A Sacred Promise: Walking Hand-in-Hand with Our Seekers

Dear Friends,

In ancient Greece, when two people made a solemn deal, they would seal their promise by pouring wine onto an altar. The word for this beautiful action was spendo, meaning "to pour out a libation." Over time, because these moments were built on deep trust, spendo came to mean "to make a sacred agreement." Centuries later, this evolved into the Latin word sponsus—a guarantor, or someone who lovingly promises to stand by another.

We see this same beautiful concept in how we welcome new members into our Catholic family. Through our Rites of Initiation, Baptism and Confirmation mark permanent, lifelong transitions into a new state of grace and spiritual mission. Because these are such monumental steps, the Church asks for a sponsor—a spiritual guarantor to walk alongside the convert. The Eucharist, by contrast, is our daily and weekly spiritual nourishment, an ongoing personal encounter with Christ that sustains us along the way.

Why share this beautiful history? Because our Center family is deeply blessed this year. We have more than half a dozen adults who are currently contemplating becoming Catholic, and they are in need of sponsors to guide them through these early stages of faith.

Stepping forward as a sponsor doesn't mean you need to be a theologian; it simply means you are willing to fulfill the true, historic meaning of the word. It is a gentle pledge to walk hand-in-hand with a seeker as they discover the beauty of Christ and His Church. Please look elsewhere in this eBulletin to see what this simple, vital role entails, and consider if God is calling you to pour out your own blessing on an earnest seeker this year.

Fr. Rick, on behalf of the Paulist Center Staff

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

We offer our prayers for Pope Leo, as he recovers from lung surgery. We ask God to restore his strength, and ease his pain; to guide the hands and hearts of the medical team who cares for him; and to surround Pope Leo with peace and love.

Amen

Come celebrate

COLLEEN SHARKA,

recipient of the

2025 Isaac Hecker Award

next Saturday, October 24 at 5 PM



Due to the nor’easter last month, our Hecker Award ceremony celebrating Colleen Sharka, LMHC, co-founder of “CAN WE TALK” (CWT),was moved to 10/24 at our 5 pm Mass.

Please join us to celebrate this remarkable woman! Reception to follow.

JIMMY TINGLE FUNDRAISER

Hope in Humanity

Sunday, November 8 @ 3 PM

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

Jimmy Tingle uses comedy as a force for good and a catalyst for social change, proving that personal resilience can inspire collective hope. Tingle exercises the fundamental right to free speech and artistic expression to critique society and address systemic issues. In addition, he demonstrates that privilege and talent come with a responsibility to give back. Through his organization Humor for Humanity, he uses his platform to fulfill a civic duty—raising funds and awareness for non-profits and mobilizing audiences to "turn toward" social causes and work for a better world.

Tickets are $40 and are NOW on sale!

FREP

(Family Religious Education Program)

THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18:

• Religious Education Classes K - 6 and Confirmation teens will meet at 11:15am in locations posted in and near the elevator.

• Parents meeting for 1st Confession/Reconciliation will take place at 11:30am with Fr. Rick on the 6th floor. This meeting is for parents only.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25:

• There are NO FREP classes. 

Instead, there is a youth lector meeting in the 3rd-floor Library and Chapel if your child is interested in participating in that ministry. (please see below "Youth Lector Gathering")



SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1

• FAMILY PODS begin! All families (even families of one) will meet in the auditorium to kick off the festivities. All families will be assigned to a group (pod) before the start of the FREP year. This group will include children, parents and grandparents (if you wish to invite them) and will meet four times over the course of the year.  Please look for an email for an introduction to your podmates!

If you have not yet signed up for either formal religious education or sacramental preparation classes (1st Reconciliation, 1st Communion, and/or Teen Confirmation), you can still do so. Classes have started but we will help you assimilate if you're still interested.

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.

Questions or concerns, contact Susan Rutkowski at susan@paulistcenter.org

or 617-948-2426.

YOUTH LECTOR GATHERING

Sunday, October 25!

All current Youth Lectors and those interested in serving as lectors are invited to a special gathering on Sunday, October 25, from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM, in the 3rd-floor Library and Chapel.

