CSTM students at St. Ignatius Church
Marian Concepion, MA/MSW ‘24
Faith Community: Boston Misang Pinoy (Filipino Mass in Boston)
"I have been attending Boston Misang Pinoy since undergrad and the community has played an important role in my faith life. As an international student from the Philippines, being part of a mass community where I am able to sing songs and eat food that I grew up with in a language that is familiar to me has been an important way that I have experienced a sense of home in Boston, and I am grateful for all of the Titas (aunties), Titos (uncles), ates (older sisters), and kuyas (older brothers) who I get to be in community with."
Leslee Ambrosio, Th.M.
Faith Community: Boston Misang Pinoy (Filipino Mass in Boston)
"I grew up serving at Mary Mirror of Justice Parish, a diocesan parish in the Philippines.My service to the different ministries is my Magnificat – a way to sing praises and to give thanksto the goodness and glory of God. Upon arriving here in Boston, I was thrilled to learn of theBoston Misang Pinoy, a Filipino community based in Boston College, that gathers every secondand fourth Sundays of the month at Simboli Hall to have a Eucharistic celebration and foodfellowship. Being a part of this community not only gave me the opportunity to serve as alector, commentator, and altar server but also the warmth of a family – a home away fromHome."
Rada Ruggles, M.Div. '26
Faith Community: the Brighton Allston Congregational Church
“You are welcome here, Not in spite of who you are but because of who you are” This is my congregation, the Brighton Allston Congregational Church. We are an Open and Affirming congregation in the United Church of Christ for LGBT+. It is a community that seeks to bring Jesus’s love to all through our various ministries. As a student at the CSTM hoping to be a pastor, having a supportive faith community that is encouraging and supportive is deeply important to me. BACC has become a community to practice the faith I believe in and work that lives out the meaning of discipleship. It’s a place of love, for each other and God.
Diana Hadjiyane, M.A. ‘24
Faith Community: St. George's Greek Orthodox Community
I both work and participate in St. George's Greek Orthodox Community up in Lynn, MA. As a member of the Greek Orthodox Church, St. George has been a place where I've found my faith bolstered but also my culture enhanced, deepening my spirituality in a holistic and robust way. Each week, following Divine Liturgy, we have a fellowship hour, complete with all the Greek treats you can imagine, where I am offered the chance to learn more about the folks within my church community over a shared reverence for our culture. I love being able to reflect deeply on my encounters with the divine both internally and externally inasmuch as I find myself fully beheld by the community I pray amongst.
Halie Goldwire, M.A. '24
Faith Community: Clough School Students
"'You watch The Chosen too?' followed by, 'Don’t you just love Mary Magdalene?' or 'Peter really bugs me in this show' are conversations that might be heard in passing at the CSTM. But why end the conversation there? I am a part of a small prayer group where we decided to sit down and watch an episode, and reflect on the episode after. This community has provided me with countless questions like, “When have I been angry at God like Eden or Peter has been?” or “Why are healing stories so attractive? What is a healing story in my life?” Having this space to reflect on Jesus’ life with my friends has enriched my own prayer as well as reminded me, “For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them (Matthew 18:20)."
Lauren Warner, Ph.D. Student, Theology and Education
Faith Community: St. Katharine Drexel Church
"St. Katharine Drexel Church, located in the Grove Hall neighborhood of Dorchester, is a place that I call home. As the only Black Catholic parish in the Archdiocese of Boston, it is the place where Black Catholics are able to bring our “whole selves, fully functioning”, as Sr. Thea Bowman would say, to worship every Sunday. The first time that I attended this church, like all first time visitors, I was serenaded with a welcome song. The pastor makes it very clear that the next time visitors attend St. Katharine’s, they are no longer guests, they are home. I love this community so much! As someone who is not from the Boston area, I was embraced with open arms. This welcoming church makes me feel as though I am a part of the parish family. The music is moving, the preaching is fantastic, and the people are loving. I am so blessed to have found my place at St. Katharine Drexel!"