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THE WEEKLY MISSIVE
July 10, 2026
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Sowing Seeds
Dear Friends,
In this week's Gospel, Jesus offers the Parable of the Sower, reminding us that while the seed of God's Word is always good, the harvest depends on the readiness of the ground. Similarly, the Paulist Center staff is using these quieter summer months to actively cultivate our community. We are hard at work planting seeds of faith, relationship, and leadership so that our community can grow into rich, fertile soil.
These past two weeks, we have been sowing seeds of relationship by welcoming our new Executive Director, Colleen Burns. This quieter pace and collaborative time allows us to share our community's vision, build strong working relationships, and lay a unified foundation for the future.
We are also busy tending to the upcoming year by developing our upcoming programs and ministries. Just like the sower in the scripture, we are spending this time preparing the ground. Our team is carefully planning new spiritual and educational initiatives designed to engage and inspire community members of all ages in the coming year.
Finally, we will spend these summer weeks working toward finalizing our Pastoral Plan as we look forward to a vibrant season ahead filled with deeper faith formation, exciting events, and a revitalized mission for our entire Paulist Center Community.
We pray that these summer months bring you profound relaxation and joy. May this season of warmer days and slower paces be a time for you to rest, recharge, and feel God's love for you.
Susan, on behalf of the Paulist Center staff
Alvaro, Colleen, Deb, Dorothy, Gus, Norm, Fr. Rick, Rob, Sal, Susan, and Timmy
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- Barbara Dunay - Funeral, Live Stream Link, Reception - 7/11
- Infant Baptism Prep - 7/25
- Pastoral Council election results
- Sound System Update
- Welcome new PC members!
- FREP teachers needed
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Realm Connect
- Young Adult Ministry, Faith-Sharing Groups
- Let's become a neurodivergent-friendly community
- Stewardship
- Community Gift
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Rest in Peace, Barbara Dunay
Funeral Mass at the Paulist Center
Saturday, July 11, 11:00 A.M.
Reception to follow in the auditorium
The Mass will be Live Streamed.
Link:Funeral Mass for Barbara Dunay
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Barbara J. Dunay, our beloved colleague and friend for over 32 years, passed away peacefully on Saturday, June 20.
Barbara was a loyal presence at the Paulist Center, offering friendly and professional guidance to the staff.
Barbara was also a beloved member of the Sunday
6 pm music group and volunteered at many Paulist Center functions.
Barbara was a remarkable woman of strength, resilience, and independence. She recently celebrated 57 years of personal growth while dedicating much of her life to mentoring, supporting, and sponsoring dozens of others on their own personal journeys.
Barbara’s home was always a safe haven for a rescue dog. Over her 90-years, one of Barbara’s greatest joys was caring for ten Shih-Tzu’s, including her current and beloved dog, Sophie.
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Infant Baptism Preparation Class -
Sat, July 25, 10am - 12pm
PLEASE NOTE: Class was previously scheduled for July 18.
Infant Baptism Preparation class will be held at the Paulist Center on Saturday, July 25 from 10am to Noon.
We will explore the historical and theological roots of Baptism and initiation rites and have a
hands-on experience of Baptism in our chapel.
This class and practicum is for all parents and godparents.
Your infants are most welcome to join us!
You do not need to be a member of the Paulist Center Community to attend. A Certificate of Attendance will be provided to all attendees.
Please write to Fr. Rick Walsh at rick@paulistcenter.org to register for the class.
We suggest a $25 donation (per individual or family) to the Paulist Center for this class.
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2026 Pastoral Council Elections
The votes have been counted and the results are in from our 2026 Pastoral Council elections.
Congratulations to Mares Beauvais, Barbara Lapinskas, and Tara Rousseau who were the winners of this years elections and will be serving on the council for the next two years.
Also, a big Thank You to Valerie Fletcher who ran but was not elected this year, and to all those who assisted in administering the elections.”
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Welcome To The Paulist Center!
The Paulist Center warmly welcomes recently registered members
Kimberly Santos & Chukwuma Onyejose and Naiara Isioma Onyejose (newborn) from Stoneham!
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Sound System Update
Over the past few months, we have been making important upgrades to our chapel's audiovisual system. During this work, portions of the system were temporarily unavailable, including the speaker serving our Family Playroom on the second floor and the monitor speaker in the Sacristy.
We are happy to report that the speakers in the Family Playroom and sacristy are working again. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this caused, especially for the families who rely on this space to participate in Mass with their children.
In the coming weeks, we will also be completing necessary repairs and upgrades to the sound system in the auditorium. This work is scheduled to take place in mid-July.
We are deeply grateful to everyone who contributed so generously for this work at this year's auction. Your support is making these important improvements possible and will enhance the experience of all who gather at the Paulist Center.
We will continue to share updates as this work progresses over the next few months. Thank you again for your generosity, patience, and understanding throughout this process.
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In early August, we will begin to launch a new member directory that will allow members to update their profile information, make online giving easier, and eventually create better internal communication systems. We will send various emails with additional information so please look for communication from us related to Realm Connect.
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Two (2) Religious Education Teachers Needed: Grades 4 - 6
Our energetic and inquisitive 4th through 6th graders have big questions about faith, science, and why don't we have better snacks!
Help them navigate the answers this fall.
Preference will be given to applicants who speak fluent pre-teen.
Curriculum, training and snacks all provided!
Join our friendly and supportive group of teachers here at the Center.
Please contact Susan Rutkowski at susan@paulistcenter.org or 617-948-2426 to inquire.
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Let’s Become a Neurodivergent-Friendly Community!
Our community is blessed to have among us individuals with Autism, ADHD, and/or severe anxiety, which can affect communication and social interaction. A great book for kids is “The Brain God Gave Me: Neurodivergence for Catholic Kids” by Ginny Kochis.
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These individuals may communicate or behave differently.
- Some are non-verbal.
- Some "stim,” or engage in repetitive movements or sounds to help them self-regulate when they are overwhelmed by changes in routine, sensory inputs, emotions, or stress.
As a community, we are called to recognize, understand, and affirm the challenges and strengths with which neurodivergent individuals present.
These members of our community may have behavioral outbursts at unexpected times. It is important to know that the individual may be aware of their behavior, yet is unable to control it, and often experiences shame as a result.
The best way to provide support during these times is to:
- Continue activity as best as possible and not draw attention to the individual.
- Trust that parents are the experts regarding their child/ren. They navigate these issues on a daily basis and know what works and what does not. It is ok to ask if they need assistance.
- If safety of the individual and/or others is a concern, efforts will be made to encourage the individual to move to a quiet area. The police should not be called.
- Provide emotional support and encouragement to the individual and family following an incident.
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The Body of Christ is glorious, beautiful, and neurodiverse! All are welcome!
We encourage members of our community to learn more; see bulletin for suggested resources.
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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, (almost) every Sunday 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.
We hope to see you there!
Faith sharing group sessions will occur:
July: 7/19, 7/26 (the previously-scheduled session on July 12 will not be happening)
August: 8/2, 8/9, 8/16, and 8/23
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Come Celebrate
the Fifteenth 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. | |
Fifteenth Sunday
in Ordinary Time
Sun, July 12, 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 July 11 - 12, we raise up Catholic Relief Services in response to the earthquakes in Venezuela. Envelopes will be in the pews if you wish to make an additional donation; checks should be made payable to "Catholic Relief Services" and note Venezuela Earthquake Relief in the check memo. Alternatively, you may go directly to their website at CRS.org to make a gift for immediate response to the earthquakes.
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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! | | | | |
