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THE WEEKLY MISSIVE
August 21, 2026
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Grazie, arrivederci, a presto!
Dear Friends,
I am sad to say that this is my last missive - what a shame! I have loved writing these during my time at the Center. There are few things I love more than jabbering endlessly, and so, though I am unable to speak to you directly, I take solace in the opportunity to subject you to my verbosity by way of the written word.
In this moment of farewell, I am struck by these words of Jesus from this Sunday’s Gospel:
“Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven,” (Matthew 16:13-20).
In the context of the Gospel, Jesus is speaking directly to Peter after naming him ‘the rock’ upon which the Christian church will be built. As such, this phrase has been taken mostly to refer directly to the conferral upon Peter (and thus, the Pope) of the responsibility to establish laws and doctrines for the church. For each of us though, we must never forget that as disciples of Jesus, followers seeking to emulate the work of Christ, we too are called to bind and loose – to forgive each other, to guide, but not to punish. We can each practice this in our individual capacity so long as we too can answer the question of Jesus, “who do you say that I am?”
The Paulist Center is an incredible community, one that I will miss dearly even surrounded by the many timeless cathedrals and edifices of Italy. What makes a church is the people in it. At the present time, I leave the Center feeling somewhat more experienced, though no less green than when I arrived. Not a single thing I have done would have been possible without the support of this community, and any combination of Patty, Susan, Norm, Fr. Rick, Fr. Rich Andre, and especially Dorothy (who always let me submit bulletin announcements late).
It’s hard to stop writing, because I have so much more left to say. And yet, no number of words would ever be enough for me to say goodbye to you in a way that feels fitting. You have shaped me, you have fed me, you have supported me, and I will never forget you.
Please remember your power to live, forgive, and love.
See you later,
Gus, on behalf of the Paulist Center staff
Alvaro, Colleen, Deb, Dorothy, Gus, Norm, Fr. Rick, Rob, Sal, Susan, and Timmy
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- Migration and the Soul of the Catholic Church
- Creation Care Ministry - invitation to see the elephants
- Looking for Jr High leader
- Confirming Mass Intentions
- Creation Care Ministry - Save The Date - Oct 4
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- Creation Care Ministry - Season of Creation Daily Reflections
- Welcome to FREP year 2026-27
- Retreat for LGBTQ+ Catholics - West Hartford, CT
- Stewardship
- Community Gift
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Migration and the Soul of the US Catholic Church
Virtual Webinar
Saturday, August 29 - 11:00 AM
The past couple of years have been challenging as we witnessed the disregard for the human dignity of migrants. We have seen broad mass-enforcement and worksite raids launched across Los Angeles beginning in June 2025, Operation Midway Blitz in Chicago, and Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota, amongst many other
anti-migrant actions and activities throughout the country.
Voices represented will be:
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Sr. Norma Pimental, Executive Director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley;
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Bishop Michael Pham of the Diocese of San Diego;
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Fr. Daniel Groody, CSC from Notre Dame University and the Dicastery of Integral Human Development;
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Dr. Hosffman Ospino of Boston College;
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Mr. Francisco Segovia of COPAL Minnesota; and
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Fr. Avelino Chico, SJ of the Dicastery for Integral Human Development.
They will reflect on their experiences and on Church Teaching during the webinar.
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Date & Time
Saturday, August 29
11:00 AM
Format
Virtual Webinar (Zoom) - NB: Participants must register to receive the Zoom link.
Registration
Scan the QR code or visit:
https://forms.gle/PmyRoTae6AxE73419
Here is the link for more information on this event:
https://www.paulistcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/Migration-and-the-Soul-of-the-US-Catholic-Church.pdf
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The Creation Care Ministry invites you to join us for a short pilgrimage to be with the elephants visiting Boston.
Sunday, September 6.
We welcome you to experience the art installation through the lens of Creation Care and Laudato Si.
Meet us at the back of the chapel at the end of the 10 am Mass, or join us at the corner of Dartmouth and Commonwealth Avenue at 11:30.
Celebrate this year’s Season of Creation with us before our visitors depart on September 13th.
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Seeking a Dynamic Leader for our Junior High Youth Group (Grades 7 & 8)
Do you love God, youth ministry, and the distinct daily thrill of communicating with beings whose primary emotional vocabulary is a heavy sigh?
