Religious Education – Page 2 – St. John – St. Paul Catholic Collaborative

Family Adoration: Friday, March 8 from 5:00-5:30pm at St. John Chapel

This family-friendly liturgy is a great way to celebrate Lent with the whole family. The purpose of Family Adoration is to welcome families and to help young children learn to adore Christ present in the Eucharist. This informal program is designed to accommodate children of all ages, and allows for families to arrive and leave as needed. We will have coloring pages, a worship aid with activities, and an opportunity for the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Reconciliation and Worship Service for Teens – Friday, March 1 at 5:00pm at St. Paul Church

Are you a teen? Has it been a while since your last confession? Are you a little nervous about it but really want to receive the sacrament? Come join the Youth Ministry Team for this special reconciliation service – there will be music, a brief reading from scripture, a short reflection, and a walk through an examination of conscience. The Youth Ministry team will help guide you through all the steps to leaving a little lighter and filled with God’s mercy!

Are you receiving Confirmation this spring? There is no better way to prepare to receive the Gifts of the Holy Spirit!

Interested, but not sure if you’ll feel ready to receive the sacrament on Friday night? That’s OK – please come anyway, and encourage your friends to come too! There will be no pressure, just an open invitation to experience God’s love and mercy.

Announcement Regarding Lowering Age of Confirmation

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops sets the ordinary age of Confirmation between the age of discretion (around age eight) and about sixteen years of age, as determined by the local bishop. In the Archdiocese of Boston, the ordinary age has been Grade 10. Recently, the Archdiocese of Boston announced that Cardinal Seán has approved a proposal that will lower the ordinary age of Confirmation within the Archdiocese of Boston from Grade 10 to Grade 8, to be implemented over the next 2-3 years.

Why is this change being made? For some time, the Archdiocese has been involved in an extensive consultation on a question of great importance: how to strengthen the participation of young people and their families in the life of faith in Jesus Christ lived out in our parishes, schools, and communities…

Our Collaborative Outdoor Mass is this Sunday, September 17 at 10:30am on the Lawn at St. Paul

Please join us as we gather together as a community on the expansive lawn in front of St. Paul Church to celebrate our first Collaborative Outdoor Mass since 2019. Parishioners are invited to bring lawn chairs or blankets for seating. A section of chairs will be set up and available for those who require them due to mobility issues. We ask all others to please bring their own lawn chairs/blankets for seating. After Mass, please join us in the parking lot behind the church for fellowship, food, and fun!

We will have a reduced Mass schedule on…

Our Sunday Family Mass and Youth Mass are Back!

This weekend we welcome back our Sunday 9:00am Family Mass (and Coffee & Donuts!) and our Sunday 5pm Youth Mass!

It’s the 2nd Sunday of the month, so we’re at St. Paul this weekend – please join us after the 9:00am Family Mass for Coffee & Donuts in the Parish Hall, and after the Sunday 5pm we’ll celebrate with “Make Your Own Sundaes”!

August Religious Education and Youth Ministry Updates

All registered families should have received an email with program information for the upcoming year. This email has detailed information about each program, schedules and a link to the Religious Ed website. If you have not received the email please check your spam folder and if it is not there please contact Linda at Linda.Messore@sjspwellesley.org to resolve any communication issues. Please note that we are still looking for teachers for Sunday morning and Wednesday afternoon classes… Please consider sharing your faith with the young people in our program…

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!

May Processions at the Family Mass

The month of May is dedicated in a special way to the Blessed Virgin Mary. We will celebrate Mary with May Processions at our 9:00am Family Masses on:

Sunday, May 7 at St. John Church
Sunday, May 14 at St. Paul Church

We invite all children to bring a flower and participate in the procession and crowning at the end of Mass.

Congratulations to Our Newly Confirmed Students!

Congratulations to the 77 students from our Collaborative who received this Sacrament of Confirmation this month!

Holy Spirit, strengthen our students with your gifts of Wisdom, Understanding, Right Judgment, Courage, Knowledge, Reverence, and Wonder and Awe.

Fill them with the joy of your presence and increase in them the fruit of your Spirit. Help them to experience and trust your dwelling within, so that they can count on your guidance today and every day.

Show us the way to help one another become better disciples of Jesus Christ, sharing your love with our world and with each person we meet.

Come, Holy Spirit! Come!

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…