Our Regular Collaborative Weekend Mass Schedule returns after Labor Day on the weekend of September 6-7.
Sunday, September 7 is the 1st Sunday of the month, so the 9:00am Family Mass (and Coffee and Donuts!) and 5:00pm Youth Mass will be celebrated at St. John the Evangelist Church – we look forward to welcoming you back to these special liturgies!
Friday, August 22nd, a group from the SJSP Young Adult Ministry gathered at Golf On the Village Green in Natick to share an evening of fun to end the summer. Mastering the art of mini-golf, the group took in the historic sites- hitting balls through Faneuil Hall and discovering that the curve in the green at hole 16 (the Granary Burying Ground) is no joke! Following a full round of golf, the group headed to Truly’s in Wellesley for a celebratory round of ice cream.
Keep an eye out for upcoming Young Adult events (open to ages 21-40) and be sure to sign up for our mailing list at sjspwellesley.org/young-adults so that you never miss a gathering!
My name is Elsi Ojanen, and I am from Hampton, New Hampshire. I graduated in 2024 from the College of the Holy Cross with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Religious Studies, and I am currently pursuing my Master’s degree in Theology and Ministry at the Clough School of Theology and Ministry at Boston College.
I have been blessed with opportunities to lead and facilitate retreats and love working with people of all ages in their journeys of faith.
Most of all, I love Jesus with my whole heart, and I am excited to continue my time here at the Collaborative in this new role and for all that God has in store for us this year!
In 2024, the Archdiocese of Boston lowered the ordinary age of Confirmation from Grade 10 to Grade 8, to make the grace of this Sacrament available to young people in greater numbers, to strengthen the role of families in the faith formation of their young teens, and to facilitate a renewal in family engagement in the life of the parish, especially Sunday Mass.
As a result, this past spring, 234 young people in Grades 8-12 received the Sacrament of Confirmation at our Collaborative – an exponential increase in the number of newly-confirmed high school teens needing a robust youth ministry program to help them stay connected to their faith during a time of great transition and growth in their lives…
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is asking dioceses to consider a special collection for Gaza relief efforts. In a letter to U.S. Bishops, Archbishop Broglio, President of the USCCB, wrote:
Our Church mourns the terrible suffering of Christians and other innocent victims of violence in Gaza and surrounding areas who are struggling to survive, protect their children, and live with dignity in dire conditions. The Holy Father continues to call for a cease fire and for aid to enter the territory, noting with great sorrow that “Gaza is starving.”
Archbishop Henning supports this effort, and requests that parishes consider taking up this collection as soon as possible. We will hold our special collection here at our Collaborative on the weekend of September 6-7…
Looking for ideas to celebrate the Season of Creation?
Observe September 1, World Day of Prayer, by praying for renewal of the face of the earth, spending some prayerful time in nature, or planting some seeds — whether it’s seeds in your garden or seeds of hope.
On September 21, join a pilgrimage sponsored by Boston Interfaith Climate Allies. Catholics will gather at St. Clements in Boston and walk to Boston Common, stopping at houses of worship along the way…
Also, save the date for our own Blessing of the Animals here at the Collaborative on October 5 at 3pm on St. Paul lawn.
The Archdiocese of Boston is calling on parishes to embrace a new vision of children’s faith formation – one that supports parents in their role as the first teachers of the faith, facilitates lifelong faith formation for all generations, and encourages missionary discipleship in addition to catechesis by engaging the talents of the whole parish community.
In response to this call, our Pastoral team, in partnership with our Children’s Faith Formation and Youth Ministry teams, has been working to develop a unified approach to faith formation that builds bridges between these unique programs, invigorates our Collaborative liturgical life, and renews the engagement of our young children, teens, and families in the life of the parish, especially Sunday Mass.
It is with great joy that we share with you our plans for renewing Children’s Faith Formation (previously known as “Religious Education”) in our Collaborative by launching two exciting new programs this fall…
This column by Sr. Colleen Gibson, SSJ appeared in Global Sister Report on August 15, 2025
A few weeks ago, my beloved grandmother passed away. At 93 years old, she had lived a full life. Passing the news of her death along to friends, sisters, and colleagues came with a mix of emotions.
I was sad, for sure, and yet the fact that I had her in my life for nearly four decades was a blessing not lost on me.
As a woman I work with passed on her family’s condolences, she also conveyed her teenaged daughter’s amazement. “Sister still had her grandma?!” the girl remarked with shock and awe. The same was true of condolences from my sisters in community, many of whom underscored the blessing of my grandmother’s long presence in my life…
Our last info session had several interested SJSP parishioners and we are very close to having a full team assigned to a new student next month!
If you’ve been thinking about mentoring, please register for the Zoom session
Email Chrissy Cassa (chrissy.cassa1358@gmail.com) with questions or for more information.
Join the SJSP Young Adults for some summer fun on Friday, August 22nd as we enjoy some mini golf & ice cream! We’ll meet at 7:00PM at Golf on the Village Green in Natick for a round of mini golf ($9) and then head to Truly’s in Wellesley for ice cream!
All young adults (age 21-40) from in and around the SJSP Collaborative are invited – bring a friend & we’ll look forward to a great night out! Click here to RSVP and let us know if you need a ride!
Make sure you never miss an event by signing up for the Young Adult text/email list!