Year of St Paul
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CASE resources for the Year of St Paul
St Paul - a life lived for Christ
Praying with St Paul and the Saints
St Paul's encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus
Online resources for the Year of St Paul
Pope Benedict XVI has declared 28 June 2008 to 29 June 2009 the ‘Year of St. Paul’ to celebrate of the 2,000th anniversary of St Paul’s birth. 29 June is the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul. St Paul was born a Jew and later became a Christian after a powerful revelation of Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus. After some time away in prayer, he spent the rest of his life founding and encouraging early Christian communities through his personal witness and his letters. As the ‘Apostle to the Gentiles’, St Paul made many missionary journeys and endured sufferings to preach the Gospel message. He and St Peter, another great missionary, were martyred in Rome. Thirteen of the letters in the New Testament are attributed to St Paul.
St Paul’s message of the Good News of Jesus Christ continues to inspire people today. He writes about how we can receive forgiveness from Christ, the Son of God, and that we are deeply loved by God and are called into a relationship with him through Baptism. Having faith in Christ, and guided by God’s Holy Spirit, we can have the hope of eternal life with God the Father. Through knowing Christ, we can bring his love and truth to others, guided by the Church which gives us his life and teaching. St Paul's message has as much relevance to people in modern day society as it did to those in Ephesus and Philippi. To mark the Year of St Paul there will be events to celebrate his life, work and example; including talks and prayer meetings. Details of these will appear in this section in the ‘Events - Year of St Paul’page and the ‘Online resources for the Year of St Paul’ section. Read more about the life of St Paul
Pope Benedict XVI explained what would be happening during the Year of St Paul in his announcement of the Year. He spoke of the celebrations that will take place in Rome, and the pilgrimages that will be made to St Paul’s tomb there. As well as the importance of the ecumenical dimension of the Year, he said:
“Study conventions and special publications on Pauline texts will also be promoted in order to make ever more widely known the immense wealth of the teaching they contain, a true patrimony of humanity redeemed by Christ. Furthermore, in every part of the world, similar initiatives will be implemented in the dioceses, shrines and places of worship, by Religious and by the educational institutions and social-assistance centres which are named after St Paul or inspired by him and his teaching”.Homily of Pope Benedict XVI announcing the Year of St Paul
CASE resources for the Year of St Paul
St. Paul is probably one of the greatest evangelising saints of all time, and CASE (Catholic Agency to Support Evangelisation) is helping to resource the jubilee year to mark the 2000th anniversary of his birth. CASE will be providing an online portal to signpost people to a wide variety of Pauline materials.
CASE Director, Mgr Keith Barltrop, said: “The Year of St. Paul provides a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the part that he played in the mission of the early Church. Imprisoned, shipwrecked, persecuted and often a controversial figure, he has inspired generations of Christians to share the Gospel message wherever the Lord calls them. There is so much that we can learn from his life and work. Join us in helping to make this a jubilee year to remember.”
CASE Resources Year of St Paul page.
St Paul - a life lived for Christ
Through reading the 'Acts of the Apostles' and the letters of St Paul in the New Testament we see that St Paul was a man totally gripped by the love of God revealed in the person of Jesus Christ. St Paul's whole life and message, after his conversion, was Christ-centred. The Year of St Paul then is really as much about Christ as it is about St Paul, because St Paul pointed to Christ's way in what he did and said. One of St Paul's most well known sayings is "I live now not with my own life, but with the life of Christ who lives in me" (Gal 2:20). His letters speak of the presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist, in the Church which he called the 'Body of Christ' (1 Cor 12:12-31), and of St Paul's mysterious sharing in the sufferings of Christ. He was driven by the desire to become a more faithful disciple of Christ, by the help of God's Holy Spirit; and encouraged his readers to look ahead to the goal at the end of their lives, "I think that what we suffer in this life can never be compared to the glory as yet unrevealed, which is waiting for us" (Rom 8:18).
He was not just a man of words. He proved his dedication to the Gospel by the sufferings he underwent to spread it - he was imprisoned, stoned, shipwrecked and betrayed by friends during his missionary journeys. His letters also give a vivid impression of his humanity and of the personal struggles he dealt with, such as his unknown suffering "a thorn in the flesh" (2 Cor 12:7). His frustrations with the early Christian communities are laid bare in his letters, but there are also very touching stories of the love his friends had for him. We read about his departure from Ephesus knowing he would not return, "by now they were all in tears; they put their arms around Paul's neck and kissed him; what saddened them most was his saying they would never see his face again" (Acts 20: 37-38). Through learning more about St Paul this year, we can hope to learn more about Christ of whom St Paul preached, and to witness ourselves to Christ's love and truth in our daily lives.
