The Year of Saint Paul
Celebrating vespers in the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls on the Via Ostia on June 28, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI proclaimed a holy year dedicated to the second millennium of the birth of the apostle Paul. He indicated that the jubilee year will be marked by pilgrimages and other liturgical and cultural events in Rome and throughout the world. The Year of Saint Paul begins on Sunday, June 29, 2008, the solemnity of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Apostles, and runs through June 29, 2009.
The Pauline Year will have a particular ecumenical dimension and will follow the example of the Apostle of the Gentiles, showing in a special way that "the action of the church is credible and effective only in as far as those who are part of it are prepared to pay in person for their faith in Christ in every situation." The Holy Father offered Peter and Paul as embodying a unity of witness until the moment of their martyrdom, "the supreme sacrifice of their lives." He said: "The Apostle of the Gentiles, who was particularly committed to bringing the Good News to all people, gave everything he had for unity and harmony among all Christians. May he guide and protect us in this bimillennium celebration, helping us to go forward in the humble and sincere search for full unity between all the members of the mystical body of Christ."
Giving concrete expression to this desire for unity, a delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, sent by Bartholomew I, was on hand to hear Pope Benedict's words. The Orthodox representation was in Rome following an exchange visit from the Holy See to mark the feast of Saint Andrew in Istanbul. Andrew is considered the founder of the Orthodox Church. "These encounters and initiatives are not merely a courteous exchange between the churches, but instead they . . . express our common commitment to do everything in our power to increase the momentum toward full communion between Christians of the East and West."
PAUL'S LIFE AND CONTRIBUTION
Historians place the birth of Paul at Tarsus, in what is now Turkey, sometime between the years of 7 and 10 A.D. Prior to his conversion, Saul was a devout Pharisee and an ardent defender of the Mosaic Law against adherents of the "new way," a movement he regarded as heretical. He was converted on the road to Damascus while carrying papers authorizing him to arrest Christians in that city. The risen Lord appeared in a vision, and Saul, the relentless persecutor of the Christian Gospel, became Paul, its foremost proponent.
Paul's many New Testament letters are invaluable sources of information about the life and missionary activity of the early church, and have inspired and instructed Christians throughout the centuries. Soon after his election to the papacy in April 2005, Pope Benedict prayed at the tomb of the apostle and paid homage to Paul's missionary spirit. On that occasion, the Holy Father commented: "The church is, by its nature, missionary; its primary task is evangelization."
The great French Catholic historian Henri Daniel-Rops summarized Saint Paul's charism in this way: "How close he seems to us, this man whom the Divine Light struck down in the road to Damascus — defeated, yet through his very defeat, overwhelmed by a profound anticipation of grace — for, after all, we ourselves are still treading that same Damascus road today! He is, after Jesus, the most vivid and complete of all the New Testament figures, the man whose face we can visualize most clearly. . . . And whenever we listen to the least important of his sayings, we recognize that tone of unforgettable confidence attainable only by those who have risked their all."
Saint Paul, apostle, martyr, mystic, and missionary, pray for us!
THE APOSTLE PAUL ― A PRAYER
Glorious Saint Paul,
most zealous apostle,
martyr for the love of Christ,
give us a deep faith,
a steadfast hope,
a burning love for the Lord;
so that we can proclaim with you,
"It is no longer I who live,
but Christ who lives in me."
Help us to become apostles,
serving the church with a pure heart,
witnesses to its truth and beauty
amid the darkness of our days.
With you, we praise God the Father:
"To him be the glory,
in the church and in Christ,
now and forever." Amen.
RESOURCES FOR THE YEAR OF SAINT PAUL
Navigating Saint Paul ― Key Theological Concepts, Jouette M. Bassler
An expert on Pauline theology offers her insights into the core of Saint Paul's thought, focusing on themes like grace, law, faith, righteousness, and being in Christ.Praying With Saint Paul ― Daily Reflections on the Letters of the Apostle Paul, John Peter Cameron, O.P.
Father Cameron is the Editor of Magnificat.Paul, Least of the Apostles, Alain Decaux
A compelling biography by respected journalist and historian Alain Decaux that presents Paul as a man of exceptional passion, courage, and conviction.The Theology of Paul the Apostle, James D. G. Dunn
James Dunn is a Professor of Divinity, Emeritus, at Durham University in England.According to Paul ― Studies in the Theology of Paul the Apostle, Joseph A. Fitzmyer, S.J.
A selection of essays by noted biblical scholar Father Fitzmyer dealing with Paul's teaching and mission.Paul of Tarsus, Joseph Holtzner
An extensive biography of Saint Paul, rigorously based on biblical and other sources.Paul, His Story, Jerome Murphy-O'Connor, O.P.
This book, by a world recognized authority on the New Testament and Saint Paul, explores who Paul was and which emotional, intellectual, and spiritual forces shaped his extraordinary life.
The Holy See's Site for the Year of Saint Paul
Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls
A Pastoral Letter on the Year of Saint Paul
