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Current Events
Current Events for the Whole Family
Current Events for Kids
The Year of Saint Paul (En Espanol)
In June 2007, Pope Benedict XVI announced a special year dedicated to Saint Paul. The Year of Saint Paul will run from June 28, 2008, to June 29, 2009. This Jubilee Year will mark the approximate 2,000th anniversary of Saint Paul’s birth. Pope Benedict XVI also announced that the Pauline Year will be ecumenical in a special way, reflecting Saint Paul’s commitment to the unity and harmony of all Christians. In this way, the Church will be reminded of her need to be witnesses to the Gospel message.
The defining purpose of Saint Paul’s life can best be summarized in the word evangelization, which means to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ. Evangelization is one of the central works of the Church. It is at the heart of celebrating the Year of Saint Paul, which reminds us of our need for personal conversion so that we can make a commitment to Christ and give witness to the Gospel.
Who Is the Real Saint Paul?
What do we really know about Saint Paul? The answer is: We know a lot about him. He is one of the greatest missionaries and theologians in the history of the Church. He was born in Tarsus (modern Turkey). He was Jewish and originally named Saul. He was raised as a Pharisee—the most rigid of the Jewish sects. He learned the craft of tent making, a profession he used later in life during his travels. Saul became a dedicated opponent of the Church and was present at the martyrdom of Saint Stephen (see Acts 7:58-8:1). Setting out for Damascus, Saul was eager to arrest any Christian. Along the way, he was struck to the ground and blinded. He heard the voice of Jesus, who asked him, “Saul, Saul why are you persecuting me?” Saul eventually recovered his eyesight as he experienced a profound conversion. At first everyone was afraid, but later astounded at the change in Saul. People began to call him by the Roman name of Paul after he underwent his renowned conversion (see Acts 9:1-19; 22:5-16; 26:12-18). The feast of Saint Paul’s conversion is celebrated January 25. He crossed the Roman Empire four times to bring the Good News to the world.By recalling the life and work of Saint Paul, we gain a deeper understanding of what characterizes Pauline spirituality. We are compelled to ask:
• What would Saint Paul do if he were alive today? This is an obvious question because we live in a media-dominated world. The Letters of Saint Paul suggest that he would probably be a journalist and use the mass media and the Internet to spread God’s word. But that conclusion requires careful examination. Perhaps it is more accurate to suggest that Paul would be a wonderful communicator in any period of history. He would use any and all forms of human communication to help us live the Christian life. He would remind us that Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in our lives. The Holy Spirit continuously invites us “to put on love,” to put on Christ. We are to live an ethical life based on the Gospel. It is this standard by which we measure right and wrong.
• Another question that quickly arises is: Does Paul’s style of evangelization mean we have to travel the world and to write and communicate worldwide? Paul would probably answer, “Your parish is your world.” In other words, our fellow parishioners are everyone and anyone we can reach. Human communication is without limit and has countless possibilities.
• The third question is: What can we learn about evangelization from Paul’s example? This is an extraordinary question at this point in history. How can we bring about unity and harmony in today’s complex and polarized world? Paul’s Letters remind us to stay focused on whatever is honorable, pure, and gracious. In other words, we are to live a life of virtue. We are to live lives built on faith, hope, and charity. We are to rejoice in the fact that God loves us and cares for us. He is always there with us, as our most trusted friend and companion.What Difference Does This Make in My Life?
1. The story of Saint Paul’s conversion is one of the most famous conversion stories of all times. Why is this so? How did it change Saint Paul? How did it change Saint Paul’s world? How did it change the world at large?
2. We often hear conversion stories. How are these accounts the same as and different from Saint Paul’s story of conversion? Are most people “Knocked from a horse” when they experience conversion or can conversion be a slow quiet process?
3. What is your definition of evangelization? Why is evangelization the work of the Church? How do you help people gain a better understanding of the Gospel? How do you practice the works of mercy?
4. In what way is your parish the world? In what way does your parish invite people to take part in the work of evangelization?
5. What inspires you the most about the life of Saint Paul?
6. How do you answer the question: What would Saint Paul do in today’s world?
Connecting to Faith First® Legacy Edition
Theme: The Life of Saint Paul
Kindergarten, chapter 18
Grade 1, chapter 5
Grade 2, chapter 1
Grade 3, chapter 18
Grade 4, chapter 7
Grade 5, chapter 13
Grade 6, chapter 6
Junior High, Church History, chapter 2
Junior High, Mystery of God, chapter 12
Junior High, Church and Sacraments, chapter 8
Junior High, Morality: Life in Christ, chapter 6
Junior High, Jesus in the New Testament, chapters 7-9
Special note: The biweekly Current Events articles have also been useful to supplement high school religion classes.Connecting to Faith First® Original Edition
Theme: The Life of Saint Paul
Kindergarten, chapter 18
Grade 1, chapter 7
Grade 2, chapter 1
Grade 3, chapter 10
Grade 4, chapter 19
Grade 5, chapter 2
Grade 6, chapter 5
Junior High: Liturgy and Morality, chapter 13
Junior High: Creed and Prayer, chapter 15
Special note: The biweekly Current Events articles have also been useful to supplement high school religion classes.