Praying with St Paul and the Saints
During The Year of St Paul there will be events and resources to remind us of the life and example of St Paul, but it is also a time to remember that St Paul can help us by his prayers. When we ask the saints to pray for us, we are asking for their help as we might ask a friend to pray for us. We are not adoring the saints as we would adore God. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says "being more closely united to Christ, those who dwell in heaven fix the whole Church more firmly in holiness.... they do not cease to intercede with the Father for us, as they proffer the merits which they acquired on earth through the one mediator between God and men, Christ Jesus" (956). The Catechism also says "exactly as Christian communion among our fellow pilgrims brings us closer to Christ, so our communion with the saints joins us to Christ" (957).
The early Christians used to revere the tombs of the martyrs, and the idea of pilgrimage is closely tied to the tradition of seeking the intercession of the saints. There is a long tradition of pilgrimage to saints' shrines in these Isles. During the Year of St Paul many people will be going on pilgrimage to places associated with St Paul, especially to his tomb in Rome. Around the world dedicated places of prayer will be set up for the Year of St Paul, and some of these in England and Wales will be listed in the events section. Pope Benedict XVI has authorized the granting of indulgences for Pauline year events, details are at the link below. One of the ways in which we can also pray during this Year is to read and pray with some of St Paul's letters, and the 'Acts of the Apostles' in the New Testament.
We might ask for the prayers of St Paul this year, but what does it mean to be a saint? A saint is someone who has tried heroically to do God’s will and to love like Christ, despite weakness and struggles, trusting humbly in God’s mercy one day at a time. St Therese of Lisieux said “Love, in fact, is the vocation which includes all others”, and it is this love which is at the heart of sainthood. All people are called to be saints and to grow in holiness. Many good people live hidden, unrecognised lives, but some people are publicly recognised or 'canonized' as saints by the Church so that they can be recommended as models and intercessors. By canonizing saints, the Church is " solemnly proclaiming that they practiced heroic virtue and lived in fidelity to God's grace" (Catechism 828). Here are some resources for praying with St Paul's writings:
Read the letters of St Paul in this online Bible
Read the 'Acts of the Apostles' in this online Bible
An introduction to St Paul's letters from the Archdiocese of Southwark
Printable set of leaflets about St Paul's Letters
St Paul's encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus
St Paul had a dramatic conversion experience while he was on the road to Damascus on his way to arrest followers of Christ. This experience is recorded in the Bible in the 'Acts of the Apostles' where St Paul says: "I was on that journey and nearly at Damascus when about midday a bright light from Heaven suddenly shone round me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?' I answered: Who are you, Lord? and he said to me 'I am Jesus the Nazarene, and you are persecuting me'. The people with me saw the light but did not hear his voice as he spoke to me. I said: What am I to do Lord? The Lord answered, 'Stand up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told what you have been appointed to do'. The light had been so dazzling that I was blind and my companions had to take me by the hand; and so I came to Damascus" (Acts 22:6-1).
Paul (then known as Saul) was led to a house in Damascus where he remained blind until the disciple Ananias had laid hands on him. Ananias said to Paul: "The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see the Just One and hear his own voice speaking, because you are to be his witness before all mankind, testifying to what you have seen and heard. And why now delay? It is time you were baptised and had your sins washed away while invoking his name" (Acts 22:14-16). This encounter and his relationship with Christ was to direct the whole of the rest of St Paul's life. Even after the Damascus experience, he could have said 'no', but he chose to be a Christian and a missionary. This choice ended up having a huge influence on the Church, particularly because his letters make up so much of the New Testament in the Bible.
Some people may have dramatic conversion experiences like St Paul, for others there may be quieter glimpses of God's loving presence now and then, through moments of grace, or love, or even through suffering. The choice to be disciples of Christ is made by our continual ‘yes’ to the grace of Baptism. We can be open to God’s will in our lives, through the small events of daily life as well as through more dramatic moments. By our words and actions we make a choice of whether to follow a way of love, or a way of selfishness. If we become Christ-like, like St Paul, our lives will touch those around us and we will be sharing the Gospel message even when we are not speaking about it.
