In our years at Boston College, we’re fortunate to have the community, chapel, and liturgies of the CSTM as a spiritual base. But made for still more, our developing spiritual lives beckon us to plant roots in greater Boston. In the spirit of maturity, we must explore the riches of local faith communities. We come to study here as people of many religious traditions – not just Catholicism, and Boston has a place for all of us. While maybe not every weekend, a place to be liturgically grounded in communal worship outside of the CSTM is vital for healthy boundaries and personal growth.
In hopes of helping others discern the right worship community for them, we asked some students to share their experiences at a handful of local parishes.
The Paulist Center
5 Park St Pl, Boston, MA 02108
The Paulist Center is a vibrant, Catholic worshipping community located in the heart of downtown Boston. A short walk from Park St. station, the Paulist Center offers Mass on Saturdays at 5 PM, Sunday morning at 10 AM and Sunday evening at 6. Many of the young adults (aged 18-39) at the Paulist Center attend Sunday evening Mass at 6 pm. Occasionally, the young adults also informally gather after Mass to get dinner at a nearby restaurant or get takeout to sit on the Boston Common. This gathering is a great opportunity to meet other young adults in the Boston area and share about one’s week. Beyond gathering for Mass, the young adult community also offers weekly small groups that function like a Christian Life Community (CLC) group. They occur on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 7-8:30. The Paulist Center young adult community also gathers for social events such as Happy Hours around Boston, watching movies together or playing lawn games outside. Finally, the young adult community offers opportunities for spiritual growth such as evening prayers often over Zoom and a weekend retreat which typically occurs in the fall every year. From my experience at the Paulist Center, I have felt welcomed at every Mass and event I have attended and have grown close to many of the young adults who comprise the young adult community. The Paulist Center also values the input and participation of young adults in many endeavors such as on their Pastoral Council, social justice and advocacy groups and in leading prayers such as a Social Justice Stations of the Cross on Good Friday. Attending the Paulist Center has been a great opportunity for lay leadership in the Church and a place where one can find a spiritual home.
For more information on the young adult community, follow this link: » Young Adult Ministry Overview (paulistcenter.org). For more information on the Paulist Center, follow this link: https://www.paulistcenter.org
– John Morton, M.A.T.M. ‘21
St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish at Chestnut Hill
28 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 (closest to the CSTM)
For all those CSTM incoming students with a Latinx background or interested in Hispanic Ministry, St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish at Chestnut Hill could be the community you are looking for. At least, for me, it has been a gift to connect with its life-giving and active Hispanic community, which brings together adults or families from Latin America. As an international student coming from Peru, I faced many challenges in my adaptation process to the USA and Boston College. At St. Ignatius, I found spiritual support to navigate through the difficulties and embrace the joys and hopes that studying abroad brings to my journey. Initially, to worship every Sunday in Spanish, my native language, was a way of comforting myself from homesickness. Nonetheless, with time, it became an ongoing invitation to rediscover my religious and cultural roots in the light of new experiences and realize how that frames my theological education and future ministry. We celebrate mass every Sunday at 12:30 p.m., and we are always grateful to receive new liturgical ministers. There is also a Christian Life Community and a Faith Formation Program if you are willing to share your gifts with other Latino adults or children.
– Juan Miguel Espinoza Portocarrero, M.Div. ‘22
St. Brigid/Gate of Heaven, South Boston, MA
841 E Broadway, Boston, MA 02127
The next time you’re looking to get out of the BC/CSTM bubble, head to South Boston. Beyond the bars, beaches, and restaurants, you’ll find two wonderful parishes, St. Brigid and Gate of Heaven. The parishioners are kind, welcoming, salt of the earth, and friendly. If you join for Mass, you’ll find yourself worshipping alongside young adults, families with children, and life-long Southie residents whose families have been praying there since they arrived in the U.S. The Irish influence on these parishes is strong; many parishioners (and one of the priests, Msgr. Liam Bergin, who teaches in BC’s Theology Department) are from the Emerald Isle and St. Patrick’s Day is a high holy day. The Jesuit influence is similarly strong, as many Jesuits from the CSTM have served there as deacons during their studies, including yours truly. It’s about a 25 minute drive from Brighton, or a bit over an hour on public transit, but is unquestionably worth it.
