The year of St Paul?

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Have any of you heard this referenced by Pope Benedict, yet? I read about it in yesterday’s parish bulletin, but other than that, have not heard much else.:confused:

I was curious about something, though. The parish bulletin has a section each week, whereby the parish ‘head’ priest posts his thoughts, insights, on the Gospel reading. In this week’s bulletin, he speaks about the ‘year of St Paul,’ how Paul was instrumental as ‘one of the founders of the Christian church.’

Not Catholic Church, but Christian church. Lower case c. Not to be picky, but I have Protestant friends and family who look towards Paul as being the developer of the Christian faith, over Peter, even. They follow a ‘Pauline’ type of worship, if that makes sense.

I’m confused…I don’t view Paul as a founder of the Church. He was a teacher of God’s word, but a founder?

Maybe someone can help me better understand the meaning here? Thanks!
 
whatevergirl said:
Have any of you heard this referenced by Pope Benedict, yet? I read about it in yesterday’s parish bulletin, but other than that, have not heard much else.
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Yes, Pope Benedict inaugurated the Year of Paul on June 29th; it runs through June 29th of next year. I’m sorry you weren’t better informed.
whatevergirl said:
I was curious about something, though. The parish bulletin has a section each week, whereby the parish ‘head’ priest posts his thoughts, insights, on the Gospel reading. In this week’s bulletin, he speaks about the ‘year of St Paul,’ how Paul was instrumental as ‘one of the founders of the Christian church.’ Not Catholic Church, but Christian church. Lower case c.
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Paul was instrumental in the development and early growth of the Church. That’s the Catholic Church, the only Christian Church Paul knew!

If you read Paul’s letters, there are two categories: letters to individual churches, and letters to individual people. Both categories of letters deal with defining and defending the true faith. Some of them deal with liturgical matters (like how to properly conduct and receive the Eucharist). Some deal with giving hope and support to Christians in troubled times. And some deal with “legal” issues: what the qualifications are for being a bishop, priest, or deacon; what to do with a Christian who is committing a heinous sin; etc.

Paul was not just a “teacher of God’s word”, but an Apostle, abnormal though his election to that position by the Lord was! And Paul personally founded (with the help of others) numerous churches through Asia and southern Europe.
 
Thank you for your reply!

I have this awful pit in my stomach, like when you have just been let it on something new, but never knew it for years? I thought he acted like a priest of sorts.:confused: a traveling priest…while he might have started ‘churches’ …I am confused as to how we are to view him as a founder? I think it’s the word ‘founder’ I’m having trouble with…Jesus was the founder of the Catholic Church…and Peter was the first Pope. I don’t understand how there can be ‘many founders’ of the faith??? Only followers, for Jesus was the Founder.

Help! I’m confused.:crying:
 
whatevergirl said:
I thought he acted like a priest of sorts.:confused: a traveling priest…while he might have started ‘churches’ …I am confused as to how we are to view him as a founder? I think it’s the word ‘founder’ I’m having trouble with…Jesus was the founder of the Catholic Church…and Peter was the first Pope. I don’t understand how there can be ‘many founders’ of the faith?
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Let’s get it from his mouth, then, shall we?

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God…” (Rom 1:1, cf. 1 Cor 1:1, 2 Cor 1:1, Gal 1:1, Eph 1:1, Col 1:1, 1 Tim 1:1, 2 Tim 1:1, Titus 1:1)

“Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God which is with me.” (1 Cor 15:8-10)

“For this gospel I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher…” (2 Tim 1:11)

“According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and another man is building upon it. Let each man take care how he builds upon it.” (1 Cor 3:10)

“So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord.” (Eph 2:19-21)

And one reference from Revelation: “And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” (Rev 21:14)

Jesus Christ founded the Church, that is true. He founded it upon Peter, first and foremost; but he also founded it upon the Apostles as a whole, and even upon the prophets that preceded him.
 
In my parish, we have recited the Prayer to St. Paul composed by Pope Benedict for the Pauline Year in the post-Communion before before the announcements. Also, our priest has centered his homilies on the Second Reading when that reading is one of Paul’s Epistles.
 
FYI, St. Paul was born in AD 8, so this is the Pauline year in celebration of 2,000 since his birth.
 
whatevergirl said:
I thought he acted like a priest of sorts.:confused: a traveling priest…while he might have started ‘churches’ …I am confused as to how we are to view him as a founder? I think it’s the word ‘founder’ I’m having trouble with…Jesus was the founder of the Catholic Church…and Peter was the first Pope. I don’t understand how there can be ‘many founders’ of the faith???
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He was a missionary, an apostle, and he founded numerous local churches (yes, Christ founded the one Church). Just as today you belong to the one Church, but also to your local church (your diocese).
 
PhilotheaZ said:
He was a missionary, an apostle, and he founded numerous local churches (yes, Christ founded the one Church). Just as today you belong to the one Church, but also to your local church (your diocese).
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Yes, this I know–but the way my parish priest couched his weekly reflection–**Paul was one of the founders of the Christian church. **That doesn’t make sense to me, really. 🤷
 
whatevergirl said:
Yes, this I know–but the way my parish priest couched his weekly reflection–**Paul was one of the founders of the Christian church. **That doesn’t make sense to me, really. 🤷
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He was “one of the founders” in the sense that he was one of the instruments Christ used to found His Church.

Just as Isaiah was “one of the authors” of the Old Testament, even though we know God is the primary Author.

Unless your priest was intentionally downplaying the role of Christ in the process, it was probably just an unintentional imperfect choice of words, and you can give him the benefit of the doubt.
 
PhilotheaZ said:
He was “one of the founders” in the sense that he was one of the instruments Christ used to found His Church.

Just as Isaiah was “one of the authors” of the Old Testament, even though we know God is the primary Author.

Unless your priest was intentionally downplaying the role of Christ in the process, it was probably just an unintentional imperfect choice of words, and you can give him the benefit of the doubt.
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Ok! That makes perfect sense…thank you. I hope I don’t always across this dense.😊 I think he should have worded it that way, but highly probable he meant in the way you are explaining it here. Thanks, again!
 
It appears the Holy Father was reading this thread, and decided to clarify confusion on the issue…😉
Paul Is No Inventor of Christianity, Says Pope
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VATICAN CITY, SEPT. 24, 2008 (Zenit.org).- The importance that Paul gave in his letters to sacred Tradition proves false the claim the Apostle invented Christianity, says Benedict XVI.
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The Pope affirmed this today during the general audience in St. Peter’s Square, which he dedicated to a continuation of his series of catecheses on St. Paul. Some 15,000 people gathered for the audience, including several groups from Eastern Europe and Oceania.
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