Click here to read St Paul's account of his conversion on the road to Damascus
Magnus Sanctus Paulus: A Meditation On Saint Paul In Words And Music
This is a new CD in honour of Saint Paul. The music is performed by Schola Cantamus, directed by Jeremy de Satge, narrated by Bishop Bernard Longley, Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster.
Track 5: O God, which has taught - by William Smith (mp3)
More info at The Music Makers
Online resources for the Year of St Paul
Official website for the Year of St Paul including events, news & services in Rome
Website of the Papal Basilica of St Paul Outside-The-Walls, Rome, which contains the tomb of St Paul
Homily of Pope Benedict XVI announcing the Year of St Paul
Pope Benedict XVI’s teaching about St Paul from his Wednesday General Audiences 2006 (this catechesis was published in ‘Christ and His Church. Seeing the face of Jesus in the Church of the Apostles’, see below):
Pope Benedict's General Audience - 25th October 2006 - Paul the Apostle
Pope Benedict's General Audience - 8th November 2006 - St Paul's new outlook
Pope Benedict's General Audience - 15th November 2006 - St Paul and the Spirit
Pope Benedict's General Audience - 22nd November 2006 - St Paul and the Church
CASE web page about the Year of St Paul, with resources for evangelisation
Journey of the icon of St Paul around Westminster Diocese
Video - Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor speaks about the Year of St Paul, for Primary Schools
Video - Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor speaks about the Year of St Paul, for Secondary Schools
Year of St Paul resource page from the Archdiocese of Southwark
Website on the Year of St Paul by the Cathedral for the Archdiocese of Seattle
Ways to celebrate the Year of St Paul
Read more about the life of St Paul
Read about the journeys of St Paul
Indulgences for the Year of St Paul
Catholic News Service articles for the Year of St Paul
News: ‘Special Mass to be celebrated for St. Paul’s conversion’
Liturgy Office resources for the Year of St Paul
Liturgy Office resource, a leaflet called 'The Gift of Scripture & St Paul' (PDF document)
A series of leaflets is being prepared which offer a brief introduction to the letters of St Paul as heard at Sunday Mass. They are intended both for readers and members of the liturgical assembly to help them appreciate the context of the second reading and encourage a greater familiarity with St Paul’s writings. The Liturgy Office is grateful to Nicholas King SJ for his writing of the introductions to the letters:
Philemon (pdf) — 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
1 & 2 Timothy (pdf) — 24–30 Sundays in Ordinary Time, Year C
2 Thessalonians (pdf) — 31–33 Sundays in Ordinary Time, Year C
Titus (pdf) Christmas Day
1 Corinthinians (psd) — Year A: 2-8, Year B: 2-6, Year C: 2-8 Sundays in Ordinary Time
Romans (pdf) — 9-24 Sundays in Ordinary Time, Year A
Philippians — 25-28 Sundays in Ordinary Time, Year A
1 Thessalonians — 29-33 Sundays in Ordinary Time
2 Corinthians — in preparation
Ephesians — in preparation
Galatians — in preparation
Colossians — in preparation
St Paul’s story – reading & films
Read the letters of St Paul in this online Bible
Read the 'Acts of the Apostles' in this online Bible
Catholic Truth Society page about the Year of St Paul, and related publications
Redemptorist Publications page for the Year of St Paul, and related publications
Letters of St Paul, Catholic Truth Society
The Acts of the Apostles, Catholic Truth Society
Companion to St Paul, Catholic Truth Society
‘The Greatest of These is Love: Daily Meditations on St Paul' by Bishop Michael Campbell, St Pauls
Click here to read St. Paul’s “autobiography” from chapter 22 of the Acts of the Apostles
DVD: 'Paul the Apostle', Director: Roger Young, with Johannes Brandrup, 180 mins, 2004.
DVD: 'Great People of the Bible: Apostle Paul', with Topol, 120 mins 2003.
Copyright Acknowledgments:Quote of Pope Benedict XVI © Copyright 2008 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Jerusalem Bible: Darton, Longman and Todd, London Copyright (c) 1968. Drawing of Saint Paul writing, from an early 9th century manuscript, written in the Monastery of St. Gallen, one of the earliest depictions of St. Paul in European manuscripts.The original image comprising the work of art itself is in the public domain. Illustration 'The Glory and the Gathering' by Elizabeth Wang, copyright (c) Radiant Light 2008. All Other photographs copyright © 2008 iStock International Inc.All images used by permission.
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