Updates from the November 19 School Committee Meeting: Vote Postponed to December 10, New Models Being Considered

Updates from the November 19 School Committee Meeting: Vote Postponed to December 10, New Models Being Considered

Our Pastor, Fr. Jim, and Kelly Meraw, our Director of Pastoral Care and Liturgy, have both spoken at recent School Committee meetings to explain the centrality of Good Friday in Christian belief and worship. We are grateful to all who have taken the time to share their thoughts with the School Committee, both during public comment and via email.

Thank you for recognizing that while we are speaking on behalf of our own Catholic Christian community, we are also in solidarity with the other faith/cultural communities involved in this discussion.  In particular, we want to thank our high school students and the students from other faith/cultural traditions who spoke so eloquently about their own personal faith journeys and practices. A number of students shared how meaningful it has been this year to have their holidays recognized not only by their town but also by their friends and neighbors…

Our Collaborative Thanksgiving Day Mass and Food Drive

Our Collaborative Thanksgiving Day Mass and Food Drive

This year, our Collaborative Thanksgiving Day Mass will be at 9:00am at St. John the Evangelist Church.

Please consider sharing your blessings by bringing non-perishable items for the Bristol Lodge Food Pantry.  Suggested donations include: snacks for kids, pasta and sauce, tuna, peanut butter, rice, cooking oil, flour, sugar, spices, granola bars, coffee, tea, can openers, diapers, toiletries, cleaning supplies, hand sanitizer, paper products.

Donations may be placed in the St. John’s narthex as you come in to Mass – look for the Bristol Lodge Food Pantry signs. If you are away for Thanksgiving, donations can be dropped at St. John’s through Monday, December 1.

Please Note: This is the only Mass on Thanksgiving Day – there will be no 7:00am Mass at St. John.

St. Paul Giving Tree: Take a Tag or Scan a Code Starting this Weekend!

St. Paul Giving Tree: Take a Tag or Scan a Code Starting this Weekend!

St. Paul Giving Tree is an Advent tradition spreading Christmas cheer from our parish to hundreds of people through several local organizations. 

This year’s Giving Tree program begins this weekend, November 17-18, with two boards set up in the St. Paul Sanctuary with gift tag requests.

Several of the organizations we are supporting have also provided Amazon Wish Lists to make giving easier – simply scan the QR codes on the posters in the church, select the items you would like to gift, and they will be shipped directly to the organizational representative…

Monday, November 25 at 7pm: Wellesley Interfaith Thanksgiving Service

Monday, November 25 at 7pm: Wellesley Interfaith Thanksgiving Service

All are welcome at this interfaith liturgy of prayer, music, reflection, poetry, and presence on Monday, November 25 at 7:00pm at St. John the Evangelist Church. 

Our sacred service will be led by clergy, lay ministers, musicians, and congregants from Temple Beth Elohim, UU Wellesley Hills, Wellesley Friends Meeting, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Wellesley Hills Congregational Church, Wellesley Village Church, and the St. John-St. Paul Catholic Collaborative.

November 16-17: Special Collection for Hurricane Relief

November 16-17: Special Collection for Hurricane Relief

As you know, people across multiple southern states are experiencing the impacts of two deadly hurricanes within two weeks of each other: Helene and Milton. These storms created paths of destruction exceeding hundreds of miles. The death toll for both storms is at 280 people and there are still approximately 100 people reported missing. 

In response, earlier this month Cardinal Seán asked the parishes of the Archdiocese to once again step forward with a special collection to help our brothers and sisters in need. 

Catholic Charities USA is providing immediate disaster relief with necessities such as water, hygiene kits, diapers, and blankets among many other items…

Called to Serve: Catholic Women’s Stories of Obstacles and Opportunities – A Conversation in the Spirit

Called to Serve: Catholic Women’s Stories of Obstacles and Opportunities – A Conversation in the Spirit

An interactive webinar hosted by the Women in the Church Working Group of the Association of U.S. Catholic Priests (AUSCP).

Women, bring your clergy! Clergy, bring women from your parish or ministry. Registration is open for our next Conversation in the Spirit, Called to Serve: Catholic Women’s Stories of Obstacles and Opportunities, on Wednesday, November 20 at 3:00PM.

This webinar seeks to inspire conversation around the callings women have.  What barriers are encountered? Where is there abundance? What longings need to be heard to move from prayer to being?  

November 12 Evening for Women: “Speaking of God with Julian of Norwich”

November 12 Evening for Women: “Speaking of God with Julian of Norwich”

With guest speaker Anne Mears

Tuesday, November 12 from 6:00 – 8:00pm
St. John the Evangelist Church
(Powers Hall and Lower Chapel)

All women of the Collaborative are warmly invited to come and join us in a space of reflection and inspiration as we explore the powerful and nurturing images of God which come to us through the writings of one of the great women mystics: Julian of Norwich. Anne Mears will guide us as we explore how Julian’s work can enrich our spiritual lives and the life of the Church today. 

 Stay for our pot-luck supper – bring a dish to share. Invite a friend! To help us plan for the evening, please let us know if you’re coming…

Update: Good Friday and the Wellesley Public Schools Academic Calendar

Update: Good Friday and the Wellesley Public Schools Academic Calendar

As we explained in last week’s bulletin, the WPS Academic Calendar Task Force has presented a recommended option to the School Committee that retains Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Lunar New Year as holidays. It also adds either Eid Al-Fitr or Eid Al-Adha (depending on the year) and removes Good Friday and Diwali as holidays.

Kelly Meraw, our Director of Pastoral Care and Liturgy, spoke at the School Committee meeting on October 29.

Fr. Jim Laughlin, our pastor, hopes to speak at the meeting on November 12.

All are encouraged to share comments with the School Committee via email at: School_Committee@wellesleyps.org or during the public comment…

Young Adult “November Community Dinner” – Friday, November 15 from 6-8pm at St. John

Young Adult “November Community Dinner” – Friday, November 15 from 6-8pm at St. John

Young Adults of the Collaborative (age 21-40) are invited to our November Community Dinner on Friday, November 15 from 6-8PM at the St. John Parish Rectory.

Join us for an evening of meeting new friends, sharing casual conversation, and enjoying delicious food!

This month’s gathering is a potluck, so bring a dish to share and a friend to join the fun.

Please REGISTER to let us know you’re coming and what you’re hoping to bring…

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