As we celebrate the Solemnity of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, we come to the end of the special Year of Saint Paul, which Pope Benedict opened a year ago.

Saint Paul is not someone we celebrate just on one day, or for one year. Rather in a special way he is our constant companion, as a number of the inspired writings in the New Testament are his letters. In the solemn inauguration a year ago, Pope Benedict said that ‘we should not ask ourselves only who was Paul? Let us also ask ourselves above all: who is Paul? What does he say to me?’

Saint Paul is an example to us not only as a person of words, but also of action. At the same time, we know that in order to be an example by word and deed, he also must be an example of faith.

Pope Benedict referred to Saint Paul’s faith as he continued with his homily: ‘In the Letter to the Galatians, St Paul gives a very personal profession of faith in which he opens his heart to readers of all times and reveals what was the most intimate drive of his life. "I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me" (Gal 2: 20). All Paul's actions begin from this centre. His faith is the experience of being loved by Jesus Christ in a very personal way. It is awareness of the fact that Christ did not face death for something anonymous but rather for love of him - of Paul - and that, as the Risen One, he still loves him; in other words, Christ gave himself for him. Paul's faith is being struck by the love of Jesus Christ, a love that overwhelms him to his depths and transforms him. His faith is not a theory, an opinion about God and the world. His faith is the impact of God's love in his heart. Thus, this same faith was love for Jesus Christ.’

The Pope also recalls Jesus’ words to Saint Paul on the Road to Damascus: ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’, thereby identifying himself with the Church. In this context the Pope speaks of the Eucharist: ‘In all of this the Eucharistic mystery appears, in which Christ continually gives his Body and makes of us his Body: "The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread" (1 Cor 10: 16f). With these words, at this moment, not only Paul addresses us but also the Lord himself: how could you pierce my body? Before the Face of Christ, these words become at the same time an urgent plea: Bring us together from all our divisions. Grant that this may once again become reality today: there is one bread, therefore we, although we are many, are one body. For Paul, the words about the Church as the body of Christ are not just any comparison. They go far beyond a comparison. "Why do you persecute me?". Christ ceaselessly draws us into his body, building his Body from the Eucharistic centre that for Paul is the centre of Christian existence by virtue of which everyone, as also every individual, can experience in a totally personal way: he has loved me and given himself for me.’

The full text of the Pope’s homily can be found on the Vatican website.

I conclude this article with the pope’s call to prayer: ‘Let us now thank the Lord for having called Paul, making him the light to the Gentiles and the teacher of us all, and let us pray to him: "Give us even today witnesses of the Resurrection, struck by the impact of your love and able to bring the light of the Gospel in our time.St Paul, pray for us! Amen.’

This Sunday afternoon there is the APF Mission Mass at Llantarnam Abbey. Our two parishes have been involved with the Pontifical Mission Societies for many years, particularly as a number of the parish priests have been the Diocesan Directors, including Father Joe O’Brien and currently myself.

The APF is well supported in both parishes through the red boxes, Mission Sunday and other contributions. Our local secretaries do great work along with the promoters and red-box holders. Please contact the parishes if you do not currently have a red box and would like one.

Our children support the missions through Mission Together whose motto is “Children helping Children”. Our Primary School recently raised well over £600 for this.

The Society of Saint Peter the Apostle which supports the formation of clergy and religious in mission territories, and the Pontifical Missionary Union, which promotes awareness of mission, complete the family of the four societies.

These are found in every country of the world and support the church wherever it is new, young or poor.

This coming year promises to be an important one for the Pontifical Mission Societies in England and Wales as they become known as Missio.The new name was announced this week during the visit of the Papal Nuncio to the national office of the societies in London. ‘Missio’ symbolises unity in faith and mission, overseeing the support given to every one of the 1,069 mission dioceses in the world through an effective collection of funds and support according to their specific needs. These include supporting 194,855 schools, 5,246 hospitals, 17,530 dispensaries, 577 leprosy centres and 80,560 social and pastoral projects worldwide. Funds collected in each diocese of England & Wales are sent directly to local bishops in the mission territories.

The new name should give fresh impetus to our commitment to overseas mission, without losing our proud tradition: for over 70 years ‘to be a Christian is to be a missionary’ has been a familiar theme to people in England & Wales as they have supported and prayed for the missions through the red boxes today present in over 200,000 homes.

We also look forward to the visit of the relics of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux In September and October. She is one of the patrons of the church’s missionary activity.

There are many parts of the world where Christians are persecuted, and need spiritual and material support. In November 2006 I visited Pakistan, as part of a Pontifical Mission Society visit, to see how the Church operates there. On page four of this week's edition of  New Life there is a reproduction of an article from the Missio website which details the situation faced by some of the communities cared for by the National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Pakistan, who helped organise my visit. The article can also be found by clicking here.