The month of May always has a sense of new life and hope attached to it. That is not only because spring is in the air, but also because it is a month which turns our minds and hearts to Our Blessed Mother in a special way. I encourage you to make a home shrine to Our Lady outside in a garden or in your house, and pray to her, or in a safe manner, to visit the chapels of Mary in our church. In these days, we certainly rely on her love.

I pray that you are well. The Easter accounts that we hear throughout April and May of Jesus appearing to His disciples in unexpected ways and in unexpected places can be a source of real hope for us. These days challenge us in many ways, and so it’s good for us to keep the eyes of our hearts and minds open and aware to His presence.

As we enter a new phase in the current situation, we are hoping to offer another opportunity for prayer. We will be inviting three people to join us for Adoration for and on behalf of the whole community. (Under the current norms, we are unable to open this invitation to the general public or post when it will take place, as no announcement of public services is allowed.) We are anticipating three times a week with three persons for each occasion. To volunteer, contact Nancy through email or a phone call and she can direct you to the sign-up process.

Aliénor Manteau, AB '22 shares an Easter Week reflection about our own personal interior cathedral and leading up to the one-year anniversary of the fire at Notre Dame Cathedral.

This is, of course, a Holy Week unlike which any of us have experienced. But that is the beauty of our faith, and our liturgies – that they respond and speak to whatever is happening in our personal lives and in the world around us. We face our own trials and sufferings, but most importantly, those who die with Him also rise with Him!

The idea is for you to commit to giving a sacrificial gift of any amount to the parish every day, for 90 days. It goes directly to the parish and will end after 90 days. It is meant to get us over the hump. Perhaps a gift of $1 a day or $5 or $10 or .25 cents. We’d love everyone to be part of this, including Harvard and Choir School students. It is easy to access and to sign up. You’ll be directed to BostonCatholic.org and be sure to choose St. Paul Parish (Cambridge)!

A blessed Palm Sunday and Holy Week to you. It’s good to reach out to you again. As we continue to hold you in special prayer this year, we are all invited to be “with” each other in different ways during this Holy Week. It is certainly not the same as blessing palms and taking them home as we would like, or gathering in church for the beauty of Holy Thursday, the pathos of Good Friday, the majesty of the Easter Vigil and the joy of Easter Sunday Mass, but the truth of the mysteries strengthen us still!