Beauty Within-14

Cover


Blessed James Alberione
Founder of the Daughters of St Paul
..f“You who possess knowledge,
who have intelligence and will power,
a tremendous capacity to love, a spirit of self-sacrifice,
a burning desire for holiness, and a consuming thirst for souls,
come with confidence to the Daughters of St Paul.
You can spend yourself completely in the Pauline apostolate
while your horizons grow ever longer, broader and more beautiful.”
“If people do not go to the Church, The Church must go to the people.”
Blessed James Alberione, (Founder of the Daughters of St Paul)


Editorial
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PAULINES PUBLICATIONS AFRICA
P. O. Box 49026 00100 Nairobi GPO (Kenya) Tel. (020) 4447202/03 Fax 4442097
E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.paulinesafrica.org
Editor:
Sr Beatrice Iguem, fsp
Assistant Editors:
Sr Josephine Idowu, fsp Sr Augustine Nemer, fsp
Graphic Design & Typesetting:
Elizabeth W. Kagwe-Rioba
Printed by:
Don Bosco Printing Press,
P.O. Box 158, 01020 Makuyu (Kenya)
If you would like to know more about the Daughters of St Paul please contact:
DAUGHTERS OF ST PAUL
P. O. Box 49026 00100 Nairobi GPO (Kenya) Tel. (020) 4450001 Fax 4442144
Cell: 0723727418
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.paulinesafrica.org
Contents
Editorial _ A Centenary Year ..............3 Humble Beginnings...............................4 Go Out to the Whole World... .............7 Women associated with
Priestly Zeal... ......................................11 Our relationship with St Paul............13 Testimonies of Faith ........................14 Born from the Eucharist.....................16 From Stitching Clothes
to Stitching Souls .................................17 Gazing Into the Future .......................19 100 Years of Blessings
& Evangelisation ................................. 20 Pauline Cooperators:
Daughters of St Paul ........................... 20 Centenary ..............................................21 The Mind of a Young Cooperator ... 22
BEAUTY WITHIN is a Bi-annual news- letter of the Daughters of St Paul, an international religious congregation, using press, radio, TV and ilms to spread the gospel message and to promote the dignity of all people.
© St Paul’s Communications/Daughters of St Paul.
Acentenary celebration for any institute or organisation is an im-
portant occasion in the life of that particular institute or organisation. It is a moment to thank God and to cel- ebrate its existence and mis- sion in the society and also to reflect on its achievements as well as the areas that call for growth. 2015 has been a very important year for the Daughters of St Paul, who were founded in June, 1915. They live, witness and spread the gospel of Jesus to every- one using the means of social communications. It is St Paul who inspires them in their mission; so that they can be- come St Paul living today.
Within a century, many things have happened: their mission has spread to dif- ferent parts of the world in 54 countries, like a mustard seed, grown into a big tree; many young people have joined the Institute and have become Daughters of St Paul; many generous people have collaborated and still col- laborate with them in the mission of evangelisation
through media; a lot of progress has been made in their media apostolate, always according to the signs of the
times,andthelistgoeson.We are grateful to God for that.
As you flip through the pages of this special issue of the Beauty Within magazine, you will hear thevoicesoftheseSisterstelling their story and inviting you to become part of that story. If you haven’t met them yet, you will get to know their beginnings, their founder and co-foundress, their journey of faith, their deep relationship with Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life, and their relationship with St Paul. When you meet the Daughters of St Paul in these pages, you will realise how much their founder, Bl James Alberione, believed in the contribution of women towards the formation of the society. You will hear the voices of their Cooperators tell- ing of their own experiences in the Pauline mission and you will get to know where you can actually meet them. With their founder, let us say “blessed are the postmistresses of God, who bring to every family his gos- pel of love.” Read on then, and get to know the Daughters of St Paul!
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UMBLE BEGINNING
Some of the main charac- teristics of the Daughters of St Paul are joy, faith,
simplicity and trust in the Di- vine Providence. A famous say- ing by our co-foundress was that we should “always to be- gin from Bethlehem, from the manger.” The manger reminds us of the birth of Jesus. We are told that Jesus was born and laid in a manger because there was no place for him to be born. He came to his own, but his own did not recognise him; he was hidden, silent, without any welcome; there was no trium- phant entry for Baby Jesus on earth. The ‘manger’ signifies a place of poverty, lack of ba- sic necessities, but also a place of a deep trust in the Divine Providence. Mary and Joseph put their trust entirely in the
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Lord. Such was the story of the Daughters of St Paul. It is this spirit that has always guided them from the very beginning of their institute.
In the night that divided the 20th century (1900-1901), Fr James Alberione, the founder of the Daughters of St Paul and of the Pauline Family had a powerful experience during a Eucharistic adoration that lasted the whole night. He felt the assurance of Jesus, who was inviting him for a special mission. Within him he felt strengthened and passionate to do something for God in the new century that was just beginning. He under- stood the invitation of Jesus in the holy Eucharist: Jesus was inviting him to bring all peo- p pl le e t to o h h i i m m a a n nd d t to o t t a a k k e e h h i i m m t to o
e e v v e e r r y y o o n n e e . . I I n n t t h h i i s s e e x x- - perience, he clearly understood his vo- c c a a t t i i o o n n t t o o t t h h e e p p r r i i e e s s t t- - hood; he perceived t t h h e e n n e e e e d d f f o o r r a a n n o o r r- - ganised apostolate and that generous souls would one day j j o oi i n n h h i i m m i i n n c c a a r r r r y y i i n n g g out this mission. It happened that 14 years after
this experience, the Daughters of St Paul were born.
