Over 75 parishioners from the St. Paul and St. John parishes joined on June 13th to discuss how adult faith enrichment can be offered within the Collaborative in ways which are greater than our parishes can accomplish individually. The energy and commitment at that session was palpable and contributed to a rich and rewarding discussion concerning our collective vision of adult faith enrichment within the St. John-St. Paul Collaborative! By drawing on the ideas and talents of parishioners from both parishes, we stand stronger as we seek to formulate programs which will nurture and inspire us all as Catholics.
Led by Carol Yamartino, a professional executive meeting facilitator, the ideas flowed freely – greater focus on scripture, the possibility of retreats and speaker programs, increased support for families as the first instructors of faith for their children, inter-Collaborative music ministry, and the list goes on!
But the process did not end on June 13th! The ideas expressed that evening are being reviewed by me, in consultation with the members of the Collaborative Pastoral Council, as we begin to consider how to move forward and build upon the ideas expressed. New ways to organize ourselves across the Collaborative to assist in that effort are also being considered. Importantly, we will be holding another session in the fall to continue this important discussion about expanding our parishes’ ministries through collaborative efforts. Stay tuned!
Fr. Jim
The Daughters of St. Paul will be here at our parish after all the Masses on the weekend of 
Our book for May is Remember to Live – Embracing the Second Half of Life by Fr. Thomas Ryan, CSP.
St. John’s Adult Faith Formation Commission
We invite you to join us this Tuesday evening for Pilgrims on a Journey: The RCIA Story.
Our book for April is The Jewish Annotated New Testament, Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Zvi Brettler, editors. This book has been described as a “ground-breaking text for scholarship, interfaith dialogue, and secular or religious readers.” The goal of the editors and the international team of scholars who contributed articles and commentary was to explain how Jewish practices and writings influenced New Testament writers. This is done through extensive notes and a series of thirty essays on a wide assortment of historical and religious topics. Our discussion will focus on the gospel according to St. John. It would be helpful for participants to be generally familiar with the organization and content of this gospel. There will be hand-outs with samples of the commentary from the book. For information, please contact John Stewart, 617-969-0950, or johnstewart@alum.bu.edu.
When All Seemed Lost: Waiting for the Third Day
Who do you say I am? (Matthew 16:13-20)
How Music Leads Us through Lent to the Joy of Easter
