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THE WEEKLY MISSIVE
June 5, 2026
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A Time to Be Joyful
Dear Friends,
This weekend we have so many things to be joyful about. You may have heard by now that we are celebrating the fact that Colleen Burns has been hired as the first lay Executive Director of the Paulist Center.
I look forward to working with her and know her gifts will be an asset for our ministry. Welcome Colleen!
We are also joyful that this is Pride weekend and that the Paulist Center is hosting the "All Are Welcome" Mass honoring Catholic LGBTQ+ individuals, families and friends today, Friday June 5 at 6:30pm. As part of the Greater Boston LGBTQIA Catholic Collective, we share the hosting of this event with other parishes that are involved. Those parishes include St Anthony Shrine in Boston, St. Cecilia's in the Back Bay, Saint Susanna's in Dedham, St. Ignatius of Loyola in Chestnut Hill, Blessed Trinity Parish in Littleton/Westford, and Mary, Queen of Martyrs in Plymouth.
This year, Catholics who support family members and friends who identify as LGBTQ+ can feel encouraged by the Pope's recent comments made to reporters.
Pope Leo was asked about the Diocese of Munich that recently published a text of blessings for those Catholics who are in relationships beyond sacramental marriage (LGBTQ persons as well as divorced and remarried heterosexuals without an annulment).
Speaking in English, the Pope said: “First of all, I think it’s very important that the unity or division of the church should not revolve around sexual matters.” He added, “We tend to think that when the church is talking about morality that the only issue of morality is sexual. And in reality, I believe there are greater and more important issues such as justice, equality, freedom of men and women, freedom of religion that would all take priority before that particular issue.”
The pastoral staff here at the Center appreciate Pope Leo's words and we pray for his continued health and welfare.
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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All Are Welcome Mass
& Reception
TONITE! Friday, June 5
6:30pm
We are thrilled to be hosting this year's All are Welcome Mass and Reception
this Friday, June 5 @ 6:30pm.
Join our Paulist Center LGBTQIA Ministry as we welcome others from the Greater Boston LGBTQIA Catholic Collaborative, of which we are a member.
Festive reception to follow in the auditorium.
We hope you will join us to welcome others to the Paulist Center.
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TREE PLANTING RE-SCHEDULED TO
THIS SATURDAY, JUNE 6,
10 AM - 2 PM
Friends, our event rained out this past weekend, but we re-scheduled for THIS weekend. Please join us! Registration form here: https://forms.gle/YvZqdDzY37TurYfQ6
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- Welcome Colleen Burns!
- Worship Committee Nominations
- Pastoral Council Nominations/Elections
- Prayers for Marilyn Saunders
- Worship Matters
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- Congratulations to Gabriel Cenizal!
- Summer Young Adult Faith-Sharing Groups - Schedule
- Juneteenth
- Stewardship/Community Gift
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Paulist Center Announces Lay Executive Director | |
We are thrilled to announce that Colleen M. Burns will be the first lay Executive Director of the Paulist Center!
The Executive Director is a new lay leadership position, and Colleen will be responsible for deepening our identity as a center of mission and outreach rooted in meaningful prayer and liturgy.
Colleen holds a Master's in Business Administration from Yale and a Master's in Theological Studies from Boston College's School of Theology and Ministry. She is eager to bring together her professional expertise, pastoral experience, and Catholic faith in this new role.
Colleen will be getting oriented behind the scenes this June and July, spending time with staff and the Paulist Fathers while also taking pre-planned vacation time.
She will be fully present and available to the broader community starting August 1. We will communicate about opportunities to meet her once we have them scheduled.
Welcome Colleen!
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The Worship Committee
The Worship Committee, a permanent committee of the Paulist Center Community, is looking to fill
four (4) open positions.
The overall purpose of the Worship Committee is to advise and assist the Pastoral Minister of Liturgy and Music in preparing and providing for the spiritual development of the Paulist Center through liturgical celebrations and significant prayer experiences.
Members serve three-year terms and need to be actively involved in a liturgical ministry.
The Pastoral Council invites self-nominations. If interested in serving, please send a brief statement of interest and related experience to worship@paulistcenter.org by Wednesday, June 10.
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Called to Serve?
The Pastoral Council Needs You!
The Paulist Center Pastoral Council is looking for new voices, new energy, and community-minded leaders —
and you might be exactly who we need!
Our Council is made up of eight community members who help guide the life of the Paulist Center.