The Beginning
The Daughters of St Paul had a very humble and hidden origin. They came into being without a house, without a name and without anyone being aware of them. They had no idea of what the future held for them; they only trusted in the Lord and in the guidance of the good and humble theologian, as their founder was often called.
The first group of the Daugh- ters of St Paul belonged to a group of catechists from the nearby parish of Sts Cosmas and Damien, in Alba, Italy. They were members of a cat- echetical league that had been founded by Canon Chiesa, a man of great wisdom and deep faith in God. He was the spirit- ual director of Alberione. From 6th of June 1915 onwards, Fr Al- berione would give conferences to this group of Catechists. Three of these catechists, hav- ing been advised by Canon Chiesa, joined Fr Alberione on the project he had begun. Fr Alberione’s idea was precise and sure, even though at that time, no one would have been
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able to grasp the idea behind the project.
On the 15th of June, the Daugh- ters of St Paul truly began from the manger. Even though, through the guidance of Fr Al- berione, the Lord was calling them to be apostles of the good press, they were few, with no printing press, and without the needed knowledge to carry out their mission. Therefore they started by making shirts and trousers for military suppli- ers. At that time, their place of work was called the ‘feminine workshop’. For Fr Alberione, the greatest poverty and ob- stacle was their weaknesses be- fore God. On one occasion, Fr Alberione said: “There are two things that really bother me, that I am not yet good enough and that you are not yet holy enough.” For Alberione, if the apostolate of the press had to be realised and to be more ef- fective, the young group had to strive to holiness.
Fr Alberione’s Meeting with Mother Tecla Merlo, the First Daughter of
St Paul
A friend of Fr Alberione, Br Costanzo Merlo informed Fr Alberione that his sister was an expert seamstress. She was 21 years old and desired to be- come a religious. Due to her bad health, the Cottolengo Sisters to whom she had ap- plied did not want to accept her at the moment. So a meet- ing was arranged between Te- resa Merlo (later Tecla Merlo), her mother and Fr Alberione. Tecla’s mother was reluctant to
let her daughter meet
the theologian but
through Constan-
zo’s insistence, she
gave in to the re-
quest. This meeting
was held in the sac-
risty of Sts Cosmas
and Damien Parish
Church. From Moth-
er Tecla’s diary we
read: “The first time
I saw the theologian,
he spoke to me of a
new institution of
young women who
would live like sis-
ters. For the time being, they would be working for the good of the soldiers. On my part, I was immediately filled with enthusiasm.” Teresa’s mother decided that since her daughter was a professional seamstress, she could stay only for fifteen days to help in the workshop. However, this was not to be so. She never went back home.
At Piazza Cherasca, then Via Accademia
Teresa Merlo joined the group that had gathered around Fr Alberione. They were first at Piazza Cherasca, then moved to Via Accademia. (Piazza Cherasca and Via Accademia are small towns found in Alba, in the Northern part of Italy). Here, they started helping a group of young boys in the printing press, also founded by Fr Alberione the previous year, with the same intention of be- coming apostles of the good press. The boys printed and the girls folded and stitched the printed sheets. Every Sunday,
the young boys collaborated with the young girls by display- ing books at the doors of Sts Cosmas and Damian Church. From the parish diary of Canon Chiesa, we read: “For a number of weeks now, a small table of good books and newspapers has been placed at the entrance of the Church. Fr Alberione’s boys take care of selling these mate- rials. It seems as if the project is going on well. There is no better way of reaching the people than through the good press. May God bless and inspire us.”
The young girls also began a lending library which circu- lated a good number of books throughout the city. Then Al- berione purchased for them a second-hand bindery equip- ment consisting of a printing machine, a sewing machine and boxes of characters for typeset- ting. However, the poor print- ing machine was so old, that the young women were not able to even get it running! Despite the challenges of the begin- ning, the grace of God carried and sustained them along their
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journey of faith. One day, they too would be able to print as the boys did. As time went by, the young girls began taking other girls into the group.
To Susa, the First Missionary Journey
In the midst of this group’s faith journey, Bishop Giusseppe of Castelli of Susa offered a special opportunity to do good: they were to start their first work of evangelisation in Susa: by tak- ing over the printing of the di- ocesan paper- La valsusa. (Susa is a small alpine town on the Italian-French border. The di- ocesan newspaper was founded in 1897. In 1907 it came out with a new orientation and a new bannerhead: La Valsusa).
The little group wondered at how this would be possible, since only Emilia, the youngest in the group knew a little about printing. Despite this, they ac- cepted the challenge with faith, trusting in the Lord and in the words of the founder. Just be- fore they would part for Susa, one of them died, the one they were counting on because of her good health and strength. And so they were reduced to three. What a misery! What good would such a group bring to the world? But the Lord in- deed walked with them and worked miracles through them. Just as the Christians first re- ceived their name in Corinth, so in Susa the little group re- ceived its name: The Daughters of St Paul. The inhabitants of Susa saw how much this little group was devoted to St Paul,
whose picture was enthroned in their house and called them Daughters of St Paul. In Susa, they also opened their new book centre.
