With COVID 19 causing us to become isolated, spread out across the country/world, and a bit dulled, many folks in our community miss the friendly conversations that used to take place after Masses or during our large pasta dinners and discussion groups.

All students (both undergraduate and graduate) as well as postdocs and young professionals are invited to register with the Harvard Catholic Center to receive our weekly email newsletters. Click on the title of this post to register.

Harvard Alum Jack Krouse, AB'04, was ordained into the transitional diaconate on June 20, 2020, in the church of Saint-Ignace in Paris, along with 10 other Jesuits from around the world. Please pray for him and all of our Harvard alumni who are considering vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

Inspired Ornamental completed the repair work on the Ascension this week. It was impressive and oppressive work with temperatures near 110 degrees at the top of the scaffolding some days. The plaster repair will take a week to dry, because of the humid conditions. Included in the plaster work was replacing the two stained glass windows which were shown to be leaking rain water. JW Graham, the same painters who painted the sanctuary, will begin their work the week of August 10.

Congratulations to newly ordained Fr. James Ferus, SJ, AB '07 (ordained Saturday, Aug 1st in Boston) and Fr. Doug Ray, SJ, JD '98 (ordained Saturday, August 8 in Philadelphia)! Click the photo for details and photos of the ordinations. Please continue to pray for our Harvard Alumni Jesuits!

Louis DeRidder is a Ph.D. student in the MIT-Harvard Medical School Health Sciences and Technology (HST) program studying Medical Engineering and Medical Physics. He was received into the Church at the public Mass on Sunday, July 12 at St. Paul's. Read about his experience here. Pictured with his sponsor Dr. Daniel Lage AB '11, MD '17 and Fr. Patrick Fiorillo.

If St. John Henry Cardinal Newman was thought to be a notable behind-the-scenes influence on Vatican Council II, so was St Francis de Sales, especially regarding the Laity. De Sales was centuries ahead of his time in leading not just monks and nuns but everyone to sanctity, even those, such as soldiers or those at court, once thought beyond possibility. Hope was a hallmark in his guiding lay people to sanctity by a deep confidence in God through all of life’s trials:

Though not surprised, we were disappointed to learn that most of the undergraduates and graduates will not be returning in the fall. This is a great sadness for us at the Harvard Catholic Center, the parish, and for all the students involved. We continue to pivot in our plans for reaching out to those in our care as lovingly and effectively as we can.

We are especially grateful for your generous help during the initial phase of the 90-Days Now – For Your Parish initiative. As you know, 90-Days Now encourages parishioners to rally around their parish, or another parish of their choice, by making a special daily offertory commitment for the next 90 days. This effort is intended to supplement weekly offertory gifts, given the challenges of the current crisis. ALL FUNDS GO DIRECTLY TO OUR PARISH. The link is available by going to www.BostonCatholic.org/donate.

There is a lot of construction going on at St. Paul's this summer as we make restorations to our plaster work and Ascension of Jesus

Congratulations! We are very happy that ten of our First Communion children celebrate receiving the Lord in the Eucharist this Saturday. Thank you to their families for all their understanding as we figure things out during these pandemic days, and thanks especially to Faith Formation Director Catherine Barilleaux for all her great leadership. Congratulations boys and girls!! You remind us how precious Holy Communion is.

The liturgical calendar tells us that this is the Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time. The world around us indicates that these times simply are not ordinary. If I could remind all of us that the best way to face the complications we face is by steeping ourselves in God’s own vision and view of the world. We do that first and best by quiet prayer, by reading the Scriptures and by meditating on, and when possible, receiving the sacraments. Then, the necessary actions which proceed from that commitment will serve one and all in the best way possible. It was good to begin the diocesan Year of the Eucharist last week, with Adoration and a fine reflection offered by our resident seminarian, Bobby LeBlanc. We look forward to making further plans and celebrations known as they are finalized.

This weekend we celebrate the great gift of self-sacrifice: Jesus’ own Body and Blood given to us in the Eucharist, the Solemnity of Corpus Christi (The Body and Blood of Christ.) In our Catholic understanding of this sacrament, we believe that it is Jesus wholly and truly present, human and divine. It is not a symbol, reference, or reminder, but truly Jesus Christ. This weekend we will also inaugurate, with the Archdiocese of Boston, the Year of the Eucharist. Sunday June 14, we will have a Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration in the church from 4:00 PM-5:00 PM. You are welcome to attend (no reservation required.)

Starting Tuesday, June 16, 7 pm (CST) a discussion about Dante as Poet and Philosopher. This discussion is the first of a new series on Reason and Beauty in Renaissance Christian Thought and Culture.

The crime and tragedy of George Floyd's death has once again revealed the painful reality of injustice in our country. As Cardinal O'Malley has noted, it is "a narrative which has been repeated often and in multiple locations...but the African American community lives with the experience and memories of these deaths in an entirely different way." Our hearts are heavy for the suffering and outrage so many experience.

Blessed Pentecost to you all. The church is always being recreated anew, so we follow the Spirit’s lead! This weekend, we welcome parishioners back to St. Paul’s on Sunday, May 31 at 7:30 AM, 9:30 AM and 11:00 AM. We look forward to a reverent, patient, and safe re-opening of our Masses so that all may be served. Things will be very much changed in the next few months, at least, maybe even week by week, so we thank you for your flexibility. Thanks for helping us to do this well!

Please join us in supporting the Class of 2020 gift to the Harvard Catholic Center. Our collective gift will add a sign to the Arrow Street entrance. We've made our gift and we hope you will too. Thank you and God bless you. Ify Ogu, Sam Hand, Kevin Kearns.

As we know, life these days is changed, but not ended! Here is a list of things that you can expect when you return to St. Paul’s for Mass. We are so happy to have you back at Bow and Arrow Streets! As you will hear many times, we are grateful for your patience and flexibility as we find what works best (it may take at least a few weeks.) This could include requests for more volunteers, adjustments of communion procedures, entrance and exit practices, and may-be even change of Mass times and locations. The Archdiocese has made a video available with general norms, and I will offer one for Mass at St. Paul’s as well.

The Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Boston, Bishop Peter Uglietto (a Choir School graduate!), sent a letter to all pastors this week. In it, he reminded all of us that the sacramental and pastoral care of our people are of utmost concern, and that to do that effectively for the long run, we are committed also to following the guidelines of the civil authorities. Realistically, he noted, given the complexities and many decisions that have to be made regarding safe Mass attendance on the diocesan and local levels, it will probably not be an immediate return. The diocese has provided a useful outline of things that parishes should be thinking about, which we have begun to do with our staff.

The Harvard Catholic Center co-sponsors this Zoom event with the Lumen Christi Institute, Tuesday, May 19, 5:00 pm., CDT. This event is free and pre-registration is required. Click on the photo for more details.