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February 22, 2024
Dear Friends,
This email is to update you on recent communications from the Paulist Fathers as it relates to us here at the Paulist Center in Boston. Please take a few minutes to read this message in full.
Please start by reading the letter from Fr. René Constanza, President of the Paulist Fathers, found at paulist.org/letter. In it, René addresses the challenges we face due to the ongoing decline in the number of priests available for ministry. As a result, the Paulists are carefully considering which ministries they can best continue to support and which ones, unfortunately, they may need to withdraw from.
I understand that this news may come as a surprise and may evoke a range of emotions, including anxiety about the future of the Paulist Center. Last night, members of the Paulist Center Pastoral Staff, the Pastoral Council, and I met to discuss this news. We agreed that we wanted to share the information with our community. Please know that we deeply regret any distress this may cause. Personally, I want to assure you that nationally, both the Paulist Fathers and our lay collaborators have been diligently balancing the need for transparency and thoroughness with the necessity for discretion and confidentiality. While processes like these often bring about short-term anxiety and pain, our goal is to ensure the long-term flourishing of all involved.
It's important to clarify: No decisions have been finalized yet. The local Paulists remain hopeful and optimistic that the General Council will find a way for us to continue our ministry at the Paulist Center. (Fr. Rick's pastoral reflection this weekend examines some of "the reasons for our hope," cf. 1 Peter 3:15.) While the exact timeline for any potential withdrawals will depend on the contractual obligations with various dioceses, it is likely that any changes would occur within the calendar year 2024.
With the guidance of our 5-member Paulist Lay Board, including someone who has worked on similar processes and another with deep connections to the Paulist Center since the 1980s, the General Council of the Paulist Fathers will assess every ministry on a set of predefined criteria. With the assistance of the Paulist Center staff, I will ensure that our responses to these criteria are submitted by Thursday, February 29. The General Council aims to reach decisions by the end of March.
We at the Paulist Center in Boston are committed to serving and supporting each other on our faith journeys. This is who we are and why we celebrate each week, together. It’s in this same communal spirit that we will face the process before us. Please know that the Pastoral Staff, the Pastoral Council, Fr. Rick, and I are here to support you during this uncertain time and to advocate for our beloved Paulist Center Community. We will provide you with the information we have, acknowledge what we don't know, reaffirm our belief in the spiritual value of the Paulist Center, and continue to pray together. Through it all, let us remember that God's presence transcends our understanding and will sustain us.
As we journey together through this Lenten season of uncertainty, let us continue to support one another:
Ask questions. Members of the Pastoral Staff and the Pastoral Council will be available after each Mass this weekend to address any concerns you may have. Your questions will likely help us engage fully in the process. We also aim to provide a "Frequently Asked Questions" document for your reference very soon.
Advocate with us. Please email the Pastoral Council at pccouncil@paulistcenter.org by Sunday evening, Feb 25, with your thoughts on what aspects of the Paulist Center's mission are most important to you and should be highlighted in our response to the General Council.
Pray together. Let us lift up our Paulist Center Community in prayer during this uncertain time. Let us also pray for all the Paulists and individuals worldwide who collaborate with them or benefit from their ministry. Above all, let us pray for the wisdom and discernment of the Holy Spirit guiding the General Council and their lay collaborators as they navigate these difficult decisions.
In Christ, through the Holy Spirit,
Rich
Rev. Richard R. Andre, C. S. P.
Director
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