The Susa experience was surely the providential launching pad for the new community, both for their lifestyle as Daugh- ters of St Paul and for the mis- sion they were to embrace and spread to the whole world.
Back to Alba
In 1922, Fr Alberione called back the group of Susa to Alba to prepare for their private re- ligious profession which took place on the 22nd of July 1922. On that occasion, Teresa Merlo was given the name “Thecla”, the first disciple of St Paul. She collaborated very closely with FrAlberione,evenforthefoun- dation of other Pauline con- gregations. She became the first Superior General of the Daughters of St Paul and is considered “Mother” of the whole Pauline Family.
Slowly the little group grew. Many other girls joined them and their mission began to take shape, despite the many difficulties they experienced. Fr Alberione remembers:
“When human resources were scarce and hopes were closed, they
prayed and tried
to drive away sin and every kind of negli- gence against poverty, and unimaginable solutions
came. Years went by, the pre- diction of failure, the accusa- tion of madness...all dissolved and everything was settled peacefully, although not with- out hard work.”
No sacrifice was too much for the young and courageous pio- neers. They had unshakable faith in divine providence un- der the guidance of their found- er, sure that the theologian had received a great mission from God and that they were part of its fulfilment. With trust in the in the Lord and in their founder, the Daughters of St Paul expanded gradually to the different parts of the world. To- day, they are about 2500 and in the five continents of the world. Would you like to become part of this story?
Sr Millicent Atieno Omondi, fsp
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GO OUT TO THE WHOLE WORLD...
Itreasure a memory, when, as a young girl, I decided to plant some roses in a corner
of our home’s shamba. I took good care of those small twigs and watched daily for any sign of life. I still remember the joy experienced at seeing the swell- ing and appearance of the first buds. It took its time but even- tually I could pick the flowers!
If it is so exciting to watch the growth of a tiny twig, it is far more exciting and awe inspir- ing to watch the humble begin- ning, the miraculous growth, development and fast expan- sion of a new Congregation.
The Congregation of the DSP, began in silence, like a small mustard seed, unnoticed by most, without a name, without a house, but the Lord, as a good Gardener, cared for, watched over its growth, until it became a big tree, bearing abundant fruits of holiness, and apostolic missionary expansion.
Alberione, a young Diocesan Priest from Alba, inspired by God during a memora- ble night of prayer in
front of the Blessed
Sacrament, at the beginning of the new century, after years of preparation, and well aware of the needs of his time, was eager to fulfill the dream he had at heart: to make the Gospel avail- able to all people through the apostolate of the Good Press. With the approval of his bishop, on 20 August 1914, he started a small ‘Typographic School” for young boys, fascinated by his very same dream, willing to dedicate themselves to the new apostolate. He soon had the first followers. A humble beginning of what will become, in time the Pauline Family.
His idea was also to involve young women in the same apostolate. For this purpose he started a ‘Young Ladies workshop’, where young girls could get together, initially to sew clothes for the soldiers – it was war time – and the same time have a good human and religious formation. The first members were three catechists
from the Parish of St Damian. It became necessary to have somebody who could teach them and guide them in their work. Teresa Merlo, qualified in sewing. joined them, on 15 June 1915, after an encounter with Fr Alberione. Her sim- plicity and wisdom had a great impact on the small group. Her deep faith, obedience and un- conditional surrender to the Will of God, made of her the closest collaborator in the reali- sation of Alberione’s prophetic project of evangelisation with the media of Social Communi- cation. Here, close to the ‘Typo- graphical School’, besides sew- ing, they also opened a small centre, to promote some good books.
Every morning the four young women would attend Mass in the Cathedral. There they would go for their adoration. Alberione was guiding them faithfully on their spiritual journey. He was for them God’s
instrument to follow God’s will. They had only to obey.
As time went on, the Lord provided them with a house. They started soon their new bookshop. This event
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marked another significant step in the direction of the mission..
The heroic faith, openness to God’s plan for them, the hum- ble, blind docility to God and to the guidance of the Founder Fr James Alberione, their en- thusiastic dedication and com- mitment to their new vocation, made those fragile and humble instruments, the courageous pioneers of this new apostolate of the Good Press.
On 22 December 1918, at the request of the Bishop of Susa, the small ‘band of apostles’, still fragile fledglings, led by Teresa Merlo, took their first flight ‘out of the nests’ to move to Susa, with the precise respon- sibility, notwithstanding their ignorance on the matter, to take care of the printing of the Dioc- esan Paper: Valsusa. The suc- cessful outcome has been a true miracle of faith and of their un- conditional trust in God. Soon other young girls joined them.
Su s a b e c a me t he i r ‘ l au nc h i n g pad’ as community. This initial
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experience could be compared to Paul’s experience in Arabia: time of silence, of prayer, of study, of deepening their un- derstanding of their new mis- sion, strengthening their ‘roots’ and give an initial structure to their community life, to the spirituality and to the aposto- late, to their studies and forma- tion. All small steps but moved in a clear specific direction!
