Welcome to The Church of Saint Paul

Hamilton and Wenham

SAINT PAUL'S TO RE-OPEN BEGINNING May 30 with Restrictions and limited seating.

We plan to offer two Masses this weekend: 4:30PM on Saturday and 10:15AM on Sunday. By Friday noon of each week, please sign up for the Mass you plan to attend by going online to SignUpGenius link on below.

We encourage all those who are frail in health or have underlying conditions to stay at home and watch our Mass online. The link is available on this website (see: Sunday Mass with Fr. Lawlor) and through The Church of Saint Paul, serving Hamilton and Wenham Facebook page, starting at 4pm on Saturdays. To watch a broadcast of a daily Mass, go to WatchTheMass.com

We ask for your prayerful and thoughtful continuation of your normal offertory contributions during this unprecedented time. To donate online, please go to https://churchofsaintpaul.churchgiving.com/

Please sign up for which Mass you intend to attend. Click here: to reserve your spot.

Reopening the Church of St. Paul

Below you will find guidance on how things have been adjusted for your safety. Please familiarize yourself with these directives.

Welcome to the Resumption of Public Mass

Our goals are to allow as many people who wish to participate in Mass to do so, while strictly maintaining a safe environment. We will follow the health guidelines of the State of Massachusetts and the liturgical directives of the Archdiocese of Boston.

This is a work in progress. As we learn we will make any adjustments needed. If we remain patient and cooperate with each other then we can display our care and concern for each other.

The dispensation from the Sunday Mass obligation will continue for the foreseeable future. People in vulnerable populations, especially the elderly and those with compromised physical conditions, are encouraged to continue to watch Mass from home: Catholic TV/EWTN.

Health guidelines and liturgical directives include:

The need to wear masks. Please bring your own.
Greeters will be at the doors of the church. You will be lead to an appropriate spot which respects social distancing.
Family members may sit together; otherwise maintain a social distance of six feet.
There will be no congregational singing during the Mass and no exchange of peace prior to the Lamb of God response.
Greeters will invite you by row for reception of Holy Communion from front to back by section.
When receiving Holy Communion put out your hand and the priest will drop the host into the hand. Please do not wear gloves. Upon receiving step aside, pull the mask down and communicate immediately before returning to your row.
Also, greeters will direct you at the end of Mass by row from back to front in each section in exiting the church. In both instances with your co-operation we will strive to maintain our social distancing
We need to sanitize church following Mass, so we kindly ask that you leave a few moments following Mass.

For Daily Mass attendees:

We need to sanitize church following Mass, so we kindly ask that you leave a few moments following Mass. The Church for the foreseeable future will be locked after Mass, so as to be ready for Mass the following day. Thank you for your understanding.

Thank you for your co-operation as we gather for Holy Mass while following the necessary guidance in keeping one another safe.

Thank you so much,

Fr. Michael Lawlor

We need additional volunteers who are not in the vulnerable age group to assist parishioners attending Mass and to provide a safe environment in which to worship. Please help us by reaching out to Joseph Cipoletta at 617-592-9152 (9am-5pm) with your contact information.

Be sure to check back here for updates on our opening!

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION REGISTRATION FORMS

GRADES 1-5: PREP REGISTRATION

GRADES 6-8: SPYM REGISTRATION

GRADES 9 & 10: ONE/8 CONFIRMATION PROGRAM REGISTRATION

PLEASE RETURN FORMS ASAP. WE WILL REQUEST PAYMENT AT A LATER DATE WHEN WE HAVE CLARITY FOR THE FALL.

Welcome Message from our Pastor, Fr. Michael Lawlor...

Dear Friends,

Welcome to Saint Paul Church, Hamilton and Wenham.

The Church is such a great gift as the living sacrament of Christ’s presence among us. From the shores of Lake Galilee and the bark of Peter’s fishing boat some twenty-one centuries ago Christ communes with us through the grace of the Holy Spirit.

As the living presence of Jesus Christ we find through the Church our meaning and strength as we seek the Father and His Kingdom. What is the meaning of life? It is to know and rest secure that we have been made in the image and likeness of God for a divine destiny. The initial question of the Baltimore Catechism captures it well. Why did God make me? He made me to know Him, to love Him and to serve Him in this life and be happy with Him forever in heaven.

How does the Church supply the strength we need? It is through our sacramental participation. Christ cannot force himself upon us, but so much wishes access to our lives. The sacraments strengthen us in body and soul and allows Christ, who knocks at the garden door of our hearts to enter.

It is through the Holy Eucharist that our life of prayer and service are sustained. Pope Benedict in his beautiful encyclical letter Sacrament of Love said:

…from the beginning the Christian community has gathered for the breaking of the bread on the Lord’s Day. Sunday, the day Christ rose from the dead, is also the first day of the week, the day which the Old Testament tradition saw as the beginning of God’s work of creation. The day of creation has now become the day of the “new creation,” the day of our liberation, when we commemorate Christ who died and rose again (113).

It is through Holy Mass that the ongoing work of God’s recreation takes place. Sacrament makes Calvary present and through the true presence of Jesus Christ on the altar, our lives are offered back to God the Father. In no other way can we do this and in this extraordinary act of worship the graces of our redemption granted to us from the Cross are now made present. This will help us in our vocations to be good spouses, parents and people and a good faith model for our children as we humbly ask God aid us. The Lord’s Day and all of the other many wonderful works accomplished at St. Paul’s must be rooted in our dependence and love for the Lord.

I welcome you to full participation in our parish life. All of you have a remembrance in my prayers at the altar.

Father Michael Lawlor

Pastor