Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul

"For Paul, adherence to the Church was brought about by a direct intervention of Christ, who in revealing himself on the road to Damascus identified himself with the Church and made Paul realize that persecution of the Church was persecution of himself, the Lord.

In fact, the Risen One said to Paul, persecutor of the Church: "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" (Acts 9: 4). In persecuting the Church, he was persecuting Christ.

Paul, therefore, was at the same time converted to Christ and to the Church. This leads one to understand why the Church later became so present in Paul's thoughts, heart and activity."

This is from a homily the Holy Father gave at a general audience on Wednesday, November 22, 2006. I found it @ annopaolino.org, a great resource for this specially dedicated Jubilee Year to the Apostle Paul. You can read more catechesis of St. Paul by the Holy Father there.

Today is the the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul and Father Austin Fleming has posted his homily for today. I am so glad that he does this! Today's is a wonderful, down to earth, easy to relate to homily that compares the two saints and helps us find ourselves in them.

Amy Wellborn has a good introduction to this Jubilee Year of the Apostle Paul.
She posts a quote from Pope Benedict (from last year) announcing this Year of St.Paul.

"Dear brothers and sisters, as in early times, today too Christ needs apostles ready to sacrifice themselves. He needs witnesses and martyrs like St Paul. Paul, a former violent persecutor of Christians, when he fell to the ground dazzled by the divine light on the road to Damascus, did not hesitate to change sides to the Crucified One and followed him without second thoughts. He lived and worked for Christ, for him he suffered and died. How timely his example is today!

And for this very reason I am pleased to announce officially that we shall be dedicating a special Jubilee Year to the Apostle Paul from 28 June 2008 to 29 June 2009, on the occasion of the bi-millennium of his birth, which historians have placed between the years 7 and 10 A.D."