January 19/20 , 2008

Readings  | Calendar  |  Stewardship 

Martin LutherKing, Jr.Day
“Remember, Celebrate, Act A Day On Not A Day Off!”
“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.” -MLK,Jr.

Hecker Award Winner for 2008 is Jon Fuller, SJ!
Fr. Jon Fuller, SJ, a member of the California Province of the Society of Jesus, is an attending physician at the Center for Infectious Diseases as well as an Associate Professor at the Boston University School of Medicine. Since 1983, Dr. Fuller has provided health care for individuals living with HIV/AIDS. Dr. Fuller will receive the 2008 Isaac Hecker Award for Social Justice on Jan. 26 at the 6pm Mass for his lifelong devotion and dedication to the service of a marginalized population through his work with HIV/AIDS treatment and research. Desserts are needed for the reception after the ceremony!

Purse Stolen at Sunday Coffee
We are very sorry to have to report that, once again, a purse was stolen at the Sunday coffee last weekend, this time from one of our incredibly generous volunteers.We implore the entire community’s assistance in keeping eyes open for any suspicious activity or behaviour to try and minimize (ideally eliminate) these occurrences. If you do see something, please let one of the staff know immediately. If that is not possible, please call any one of the staff as soon as possible to let us know what information you may have. If we do apprehend someone stealing,we will assist the victim in informing the authorities and pursuing legal avenues of recompense. Let us all work to make the Paulist Center a safe, welcoming place where theft does not occur.

Food Pantry: demand is High, Food Supplies are Low
We are in need of hearty soups, stew, jarred spaghetti sauce, mac&cheese, an canned veggies/fruit..
The pantry is open each Tuesday and Thursday afternoon from 2-3:30. Thanks for your continued generosity in helping us feed the homeless.

No Religious Education Classes
Next Sunday, Jan. 20th due to the MLK, Jr. holiday weekend.

FREP Advisory Board Meeting
will take place onWednesday, Feb 6.

Rite of Enrollment
For those making their First Communion and First Reconciliation will take place at the 10am mass on Sunday, Feb. 3.

Office of Child Advocacy Postings
As one of the steps taken to ensure the safety of all Community members, especially our children, copies of the Code of Ministerial Behavior (which applies to all ministers and volunteers) and A Pocket Guide to the Policies and Procedures for the Protection of Children, including a sheet with important phone numbers for both reporting and information purposes, are posted on the Paulist Center bulletin board in the main elevator lobby. More information on the work of this office or the diocesan policies, along with pertinent phone numbers, is available at www.rcab.org/childadvocacy or by calling the office at 617- 746-5994.

Prayer For Peace
Gracious God, Source and Creator of all life,
You desire that all peoples
live in peace with one another.
We pray fervently for the people of Iraq facing the horror of a full-scale war. Watch over them, and be their refuge during these violent times.
We pray fervently for those people who are fighting or may be called upon to fight. Grant them strength and wisdom and protect them in a special way.
We pray fervently for a swift conclusion to this war and for lasting peace throughout the world. Help all of us, individuals, nations, governments and world leaders to remember the unnecessary loss of life for millions of innocent people.
Keep us faithful to our commitment to live in peace, to work for peace, to BE your peace every day in every way.
We ask this in the name of Jesus,
Who came to bring us fullness of life and peace.
Amen.

Lecture: An Ecumenical Spirituality for the Third Millenium: What Gifts do the churches bring?
This lecture will take place at the Paulist Center on Monday, Feb 4 at 7pm by Paulist Father Tom Ryan, CSP. Perceiving the need for places where Christians of different traditions and members of other religions could gather to share faith and life with each other, Fr. Ryan spearheaded the founding of Unitas in Montreal, an ecumenical center for spirituality and Christian meditation co-sponsored by eight different denominations. He served as its director for five years prior to answering the call of his community in January of 2000 to set up and develop the Paulist Office for Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations. He will lift up gifts from four confessional families, Protestant, Pentecostal, Orthodox and Roman Catholic as examples of enrichment to be received in an ecumenical approach to prayer and study in this lecture. A free will offering will be available.

Small Communities of Faith
If you are interested in participating in a small community of faith or needing more information, please email Fr. Ruben at rubenpatino49@aol.com.

Tax Letters
If you wish to have a letter from the Center for weekend and appeal contributions you made by check or credit card for 2007, please call the Center and leave a message with your request for Patty Simpson at (617)948-2428 or email her at pattypcc@aol.com. The IRS requires letters for single donations of $250 or more (i.e. several smaller donations totalling $250 do not require letters), and the letter is for your records only - it is not submitted to the IRS with your tax returns. Anyone who made a donation of stock will automatically receive a letter by Feb. 1.We sincerely thank all who gave to the Center in any way. Your generosity is essential and appreciated.

Connecting at the Center
In an effort to improve connections and foster inclusion, the Pastoral Council is encouraging folks to wear a name tag during the Community Coffee in the Auditorium after the 10am and Noon mass. Stop at the table in the Auditorium and put on a name tag so we can learn to call each other by name.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

New Pathways Volunteers Needed!
New Pathways Emergency Shelter is looking for volunteers willing to provide short-termshelter (1-15) days in their homes for teens in crisis. New Pathways serves youth throughout Boston, ages 12-17,who have either run away fromhome or who are homeless. If you are interested in finding outmore about the programand possibly serving as a host home, contactMelissaGlynn- Hyman or SarahHoxie at 617-277-8107.

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Community Gift
Any community member interested in nominating an organization to be the recipient of one of our Community Gifts (5% of weekend collections), please send a note to Patrick Letourneau, our Administrative Assistant, with the name and address of the organization, its purpose, and the reason you would like to have them receive one of our gifts. If there is a particular time of year that would be especially appropriate for the awarding of the gift, please also include that information in the request. Contact Patrick at 617.498.2427 or email at pjlet@aol.com.

Credit Card Giving!
Our bank, Wainwright Bank & Trust, has made it possible to contribute to the Paulist Center with your credit card. Use this link to connect to the Paulist Center www.communityroom.net, and follow the prompts for donating. Please indicate in the memo field provided the intent of your donation (weekend, Easter, campaign, etc.), and be sure you get all the way to the receipt screen. If you do not get to this screen, your donation has not been processed and we will not receive your intended contribution. Thank you!

Set-Up Your Own On-Line Giving!
Vanco Services, who has handled our recurring credit card and bank account giving for several years, has made available to us the ability for you to set up your own on-line giving without having to route your form through the Center. Please go to www.paulist.org/boston & click on “Give to the Paulist Center.” You may also, of course, still fill out a paper form and send it to Patty Simpson if you prefer. Please call Patty at 617-948-2428 or email her at pattypcc@aol.com with any questions. Automatic recurring donations to the Center are a huge help to us in our ministry. Thank you for your generosity to the Paulist Center.

E-Service Direct Deposit
The forms to arrange to have direct deposit contributions to the Center are available in the racks, and  here on this website.

Matching Gifts
In the past few years, due to some changes in the wording of the law, many companies have been able to include churches in their matching gift programs as long as they are qualified 501(c)3 organizations, which the Paulist Center is. If your company offers a matching gift program, please check to see if you can have your donations to the Center matched. If you have any questions, please call Patty Simpson at 617-948-2428. We appreciate all donations. Thanks!

Mass Cards
Please stop by the reception area during the week or call Vusie at 617-742-4460 if you would like to arrange to 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.