Recalled to Alba, in July 1922, they attended a special retreat, together with the few who re- mained in Alba. It was guided by Canon Chiesa. At the end of it, nine of them made their public vows, thus constituting officially the Congregation of the Daughters of St Paul
seven years of testing, unseen w w o o r r k k , , h hu u m m b b l l e e s s a a c c r r i i f f i i c c e e s s , , c c e e a a s s e e - - less prayer and hidden religious life, this historic date marks a new beginning: from today on, their expansion began.
O O n n t t h h i i s s s s a a m me e o o c c c c a a s si io on n , , F Fr r A A l l- - b b e e r r i i o o n n e e g g a a v v e e T Te e r r e e s s a a M M e e r r l l o o t t h h e e
name: THECLA, in honour of the disciple of St Paul and ap- pointed her as the first Superior General.
From Alba to Rome!
As The Family grew, the hori- zons opened wider in front of them.
Guided from the very begin- ning by Sr Tecla Merlo, Co- foundress and First Superior General, now Venerable, the DSP embraced courageously their new mission, with blind faith and trust in the Lord and in the words of the Founder. Wherever they went, they start- ed literally from ‘Bethlehem’, in absolute poverty, but always with an unshakable faith in their mission and moved by a passionate zeal to reach out to all with the good news of the Gospel.
In January 1919, Blessed Timo- thy Giaccardo recorded in his d i a r y t he s e prophe t ic word s of Bl. Alberione: “If you have
After
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faith.Lift your gaze, contem- plate a great tree, so lofty that its top cannot be seen: this is our House and it is truly a great tree. You are still at its roots. Oh, if you only could under- stand the treasure that is in you, where the Lord is calling you.”!
Fr Alberione was convinced that the missionary work of evangelisation is not reserved to men only. In fact...women were the first to proclaim the Good News of the Resurrection of Je- sus to the Apostles themselves!
Only sixteen years after the be- ginning of the Congregation, the Daughters of St Paul took a second important step towards awiderexpansion:twoDaugh- ters leave Alba on 13th Janu-
ary 1926 with Fr Giaccardo and three boys; the rest of the group reached Rome on 14th January with Maestra Amalia Peyrolo.
After their Diocesan approval on 15 March 1929, they feel even more committed to their new mission of evangelisation. New communities and apos- tolic Centres are soon opening in other parts of Italy. Their joy and enthusiasm are not de- terred by the difficulties and sacrifices demanded of them. Animated by the Spirit of God, sustained by the vigilant care of Maestra Thecla and the guid- ance of Fr Alberione, they cou- rageously swarm out from the ‘still too limited spaces’ and move on, with faith and con-
fidence, towards the ‘new pe- ripheries’ of humanity, ‘lending their feet to the Gospel’, for it to reach all people, in the spirit of the Apostle Paul.
By 1931 there were twenty eight Communities in Italy alone. Their missionary zeal reflects the same spirit that animated the first Christian Communi- ties, after Pentecost: they need to proclaim the Gospel and no- body can stop them!
From Rome...to the whole world!
Fr Alberione encouraged them to look ahead, to expand even further their ‘tent’: “It is already great what you are doing, but. reach out, to the various Na- tions abroad. Expand your
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heart to embrace all people, as Paul did. All the Daughters of St Paul for all peoples, for the whole world”. “Your Parish is the whole world”!
Within 25 years from their foundation they in fact reached out to the five Continents!
AMERICA was the first Conti- nent to receive the Pauline mis- sionaries .
The first two missionaries left Italy on 6 October 1931. Maes- tra Addolorata was only 21 and not a professed sister yet. Two days before leaving she made her profession in the presence of Maestra Thecla and Fr Albe- rione. After the blessing he told her:”Go to Brazil. The Bishop doesn’t want the DSP, but you dress up in red and yellow...” This is what she did. The seed she planted developed well be- yond any human expectation!
Two months later, on 13 De- cember 1931, two other Daugh- ters of St Paul left for Argenti- na. They travelled by ship and reached their destination on 31 December.
In 1932 two more sisters ar- rived in USA. They too were not wanted. But the Lord had his own project for them. What he demanded of them was again: faith, trust and patience... for the time being. Their growth was assured. God was with them.
Alberione , writing to Maestra Tecla expresses his encourage- ment and joy for their coura- geous new steps towards a more international dimension: “It is good, very good to send a good number of Daughters of St Paul to different Nations.. They are all waiting to receive the Word of God from you”.
Other foundations followed gradually: in 1948: Chile, Co- lombia; Mexico; Canada, 1952; Venezuela; Bolivia, 1963;
Puertorico, 1967; Equador, 1975
IN ASIA: Japan, 1948; India, 1951; Philippines, 1938; Tai- wan 1959; Korea, 1960; Malay- sia, 1965; Pakistan, 1965; Hong Kong, 1978
OCEANIA: Australia, 1955; Papua New Guinea, 1989...
IN EUROPE Spain, 1946; Swit- zerland, 1946; Portugal, 1950; France, 1952; England, 1955; Germany, 1964; Poland, 1984; Romania, 1993; Czech Repub- lic, 1993...
