Pauline Year announced!

The Vatican issued a statement on June 28 that there will be a Pauline Year to celebrate the 2000 anniversary of his birth which most historians claim to be between 7 AD and 10 AD. The year will start on June 28, 2008. While this may not seem like much to many people, I am very enthusiastic that the possibility of my diaconate year will be dedicated to this great apostle. I am quite interested in the ecumenical movement, and I believe there is way too little emphasis on the writings of Paul and what they can translate into today.

Speaking of things from the Vatican, a few days ago my moment of zen had a website about driving, interestingly enough, this document aboutPastoral Care of the Road came out and helped me realize that I still have a long way to go in my practice of true Christian charity. :) I specifically enjoyed reading section III on human aspects and IV Moral aspects of driving. I loved this quote: "Coexistence is a fundamental aspect of human beings and roads should therefore be more human. Motorists are never alone when they are driving, even when no one is sitting beside them. Driving a vehicle is basically a way of relating with and getting closer to other people"(especially when I drive) ", and of integrating within a community of people. This capacity for coexistence, of entering into relations with others, presupposes certain specific qualities in a driver: namely self-mastery, prudence, courtesy, a fitting spirit of service and knowledge of the Highway Code. Selfless assistance should also be provided to those who need it, by giving an example of charity and hospitality." Part two of the document talks about the importance of pastoral ministry for the liberation of street women, which shares an important perspecitve on prostitution as "a form of slavery." Please continue to pray that we continue to try to assist these people rather than judge them.

Well, guess that is all for now, talk to you all soon. Oh and to my friends from the great white North, Happy Belated Canada Day, eh! Pax et bonum!

Sts. Peter and Paul pray for us

ok, ok, I know it was yesterday, but I was very busy... Anyway, I have always loved this feast day, not only because it celebrates two of the greatest apostles, but because of the different paths they took to become apostles. Especially, today when we tend to focus on everything that is wrong with "the other", the fact that these two men are celebrated together despite their different approaches is powerful. I think that it is telling that the Church makes us celebrate these two men together. Catholics have usually been associated with Peter through the power of the keys while Protestants usually look to Paul and his fervant evangelization, but the Church reminds us all that we are followers of Christ and there is something missing when we deny the Christian name to others because their focus is not identical to ours. I also take solace in the fact that the people that Christ chose were not perfect, Peter would be extremely successful at times and then would fail, Paul started out persecuting Christians but then became one of its greatest advocates. Through the intercession of Saints Peter and Paul may we become more aware of Christian Unity.