The Paulist Fathers and Paulist Center have a history rich in service and outreach in the City of Boston. Invited by Cardinal Cushing to establish the Center as a Catholic Information Center in 1945, the Center's initial work was reaching out to those who wished to join the Catholic church and to the downtown business community. The current chapel was dedicated in 1957, and the acts of outreach evolved into a community that today gathers at the Center to worship, welcome, educate, and act on behalf of peace and justice, animated by a vision of the Catholic Church marked by its collaborative ministry and governance.
Two notable highlights of the Center's history include:
The Walk for Hunger. Begun as a walk to support our own Wednesday Night Supper Club thirty years ago, the organization and administration of the Walk spun into Project Bread, now an entirely independent organization. The Walk still holds many of its organizational meetings at the Center and has its Walk Day tabulation headquarters here.
The Divorced and Separated Catholics Group. Begun in the 1970s as a local outreach to those alienated from the church due to the pain of divorce and separation, this group became the model for this now nationwide ministry.
Other recent annual highlights include:
Over 100 members participating in the preparation of liturgies at the Center on an ongoing basis.
250 people participating in one or more Adult Education offerings.
150 members participating in the education, spiritual, service, and social programs of the Xairos group, which gathers young Catholics from "Generation X."
Over 100 children participating in Sunday religious instruction, and Junior and Senior High Youth Groups.
An average of 250 families benefiting from our Food Pantry, 200 guests joining us at our weekly Wednesday Night Supper Club, and 75 joining us for our monthly Third Saturday Breakfasts.
80 students from Saint John-Saint Hugh parish in Roxbury participating in a mentoring and tutoring program managed by community members.
495 individuals preparing for the sacraments of Baptism, First Eucharist, First Reconciliation, Confirmation, and Marriage.
700 persons participating in preparation and renewal of understanding of Baptism, First Eucharist, First Reconciliation, Confirmation, and Marriage.
Community members donating $12,000 by allocating 5% of our weekly collections to 50 organizatoins that work for peace and justice.
Community members coming together to select the annual recipient of the Isaac Hecker Award for Social Justice.
