ARCHDIOCESAN CLOSING OF THE  YEAR OF SAINT PAUL
SATURDAY JUNE 27TH, 2009
HERE AT SAINT PAUL CHURCH 5:30 PM
MOST REVEREND JOSEPH P. McFADDEN
WILL BE THE MAIN CELEBRANT AND HOMILIST

Following the Mass, a reception with light refreshments will be held. During the reception, art work and projects about Saint Paul will be displayed. Awards will be presented to elementary students from throughout the archdiocese who are winners of a contest on Saint Paul.
ALL ARE INVITED TO ATTEND.
“May the God of peace make you perfectly holy…for the coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1Thessalonians 5:23)

Toward a greater appreciation of Saint Paul
On June 28, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI surprised many people by announcing a special jubilee called “The Year of Paul” to commemorate the bi-millennium of the birth of the apostle.
As the Holy Father noted, most scholars believe the apostle to have been born late in the first decade of the Christian era, perhaps between A.D. 8-10. So it is appropriate to celebrate the two-thousandth anniversary of his birth in our own day. The year will run from June 28, 2008, to June 29, 2009, and ostensibly is intended to promote the study of the letters of Paul and to further ecumenical discussion.
In addition, the year will foster greater appreciation of the Word of God in a year that will also see a world synod of bishops devoted to that topic (October 2008).

AN HONOR FOR OUR PARISH IN THE YEAR OF ST. PAUL AS ONE OF THE TWO PARISHES UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF ST. PAUL IN THE ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA, OUR CHURCH AND COMMUNITY HAS BEEN HONORED TO BE SELECTED AS A PILGRIMAGE SITE FOR THIS SPECIAL JUBILEE YEAR. ALSO, THE ARCHDIOCESAN CLOSING MASS FOR THE YEAR OF ST. PAUL WILL BE CELEBRATED HERE BY THE MOST REVEREND JOSEPH P. McFADDEN, ON SATURDAY, JUNE 27TH, 2009.  (The opening mass was celebrated at Saint Paul Parish in South Philadelphia last June 29th, 2008) IT IS A JOY FOR US TO WELCOME PILGRIMAGE GROUPS FROM SCHOOLS AND PARISHES THROUGHOUT THE ARCHDIOCESE. (THE TWO OTHER PILGRIMAGE SITES ARE ST. PAUL IN SOUTH PHILADELPHIA AND THE CATHEDRAL OF SAINTS PETER AND PAUL.).

THE YEAR OF ST. PAUL BEGAN ON SUNDAY, JUNE 29TH, THE SOLEMNITY OF SAINTS PETER AND PAUL, WITH A SOLEMN MASS AT 10:30 AM, FEATURING MUSIC ESPECIALLY PREPARED BY OUR CHOIR.

DURING THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, A NUMBER OF PRESENTATIONS ON THE LETTERS OF ST. PAUL WERE DONE, INCLUDING A SPECIAL WEEKEND SEMINAR.