– Danny Gustafson, S.J. (M.Div./S.T.L. ‘21)
St. Mary of the Assumption Parish, Brookline
5 Linden Pl, Brookline, MA 02445
The first Sunday that I attended Mass at St. Mary’s I immediately felt at home. The sense of community here is unlike anything I have experienced at any other Parish. Noticing that I was new, many young adults approached me after Mass, introducing themselves and welcoming me to the Parish. After this I started to get involved with the young adult group where I formed intentional relationships and was inspired to grow in holiness. I have found the people at St. Mary’s to reflect Christ so well in the way that they welcomed and embraced me and as they continue to do for other newcomers. The pastor at St. Mary’s, Fr. Jonathan Gaspar, is also very friendly and approachable, wanting to get to know his parishioners and exemplifying what it means to be a true spiritual father. Having this community was especially important for me when classes went online due to the pandemic. St. Mary’s is very accessible being a 10-minute drive from the CSTM and in between the C and D green lines for the T. If you are looking for a parish where you can get involved and gain practical experience alongside your studies, this parish is always looking for volunteers for many different ministries.
– Sarah Leyden, M.A.T.M. ‘21
The Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Mission Hill)
1545 Tremont Street; Boston, MA 02120; (617) 445-2600
The Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Mission Hill) was established over 150 years ago. The Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (C.Ss.R.) – Redemptorists built and served in this Parish, which changed the spirituality of the Irish Catholics who lived in Boston in the 19th, 20th, & 21st Centuries. The Irish and German craftsmen who constructed this Boston landmark designed every corner of the Parish (Nave) to be full of beauty, devotion, and dedication. She has the capacity to welcome 1,250 parishioners sitting and another 750 standing. The Redemptorists (founded by Saint and Doctor of the Church Alphonsus de Liguori) have a quest for missions, ministering to the marginalized, and a love for Jesus and Mary. God used them to turn the City of Boston into a Catholic stronghold. Today, the church is full of diversity with many different ethnic groups in membership. Our aim is cultural unity within the Parish due to the examples and expectations of the Priests. The homilies are encouraging and spiritually rewarding; the music program is distinctive for each Sunday mass.
– Marcy Wells, M.Div. ‘22
I found the Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help to be such a diverse and devout worship community in the Mission Hill area of Boston. Mission Church, as parishioners call it, is staffed by the Redemptorists, as well as a team of diverse and oh-so friendly lay volunteers. I can’t speak well enough of the group of volunteers who earnestly show up to wipe down seats and welcome congregants. I would not hesitate to invite peers or younger generations to this worshiping community.
This church was one of the parishes fortunate enough to manage limited in-person services during parts of the pandemic, and was able to offer recorded sessions of liturgies as well. They have masses in English, Spanish, as well as Haitian Creole. I was a deacon when I was helping out at the Basilica (2020-21). I found the pastor, Fr. Joseph Tizio, delightful to work with. During Zoom meetings, I noticed and appreciated how he was very encouraging of everyone. He is open and eager for the assistance of welcoming and experienced volunteers; especially in the area of building up the English adult faith formation community. Volunteers can assist with religious education, and a number of service opportunities that are available as well.
To those inquiring about getting involved, I might suggest you contact the pastor, Fr. Tizio, directly. He will get you pointed in the right direction. Blessings, friends!
https://www.bostonsbasilica.com/redemptorists
frtizio@bostonsbasilica.com
(617) 617-516-0331
– Martin Ngo, SJ, MDiv ’21 STL’21
St. Cecilia Parish (Back Bay) & St. Katharine Drexel Parish (Dorchester)
18 Belvidere St, Boston, MA 02115
517 Blue Hill Avenue, Boston, MA 02121
As a new student last Fall, I kept hearing from fellow Catholics about the dynamism of St. Cecilia parish in Back Bay. I resisted going, thinking it might be time to have a season where I just attend the nearest parish to me, no matter my opinion of the place. This stance lasted about three weeks. As I felt uninspired by the messages I received, I headed to St. C’s hopeful for refreshment. There down the train line I found a pastor and community seeking to know the wisdom of God in the complexities of life. I found a place with the vibrancy of honest and straightforward preaching, diverse worshippers, and extremely dedicated lay ministers.
Looking ahead, I am considering a parish change in the coming year. I’ve become more closely connected to the spirituality of the Black Catholic experience. I have ties to an historically Black parish in a previous city and have always found these houses of worship to be vessels of God’s radical hospitality and encouragement. So on a given Sunday, you may spot me at St. Katharine Drexel parish instead of St. Cecilia’s. Both hold meaning and promise for me.
– James Reding, M.T.S. ‘22
“To know and acknowledge the God of all things, of all people, and in all places is our call as students of a Jesuit institution. In that spirit, this year I would like to at least once attend a religious service with a student of another faith tradition, if they’ll have me. I think this is a significant piece of the spiritual puzzle. God surely wants us to have the humility to see how others seek and pray. I hope to be able to attend respectfully as a guest somewhere this Fall, and know that you’re always welcome to come to join me.”
James Reding, M.T.S. ‘22