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

The St. John-St. Paul Society of Saint Vincent de Paul

In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus tells his disciples to “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” Vincent de Paul, a great man of action was also a contemplative. His contemplation of God’s love overflowed into practical love for the poor. Please say a special prayer for the poor and forgotten, as you place your gift in the Society of St. Vincent de Paul poor box. There are donation boxes in support of the St. John – St. Paul Society of Saint Vincent de Paul located in the foyer of each church. Please help us help those in need. Have you considered answering the call to help serve the poor by joining the Society of St. Vincent de Paul?

2021 Collaborative Lenten Gift Collection: This Weekend, March 20-21

Our Lenten Gift collection for the St. John-St. Paul POWIR Ministry will be taken up at all Masses in both parishes this weekend, March 20-21. Please place your donations in the 2021 Lenten Gift receptacles in the entryways of the churches. Donations may also be made online anytime on our

Our Lenten Gift Story Week 3: The Road Ahead

During the first three weeks of Lent, we have presented information about refugee resettlement and the work of the SJSP Collaborative to support refugee resettlement in partnership with Catholic Charities of the Boston Archdiocese. Our work is ongoing. Despite the challenges of coping during a world-wide pandemic, POWIR volunteers have

Our Lenten Gift Story Week 2: The Rwamuhinda Family

Almost exactly one year ago, we were overjoyed to learn that we would soon be welcoming the Rwamuhinda family from a refugee camp in Rwanda, where they had spent the last 13 years after fleeing the Democratic Republic of Congo. Our POWIR team immediately sprang into action to organize lists of what the family would need upon arrival – everything from furniture to clothes to kitchen items – and presented the needs at that weekend’s Masses. By the last Mass on Sunday, every item on the list was spoken for thanks to the generosity of our wonderful faith community. Emile and Rosine and five of their children landed at Logan Airport on March 18, 2020 on one of the last arriving flights before international travel was halted…

Our Lenten Gift Story Week 1: The POWIR Ministry Fund

Last year, in 2020, our plan was to use our Lenten Gift to establish a St. John-St. Paul POWIR Ministry Fund to support our ongoing immigrant and refugee resettlement work in partnership with Catholic Charities Boston. POWIR (Parishes Organized to Welcome Immigrants and Refugees) programs have helped thousands of refugee

POWIR Update: The Rwamuhinda Family

Firstly a thank you! The Rwamuhindas would like to thank the generous parishioners who provided and helped to decorate a Christmas tree and to all those who helped to provide beautiful Christmas gifts for them. The family were delighted to be able to celebrate their first Christmas together in the

St. Paul “Giving Tree” Wrap-Up

THANK YOU to our wonderful parishioners who gave so generously to the 2020 Giving Tree Program! Despite the pandemic, we collected hundreds of gift cards and gifts which will ensure many families will have food and gifts they otherwise might not have received. Truly this is the spirit of Christmas!

Letter from the St. John “Christmas Wish” Team

Dear Christmas Wish Sponsors and Donors, 2020 has certainly been a year to remember. The families that we support through our Christmas Wish outreach program needed our help more than ever this year. Many of the children in our program would not see a gift under the tree were it

“Spirit of Sharing” Gift Collection

Almost every year for the past two decades, a group of parishioners has organized a gift collection from parish and Saint John School families for a program called “Spirit of Sharing”. The program, sponsored by St. Patrick’s Parish in Lawrence under the leadership of Fr. Paul O’Brien, benefits the thousands

Annual “Coats for Kids” Collection Begins This Weekend! November 7-8 and 14-15

Each year in November, our Collaborative participates in the Coats for Kids drive coordinated by Anton’s Cleaners, a Boston-wide coat collection campaign for children, teens, adults and babies. Anton’s cleans all the donated coats and coordinates their distribution to those in need. Please bring gently used, warm winter coats of all sizes