Important Announcements – Page 11 – St. John – St. Paul Catholic Collaborative

Exciting News – Welcome Fr. Gabriel!

I am thrilled to let you know that we will be welcoming a new priest to our St. John-St. Paul Collaborative community this week! Fr. Gabriel Afumbom Tokoh, a priest from the Archdiocese of Bamenda, Cameroon, Africa, is currently in a Master’s Program in Leadership and Administration at Boston College. He has been living at a parish in Salem for the past year and commuting to B.C. for his studies, so his joining us in Wellesley will be a true blessing for our parishes and for Fr. Gabriel! He will be living at the St. Paul rectory and will be celebrating Masses, funerals, and sacraments with us for the next two years as he completes his studies.

Below is a brief introduction from Fr. Gabriel – I know you will join me in welcoming him and making him feel at home here at the Collaborative and in Wellesley!

Cardinal O’Malley’s Statement on Newton Tragedy

“As priests, we serve to minister to people in times of great loss and tragedy. Often words are not enough to help families and friends come to terms with the loss of a loved one. We look to God for answers. We seek to understand. Often, we simply cannot make sense of what has happened. But our faith sustains us, and in this moment of enormous pain, we know that God is with us always.

This week and for the weeks, months, and years ahead, the brutal and senseless murders of Gilda D’Amore, her husband, Bruno D’Amore, and Gilda’s mother, Lucia Arpino, will stay with us as we come to terms with this unimaginable loss. They loved Christ and the Church. On the day of their murders, Gilda and Bruno were to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary at Our Lady Help of Christians. They lived their Catholic faith proudly and in service to the Church…”

Annual Adult Clothing Collection June 3-4

Put your gently used clothing to good use to support men and women in need! St. Francis House serves approximately 50 clothing appointments per day (M-F), providing 250 full sets of clothing per week to their guests! Donations may be dropped off in the St. John Garage (behind the church) OR the St. Paul Garage (behind the rectory) between 9:00am – 5:00pm. Please box or bag everything – no hangers.

Please note that over 80% of St. Francis House’ guests are men, so it has been our tradition to have a men’s-focused clothing drive, but women’s clothing is also accepted. Children’s clothing is not accepted…

Memorial Day 2023

In keeping with tradition, a Saint John School family has sponsored the set up 1,000 American flags on the St. John the Evangelist Church lawn in honor of veterans from Wellesley and surrounding communities who have given their lives in service to our country.

We remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we enjoy every day.

We pray that God will hold our service men and women in His strong arms, and cover them with His sheltering grace and presence.

Important: Weekday Mass Schedule Change!

Unfortunately, with the recent departure of several of our outside celebrants from Boston College, Fr. Jim is now on his own during the week. As a result, effective immediately, the weekday Mass schedule for the summer at the Collaborative will be:

Monday and Wednesday: 9:00am St. Paul Church
Tuesday and Thursday: 7:00am St. John Church

For those looking for a daily Mass on Friday, the Weekday Mass schedules for neighboring parishes is available on the Liturgy page of our website…

Farewell Fr. Borja!

This past weekend we bid a fond farewell to Fr. Borja Miró Madariaga S.J. Fr. Borja has completed his studies in Moral Theology at Boston College and is returning to Spain for his new assignment teaching at a Jesuit secondary school.

Over this past year, following his ordination to the priesthood last June in Spain, Fr. Borja has celebrated weekday and Sunday Masses, baptisms, and funerals with us, and we have been infinitely blessed by his ministry…

An Invitation to All Students Who Have Made Their First Communion!

Would you like to be an altar server at Collaborative Masses?

Please join us on Wednesday, May 31 at 1:30pm (early release day) at St. John or Tuesday, June 6 at 3:30pm at St. Paul for altar server training. Training will run about 45 minutes; children may be dropped off at the church or caregivers may stay for the session. Children who have trained previously but would like a “refresher” are also welcome!

Synod Update: Big News from the Vatican

Last month, the Vatican announced that for the first time, lay people – including women – will serve as full members of the Synod of Bishops with voting rights, as part of a broader series of changes to the rules governing these papally convened summits. Under the previous norms, a synod was defined in canon law as a gathering of members, of which “the greater part are bishops” elected by their national bishops’ conference. Other members, usually bishops or male religious, were either appointed by the pope or by their religious institutes.

Attention All Volunteers! It is Annual CORI Submission Time!

Each year in the Spring, all staff and volunteers age 18 and older (including Eucharistic ministers and lectors, choir members and musicians, members of councils and commissions, ushers and counters, other Mass volunteers, etc.) must complete an annual Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) background screening (except for Religious Education volunteers who complete their screening in the early Fall), as mandated by civil and Archdiocese of Boston authorities.

Staff and volunteers will be available after each Mass this weekend, April 29-30, to assist you in completing your annual CORI form…

May is the Month of Mary – May Crowning at the Family Masses on May 7 and May 14

At the Sunday 9:00am Family Mass at St. John on May 7 and the Sunday 9:00am Family Mass at St. Paul on May 14 we will celebrate Mary by having a May Crowning. We invite all parishioners to bring flowers and participate in a May Procession at the end of Mass.

One child at each Mass will be selected in a drawing to place a floral crown on Mary’s head. Children who have made their First Communion (in 2023 and older) are invited to participate in the drawing. Look for the registration forms and drawing box in the lobby of each church starting the weekend of April 15 and running through April 30. We will draw the names on Monday May 1…