Service and Outreach – Page 2 – St. John – St. Paul Catholic Collaborative

2023 “Spirit of Sharing” Gift Collection for St. Patrick Parish in Lawrence

Over the past two decades, Spirit of Sharing has brightened Christmas for several thousand young boys and girls struggling from poverty and hunger in the gateway immigrant city of Lawrence. This unique Season of Advent initiative was conceived and launched within our collaborative by a group of St. John-St. Paul parishioners and Saint John School families, and we are deeply grateful for Fr. Jim Laughlin’s enthusiastic continuing support…

Service: “College Behind Bars” Mentoring Program – Zoom Info Session Thursday, November 30

In an effort re-launch our Prison Ministry work, our Collaborative Service Commission is working with a local organization, Partakers, to help recruit mentors for their College Behind Bars program. Partakers pairs mentors with incarcerated men and women earning college degrees from Tufts University, Emerson College, Boston College, and Boston University… If you’re interested in learning more about the program and what being mentor involves there will be a Zoom Info session on Thursday, November 30 at 7pm. Please RSVP by completing the form available…

St. Paul Giving Tree – Take a Tag or Scan a Code Starting this Weekend!

This year’s Giving Tree program begins this weekend, November 11-12, with two boards set up in the St. Paul Sanctuary with gift tag requests. To participate:

Choose a tag or tags from the board/tree
Fill out each tag with your name and phone number
LEAVE the small detachable portion in the box near the board or tree
KEEP the remaining portion of the tag and attach it securely to the wrapped gift so it can be sorted and distributed to the correct location and person

New this year – support the Giving Tree with a click from your phone! Several of the organizations we are supporting this year have provided Amazon Wish Lists to make giving easier…

“Welcoming the Stranger” – Our Collaborative Response

Cardinal Seán O’Malley has alerted every parish in the Diocese regarding our readiness to assist in an ever-expanding immigration crisis beyond the state’s capacity to respond effectively.

To help make it easier for our parishioners to participate in responding to this critical need, our Collaborative Service Commission has set up “Welcoming the Stranger” donation lines in both churches. Attached to the lines are individual cards listing specific items of clothing, toiletries, and personal care needs.

At Mass this weekend, please pick out and take cards for as many items as you’d like to contribute – the cards serve as a reminder of your commitment to welcoming the stranger. If you miss the chance to pick out specific cards this weekend, know that all items listed below will be welcomed…

This Weekend, November 4-5: St. Francis House (Small/Single Use) Toiletries Drive

A collection of small sizes of personal care items (such as shampoo, soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shaving cream, lotion, etc.) for guests of St. Francis House will take place the weekend of November 4-5.

Complimentary hotel items are totally acceptable – so check your closets!

Items may be dropped off in the boxes that will be available at the back of both churches. Thank you for your support!

“Welcoming the Stranger” – A Message from Cardinal O’Malley

Cardinal Seán wrote to pastors and the parishes of the Archdiocese regarding a growing humanitarian and societal crisis that is building in the Commonwealth and Archdiocese of Boston. The issue involves the fate of immigrants arriving daily in Massachusetts and in need of basic shelter and compassionate care. The Cardinal’s letter is posted in it’s entirety below, and all parishioners are encouraged to take time to read it.

In the coming weeks, the Collaborative, with the help of our Collaborative Service Commission, will make every effort to respond generously and effectively to answer the call to “welcome the stranger” and give aid to our immigrant sisters and brothers. Stay tuned for details!

St. John Christmas Wish – Help Make Wishes Come True!

New this year – Christmas Wish has gone digital! Caring for our brothers and sisters means caring for the home we share, so we have eliminated the environmental and economic impact of a large paper mailing.

The Christmas Wish Program has been one of the highlights of our holiday outreach since 1993. This Christmas, we hope to grant the special wishes for more than 400 children based upon the caring generosity of our parish community. Each child is provided with a new outfit of clothing and a special Christmas Wish gift they have requested…

St. Paul Giving Tree – Coming November 11!

The annual Giving Tree Program starts November 11 and runs through December 3.

This year, we will have our usual gift tags with the requested items listed as well as QR codes that can be scanned to access specific Amazon Wish Lists to make giving even easier with a few clicks from your cell phone!

The scannable QR codes will be posted and the physical tags will be placed on boards (then moved to the Christmas trees) in the St. Paul Sanctuary beginning November 11 through Sunday, December 3…

Service: “College Behind Bars” Mentoring Program

The Corporal Works of Mercy are found in the teachings of Jesus and give us a model for how we should treat all others, as if they were Christ in disguise. One of the Corporal Works of Mercy – to visit the imprisoned – is at the heart of Prison Ministry programs.

St. Vincent de Paul Celebration and Second Collection

Join us this Sunday, October 1, to celebrate the Society of St. Vincent de Paul!

Community Walk from St. Paul to St. John Immediately following the St. Paul 11:00am Mass, join us for the 2.4 mile walk from St. Paul Church to St. John Church along Washington St.

Celebration and BBQ Lunch at St. John The festivities begin at the conclusion of the St. John 12:00pm Mass with the arrival of the walkers from St. Paul who will join us for a BBQ, games, raffle and more in the Saint John School parking lot. You do not need to participate in the Walk to come to the BBQ – all are welcome!