A Children's Guide to St. Paul's

A Children’s Guide to St. Paul’s

(an adaptation of Fr. Ryan’s 1924 description of St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Cambridge)

Welcome to St. Paul’s!  Come inside and look around this almost 100-year-old church.  Use this booklet as a guide for what you see!

When you walk up to the church, notice the tall clock tower.  Can you see the cross on the very top?  Listen for the ringing bells.  Look up and see the circular rose window on the front on the church.  Notice the stone columns and the detailed carved archway.  Can you see the image of St. Paul above the middle door?

Once you’ve seen the outside, enter the church through the big oak doors.  The first place inside is called the vestibule.  Bless yourself with holy water, and then walk through the swinging doors into the main part of the church.

When you get to your pew, kneel down and say a prayer.  Look around the church before Mass begins.  Do you see the stone pillars on your left and right?  Do you notice the arched ceiling?  It’s 64 ½ feet high!

As Mass begins, look to the front and see the big white altar.  If you look above, you can see a carving of the Ascension, when Jesus went to Heaven after the Resurrection.  Can you find Mary, St. Peter, and St. John in this carving?

Then, listen to the Bible readings during Mass.  If you look around the church, above the arches to your left and right, you can see eighteen carved panels with scenes from Jesus’ life.  Can you find the scene where Jesus is born in Bethlehem?  Can you see the picture of Jesus blessing the children?  Do you notice the Last Supper?  Look around and see the different panels!

Soon, you can walk up to the front of the church and receive Communion if you are old enough.  Look to your left and see the shrine of Our Lady of Victory.  On each side of the church, do you notice some paintings, too?  Look for St. Joseph in the paintings to your left.

When Mass ends, walk around the Church with your family.  Can you find the statues of Saints Peter and Paul?  St. Peter is holding keys and the Bible, and St. Paul is holding a sword.  What else do you see around the church?

As you walk, look around at the stained-glass windows with pictures of saints.  Look for St. Gregory the Great, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Ignatius, and more.  Is your favorite saint in one of the windows?

Also notice the Stations of the Cross.  These are carved images that tell the story of when Jesus died on the cross.  Can you count all fourteen panels?

Lastly, as you leave the church, look up and notice the choir loft.  Do you see the organ that played music during Mass?

Exit through the same big doors, and you have finished your visit to St. Paul’s.  Thank you for coming!  We hope you enjoyed looking around the church.  See you next Sunday!