ANNIVERSARIES

As I mentioned last weekend at mass, this year we have some significant anniversaries. On May 11 the State of Minnesota celebrates its Sesquecentennial or 150th anniversary. And the state capital was then chosen to be St. Paul. And of course, that name came from the name of the first church (actually a log cabin) that was constructed in 1840 by Father Lucien Galtier. Our Archdiocese is also named after this great apostle to the Gentiles.

And by tradition St. Paul himself was born in the year 8 of the common era. The Vatican has outlined a programme of events celebrating the life of St. Paul to mark the forthcoming "Pauline Year," with the emphasis firmly on ecumenism.

Pope Benedict XVI proclaimed a year dedicated to St. Paul while presiding over vespers at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome last June. It will run from June 29, 2008 to June 29, 2009, marking the presumed 2000th anniversary of the Apostle's birth.

Cardinal Andrea Cordero Lanza di Montezemolo, the Archpriest of St. Paul's Basilica, told a Vatican press conference that the celebrations would have a "clear ecumenical dimension," with a chapel at the Basilica formerly used for baptisms re-dedicated as an "Ecumenical Chapel." He said he hoped "our brothers from various Christian denominations" would visit Rome to pray with Roman Catholics in the chapel and at the tomb of St. Paul beneath the high altar, although without joint celebration of Holy Communion.

He said the use of the baptismal chapel was appropriate since "baptism is the sacrament which unites all those who believe in Christ." A flame dedicated to St Paul will burn at the Basilica throughout the Pauline year so that pilgrims can light candles from it. Exhibitions, concerts and conferences are planned.

The Apostle's Jewish origins and his dramatic conversion to Christ on the road to Damascus will be discussed at a Catholic-Jewish conference at the Gregorian University in Rome. Cardinal di Montezemolo said St Paul's Basilica expected seven thousand visitors during the Pauline year, twice the normal number. The leaders of non Catholic denominations - including the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople—would be invited to attend the opening ceremony on June 28 presided over by the Pope.

Last year the Pope noted the saint's "commitment to unity and harmony among all Christians."

IRAQI CHRISTIANS CONTINUE TO SUFFER

(from the Zenit news service) The Catholic exodus from Iraq might resume in the wake of recent attacks against Christian holy places, warns the charity organization Aid to the Church in Need.

The charity organization made its declaration based on reports it collected from Christians in Iraq after a series of attacks in early January.

"The attacks had the goal of terrorizing Christians so they leave the region, and to make those Iraqi Christians who have emigrated and are hoping to return cancel their plans," an organization statement said.

Aid to the Church in Need considers that "given the small extent of the material damage caused by the bombs, it is not very likely that the attackers aimed to cause injuries or greater damage."

The first attacks were January 6, the feast of the Epiphany for the Catholic Church, and the Orthodox Church's Christmas Eve. The bombs damaged six churches in Baghdad and Mosul. The second attacks were January 9.

Archbishop Louis Sako of Kirkuk said he thinks the bombings are a political message, directed at terrorizing the Christian community of the area, which had suffered relatively few acts of violence or intimidation.

Marie-Ange Siebrecht, Aid to the Church in Need's Middle East expert, lamented that the press has given little attention to the situation of Christians in Iraq.

"It would be a catastrophe to separate the Christians from the rest," she said. "For such a long time, they have coexisted as part of this society."

Siebrecht said it is impossible to determine the exact number of Christians who are still in Iraq, but it is thought that more than half of those who used to live there have already left the country.

FATHER JIM IN KNEED

Probably due to too many genuflections and hours on his knees, our weekend
associate priest, Father Jim Barry this past week had a knee replacement. He
plans to be gone for the next two weekends during his recovery. Please keep
him in your prayers. Cards can be sent to the parish office.

MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY

This Martin Luther King Day I plan to set aside some time to read again his Letter from the Birmingham Jail. (Google it to bring it up on the internet.) He wrote this in response to the criticism of his civil disobedience and his presence in Birmingham by many of the white clergy in Alabama. He remains prophetic.

"But more basically, I am in Birmingham because injustice is here. Just as the prophets of the eighth century B.C. left their villages and carried their "thus saith the Lord" far beyond the boundaries of their home towns, and just as the Apostle Paul left his village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to the far corners of the Greco-Roman world, so am I compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my own home town. Like Paul, I must constantly respond to the Macedonian call for aid."

A NICE WEEK AND MORE

One of our parishioners took the time to express her appreciation of the special Advent and Christmas season bulletin insert meditations called, This Week at Home." The staff and I really love to know what works for you and your families.

"I just wanted to let you know that I am really enjoying the bulletin enclosure titled "this week at home".  (I may have the title wrong.) We are spending 2-5 minutes reading the gospel for the day and having some discussion around how this might apply to our lives. I like the sheet because it is organized all on one sheet that I have posted on the refrigerator. Mornings are such a rush at our home and this is a nice way to get the day started. Please share this feedback with the staff/team that organizes the bulletin. I appreciate all of the support and the sense of community at St Edwards. Take Care and have a nice week."

That does make my week. Another parishioner sent the following note to me this week: "I don't know exactly who to direct my thanks and appreciation to for the lovely Christmas Day service, but please pass a thank you on for me. I just can't fathom how so many people give their time to make all those services so beautiful."

There is no way I could know all those who contribute so I will let this bulletin message extend the grateful message.

Finally, one other card I just got concluded, "The 3:00 'Children's Mass' is so 'wild' but wonderful!"

A NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION

One of the ongoing needs in our communities is for blood donations. Locally, the Memorial Blood Bank staffs a number of offices and blood mobiles for donations. For us this has become even more convenient. The Blood Bank recently opened a new office in Eden Prairie just off Highway 212 and Prairie Center Drive at 12200 Middleset Road. And there is also another convenient site at 500 W. 98th St, near the intersection of Old Shakopee and Lyndale Ave on the second floor of the Premier Bank building. You can call for information and appointments at (651) 332-7150 or online at http://www.memorialbloodcenters.org/.

What a great way to start the New Year or to make the year 2008 very special for both the giver and the many who benefit from this gift of life. Donors must be at least 17 but there is no longer an upper age limit which means that even I can donate.