At all of our Pentecost Masses this weekend, we'll sing the promising response from Psalm 104:

The great solemnity of Pentecost concludes this festive season of Easter. We celebrate that through the teaching, passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have received the Holy Spirit to do as Jesus did, and to do even greater things! (See John 14:12.)

Despite all the problems and calamities facing our world, we must remember this fundamental truth of our Judeo-Christian belief: when God created the world, God declared it all "good." God declared us human beings to be "very good." Pentecost renews and refreshes us to begin again, with the guidance of God. Where there is darkness, division, and despair, may we bring light, peace, and joy!

Come, Holy Spirit, and enkindle in us the fire of your love!

We are thrilled to announce that Fr. Broderick "Rick" Walsh, CSP will be joining our staff this summer! A native of Weymouth, Rick previously served as our Associate Director in 2010-18 and as Chaplain to the Massachusetts House of Representatives 2017-19. He also served as the local Paulist superior 2014-19. After four years in New York City as the pastor of the Church of St. Paul the Apostle, he's returning to us to serve as Associate Director and Superior. Welcome back, Rick! We can't wait to see you!

Here's some more info about Rick, including a recent interview. We'll figure out how not to mix up the first names of our two priests, Rick & Rich, once they're both in the office, starting on Tues, July 11!

We have a lot to celebrate in June and early July. Please mark your calendars now!

Teen Confirmation Mass at 5 pm Sat (livestreamed).

Fr. Chuck Cunniff's 40th Ordination Anniversary Mass at 10 am Sun (livestreamed). Join us after the 10 am Mass for a light reception.

Farewell Masses for Fr. Ed Nowak, CSP at 5 pm Sat, 10 am (livestreamed) & 6 pm Sun. Join us after any of the three Masses for a light reception.

Office closed in observance of Juneteenth. No 11 am confessions or 12:05 pm Mass.

Special 8 am Mass at the Paulist Center before the 9 am city parade starting at City Hall Plaza. Office closed in observance of Independence Day. No 12:05 pm Mass.

Welcome Masses for Fr. Rick Walsh, CSP at 5 pm Sat, 10 am (livestreamed) & 6 pm Sun. Join us after any of the three Masses for a light reception.

The Paulist Center's mission statement begins with the words "Attentive to the Holy Spirit."

Today, on the 22nd anniversary of receiving his "lightning bolt" call to discern a possible vocation to the priesthood, Fr. Rich Andre offers a pastoral reflection on how and when he has tried to be attentive to the Holy Spirit.

Every year since 1974, the Paulist Center Community has presented the Isaac Hecker Award for Social Justice to an outstanding North American Catholic. Some recipients have been involved in direct service to those in need, others in advocacy work and the transformation of structures & institutions.

Please submit your nominations for the 2023 award — our 50th! — by Thurs, June 1. At the link, you'll also find the impressive list of past recipients. (The 2021 & 2022 awards are still in process, due to Covid-19 delays.)

Since 2002, the Catholic Church has used VIRTUS to educate hundreds of thousands of people in the United States on how best to protect children & vulnerable adults from those who wish them harm. Most dioceses require all volunteers to go through VIRTUS training, whether or not they work directly with children or vulnerable adults.

If you have never been VIRTUS trained, please attend our training session 12 - 3 pm Sun, June 4. We thank the 60 people who have already signed up!

Advanced registration is required on the VIRTUS website, and our session was only added a few days ago. Click on “First-Time Registrant,” then “Begin the registration process.” From the pull-down menu, choose “Boston, MA (Archdiocese)” only. Follow the rest of the prompts. Choose June 4, 2023, 12 pm at the Paulist Center when asked which workshop you want to attend.

If you cannot attend the June 4 session, check out the bulletin for how to attend a session elsewhere this summer. We hope to schedule another session in September, but that session will probably fill up quickly. Please try to complete your training before then. Please note: All VIRTUS training is conducted in-person, not remotely.

Because we are striving to make the Paulist Center as safe and as welcoming as possible, we are asking ALL adults — whether or not they serve as volunteers — to go through VIRTUS training. There are more details in this week's bulletin. (The Archdiocese will be requiring all volunteers in recurring roles, even those who are not involved with children or in liturgy, to do VIRTUS training by September; Fr. Rich is requesting, not requiring, everyone else to do it, too.) We understand that these new requirements present an initial inconvenience, but we trust that everyone appreciates the intent behind them.

Young adults ages 21-39 are welcome to celebrate Pentecost & Memorial Day with us at a potluck picnic on Boston Common after the 6 pm Mass on Sun, May 28.

While supplies last, free Red Sox tickets to the 7:10 pm game on Thurs, June 1 are available. Other Paulist Center young adults have already signed up and hope to see you at the game! 

Details and forms for both events can be found at paulistcenter.org/young-adult-events/.

We love to see you in person for our liturgies, but if you can't make it in, please join our livestream of Mass for the Solemnity of Pentecost at 10 am Sun, May 28.

Don't forget: all livestreams are available at our YouTube channel. And if you can't get enough of Paulist Center liturgies, you can also go back and watch them again later!

The most comprehensive listing of what's going on at the Paulist Center is in the bulletin. But for updates, ongoing events, local events, and longer-range planning, here's another list:

Around the community:

Recent events and gifts have chipped away at our projected $173,000 budget deficit, but we still have a long way to go! We rely entirely on you for the funds to run our ministries, maintain our building, and compensate our staff. If you can make an additional financial gift, a recurring gift, or an increased gift, please head on over to our online giving page. Thank you for your generosity!

Each year, we distribute 5% of our annual offertory evenly among 52 non-profit organizations who have missions aligned with our own. The recipient we raise up this weekend is Jesuit Volunteer Corps, which engages brave young leaders in life-changing service, living and accompanying those in need to build a more just and hopeful world.

Come, Holy Spirit! Refresh us! Awaken us! Enliven us! Enthuse us!

Alvaro, Anna, Barbara, Dorothy, Ed, Norm, Patty, Rich, Rob, Sal, Susan, & Timmy