Important Announcements – Page 3 – St. John – St. Paul Catholic Collaborative

Welcome Back Fr. Gabriel!

We are thrilled to let you know that Fr. Gabriel was recently notified by the Clergy Personnel Office that he is to begin a new assignment as our Parochial Vicar, effective this month!

Fr. Gabriel Tokoh Afumbom joined us at the Collaborative in August 2023 as a Scholar Priest in Residence while completing his Master’s Degree in Leadership and Administration at Boston College.

Before coming to Boston, Fr. Gabriel served for many years as a pastor and in other leadership roles in his home diocese of Bamenda, Cameroon. He quickly embraced all aspects of parish life here in Wellesley, both sacramental and social. We were all blessed by his priesthood and his warm, welcoming presence…

Our Regular Summer Mass Schedule Returns This Weekend, August 10-11

We are excited to announce that beginning this weekend, August 10-11, we are able to return to our regular Summer Mass Schedule.

Saturday 4:00pm Vigil Mass at St. Paul
Saturday 5:00pm Vigil Mass at St. John*
Sunday 9:00am Mass at St. Paul*
Sunday 11:00am Mass at St. John

The St. John parking lot will be open for Weekend Masses and funeral parking (but may be closed at other times to facilitate ongoing work on fencing, gets, etc.)

Please drive slowly and carefully while entering, parking, and exiting, and park in the normal layout…

Wellesley Interfaith Lay Dialogue (WILD)

In late April, Temple Beth Elohim hosted a beautiful night of Shabbat services and interfaith sharing. Members of faith communities throughout the Wellesley community were invited to worship together and hear reflections from representative clergy.

From that beautiful event the idea for an interfaith lay ministry arose. Members of various congregations met together and formed WILD (Wellesley Interfaith Lay Dialogue), whose aim is to explore opportunities for lay conversation and collaboration.

Our first event, facilitated by Kelly Meraw, will be held on Thursday, September 12 at 6:00PM at Temple Beth Elohim in Wellesley. The topic of the evening’s dialogue will be “Synodality: A Language of Listening”…

St. John Parking Lot Reconstruction: Week 3

It’s been a busy week! Work on the new gates and fencing is in full swing, and by the time you read this the top coat will have been applied! We are on schedule to reopen the parking lot next weekend, August 10-11, and return to our Regular Summer Mass Schedule.

Summer Weekend Mass Schedule – August 10-11 Through Labor Day Weekend:
Saturday 4:00pm Vigil Mass at St. Paul
Saturday 5:00pm Vigil Mass at St. John*
Sunday 9:00am Mass at St. Paul*
Sunday 11:00am Mass at St. John *Livestreamed Masses

IMPORTANT: Beginning Saturday, August 10 the parking lot will be open for Weekend Mass and funeral parking, but may be closed at other times to facilitate ongoing work.

St. John Parking Lot Reconstruction: Week 2

Our general contractor, Ernest Guigli & Sons, Inc., has been making excellent progress! During the first week, the demolition of the old parking lot, compacting of the surface, and binder coat was completed. This past week, while the binder layer cures, asphalt curbing was installed along the fence lines. The curbing acts as a safety measure for people and vehicles and also adds a protective element for our existing trees, improving their health and the health of future plantings. The statue of the Blessed Mother in front of the Parish Center has been moved closer to the building where a small gathering area will be created for prayer and quiet reflection.

Work on the new driveway gates will begin this coming week, and the application of the top coat will happen over the next two weeks, so we are on schedule…

The St. Paul Church Front Entrance is Now Complete!

The installation of the new front steps at St. Paul Church was completed this week. The new granite steps, in addition to being beautiful, will be much safer and much easier to keep clear in the winter than the previous brick steps.

The crew is still working on a few small repairs to the side entrances, which should be completed very soon. We thank you again for your patience as we complete this important work…

Thank You for Your Prayers!

It was with great joy that I was able to be a part of the General Chapter for my congregation, the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Philadelphia, at the end of June.

For ten days, a group of 189 sisters gathered at Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia to pray together, discern our future, and ask God’s guidance on the next five years of our Congregation.

As our Chapter theme called us we spent our days “Listening Deeply & Loving Courageously,” not just for our own life but for the life of the world and the many communities we serve. Truly it was blessed time to be together, filled with sacred sharing, heartfelt reunions, and a healthy dose of laughter along the way…

St. John Parking Lot Reconstruction is Underway!

The reconstruction of the parking lot at St. John the Evangelist Parish is now underway – check out some photos from the first few days of work below!

As we announced earlier this month, we cannot celebrate weekend Masses at St. John while the parking is closed.

The Temporary Mass Schedule for this weekend, July 20-21, next weekend, July 27-28, and the following weekend, August 3-4, is:

Saturday 4:00pm Vigil Mass at St. Paul*
Sunday 9:00am Mass at St. Paul*
Sunday 11:00am Mass at St. Paul*

St. John Parking Lot Reconstruction and Temporary Weekend Mass Schedule Changes Beginning July 20-21

We are excited to let you know that we will be replacing the St. John parking lot this summer! The parking lot is long past its expected lifespan, so the project will be a major undertaking as it requires the demolition and removal of the existing surface prior to the installation of the new surface. The work will begin on Monday, July 15 and is expected to be finished by the week of August 5.

We will be unable to celebrate weekend Masses at St. John on July 20-21, July 27-28, and August 3-4 while the parking lot is closed. During this time, there will be NO Saturday 5:00pm Vigil Mass and the Sunday 11:00am Mass will be celebrated at St. Paul Church.

Temporary Weekend Mass Schedule for July 20-21, July 27-28, August 3-4:

Welcoming Our Collaborative Director of Music, William Endicott!

As we announced back in February when we began the search process, the new role of Collaborative Director of Music replaces our past structure of separate parish music directors. As Collaborative Director of Music, William has responsibility for and oversight over all facets of music ministry within the Collaborative, including the music of every Mass as well as our adult, teen, and children’s choirs. He looks forward to familiarizing himself with the musical traditions of our unique parishes while also looking for opportunities to deepen our collaboration.

New! A Weekly Music and Worship Aid!
One area where William brings significant musicology is the regular use of a worship aid…