IN AFRICA: Congo 1958; Lubumbashi, 1959; Uganda, 1964; Nigeria 1964;
Mozambique 1967; Tanzania, 1970; Kenya 1976; Madagascar 1983; plus: South Africa, Ivory Coast, Zambia, Angola (1994) , South Sudan 2006 and Malawi in 2015!...
Fr Alberione reminds them: “Each of you –is a golden thread. When joined, you form a strong golden chain that unites you to the Lord and to one another, enabling you to accomplish great things. Always keep in mind the various Nations: for the Pauline there are no races, only people created for heaven and redeemed by the Blood of Jesus. The Church is on the move and is spreading through- out the world. If we remain in step with her, we will always be fervent, vibrant and active.”
“Ever Onward, Daughters of St Paul! Bring to all the charity of the Truth! (Bl J. Alberione)
Sr Eugene Campara fsp
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Expand your heart to embrace all people, as Paul did. All the Daughters of St Paul for all peoples, for the whole world”. “Your Parish is the whole world”!
Bl James Alberione


Women associated with
Priestly Zeal and the Voice
A
Paul are greatly indebted to the vision of our founder, Bl. James Alberione, who saw the great potential in women and the great contribution they could make in society, especially in the area of the media. This was truly revolutionary at his time when the role of women in so- ciety was not highly regarded. His thinking at the time can be of great help to us even today as a Church and society.
Among the many writings of the founder is a special book, Woman Associated with the Priestly Zeal, which he wrote when he was quite young, at about the age of 28. Fr Alberione lived in a very critical moment in the life of the Church and of the society of his time. There were many revolutionary ideol- ogies that were sweeping across Europe in the social and politi- cal world that had a deep influ- ence on the Church at that time. The approach of the Church to these situations was to try to be a voice of reason and balance to these ideologies which at times were quite extreme, misleading and sometimes detrimental to the Christian faith and social welfare of the people. The writ- ings of our founder (and other
of the woman in the
Church Today
s we celebrate the Cente- nary of our foundation,
we, the Daughters of St
Christians writers at this time) were meant to counter-act the situation that was taking place in order to build a better soci- ety and help the Christians be a more effective presence in this emerging modern society.
One of the poignant aspect of this book is the conviction Bl. Alberione had of the role of women in the Church and in the society. At that time, the basic understanding of the role of women was limited. Fr Al- berione felt that the active role of women in the Church and in Society was of paramount importance. At the time he was writing the book, he was in the process of founding the Society of St Paul, the first institute of the Pauline Family that was to be masculine. However, he was already laying a good founda- tion and he knew that the role of a woman was indispensable and that for the success of the Pauline Mission, women had to play a key role. Exactly one year after founding the Society of St Paul, he founded the Daughters of St Paul.
Though Fr Alberione stressed in a broad way what a woman could do in the Church and so- ciety, I would like to highlight
the following areas in which women could be of great influ- ence in the Church and in the society today.
The Apostolate of Prayer:
Women are by nature compas- sionate and carers within our society for those who are suf- fering or are less privileged. This prayer is not just a cry or a reserved action but it is a trans- forming prayer as it stems from real life experiences. Today Pope Francis is emphasising on a Church that is docile to the Spirit and thus brings the Joy of the Gospel to all (EG 3). The role of bringing up children and sometimes suffering anxiety for the safety of these children also brings a lot of desire and need for prayer. When we go back to the scriptures we have very many women who are great ex- amples of prayer, Hannah the mother of Samuel, Esther who intercedes for the whole nation of Israel, Judith who delivers her people through beauty and courage and many others in the Old Testament. (About these women, you can read from Gio- vanni Tonucci, Women in the Bible, Paulines Publications,
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2015). In the New Testament, we see many women asking Jesus for special intervention in their lives and the many miracles he performed, and of course Mary the Mother of Je- sus in the Cenacle praying for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Today women can be a very strong and audible voice in the families because they are the ones who teach children how to pray, protect, and keep the family together, an institution which is very much challenged in our modern society. Among the saints we can single out St Monica as the model of perse- verance in prayer.
The Apostolate of Example:
Every home is made special by the presence of every member o o f f t t h h a a t t f f a a m m i i l l y y. . H H o o w w e e v v e e r r, , t t h h e e h h o o m m e e t t r r u u l l y y b b e e c c o o m m e e s s a a h h o o m m e e b b e e c c a au u s s e e o of f t t h he e m mo ot t h he e r r o of f t t h he e home. Many of us feel that s s o om me e o on ne e i i s s m m i i s s s si i n ng g w w h he en n o ou u r r m mo ot t h he e r r i i s s a aw w a ay y f f r ro om m h ho om me e . . Mothers are the first teachers of c c h h i i l ld d r re e n n i i n n t t h he e f f a a m m i i l l i ie e s s . . I I n n t t h he e s s o o c c i i e e t t y y a a n n d d t t h h e e C C h hu u r r c c h h , , t t h h e e r r o o l l e e women play is that of modera- t t i io on n , , w w h h i ic c h h c c a a n n b b e e a a s s o ou u r rc c e e o of f great help to our restless socie- t t y y. . T To o d d a a y y m m a a n n y y w w o o m m e e n n a a r r e e p p r r o o - - f fe e s s s si io on n a a l l s s i i n n v v a a r r i io ou u s s a a r re e a a s s a a n nd d they still can be able to create that homely environment that m m a a k k e e s s t t h h i i s s w wo or rl ld d t t r r u u l l y y a a h ho om me e t t o o a a l l l l o o f f u u s s . . T To o d d a a y y m m a a n n y y p p e e o o - - p pl le e l le e a a r r n n m mo or re e b by y e e x x a a m mp pl le e , , i i n n f f a a c c t t r re e s s e e a a r rc c h h s s h ho ow w s s t t h h a at t m mo or re e y y o o u u n n g g w w o o m m e e n n g g o o t t o o c c h hu u r r c c h h a a n n d d pray because they emulate the e e x x a a m mp pl le e s s o of f t t h he e i i r r m mo ot t h he e r r s s ; ; b b e e - - sides, women are especially the
pillars of their families. They care for the less privileged even though they are more disad- vantagedeconomicallyincom- parison to men. Could women be the revolution we need in our Church and society today?
