St Paul's Catholic Church

“I am in formation at St. Paul’s Catholic Church after coming from a Protestant background. From the beginning, I have been welcomed without pressure or suspicion. Even when I miss a response or stumble through parts of the Mass, no one treats me like I don’t belong. Monsignor Gibbons and Father Tim preach with clarity and seriousness. Their homilies are grounded in Scripture, Catholic teaching, and the daily realities of living a Christian life. More than once, I’ve attended Saturday evening Mass and returned Sunday morning because I wanted to hear the preaching again. The parish staff is steady and helpful. Mary in the parish office answers questions promptly and directly, and she is consistently kind. When you are new and trying to understand how things work, that makes a difference. The parish community itself is welcoming without being showy. On weekday mornings, when I manage to attend despite working late, a small group stays after Mass to pray the rosary. There’s no performance or commentary. People simply pray. The church reflects that same spirit. It feels used, lived in, and cared for. The newer statues fit naturally into the space and serve the purpose sacred art has always served, helping focus attention on God without distracting from Him. I am still in formation and receive a blessing during Communion. That has never been awkward or discouraged. I’ve been encouraged to stay, learn, and take the process seriously. I love Jesus, and I want to be there. This parish is active. There is a school on campus. There are daily Masses, a Saturday vigil, and multiple Sunday Masses. People with demanding or irregular schedules can still attend. There has been discussion about the bells, which I find strange. Church bells have been part of Christian communities for centuries. They existed long before modern cities, in places where people worked long hours, raised families, and lived alongside one another. Bells marked time and signaled shared life. They were never treated as interruptions. St. Paul’s has been part of this city for generations. The parish and the school were built when churches and schools were understood as essential institutions, not background décor. Sound was part of daily life. Cities have always been loud. This one is no exception. I work late shifts myself and make practical adjustments when I need rest. That is part of living in a community. The bells belong here. They are part of the parish, the school, and the city’s history. Silencing them would not improve the neighborhood. It would simply remove one of the few remaining signs that something older and communal still exists. I’m grateful to be here as I continue in formation. St. Paul’s is reverent, welcoming, and grounded in the life of the Catholic Church.”

— D H

“It's not about the people in the church, the priests or nuns. It's about our faith and if your faith is strong, you should see nothing else in the church, except to listen to mass, not the eulogy, if it annoys you, but the mass and use your faith to follow the word. Remember to read and follow our newest young saint, Saint Carlo Acutis. I recently returned from Italy to buy a house close to mamma's village and Pietrelcina, Saint padre pios birth village. It was chaos, froze for three months because the boiler did work and I was told after I signed the contract. I prayed to the young saint, and from each prayer, I received an answer. For weeks I lived on the floor of my kitchen, and used the cooking stove to keep warm. I won't disclose the prayers he answered, but the kid came through and it all boiled down to faith. In crisis, I maintained my faith. I'm back in St Petersburg, living with my sister unti a job comes through, then I'll be in my own place or back to Connecticut. I hope to share my Vatican stories going back when I was in college, with a particular pope, who today is a saint. God bless”

— Rosario Rositani

“I was considering joining this church, but after today’s my first Polish Mass, I’ve changed my mind. First of all, it is three days before Christmas and there are literally zero Christmas trees, no decorations inside the church, basically no sign that Christmas is around the corner. The lady who was singing was, sorry, but unbearable! I cringed every time she sang. How anybody let this even happen? The priest had no personality, and his sermon was extremely monotonous and boring. I couldn’t even distinguish one topic from another. Throughout the entire Mass, he focused on only one group of people, as if everyone else in the church didn’t exist. Very uninviting. Lastly, three days before Christmas, they didn’t sing a single carol. Such a shame… I will never go back.”

— Julia