Saint Paul: "The Greatest Missionary of All Times"

Since his election as Pope, Benedict XVI has frequently mentioned the figure of St Paul, the Apostle of the nations. And in the very beginning on 25 April 2005, the Holy Father visited the tomb of St Paul where he said in his homily "I am here to revive in the faith this 'apostolic grace', since God, as the Apostle to the Gentiles has likewise said, has entrusted me with 'anxiety for all the Churches'". 

The Apostle is known primarily as the one who worked to announce the Gospel to all nations. If the Church's duty is mission, the successor of Peter comes "on a pilgrimage, so to speak, to the roots of mission". The Pope has contemplated on the person of Paul underlining the radical nature of his encounter with Christ and the revelation received on the way to Damascus as the source of Paul's theology. "He understood in an instant what he would later express in his writings: that the Church forms a single body of which Christ is the Head. And so, from a persecutor of Christians he became the Apostle to the Gentiles."

Pope Benedict XVI emphasizes Paul's awareness that he is chosen and sent by God. This divine calling, the manifestation of God's mercy, is for Paul, the reason for his personal involvement in mission. His self-giving is the principal cause of the fruitfulness of his apostolate. The life of Paul, described by the Pope, is marked by centrality of the person of Christ and the universal aspect of Paul's apostolate. What made him undertake difficult journeys was Christ's love for him and his love for Christ. (An excerpt: St Paul the Apostle, in the teaching of Pope Benedict XVI )

As we celebrate the feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul during this Year of Faith, may we all imitate our Father Saint Paul in his faith and love for Christ and in his fidelity to the mission entrusted to him by God! Happy feast day to all!

Epiphany: a celebration of a change of hearts

Epiphany is a celebration of change, change where it really ought to happen. The three Kings or Wise man stayed all the time with the star of Christ. It changed their lives so they could find Jesus.

We live in a world where so many people, instead of following their faith, they run the other way, looking for something different, something new and unique. Had the three kings followed a different star every night? No, because otherwise they would never be able to find Christ. Upon arrival where Jesus was, they brought with them their gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. Gold, to signify their loyalty and fidelity to Christ, the prince of peace; Frankincense to symbolize our prayers and worship to the Lord; and, the myrrh to represent the gift of our sufferings, our forgiveness and sorrow when we share in the passion of Jesus.

However, what if our offerings are empty because we haven’t been very faithful, or prayerful, or patient in suffering and not changing our hearts? Then we still have Jesus Christ to offer as our gift to the Father. In other words, though we might be poor in good works because of our weaknesses, Jesus Christ will enrich us with Himself in the EUCHARIST. Though we may be destitute as far as devotion is concerned, Jesus Christ will supply what we lack.

We cannot be discouraged to approach our Heavenly Father. He wants a change of hearts- our hearts to love him and to love the persons around us. He is interested in our prayers and in our problems. The Father does not care where or how far we came from. He wants to send us on our daily journey like the three Kings – overjoyed at having found his Son, Jesus Christ. Christ who ultimately is and who will be our Savior all the days of our lives.

Happy Three Kings to everyone!

Welcoming the Nativity of Christ enlivened by the determination of a sincere conversion

At Christmas, we are not limited to commemorating the birth of a great personality; we do not celebrate simply and in the abstract the mystery of the birth of man or in general, the birth of life; neither do we celebrate only the beginning of a great season. At Christmas, we remember something very concrete and important for man, something essential for Christian faith, a truth that St. John summarized in these few words: "The Word was made flesh."

Dear brothers and sisters, Christmas is a privileged opportunity to meditate on the meaning and value of our existence. It helps us to reflect, on one hand, about the drama of history in which men, wounded by sin, are permanently seeking happiness and a satisfactory meaning to life and death; on the other hand, it exhorts us to meditate on the merciful goodness of God, who has gone out to meet man to communicate to him directly the Truth that saves, and make him participate in his friendship and his life.