Apostolate of the Word:
For Blessed James Alberione, the word was sacred because every word spoken or printed was to portray the beauty of God and give glory to him. For him every spoken word was a seed that would geminate to give life or otherwise. He felt women should be edifying not only in their actions but also in their words and in giving timely advice and correction to the young but also to priests. He was greatly inspired by St Paul the apostle who left beau- tiful words for the women who w w o o r r k k e e d d ( (i i n n f f a a c c t t h h e e u u s s e e s s t t h h e e w w o o r r d d l l a a b b o o u u r r e e d d) ) w w i i t t h h h h i i m m f f o o r r t t h h e e g g o o s s - - pel (cf. Romans 16). They can also be agents of evangelisation i i n n t t h he e p pl l a a c c e e s s t t h he e y y f f i i n nd d t t h he e m m- - selves and like Mary, be bearers of the Word.
Apostolate of Works:
D D u u r r i i n n g g t t h he e t t i i m me e o of f B B l l . . A A l l b b e e r r i i- - o o n n e e , , t t h h e e r r e e w w a a s s a a n n u u r r g g e e n nt t n n e e e e d d for everyone to be involved in s s o ow w i i n n g g t t h h e e g g o o o o d d s s e e e e d d a a m m o o n n g g t t h h e e p p e e o o p p l l e e a a s s t t h h e e r r e e w w a a s s s s o o m mu u c c h h e e v v i i l l t t h h a a t t w w a a s s b b e e i i n n g g s s o ow w n n i i n n the society. The help of every- one was needed, even though some felt that women were not needed. He said, in fact, that w w o o m m e e n n c c o o u u l l d d b b e e s s o ow w e e r r s s o o f f w w o o n n - - derful seeds in places where a p pr r i ie e s s t t c c o ou u l ld d n no ot t r re e a a c c h h a a n nd d i i n n a a w w a ay y t t h h a a t t w w a a s s a a p p p p e e a a l l i i n n g g t t o o t t h h e e
people. He actually singles out the apostolate of the press and the need to publish and dis- seminate materials that can help people to grow at the social and faith level. Today more of- ten than not, women are often used in the media as products, not as resourceful persons. The role of women in the media to- day shows a beautiful side of the human story when it is also told from the feminine point of view. Women today can bring their life-giving word also in the media.
The Woman in the Church Today:
As much as we continue to work for gender equality and balance in our society and in- deed in the Church we have to realise that much of our effort has to do with empowering w o m e n . A s w o m e n , t h i s w i l l enable us to appreciate the gifts and possibilities that God has given us to be pastoral agents in the Church today by our being women. The question which should guide us is to ask how much zeal women bring to the growth of Christian faith and morals in our society. Women’s association with the Priestly zeal of Christ is to continue the fruits of the sacrifice of Jesus in our community and neigh- bourhood. It is indispensable for woman to give life. The life a woman should aspire to give is to give ‘Christ to this poor and proud world,” as Blessed Albe- rione put it.
Sr Wanjiku Njau B fsp
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Paul
Our Relationship with St Paul
Initially, in Alba, there was a small sewing school where the girls gathered and
stitched uniforms for the sol- diers who were fighting in World War I. As time went on, they too began to be drawn into the apos- tolate of the press. It began as a loose cooperation such as help- ing to distribute Christian litera- ture outside the Churches. At the same take, the bishop of Susa, was looking for someone to print his diocesan paper. Fr Alberione decided it was time to set the girls on their own and give them the recognition and responsi- bility they deserved. The small group picked up the bare neces- sities and moved to Susa.
In Susa the young girls worked for a time without being no- ticed. But then a series of seri- ous accidents from which they miraculously escaped brought
them to the attention of the population. First their house burned down; then the roof of the pressroom caved in; finally they narrowly escaped a bomb blast. People came out in droves to assist them. They realised that these young girls had a sur- prising devotion to St Paul. His statue was in the Book Centre and in the printing shop. Every- thing they did and everything they owned was dedicated to St Paul. It was only natural that people slowly began to refer to them as the girls “of St Paul,” and as the Daughters of St Paul. Fr Alberione liked the idea and adopted it for the community he had in Alba. Thus by public acclamation the official name of his religious family had been found.
