A monthly letter from the Glenmary Vocation Office

July 2008

St. Paul and the Home Mission Effort

Did you know a new year has begun? No, I am not talking about the new fiscal year for Glenmary or a new calendar year. Rather with the feast of St. Peter and St. Paul on Sunday June 30, 2008, the Church began a jubilee year in honor of St. Paul. As a missionary society, this makes the coming year very important for Glenmary.

“For this reason, today too, in a world that has become ‘small,’ but where many have not yet met the Lord Jesus, the Jubilee of St. Paul invites all Christians to be missionaries of the Gospel,” Pope Benedict said on June 30 in his address before the noon Angelus. “The missionary dimension must always be accompanied by that of unity, represented by St. Peter, the ‘rock’ on which Jesus Christ built his Church.”

This year’s theme for our annual gathering, the Glenmary Congress,  will focus on the missionary spirit of St. Paul and the home mission effort and will be lead by Father Tom Stegman, S.J.

My own mission drive grows out of studying the Acts of the Apostles while in high school. The courage of St. Peter and especially St. Paul overwhelms me. The conversion of St. Paul from killer of Christians to early martyr of the Church is inspirational. Clearly, St. Paul was not the most dynamic speaker because someone fell out a window in boredom listening to him. (Acts 20:8-12). His arguments were not always the most convincing. (Acts 17:32). He was not the easiest companion (Acts 15:36-39). Despite these human failings, Paul inspired and helped convert many. (Acts 14:21, 16:5, 19:20).

It was my inner desire to take the healing and love that Jesus gave me and spread to others. I continue to ask how can we convert not just individuals, but all towns and even America. My dreams are big because Jesus’ love knows no limits. Glenmary also dreams big hoping one day that in every county there will be a Catholic Church. Even more important, Glenmary dreams that every person has the opportunity to profess Christ in their hearts and live their faith in their life. In this way the way of Christ, of peace, mercy and justice, will come to pass. Paul was full of courage, determination and deep faith. So, too, is Glenmary.

This year as we celebrate 2000 years since the birth of St. Paul, let each of us reflect how to be better missioners. Join Glenmary in spirit and prayer as we reflect on Paul’s missionary spirit and consider how it is at work within the home mission effort and us.

Maybe like Paul, one day we can write, “I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.” (2 Tim. 4:7).