A tondo with St. Paul, from the upper basilica at Assisi
Benedict XVI has declared this the Year of Paul, commemorating the 2,000th anniversary of Paul's birth.
Five years ago PBS offered a program on Peter and Paul: The Christian Revolution, including an excellent study of the history of St. Paul and his missionary journeys. As we begin the Year of Paul, we'd all do well to read this material titled In the Footsteps of Paul.
(H/T to MS for the link to the PBS site)
-ConcordPastor
I just glanced at In the Footsteps of Paul. It looks as if it will be a wonderful resource. I look forward to reading it...building on the super intro to St. Paul that Michael O'Laughlin gave us. Thank you, CP.
ReplyDeleteGreat referrence!
ReplyDeleteWhen you get the chance, please come over to A Catholic Notebook and add your personal favorite Catholic books to the growing list via the com box. I'd like to put together a Blogger's Choice Catholic Reading List. I can't wait to see and share the results. Come on by!
Thank you for the reference. I've started on it but it's so in-depth it's going to be a "project." Very interesting.
ReplyDeleteI'm disappointed that to date we have not heard anything about the Year of St. Paul in our parish. Not even on Peter/Paul feast. I've done some research on my own, but your reference is the best. Again, thank you.
Cookie
Cookie: Pastors are always receiving mail and instructions from a variety of sources announcing that it's the "Year/Month/Week of....." - complete with suggestions/instructions/demands that such-and-such programs be in place.
ReplyDeleteWhile I believe it's a good thing to have this "Year of Paul" I think that most dioceses and parishes will observe it in modest ways. Your pastor might have decided it would be best not to trumpet day one of the Year if, indeed, he's not planning on any observance of it until the fall. Since, in our part of the world, the Year began at the dawn of summer (vacation time), I'm not surprised that you've not heard anything yet.
The announcement of a first-of-its-kind year issued by the Pope asking for observance by the universal church would seem to be of a different order than run-of-the-mill proclamations that litter the in-boxes of busy pastors, I would think.
ReplyDeleteIn all seriousness, how should the Pope go about getting the attention of his bishops and priests?
ON something like this the pope gets the bishops' attention by proclaiming the special year of observance and, I assume but am not sure, by alerting individual ordinaries either by a letter or through the apostolic delegate in each country.
ReplyDeleteBishops then pass on to pastors the announcement with sincere hopes that each pastor will observe the year in some way.
To the best of my knowledge, there is not, on any level, a prescribed curriculum of events to be held - that is left up to individual bishops and then to pastors.
So, the pope does get the attention of bishops and pastors but then the execution is in their hands.
I just read "In the Footsteps of Paul." Excellent historical background of Paul's travels.
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