According to our Founder, speaking of our relationship
with St Paul, he asserts; “eve- ryone must regard St Paul the Apostle alone as Father, teach- er, exemplar and founder. In reality he is. In addition, Pope John Paul II in 1983 said, Fr Alberione wanted not merely the name, not merely his pro- tection, but also and above all, the inspiration of an ideal and spiritual nourishment. He con- tinues, “.he proposed a type of apostolate that is open, up- dated, modern, in line with the Apostle’s teachings and exam- ple. Like Paul, he sought ever new forms and bold methods to proclaim Christ and his mys- tery. It is however, opportune for you then to consider Paul anew with preferential love, that you may be confirmed in your specific vocation.”
Sr Janet Otipi, fsp
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“Everyone must regard St Paul the Apostle alone as Father, teacher, exemplar and founder.
Bl. James Alberione
Painting: Paolino Grzegorek


witnesses of faith
Testimonies of Faith
The grace of our be- ginnings urges us to reread with deep emo-
tion the testimonies of our sisters who dedicated their lives to the Gospel. We think in a special way of our first sisters, who “came into exist- ence without a house, with- out anyone ever being aware of them, years in which only faith and love for God sus- tained those first pioneers.
We are thinking of sisters who in groups of twos and
threes, armed only with tre- mendous faith and a ready acceptance of poverty, blazed new trails so as to reach the cities targeted by the found- er and established our first Pauline “tabernacles”. Here are some of the courageous women who have made our history of today possible
Teresa Merlo
However this meeting gave her no certainties to count on. Everything depended on a future over shadowed by the terrible specter of World War I. She was told by Fr Alberione, “Now there is just one young woman, but later there will be a whole congregation of sisters. Now you are sewing shirts for sol- diers, but later you will work with the good press”. Every- thing happened simply. This was a turning point in her life and from that moment the course of her mysterious and difficult journey was set. A journey which lasted her lifetime until she breathed her last February 5th 1964. Fr Alberione would say of her “She left behind her an insti- tute that she not only began but also consolidated and extended to many nations... she carried out her mission humbly. The Lord did what- ever he wanted with her be- cause she never resisted him. She faced many painful situ- ations, yet she was able to say with all serenity “whatever pleases the Lord”.
Maestra Ignazia Balla (1909- 2003) was a woman of great goodness, discretion and outstanding wisdom. This intimate collaborator of
Maria Teresa was born 20 February 1894. In her own words she says “the first time I saw Fr Alberione, he told me about the new institu-
tion of young women who would live like sisters, I was immediately filled with enthusiasm”. This enthusiasm and burn- ing desire of Teresa Merlo gave rise to the enterprising spirit and courage that led her to will- ingly take on every instrument of social communication. In fact from the time of her first meeting with Fr Alberione, followed by an ini- tial apostolic experi- ence in Susa, Teresa clearly understood how powerfully the press could
inf luence people.
th
Teresa Merlo.
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rejection. But we were tran- quil and serene. Although aware of our poverty and in- eptitude, we knew that God was with us and that he too was aware of our shortcom- ings. The thought that Jesus chose his apostles among fishermen reassured us that he would give us the graces we too needed if, on our part we faithfully corresponded to his call and trusted him. We didn’t have any special desires or ambitions other than to rejoice in carrying our mission to take the Gos- pel to many people. Our cre- dentials were the “Gospel, the rosary, the missionary cross we had received, our Constitutions and the visas we needed to enter China.”
We are heirs of this story rich in faith and courage. Therefore: onward! One step after another, always mov- ing ahead until we reach Jesus, until we reach heaven! Let us move ahead each day, never halting our journey toward sanctity.
Fr James Alberione.
Maestra Thecla worked alongside her humbly, dis- creetly and actively so as to cast light on and interpret the spirit and thought of the founder and transmit it with faith and wisdom to the Daughters of St Paul throughout the world.
She wrote “The Lord will always guide the Congrega- tion, it is his, it was his from the beginning, it is his now; and it will always be his. He is taking care of the whole Congregation and each of its members with his loving providence and wisdom.”
Sr Assunta Bassi (1915- 2002) looked back over the Congregation’s journey and drawing on her wealth of experience says “How do I feel, looking back over the Congregation’s journey? I
ask myself “How did we do it? I am convinced that Jesus Master kept his promise: he was with us; it was He who made it possible for the In- stitute and its many apostol- ic initiatives to expand. And it all happened according to the style of God, who does great things in simplicity, poverty and silence.”.
Sr Cleofe Zanoni (1912-1998) a missionary to China re- calls her first missionary ex- perience with these words, “We were going to China – without material posses- sions and ignorant about everything! There were truly a lot of problems of eve-
ry kind, for instance, the climate, customs, l l a a n n g g u u a a g ge e s s , , t t h he e l l a a c c k k o of f even the most basic ne- cessities and above all
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Born from the Eucharist
The hour of Adoration is a special and privileged moment spent in the
presence of the Eucharistic Di- vine Master. As Daughters of St Paul, we were born from the Tabernacle. The inspiration to found young men and women for evangelisation came during a prolonged Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament by the young Alberione (our Founder).
