ARTICLES

Diocesan observance of Pauline Year

By Catherine Combier-Donovan
Special to The Catholic Virginian

Three months remain to the celebration of the Pauline Jubilee Year proclaimed by Pope Benedict XVI to celebrate the 2,000th anniversary of the birth of the Apostle Paul.

The Pauline year began with Evening Prayer on the Vigil of the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Sunday June 28, 2008, and will last until June 29, 2009.

Church historians reckon that St. Paul was born around 10 A.D. in Tarsus, now located in Turkey. The purpose of this Jubilee Year is to highlight Paul’s life and his contribution to the spread of Christianity in the first century, and to remind us of our baptismal obligation to spread the Good News.

Apart from Jesus himself, St. Paul is the most prominent personality of the New Testament. Thirteen of the 27 books of the New Testament bear his name, all of which are letters.

Much of what we know about Paul comes from these remarkable written sources, supplemented by stories from the Acts of the Apostles, in which Paul figures prominently in the second half (chapters 9–28). These are the only two sources for Paul’s life.

In the Diocese of Richmond, many liturgical, spiritual and cultural events have been planned, such as those offered by Msgr. Mark Richard Lane, Vicar for Clergy, on the Images of Paul in Art.

Three parishes of the Diocese have St. Paul as their patron (in Richmond, Portsmouth and Sts. Peter and Paul in Palmyra) and as the primary focus of their activities for the Jubilee Year. Contact the individual parishes for additional information.

St. Paul Catholic Church in Richmond kicked off the Pauline Year with a grand Opening Liturgy on June 29, the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, followed by a luncheon on the lawn. Nearly every month afterwards, a special event has been offered: discussions, potlucks and movies, Scripture study, a retreat, and musical offerings.

In May an original musical “Journeyman for Christ” by Blaise Perrello, a member of the parish, will be presented and a final liturgy will close the Pauline Year on June 28.

The Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Palmyra inaugurated the Jubilee Year with a parish-wide supper. Adult Bible study sessions have focused on the life and writings of St. Paul, and every homily on Sunday has incorporated some aspect of his call and mission.

The historic church of St. Paul’s in Portsmouth is the site of many pilgrimages during this Pauline Year. Groups from schools and churches have taken tours of the church which are usually offered to the public from May to December by members of the Docent Guild.

Each week an insert has been placed in the bulletin that chronicles the life of St. Paul, and these are available on the parish website. Their year-long celebration will close with a Holy Hour in honor of St. Paul.

For more information on the Pauline Jubilee Year, go to the Office of Worship website where, under the Liturgical Year, there are ideas for parishes, activities for children, art study, a holy hour, theological treatises, and resources in Spanish.

There is also a link to an informative Catholic Update by Fr. Ronald D. Witherup, S.S., “Introducing St. Paul the Apostle,” which explores his call and mission, his work as an evangelizer, his teaching through letter writing, his conversion, his Roman citizenship and his role in shaping our Catholic culture.

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