Honoring Saint Paul (En Espanol)
This year the Church is honoring Saint Paul in a special way. The whole Church will remember and celebrate Saint Paul’s life and teachings for twelve months. This worldwide celebration, called the “Pauline Year,” was announced by Pope Benedict XVI in June, 2007. The Pauline Year will begin June 28, 2008 and end June 29, 2009. The dates were chosen in memory of Saint Paul’s birth nearly 2,000 years ago.
When he made the announcement, the pope said that today’s Church “needs witnesses for Christ” like Saint Paul. Paul was our greatest missionary. He traveled throughout the world of his time to teach Jews and Gentiles, people who were not Jewish, about Jesus’ life, death, and Resurrection. Paul made three major missionary journeys over a period of more than twenty years to share his faith in Christ and to establish Church communities everywhere he went.
The Pauline Year will help us all to remember Jesus’ command to “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). This is the mission Christ shared with his disciples before he ascended to his Father. This vocation is called “evangelization. Evangelization means sharing the Gospel with others—our families, our friends, and people who have not yet learned about Jesus. Through Baptism, we are all called to the ministry of evangelization. During this year, make a special effort to find ways of sharing your love and belief in Jesus with others. The best way you can do this is by being an example of Jesus’ love, forgiveness, and caring with everyone you meet.
The Pauline Year will be celebrated through special liturgies and events in every diocese throughout the world. We will also honor Saint Paul by remembering in a special way the three feast days in the Church calendar that are dedicated to him each year. As you learn more about the feasts of Saint Paul, brainstorm the ways in which your class will celebrate each of these days.
January 25—The Conversion of Saint Paul
Saint Paul’s birth name was Saul. He was a faithful Jew who followed the laws given to Moses. He even became a teacher of the Law. When he heard that people were preaching in Jesus’ name and telling people that Jesus was God’s Son who had risen from the dead, Saul was angry. He believed that Jesus’ followers were leading people away from the Jewish faith. Saul began to persecute anyone who believed in Jesus. This all changed when Saul had an amazing experience on his way to the city of Damascus. Read about Saint Paul’s conversion to Christ in the Acts of the Apostles 9:1-19.On January 25th, we remember how Jesus helped Saul to change his life. Soon after his Baptism, Saul became known as Paul. His new name was a sign of the new life he had received through Christ. We also remember that Jesus is always calling us to change our lives, to turn away from sin, and to follow Jesus in our daily lives, as Saint Paul did.
June 29—The Feast of Saints Peter and Paul
We celebrate this double feast in honor of the great leadership Saint Peter and Saint Paul gave to the Church in its earliest years. These two saints had a lot in common. They were both personally called to their ministry by Jesus. Peter was the first disciple chosen by Jesus. Jesus invited Peter and his brother Andrew to “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:18-20). Paul was called by Jesus on the road to Damascus.Both men were originally known by different names. Peter was first called Simon. When he told Jesus that he believed that Jesus was the “Messiah, the son of the living God,” Jesus said, “You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church” (Matthew 16:13-19). The name “Peter” is the Greek word for “rock.” Jesus’ words meant that he had chosen Peter to be the leader of the Church he established. Saul became known as Paul after his Baptism when he began to preach in Jesus’ name and to help others to believe in Christ.
Both men were great preachers. On the first Pentecost, when Peter and the other disciples received the Holy Spirit, Peter gave such a powerful speech on that day that over 3,000 people decided to follow Jesus and were baptized. Paul traveled as a missionary to share the Good News about Jesus. Through Paul’s ministry and faith in Christ, Christian communities were founded all over the world of his time.
Saint Peter and Saint Paul were both arrested several times. They both died as martyrs for their faith in Jesus and for sharing Jesus’ message of love and salvation for all people. We honor these two saints for the huge contributions they made to the history and growth of the Church. We pray: “Saint. Peter and Saint Paul, help us to continue to grow in our love for Jesus.”
November 18—Dedication of the Basilicas of Saints Peter and Paul
In the Fourth Century, the building of two special churches was completed in Rome. These churches are called basilicas. Basilicas are churches that are important to the Church’s history. One of the basilicas was dedicated to Saint Peter; the other was dedicated to Saint Paul. We believe that these churches were built over the places where these two courageous saints were martyred. Over the centuries, these great church buildings eroded. Because they are so important to the Church’s memory of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, the basilicas were eventually completely rebuilt. Believers from all over the world make pilgrimages to Rome to visit the basilicas to celebrate the Eucharist and to pray to Saint Peter and Saint Paul. On November 18th each year, we celebrate the dedication of the original basilicas honoring Saint Peter and Saint Paul in every parish in the world. Work with your classmates to find a way you can honor the feast of the Dedication of the Basilicas of Saints Peter and Paul in your classroom. You may want to decorate your prayer center with symbols that represent Saint Peter and Saint Paul or plan a special prayer service to thank God for sending us these two great Church leaders.