The Council:
- collaborates with the Paulists
- helps shape our budget
- supports our permanent committees
- keeps the community informed about important decisions and initiatives
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To apply by Sat, June 6:
If you are 18 or older and active in the community, gather 25 endorsement signatures from Paulist Center community members and submit a 250–300 word statement about why you feel called to serve and submit to pccouncil@paulistcenter.org.
Elections for three (3) new Council members will take place
June 14 – 22.
For more information please see our bulletin or email John Domino, Pastoral Council Chair @ pccouncil@paulistcenter.org
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Congratulations to Gabriel Cenizal!
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Gabriel Cenizal, who was fully received into the Catholic Church at the 6:00 p.m. Mass on Sunday, May 31.
After a period of prayer, discernment, and preparation, Gabe celebrated the Sacraments of Confirmation and First Eucharist, completing his initiation into the Catholic faith.
We are deeply grateful to catechists, Pat Byrne and Chuck Ferarra, his sponsor, and community members who accompanied him on this journey of faith.
Please join us in welcoming Gabe as a full member of our Catholic community and in keeping him in your prayers as he continues to grow in faith and discipleship.
Welcome, Gabe! We are blessed to have you among us.
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Please Remember In Your Prayers ...
Please pray for Marilyn Saunders, mother of community member Rick Saunders, who is struggling with a serious illness.
Please keep the entire Saunders Family - Rick, Gretchen, Kieran, and Finn - in your thoughts and prayers.
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Summer Young Adult Faith-Sharing Group Schedule
This summer all young adults (ages 18-39) are invited to join Young Adult Ministry's weekly faith-sharing group, (almost) every Sunday immediately following the 6:00 pm Mass in the 3rd Fl Library.
Gatherings will always include an invitation to check-in with the group, and a reflection on a brief text to be provided. These gatherings are a great way to get to know other Paulist Center young adults, and 'center' yourself as the week begins. We hope to see you there!
Faith sharing group sessions will occur:
June: 6/14, 6/28
July: 7/5, 7/12, 7/19, 7/26
August: 8/2, 8/9, 8/16, and 8/23
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WORSHIP MATTERS
June 7, 2026, Issue #27
THE SIGN OF PEACE
Just before we approach the altar to receive the Eucharist, the Church invites us to share a simple but profound gesture: the Sign of Peace.
This often-misunderstood pause in the liturgy is one that carries deep theological meaning. Through the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, the Church renewed its understanding that Christ is present in many ways during worship: in the Eucharist, in the proclaimed Word, in the presider, and in the gathered assembly. The Sign of Peace flows from this recognition that Christ is present in one another.
Far from being a modern addition, the Sign of Peace is one of the oldest rituals in Christian worship. Known in the early Church as the "Kiss of Peace," it was a visible expression of reconciliation, unity, and love among believers preparing to share the Eucharist. Over the centuries, the practice evolved and, in some places, disappeared altogether before being restored following Vatican II.
Today, the form of the gesture varies according to culture and custom. Some exchange a handshake, others an embrace, a bow, a smile, or a simple spoken greeting. No single gesture is prescribed. What matters is not the form itself, but what it signifies: the recognition of Christ's presence in another person and our desire to live in peace and unity with one another.
The Sign of Peace is not intended as a social greeting or a time for conversation. Rather, it is a sacred expression of the communion we are about to share. It is a moment to acknowledge that, despite our differences, we are one Body in Christ. Like a family gathering around a common table, we turn toward one another with a gesture of reconciliation, affection, and unity.
As we exchange this sign, we echo the words of Jesus: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you." In that brief moment, we proclaim a profound truth—that Christ is among us, and that we are bound together in his peace and love.
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Come Celebrate
Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
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. | |
Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
5pm, Saturday, June 6
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Juneteenth - June 19
Juneteenth (June 19) is a federal holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans.
The Emancipation Proclamation extended freedom to enslaved people; however, making that order a reality depended on military victories by the U.S. Army and an ongoing presence to enforce them as enslavers deliberately withheld the news. It wasn’t until more than two years later, in June of 1865, that U.S. Army troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas to officially announce and enforce emancipation. Texas was the last state of the Confederacy in which enslaved people officially gained their freedom.
The Paulist Center offices will be closed on Friday, June 19 in observance of Juneteenth.
There will be no 12:00pm Mass or Confessions that day.
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Last month, Pope Leo published his first encyclical, "Magnifica Humanitas", on artificial intelligence and humanity.
Community member Bob Bordone offers a perspective on the encyclical in a recent commentary for WBUR.
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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 June 6 - 7 we raise up NETWORK; which transforms our society by shaping federal policies that achieve racial, economic, and social justice; serve the common good; and honor the dignity of all.
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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! | | | | |
