June 18, 2008

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Failure can’t do it. Cancer can’t do it. Addiction can’t do it. Depression can’t do it. Nothing can do it – do what? Nothing can separate us from the love of God (Cf. Rom 8:31-39). We celebrate the Year of Saint Paul (June 28, 2008 – June 29, 2009) to deepen our conviction about truths of faith like this that are recorded by this great Apostle to the Gentiles and that undergird our hope.

Pope Benedict XVI has called us to begin this year-long celebration on the Vigil of Sts. Peter and Paul, June 28, 2008. During this year, our Holy Father invites us to strengthen our love for the word of God as a way to honor the Apostle who was unsurpassed in zeal for proclaiming the Gospel. He also invites us to pray and work for unity among all the baptized, recalling how St. Paul constantly pleaded for reconciliation among the early converts to the Christian faith.

This Year that marks twenty centuries since the birth of St. Paul will be celebrated throughout the world and especially in Rome where he was martyred, buried and honored with the magnificent Basilica of St. Paul Outside-the-Walls. Pope Benedict also encourages each local Diocese to enter fully into the graces of the Holy Year.

 Here in the Diocese of Phoenix, we plan to do so in the following ways:

1. I have designated three Churches as places of pilgrimage in our Diocese:

• St. Paul’s Parish in Phoenix
• Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral
• Sacred Heart Parish in Prescott

2. I also am establishing the following as days when a Plenary Indulgence may be obtained by making a pilgrimage, individually or with others, to one of  these churches and fulfilling the conditions required by the Church:

• June 28 and 29, 2008 – Vigil and Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul
• January 25, 2009 – Conversion of St. Paul
• February 10 – Shipwreck of St. Paul
• April 19, 2009  - Divine Mercy Sunday
• June 19, 2009 – Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
• June 28-29, 2009 – Vigil and Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul

3. The conditions required for obtaining a plenary indulgence are the following:

• Sacramental Confession within a week of the pilgrimage,
• Reception of Holy Communion,
• Prayers for the intentions of the Pope (such as one Our Father, one Hail Mary and one Glory Be),
• A spirit of total detachment from any inclination to sin, and
• A desire to join spiritually in a jubilee celebration in honor of St. Paul.

In addition to the special intentions that each person may bring to the pilgrimage, I ask you also to pray and offer sacrifices for the following intentions:

• For the unity of all Christians,
• For an increase of vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

A Plenary Indulgence is a special gift offered by God through the Church to help us attain purity of heart and holiness of life. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (#1471), an indulgence is “the remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sin whose guilt has already been forgiven.” It is best understood in light of Jesus’ promise to be with His Church always and His readiness to provide all we need to have our sins forgiven and to be restored to full loving union with God. As Jesus said (Jn 15:5), “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who lives in me and I in him will produce abundantly, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

In the Year of St. Paul, let us gladly join with our Holy Father and with fellow Christians around the world in seeking deeper conversion and holiness of life, in imitating the evangelizing zeal of St. Paul, and in loving Christ with an undivided heart.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

+Thomas J. Olmsted

Bishop of Phoenix