Celebrating the Year of St. Paul in the Parkersburg Vicariate

At St. Matthew Parish, Ravenswood, WV

A large banner (about 46” wide and 60” long) for the Pauline year has been created by parishioner Rose Covey and her friend Mary Roesnecker (a member of Sts. Peter & Paul Parish, Oak Hill WV) . They were inspired by the logo from the St. Paul Outside the Walls website, especially after Fr. John Finnell explained the symbols depicted in the logo: chain, sword, bible, Greek cross, flames. Rose and Mary began working on their masterpiece on a Friday at about 11 a.m. and didn’t stop until 2 a.m. At 11 a.m. Saturday, they began adding finishing touches and completed the banner at 3 p.m. Their creation can be viewed in the church throughout the Pauline year.

Parishioners of St. Matthew are observing the Year of St. Paul in other ways. Households are taking turns praying a simple nine day Novena in Honor of Saint Paul. Father Finnell’s Sunday homilies will concentrate on the second readings – from the letters of St. Paul. A special focus on the letters of Saint Paul will be made in all of the Sunday School classes in whatever ways are practical for each age group, and adults will also have the opportunity to study St. Paul’s writings during the Sunday School period.

Year of St. Paul programs available at PaulVI Pastoral Center:

Living on the Edge: Paul, Apostle of the Crucified 
Dressing Oneself in Christ: The Spirituality of Paul of Tarsus
It is No Longer I, But Christ: Saint Paul, Super-apostle