Let us welcome the nativity of Christ as an event capable of today renewing our existence. May the encounter with the Child Jesus make us people who do not think only of ourselves, but rather open to the expectations and necessities of our brothers. In this way we too become testimonies of the light that Christmas radiates over the humanity of the third millennium. Let us ask most holy Mary, the tabernacle of the incarnate Word, and St. Joseph, silent witness of the events of salvation, to communicate to us the sentiments they had so that we will celebrate in a holy way Christmas, in the joy of faith and enlivened by the determination of a sincere conversion.

Merry Christmas to all!

(An excerpt of Christmas reflection by Pope Benedict XVI)

Missionary Reflection on Advent

Advent is the season which brings hope into our hearts. As Pauline missionaries, we look forward with deeper trust and greater expectations as we prepare to celebrate once again God becoming human among us, that is, the birth of Jesus. Surely the fact that God has chosen to be so intimately connected with us assures us that we and all that God has created are precious. Indeed this gives us reason for hopefulness.

Our hope does not however leave us passively waiting for God to act, to make everything right. God has chosen by being so closely connected with us, to give us a role and responsibility as co-creators, as active participants in the unfolding life of our world, in the missionary place where He has placed each of us.

Advent is a time for awe, wonder and gratitude for what God invites us to and anticipation of all that is possible. It is a time to ponder our part in this divine and human relationship, to consider how we as Pauline missionaries, can be active in bringing about all that God offers and for which we live in hope. 

To everyone, may you all have fruitful days during this Advent season towards the joyful birth of Jesus!

Mary: our model of hope in this season of Advent

Advent focuses on the coming of the Lord, and this is at the heart of our faith.  Through the incarnation, God has revealed Himself to us.  He has come down to us, in our sinfulness, to save us, and there is salvation in no one and nothing else. 

By the virtue of hope, we trust that God will provide us with whatever means are necessary for our sanctification– the graces, trials and encouragement needed for our personal growth in holiness.  Whatever state of life we are in, whatever situation we find ourselves in, Jesus is leading us to Himself.  So, our Advent hope does not demand anything extraordinary in order to grow.  We only have to turn to Him, in the present moment, for guidance and strength.

Advent is very pertinent to the times in which we live, for we are in an age that trusts in itself and its own abilities.  In many ways, we have lost our hunger for God, and feed off of the world instead.  But the hope of Advent is that Jesus has come and will come again.  In this liturgical season, we invite Him into our hearts yet again, to renew our trust and confidence in Him as Savior. 

For us Pauline missionaries, Mary is our model of hope; her response to the Archangel Gabriel was to “Let it be done to me according to your word.”  She trusted in the Lord, offering herself totally to God and His plan for her life.  She shows us how to renew our hope in God by submitting to His plan in our lives and trusting in His word that His life may be born anew in us.  Mother Mary, pray for us!

The Pauline Family remembers Blessed James Alberione on his death anniversary

We, the members of the Pauline Family worldwide, will commemorate on November 26 the death anniversary of Blessed James Alberione, our founder, with thanksgiving masses and various Pauline celebrations. 

Blessed James, considered as one of the most creative apostles of the 20th century, was born in 1884 in Italy and was known to be pious from youth. He entered the seminary at the age of 16 and was ordained priest at the age of 23.

He became known as the communicator of the Gospel, tirelessly preaching the Word of God to all peoples in the spirit of St. Paul the apostle, using the modern means of communication. He also promoted the printing of popular editions of the Holy Bible and used periodicals, magazines, and books to help spread the teachings of Christ.

Pope Paul VI, who visited him in his last hours in 1971, described him as “humble, silent, tireless, always vigilant, and recollected in his thoughts which run from prayer to action.”

Blessed Alberione reminds us today, as he did before to all the members of the Pauline Family, of the importance of focusing our gaze on our sanctity of life. He said: "We need saints to go before us on these paths—paths that have never been trodden before and which in part are not even clearly marked out. These are not matters for superficial people, but for true apostles. Find the necessary light before the tabernacle, and the grace of perseverance through the universal mediation of the Virgin Mary."