With no FREP classes that Sunday, this is a wonderful opportunity for our young readers to come together for fellowship, fun, and formation! The gathering will include refreshments, interactive Bible games and Scripture activities, and an opportunity to practice proclaiming God's Word at the ambo.

We hope you can join us!

IMMIGRATION ADVOCACY GROUP (IAG)

Meeting via Zoom -

Tuesday, October 20

IAG is beginning a virtual monthly gathering on the third Tuesday of the month, first one being 10/20. We gather to pray, build community, and take action. All that we do in the service of justice is a form of prayer: march, accompany our neighbors, organize, attend training, write letters to our legislators, carry banners, speak out, or witness – all these activities are prayer in action, working to make real God’s call for justice and mercy.

After an icebreaker, we’ll share what we’ve been seeing, doing, and feeling, and what we hope will happen. Finally, we will share ways to get involved through direct service, advocacy, and our ongoing education. We’re hoping to experience community, strengthen our relationships, and find encouragement and inspiration to respond to God’s call for justice.

Please join us on Oct 20, and on the third Tuesday of the month thereafter! 

WALK WITH A SEEKER:

BECOME AN OCIA SPONSOR

Are you looking for a powerful way to renew your own faith while changing someone else’s life? Our Center’s OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults) program is looking for members to serve as spiritual sponsors for adults who are preparing to enter the Catholic Church this Easter.

An OCIA sponsor is not a teacher or a theologian. A sponsor is simply a companion on the journey: one who attends a couple of sessions on topics that might be of personal interest; who has the occasional conversation over a cup of coffee and who is willing to be a friendly face at Mass to one seeking to belong. If you are a Catholic over the age of 16, have received your Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist), and are willing to simply show up and be yourself, then you are fully qualified to serve.

Please respond generously if Fr. Rick or someone in the community asks you to consider this rather undemanding yet important role.

Please contact Fr. Rick @ rick@paulistcenter.org if you have any questions or concerns.

COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS

We are delighted to share reflections from our gifted team of Lay Reflectors, now available on the Paulist Center website! Offered monthly and inspired by the Sunday Scriptures, these reflections invite us to deepen our faith, engage with God's Word, and discover how it speaks to our lives today.

Click below to read the latest reflection and explore this wonderful expression of our community's faith and shared wisdom.

WORSHIP MATTERS Returns

The Parts of the Mass: The Entrance Song

Last year, we began a series of reflections exploring a wide range of topics related to the Church at prayer through our weekly Worship Matters column This year, we continue our journey with a closer look at the various parts of the Mass, exploring the ritual elements that shape the central act of worship in our lives as Catholic Christians.



This week, we begin with the Entrance Song.

CALLED TO SERVE AT THE LORD'S TABLE?

Have you ever considered serving as a Eucharistic Minister at the Paulist Center?

Join us for a Eucharistic Minister Information Session on Tuesday, October 27 or Tuesday, November 3 at 7:30 PM on Zoom. Come learn more about the ministry, formation, and what it means to serve as a minister of Communion. There is no commitment required to attend one of the sessions—just an invitation to listen, learn, and discern!

Come Celebrate the

Twenty-Ninth 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:

All of our live streams are available in real time on our YouTube channel

& available there afterwards as recordings.

YOU KNOW ABOUT THE PAULIST FATHERS…

BUT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE

PAULIST ASSOCIATES?

A lay community inspired by the Spirit, the vision of Isaac Hecker,

and the mission of the Paulist Fathers

The Paulist Associates were established in 1998 as an invitation from the Paulist Fathers’ to women and men who are not members of the Paulists but who wish to share in its ideals and work. The purpose was to provide a way for people who identify with the charism of Father Isaac Hecker and the mission and spirit of the Paulists to explore that spirituality and to bring the Paulist mission into their own lives.

Please click HERE to read the full article which covers:

• Who are the Paulist Associates and what do they do?
• What does that mean for us today?
• Paulist Associates in Boston - a Longstanding Community

Contact Paulist Associate Carol Geyer at geyercarol@gmail.com with questions.