Updates from Our Seminarians

On Saturday, August 1, Fr. Matthew Norwood was ordained to the Sacred Priesthood of Jesus Christ by His Eminence Cardinal Sean O’Malley in a private Mass at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.  On Sunday, August 2, he celebrated a First Mass of Thanksgiving at St. Paul Church. Following the Mass, family, friends, and parishioners were invited to receive First Blessings from Fr. Matt on the lawn of the church ...

Fr. Matthew will celebrate a First Mass of Thanksgiving on Sunday at St. Paul Church. The Mass will be private due to current social distancing limitations, but it will be streamed live on the St. John-St. Paul Collaborative Facebook page.  A Facebook account isn't required  – just click the link below on Sunday at 1:30pm to watch with us!  Please click the following link to download a program for the First Mass of Thanksgiving: Mass Program First Blessings We invite all parishioners to join us on the lawn outside St. Paul Church on Sunday between 3:00 - 4:00pm to offer congratulations to Fr. Matt and receive a first blessing. Masks are required and social distancing will be observed. If you wish to send your congratulations to Fr. Matt in a card, please mail to: Fr. Matthew Norwood, St. Paul Parish, 502 Washington Street, Wellesley, MA 02482 ...

Deacon Matthew Norwood will be ordained to the Sacred Priesthood of Jesus Christ by His Eminence Cardinal Sean O’Malley on Saturday, August 1, 2020, at 10:00am in a private Mass at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. The Rite of Ordination to the Order of Presbyter will be broadcast live on CatholicTV and streamed online at CatholicTV.org/watch-live. (CatholicTV is available on XFINITY/Comcast (Ch 268), Verizon FIOS (Ch 296), and RCN (Ch 85). Also available on ROKU and Amazon Fire TV.) Please click on the following link to download a program for the Rite of Ordination to the Order of Presbyter: Mass Program ...

Saturday, August 1 - Ordination Mass Sunday, August 2 - Mass of Thanksgiving Sunday, August 2 - First Blessings:  3:00-4:00pm on the lawn of St. Paul Church - all are welcome! Matt's Ordination Mass and Mass of Thanksgiving are private due to social distancing limitations, but links to the livestreams of both Masses will be sent out via email and posted on the Collaborative website. We invite all parishioners who would like to receive a first blessing from Fr. Matt to come to the lawn outside St. Paul Church on Sunday, August 2nd between 3:00 and 4:00pm. Social distancing rules will apply and masks must be worn, but we would love to see you there to offer your congratulations and to receive a special blessing. If you wish to send your congratulations to Fr. Matt in a card, then please mail to: St. Paul Parish, 502 Washington Street, Wellesley, MA 02482 ...

Dear parishioners of St. Paul and St. John Parishes, It is with great joy that I tell you that I will be ordained to the Sacred Priesthood of Jesus Christ by His Eminence Cardinal Sean O’Malley on Saturday, August 1, 2020, in a private Mass at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. While the current circumstances have posed many challenges in planning for this day, I could not be happier that this day has arrived. My heart is full when I consider that I will soon share in Christ’s priesthood. I would like to express my gratitude to all of you as this day approaches. The support of this community has bolstered me in so many ways throughout my 7 years of priestly formation and in the years preceding it. Thank you for your kindness and your encouragement, which have been constant. These carry me and spur me on to the joy of the priestly life that I will soon be living. While the Mass of Ordination will be private, as well as my first Mass of Thanksgiving at St. Paul’s on August 2, both of these events will be livestreamed. More detail of the livestreams will follow via email and on the Collaborative website in the next couple of weeks. Please pray for me in the coming weeks and be assured of my prayers for each of you. May God bless you! Sincerely, Deacon Matthew Norwood ...

The Gospel message of Christmas is one of peace, joy, glory, and love. And yet today, on the Feast of the Holy Family, we are faced with the reality of the world into which our Lord Jesus Christ is born, a world of danger, treachery, and terror. In the lectionary for today, the Gospel for today skips over an important piece that is difficult to hear: When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi, he became furious. He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under. That's why the Holy Family fled.  An angry tyrant was on the loose.  And so we are faced with fear, sobbing, and pain so soon after the joy, peace, and love that is Christmas. That can be difficult to bear. How can life be so beautiful and so awful at the same time? And yet often enough that is the way things are for us. Thank God Jesus has two devoted, loving parents in Joseph and Mary! Both of them sacrifice everything to ensure his safety. They give of themselves completely. Mary is willing to have her life turned upside down, and Joseph is willing to listen to his dreams. Both of them decide to protect and keep safe what has been entrusted to them. Both of them make the decision to put their faith in God, who is asking a lot, and to put themselves in last place. According to Matthew, ...

Chris Holownia, our Jesuit seminarian, will be home and joining us for both the 9:00am and 11:00am Masses at St. John this Sunday, December 29! He will joyfully accompany both choirs on the piano and also say a few words after the homily about his current placement at Loyola University of Chicago, where he has been assigned for “First Studies.” Please plan to attend one of these Masses and say hello to Chris! ...

On August 10, 2019 Christopher Holownia professed his first vows with the Society of Jesus. The Jesuit vow Mass took place at the Chapel of St. Joseph, St. Joseph University, Philadelphia. Jesuit formation is the longest of any religious order; Chris professed his first vows after three years at a Novitiate. His vows were of poverty, chastity, and obedience in conjunction with his continued perseverance to final profession and ordination. Chris and his family are longtime parishioners at St. John's and the whole community celebrates with them. We continue to pray that Chris grow in his relationship to God and his community. Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam ...

On June 8, 2019 Matthew Norwood was Ordained to the Transitional Diaconate in our own Archdiocese of Boston. Matt was baptized at St. James Parish and received his further Sacraments at St. Paul Parish. Matt's call to the Priesthood led him to his studies at St. John's Seminary, where this year he will complete his final year of preparation in addition to serving at local parishes. We are overjoyed at Matt's obedient answer to God's call on his life and continue to support him with our prayers in his vocation to Priesthood. ...

We are pleased to announce that our seminarian, Matthew Norwood, has received his Call for Orders and will be ordained to the Transitional Diaconate on June 8, 2019 at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston. This day marks a definitive step before he is ordained to the priesthood in May of 2020. On Sunday, June 9th, Matthew will serve as a Deacon for the first time and preach the homily at the St. Paul 9:00am Family Mass. Please keep Matthew in your prayers and join us for this special Mass on June 9th at St. Paul's. Mass will be followed by a reception in the St. Paul Parish Hall to which all are invited. ...