THE PAULIST FATHERS
MISSIONARIES
OF HOPE
Old St. Mary’s has been entrusted to the Paulist Fathers since 1903. Founded by Servant of God Isaac Hecker, the Paulists are a missionary society of Catholic priests who share the hope of Jesus Christ with people beyond the Church’s walls, accompany those searching for a spiritual home, and help Catholics discover their own missionary calling.
THE PAULIST SPIRIT
01 · OUR CHARISM
HOPE-FILLED EVANGELIZERS
Paulists are missionary priests who trust that the Holy Spirit is alive and at work in every person and throughout the world. Looking to the signs of the times, they seek and hopefully proclaim God’s grace at the intersection of faith and the world today.
02 · OUR SPIRITUALITY
ATTENTIVE TO THE SPIRIT
Paulist spirituality is rooted in the example of St. Paul, who was a boundary-crossing missionary who radically proclaimed Christ’s inclusive gospel. We are committed to Fr. Isaac Hecker’s vision of a Church capable of transforming all things, and of the Holy Spirit’s work in every age.
03 · OUR MISSION
REACHING OUT & BUILDING BRIDGES
Paulists go to people on the peripheries, build bridges across religious and social divisions, and awaken the missionary vocation of every baptized person. Their ministries emphasize evangelization, reconciliation, Christian unity, interfaith dialogue, and engagement with contemporary culture.
2026 GENERAL ASSEMBLY
A MISSION RECEIVED ANEW
In 2026, the Paulist Fathers completed a year-long process of prayer, listening, and discernment involving Paulist priests, associates, deacon affiliates, and lay collaborators. The resulting Charism, Spirituality, and Mission report expresses how the Paulist calling can be lived with courage in the Church and the world today.
“The dream for Paulist mission tomorrow is not simply that we preserve the works we have inherited, but that we receive our mission anew with courage.”
SUPPORT THE PAULISTS
ANNUAL PAULIST APPEAL
Your support helps the Paulist Fathers form new priests, care for senior Paulists, and sustain ministries that bring the Gospel to seekers, young adults, university communities, people on the margins, and audiences reached through modern media.
NEWS & REFLECTIONS ACROSS THE PAULIST FAMILY
Paulist News
2026 Paulist General Assembly Report →
Things To Know
Deacon Greg Kandra on Deacons Pod →
Busted Halo
On Retreat With Archbishop Fulton Sheen →
Paulist News
“Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story?” →
Paulist News
Compassion Beyond the Horizon →
Things To Know
Communion Project Conversations →
Highlights are selected from the Paulist Fathers’ homepage, checked weekly, and open on the Paulist Fathers website.