PAULINE SISTERS CELEBRATE ST PAUL’S FEAST DAY 2008
A large gathering of friends, wellwishers, benefactors, and acquaintances participated in a Mass celebrated by Oblates of Mary Father Ronnie Yap Gicalao. In his sermon he emphasized the role of the two apostles, Peter and Paul, pillars of the Church.
Peter stands for unity – unity of the Church, of society, of the parish, of the Christian community and of the family. St Paul is synonymous with Mission. Three quarters of the Acts of the Apostles describe his missionary journeys across the known seas into all the lands of the Mediterranean. All his 14 Letters speak of his mission of spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ to everyone.
After the Eucharistic Celebration, Sister Mary Grace Lee introduced her congregation founded by Blessed James Alberione. This Italian priest who died in 1971 understood the Signs of the times. What special thing did he do?
On the night between 1900 and 1901, the young Alberione prayed for four hours and the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament enlightened him to embark on a very innovative mission. If people don’t come to Church to hear the Word of God, then the Word of God must go out to the people. How? Through the new means of communication such as the press, radio, films, television and now all the electronic devices.
When he founded the Society of St.Paul for priests in 1914 and the Daughters of St.Paul for women in 1915, he immediately set up the Association of Pauline Cooperators in 1918. He learnt from St.Paul that mission work can only be accomplished by many collaborators working together. Sr.Grace told the assembly that the Association of Pauline Cooperators is precisely the means by which good intentioned lay people can join hands with the sisters to accomplish the mission of spreading the Word of God to all around them.
Sister extended two invitations to those present. One invitation to young people between the ages of 18 and 30, to come forward and offer their whole life as Religious, in the service of God in spreading the Gospel. The second invitation to everyone, young or old, Catholic or not, to join the Association of Pauline Cooperators. Some lay people really wish to do something for God and for others. They also feel it is not enough to attend Sunday Mass only. They want to come closer to the Lord and serve him in whatever way they can.
A double feast took place in the Shatin convent of the Daughters of St.Paul on Sunday 29th June.
The sisters celebrated in advance the feast day of their Patron and Father, St.Paul, whose actual feast day is 30th June, the day when the Sisters usually make their Profession of vows. This year it’s also the beginning of the Year of St.Paul which will conclude on 29th June 2009.
The Pope in proclaiming the Pauline Year, said the world needs apostles like Paul, and even martyrs too. He invites us to become Paul to our contemporaries. He calls us to mission. Are we ready and willing?
The next day Monday 30th June, the sisters had a private celebration of St.Paul on the actual feast day. This occasion also coincided with the first Mass celebrated in their newly renovated and extended chapel. And to crown the celebrations, Sr.Mary Grace renewed her religious Profession for the 45th time, during the Mass celebrated by Korean Father Peter Kim. The community of the Daughters of St.Paul in Shatin consists of only four sisters, Singaporean Sr. Mary Grace Lee, the new Superior, Korean Sr.Veronica Park, Korean Sr.Gesuina Seo and Filipina Sr.Teresita Agpasa.
Sr Grace Lee introducing her congregation
Our foundress
Venerable Thecla Merlo
night of 31 December 1900 and felt obliged “to do something for God and for the people of the new century.”
Our founder Blessed James Alberione
Fr James Alberione encountered the Lord in the
Eucharistic adoration on the
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