, where she developed retreats on purpose and social action, and Trinity Boston Counseling Center, where she provided therapy to multi-ethnic populations in Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan.

At a moment of deep polarization and daily violence in our communities, Colleen's work offers a model for healing that is spiritually rooted, clinically sound, and empowering. Isaac Hecker was committed to faith in action — Colleen Sharka lives that same commitment today.

Please join us on September 26 at the 5pm Mass to celebrate Colleen Sharka! A reception will follow.

A.I. Ethics Through a Catholic Lens: Can A.I. Be Ethical?

Sun, Sept 27, 7pm

at the Paulist Center

In a world increasingly driven by algorithms, what does it truly mean to love our neighbor?

As artificial intelligence (A.I.) reshapes our society, how do we ensure it serves the common good rather than leaving the most vulnerable behind?

Join us for an intriguing discussion at this first in a series of seminars on Catholicism and the ethics of A.I. We will look at tech through the framework of Catholic Social Teaching—exploring how ancient wisdom can help us guide tomorrow’s tools.

Dr. Raúl Zegarra will introduce the historic new papal encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, which directly addresses the protection of human dignity and labor in the age of automation.

Richard Geruson, lecturer at Harvard Divinity School, will dive deeper into our moral obligations to harness technology for human liberation and systemic fairness.

https://bulletin.hds.harvard.edu/ai-harms-are-not-ethically-inevitable/

Following these two dynamic presenters, the evening will open up to a robust Q&A session with YOU! —the public.

Doors Open: 6:45pm  Refreshments: Will be served before the event.

We hope to see you there as we explore how to build a more just and inclusive future!

Living Water

Season Of Creation 2026

September 1 - October 4

St. Francis Day at Agape Community –

Saturday, October 3, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Every year the Agape Community https://agapecommunity.org, a non-violent, sustainable faith community founded in 1982, celebrates St. Francis Day with a gathering for individuals and communities committed to Peace and Justice. This year, on Saturday, October 3 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, long-time non-violence activist Shane Claiborne will lead the morning session. Marysol Castro, an immigrant attorney and Maritza Cruz, an anti-racism activist, will lead the afternoon session. (Click on the above link to learn more about AGAPE and the event.) 

Agape Community, founded by Hecker Award winners Suzanne and Brayton Shanley, has carried the faith torch of love and justice for many years. Consider traveling with others from the Paulist Center and come celebrate, connect and learn! Questions, email paulistcentercreationcare@gmail.com

The Crisis in Plastic –

Sunday, Oct 4 @ 11:30am, Auditorium

Plastics are a grave and growing threat to human health. The harms from plastics fall most heavily upon the most vulnerable. These harms can be prevented through the same types of intelligent, evidence-based interventions that we have used to control air pollution, reduce lead poisoning, and protect ourselves and our children against other environmental dangers. - actions that place protection of the vulnerable and advancement of the common good above short-term gain.” 

Session led by Philip J. Landrigan, MD, MSc, FAAP, a pediatrician, epidemiologist and Professor at Boston College where he directs the Global Observatory on Planetary Health. Dr. Landrigan’s research examines the impacts on human health, especially children’s health, of hazardous exposures in the global environment. He co-chaired the Lancet Commission on Pollution and Health, which found that pollution causes 9 million deaths per year. He led the Minderoo-Monaco Commission on Plastics and Human Health, which found that plastics cause disease, disability and premature death at every stage of their life cycle. He is now co-leading The Lancet Countdown on Health and Plastics. He serves as Editor of Annals of Global Health and is a member of the National Academy of Medicine.