Important Announcements – Page 18 – St. John – St. Paul Catholic Collaborative

UPDATE: Sunday Early Morning Masses and Religious Ed Classes Cancelled

On Saturday, January 29 all activities at the St. John- St. Paul Collaborative are cancelled. Both churches will remain closed all day.

On Sunday, the early morning Masses (7:30am at St. Paul and 9:00am at St. John), and Religious Education classes, are also cancelled.

As of now, the Sunday 11:00am Mass at St. Paul, the 12:00pm Mass at St. John, and the 5:00pm Mass at St. John are still scheduled and will be livestreamed. If conditions warrant cancelling additional Masses it will be announced on our website and social media, and an email will be sent to the Collaborative email list. (If you are not on our email list, or are not sure, you can sign up HERE.)

All Activities Cancelled Saturday, January 29

Due to the impending storm, all activities at the St. John- St. Paul Collaborative are cancelled on Saturday, January 29. This includes the 1:00pm Sacrament of Reconciliation at St. John, the 4:00pm Vigil Mass at St. Paul, and the 5:00pm Vigil Mass at St. John. Both churches will remain closed all day.

A decision regarding the Sunday Mass schedule, particularly the early morning Masses, will be made Saturday evening. It will be announced on our website and social media, and an email will be sent to the Collaborative email list. (If you are not on our email list, or are not sure, you can sign up HERE.)

Weekend Blizzard Warning: Be Alert for Mass Schedule Changes!

As you know, Massachusetts is bracing for a snowstorm that could bring more than 20 inches to some communities, with blizzard conditions expected in much of Eastern Massachusetts.

In making decisions about the Mass schedule this weekend, we must prioritize the safety of our parishioners, staff and clergy…

A Message from Fr. Jim: News About Our Collaborative Pastoral Council

It is with my most sincere thanks, that after more than 5 years of shepherding our Collaborative Pastoral Council into existence and providing guidance, Leah Cinelli, Jon Bonsall, Ed Ryan and Jerry Kehoe have concluded their service to the Collaborative Pastoral Council. I am most grateful for their service to our Collaborative.

Please join me in welcoming the following parishioners to the CPC effective in January 2022. Each will serve a 3-year term beginning in September 2022.

Russ Morton, Odessa Sanchez and Dorene Christie will join Carolyn Anderson, Mary Mullen, and Rose Mary Donahue as representatives from St. John.

Katie Hamel, Julie Byrne and Michael Mastrianni will join Doug Smith, Donna Norwood and Eugenia Kennedy in representing St. Paul.

POWIR Update: Our New Residents Have Arrived!

Our POWIR team is pleased to announce that our new residents have arrived. Three wonderful young adult men are now settled in the apartment. Two of them speak English very well and were in the midst of university studies in Afghanistan. They would like to resume these studies once their English skills reach that level. They are polite, enthusiastic, grateful, and very engaging young men. They play soccer and volleyball and are very interested in American culture.

The team is looking for people who could take them on outings such as bowling, sightseeing in Boston, hiking, or other entertainment. They will need to learn things such as how to ride the subway. If you are interested in helping out and meeting these new, very engaging young men, please contact Mary Campion.

The Synodal Journey Newsletter – “#ChurchOnTheWay”

Interested in learning more about the global Synodal Journey? The General Secretariat for the Synod of Bishops offers a periodic newsletter with news from around the world with initiatives and celebrations related to the synodal process. The most recent newsletter gives

9:00am Mass at St. Paul and 1:00pm Adoration at St. John Cancelled on Friday, January 7

With the current forecast calling for heavy snow and hazardous travel throughout the day, and with the safety of our parishioners and staff always at the forefront of our decisions, the 9:00am Mass at St. Paul and the 1:00pm Adoration at St. John on Friday, January 7 are cancelled.

The Collaborative Offices will also be closed, and staff will be working remotely. Messages and emails will be returned as soon as possible.

Saturday, January 1 is the Solemnity of Mary the Holy Mother of God – Join Us at 9:00am Mass at St. Paul Church

This Saturday, January 1, is the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God. Mass for the Solemnity will be celebrated at 9:00am at St. Paul Church.

The Mass will also be streamed live on our website (and a recording of the Mass will be available on our Previously Streamed Liturgies and Events page after that.)

A Christmas Message from Our Pastor

Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! (Phil 4:4). As I write these words, we have just celebrated the Third Sunday of Advent, know as Gaudete Sunday. The rose vestments and candle on the Advent wreath remind us that the Lord is near. And therefore, there is always cause for rejoicing. As I write I am also cognizant of the fact the for the second year, as we celebrate Christmas, the global pandemic continues to upend our lives on so many levels. People are weary. So many are suffering terribly. Injustices continue to be unveiled. And in our ever increasingly polarized society, the proverbial “peace on earth” declared by the angels seems elusive. Given all of this, how do we rejoice?

Special Mass Schedule for Sunday, December 26 – the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph

7:30am Mass at St. John Church
9:00am Family Mass at St. Paul Church
11:00am Mass at St. Paul Church
12:00pm Mass at St. John Church

There will be no Vigil Masses on the evening of December 25 for Sunday, December 26.

There will be no Sunday 5pm Youth Mass on Sunday, December 26 – we will see you at the next Sunday 5pm Youth Mass at St. John on Sunday, January 2!