Vigil of Paul's Conversion

Here we are on the Feast of St. Francis de Sales, a feast significant to Paulines for three things: Francis is the patron saint of the Catholic Press and of Catholic journalists; today is the day the Vatican officially releases the theme for the coming World Day of Communication (7th Sunday of Easter) (it is unofficially released earlier to give journalists time to prepare material for publication in May); and finally, it is the Vigil of the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul (the only conversion in history to have its own feast day).

From our community morning prayer, a lovely prayer by Pope John Paul II, dating to 1980:

Blessed are you, Paul of Tarsus,

the apostle of the Gentiles;

the converted persecutor;

the admirable lover and witness of the crucified and Risen Christ!

Blessed are you, steward of the mysteries of God, for whom "to live is Christ"; you who desire so much and so exclusively to be called the minister of Christ...so that your and our Master speaks in you."