Year of St. Paul Open Thread
A few months ago Pope Benedict declared a year dedicated to St. Paul, which would start on June 28th with a vespers service Basilica of St. Paul’s Outside the Walls in Rome, on the eve of the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul.
So here’s my question: is anyone out here seeing any planning for activity in their parishes on this? Bible studies on the Pauline letters? Plans to preach on Paul (who often gets overlooked because of the structure of the lectionary)? Ecumenical bible study with neighboring churches (could be a fun idea since our Protestant brethren tend to focus a bit more on Paul than Catholics do)?
In any case, I’m just curious whether any parishes out there are seizing the opportunity. I realize nothing has happened yet, but you need to plan now if you want to drive any adult ed programs for later in the year.
I’m writing hymns. Here’s the beginning of the first one, on St. Paul’s conversion:
The martyr Stephen met his death
Forgiveness in his final breath.
He interceded for them all
Whose cloaks lay at the feet of Saul.
Actually this is the beginning of a kind of musical tryptich. I’ve written the first panel, on the conversion. The others will be 2. Teaching and 3. Life and ministry.
We are doing a Bible Study group in our Parish with the aim of reading and discussion of some of the Letters, starting with 1 Thessalonians in late June-early July. We hope to do Galatians and Philippians in the fall and 1 Corinthians in the spring.
I’m the chair of the religion department at a Catholic high school in Maryland. Each of our department members is going to do some study of Paul over the summer (read a book, take a class, etc). We will then share the results of our individual study at a departmental colloquium in the fall. We hope then to have periodic follow-up discussions throughout the year (perhaps focused on particular Pauline letters?) that will draw in other faculty members at the school. We’re still brainstorming how we might incorporate the year’s Pauline theme into events for the students.
Is it true that our separated brethren focus more on Paul than Catholics? In the late 1800′s Protestants started the movement “Back to Jesus” when Nietzsche insisted that Paul reinvented Christianity. A Methodist minister I know tells me he would rather play a game of football with Peter than with Paul. Perhaps because of Romans (faith alone). But Corinthians brings problems. Thomas Jefferson and Bernard Shaw thought that Paul was the great corrupter of Christianity.
Historians seem to agree that Romans seems to stop all in their tracks and brings a life change. It is Paul’s most riveting epistle.
Joe, I notice, you are choosing four of the authentic epistles. Romans, 2 Corinthians and Philemon being the other three. Maybe Peter can direct a discussion here which should be informative and enriching.
Paul is a great bishop. It would be fabulous to have bishops like him. Working tirelessly, solicitous of all, proclaiming beautiful words like: “Owe nothing to anyone but to love one another.” Unfortunately, too many focused too much on the owe nothing rather than love one another.
I will lecture on “Paul Among the Gentiles: Commemorating the Year of Saint Paul” in the 46th Annual Georgetown University Summer Institute on Sacred Scripture,” which will run from June 15-19, 2009. You can check out this June’s program here:
http://www9.georgetown.edu/faculty/mitchela/guiss/
The Diocese of Birmingham, Alabama:
http://www.bhmdiocese.org/
Will be having a diocesan-wide study of the letters of Paul, described in this notice (pdf file)
http://www.bhmdiocese.org/pdf/SaintPaul08.pdf
A parish study/discussion guide has been written by Fr. Mitch Pacwa, SJ, co-published by the diocese and Our Sunday Visitor. Also:
“In September and October of 2008, Father Pacwa will present a lecture on each of the six sessions in the book at the Cathedral of Saint Paul in Birmingham. Parishes in the diocese will conduct the bible study on Saint Paul this Fall and in the Spring of 2009.
Bishop Baker will open the Year of Saint Paul with a televised Mass on the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) on June 29, 2008, with Solemn Vespers at the Cathedral of Saint Paul later the same day.”
We’re beginning the year of Paul with a weekend Bible Institute here in Little Rock June 20-22, 2008. Carolyn Osiek, RSCJ will speak on “Law, Grace, and Freedom: Paul’s Letter to the Romans.” There are registration brochures available online: http://www.littlerockscripture.org. We’ll end the year with another Institute June 19-21, 2009, also on a Pauline theme still being determined. In between, there will be a monthly column on Paul written for the Arkansas Catholic newspaper (www.arkansas-catholic.org). And there are a number of studies on Paul’s letters available from Little Rock Scripture Study in both English and Spanish.
We’re actually studying John in our parish this summer :-( Guess we didn’t get the memo.
But it’s wonderful to see some not-the-usual-suspects posting here!
There is so much talent on this blog. I think it would be a fantastic idea for someone to lead a discussion of the theology contained in the epistles of St. Paul.
Great idea!
I wonder if St. Augustine wrote homilies on St. Paul’s letters, for example…
Kathy
The only formal commentary by Augustine on a Letter of Paul is the one on the Galatians, of which the text, and a translation with notes, has been produced by Eric Plumer and published by Oxford University Press in the series Oxford Early Christian Studies.