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We need a brave soul
to guide our
Jr. High Youth Group
(comprised of 7th and 8th graders)
through bi-monthly Sunday morning meetings
(11:15 am-12:15 pm).
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Why You’ll Love It
· The Challenge:
Translate ancient scripture to humans who treat a two-minute car ride as a human rights violation.
· The Energy:
Channel the intense, caffeinated mood swings of middle school into actual community.
· The Vibe:
An open, progressive faith community that values questions over quietness.
What You Will Do
· Lead Sunday sessions for Jr. High Youth Group during the FREP* year.
· Decode awkward silences and sudden outbursts of extreme laughter.
· Share snacks and snacks-based bribery.
· Help kids explore a loving, inclusive God.
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For more information, contact our Pastoral Minister of FREP and Social Justice Susan Rutkowski, Susan@Paulistcenter.org or 617-948-2426.
* Family Religious Education Program
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Confirming Mass Intentions
We recently transitioned to a new recording system for Mass intentions and would like to verify that all upcoming intentions are correctly scheduled and that no recent intentions were inadvertently missed.
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If you previously requested a Mass intention that you were not present for in June, July, August - or in the coming weeks/month, please send an email to norm@paulistcenter.org with the date, time and requested intention (name - living or memorial).
And for any new intentions, please stop by the reception area during the week, email Sal Whooley at sal@paulistcenter.org, or call
617-742-4460, to arrange for a Mass and/or
if you wish to make a $10 donation for a Mass card.
Thank you for entrusting these intentions to the Paulist Center
Community and for helping us to ensure that all requests are
honored as intended.
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Creation Care Ministry:
Save the Date - October 4
On Sunday, October 4, after the 10am Mass, we will honor the close of the Season of Creation with
“The Crisis in Plastic” presented by
Phil Landrigan, M.D., of Boston College, a renowned pediatrician and public health expert.
Phil’s lifelong work has focused on protecting children and communities from toxic environmental exposures and advancing healthier public policy. Save the date!
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Daily Reflections for the Season of Creation
Sept 1 - Oct 4
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Once again this year the Creation Care ministry offers daily reflections from Sept 1 to Oct 4.
Each provides a 2-minute “pause–reflect–act” opportunity.
These are the same reflections as last year; if you received them before, you’ll receive them again (unsubscribing is easy).
To subscribe (free), email: seasonofcreationdaily@gmail.com.
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Welcome to a New FREP Year
Continuing the work of re-imagining our Family Religious Education Program (FREP)!
Building on Last Year’s Foundation
Re-imagining FREP has been at the top of the pastoral plan for the past year. Last year, we began Phase 1 by streamlining the curriculum and placing special emphasis on the social justice theme of the dignity of all human beings. We met with teachers to streamline the curriculum and with parents to better understand what families need to raise children who love God and know that God loves them. Our goal was to keep what works and re-imagine how our program can continue to grow.
Please see the bulletin for details and further information on the below topics:
What’s New This Year
The Details
- Traditional Religious Education Classes
- Family Pods
- Parent Faith Formation
- Inclusive Confirmation Program
Looking Ahead
The finalized calendar will be available next week, but please mark Sun, Sept 20 as our FREP Kick-off celebration and social!
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Please Register!
Please take a moment to fill out your FREP registration at
https://www.paulistcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/FREP-Registration-Form-2026-2027.pdf
You can pay the registration fee online HERE or send a check to
Paulist Center, 5 Park Street, Boston, MA 02108.
If you have any questions or concerns about any part of our programming, please contact Susan Rutkowski at susan@paulistcenter.org or 617-948-2426.
Thank you for your continued support of our Family Religious Education Program!
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Come Celebrate
the Twenty-First 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.
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Twenty-First Sunday
in Ordinary Time
Sun, August 23, 10am
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Retreat For LGBTQ+ Catholics, Families, and Allies
September 11 – 13
Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center (West Hartford, CT)
New Ways Ministry is hosting a weekend retreat titled "Unfolding the Moral Life," led by Fr. James Keenan, SJ. This retreat offers a restorative space of reflection, presentation, shared meals, and prayer for LGBTQ+ individuals, family members, and allies navigating faith and identity.
Registration is $435 (includes overnight accommodations and all meals). Partial scholarships are available prior to August 31.
To register or view the full schedule, visit NewWaysMinistry.org/unfolding or email info@NewWaysMinistry.org for more details.
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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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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! | | | | |