Our spirituality is thus founded on the Eucharist from where we are nourished and sent forth on mission. Every day each Daughter of St Paul spends an hour of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament: to adore, honour and thank the Lord for his love and faithfulness, and intercede for the needs of all humankind. Jesus invites us to come to him with our whole be- ing - our mind, our heart, our will, our body. We come to him as we are - with our joys, pains,
worries, desires etc. He desires to enlighten, instruct, inspire, comfort, uplift and encourage each of us. It is therefore an en- counter of love with our Mas- ter. We come to be with him, have a heart to heart dialogue and spend quality time with him as we would do with a be- loved friend.
In turn we open ourselves to learn from him and to be transformed by him. His grace renews and revitalises us in preaching the Good News and God’s love to everyone. Our life and mission remain void if we are not in union with Jesus. This union is gained through meditation of the Scripture, participation in the Holy Mass and Adoration amidst other means.
We use the Pauline method that honours Jesus the Way, Truth and Life. It’s divided into three parts of roughly equal du- ration.
First Part: The Truth
This part leads us to the school of Jesus. It connects us with Jesus the Truth and invites us to ask for the gift of faith, wis- dom and knowl- edge to compre-
hend the ways of God. We ask for the Holy Spirit to enlighten us and dispose us to listen to Jesus. One reads the Gospel, Pauline Epistles or a good spir- itual book that helps him/her to know Jesus. One then reflects on the message and makes acts of faith, praying for the grace of conversion of the mind.
Second Part: The Way
This part leads us to imitate Je- sus in his virtues. We confront the life of Christ with our own life and see where we need con- version. This disposition helps to conform our will to the will of God. We ask for the grace to be similar to Jesus; the perfect way to the Father and model of all virtues.
Part Three: The Life
This part leads us to live Jesus. After contemplating his exam- ple we now endeavour to make the life of Jesus our life. We ask for the grace to strive solely for the glory of God and peace to humanity. We pray with our Mother Mary for our needs, the needs of humanity, and for the grace to be faithful followers of Jesus. The Adoration can then be closed with the offering of ourselves to God and resolving to be open to the action of God through his Spirit.
Sr Metrine Nafula, fsp
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f

From Stitching Clothes to Stitching Souls
St Francis once said “Start by doing what is neces- sary; then do what is pos-
sible; and suddenly you are do- ing the impossible.”
The origin of the Pauline Apos- tolate can be traced to the “nec- essary” which Alberione saw in the social issues of his time. The famous night of Alberi- one’s prayer between 1900 and 1901, was a defining moment for him in regards to the mis- sion of the Daughters of St Paul. The thought of a new band of apostles that will help combat the evil press could not have come at a better time. He was inspired by the Lord to begin a band of apostles who are writ- ers, technical personnel and promoters of the good press. These apostles have continued
to carry out the mission with the help of Jesus their Master who inspired Blessed James Al- berione.
Alberione, On 24th of July 1914, rented a portion of Vittoria Degiacomi’s house in Piazza Cherasco, Alba. On the 26th of July 1914, he acquired the first printing machine. With just four enthusiastic boys, Alberi- one began a printing school on the 24th of August 1914. This upcoming group became the Pious Society of St Paul.
In the same simple way, a year later, Alberione also began a group of girls in Alba, who will later be known as Daughters of St Paul. Their foundation in 1915 was a fulfilment of his dream of having women who
in Alba. They started by stitch- ing the clothes of military men, since it was during the First World War. They also helped with catechesis in the parish. A year later, the group opened a shop for books and religious articles adjacent to the work- shop. It was just referred to as the “new bookshop”. When the war was over, they became fully involved in the printing and distribution of books. As their number increased they were able to go in pairs to dif- ferent parishes every Sunday to display their books for people to buy. This was a new way of bringing religious books closer to the people. Their new book- shop became a reference point for spiritual books. They start- ed having other Catholic publi- cations on their bookshelf.
In 1918 a new prospect came up and they were in- vited to Susa to run the dioc- esan newspaper. The young women were known in Alba as “Daughters of the workshop”.in Susa people noticed their com- mitment to work and spread- ing of the good news like St Paul and started calling them Daughters of St Paul.
The Daughters of St Paul be- gan editorial activities in 1922. They printed parish bulletins for 70 parishes, and hundreds of books, booklets and bro-
can do a lot in collaboration with priests.
The first membersof the group; Angela Boffi, Adele Qurici, Michelina Cantalupo, Teresa Merlo, and later Clelia Cal- lino, began “The female workshop”
A few of the irst young ladies who joined Teresa at Susa.
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chures for parishes. These included: Tolle et lege by Mgns Ugo Mione and Fons aquae. They also began a lending library. Within a few years, the Daughters had bookshops in Alba, Susa, Casale Monfenato, Asti with 250 lending libraries; 400 affiliated bookshops.
In 1923 they started printing magazines like: Ita-
lia antiblasfema (1923), Vita e Pensiero, a female
magazine “Matelda” , L’aspirante a newsletter for www.paulinesafrica.org girls, il Seme 1925, La famiglia Cristiana 1931. www.e.pauliinesafrica.org
line Shops, Social Media Groups, Podcasts, On- line Magazines, Magazines, Online Newsletters and Subscriptions, Websites CDs, DVDs, On- line Streaming of music and video, Online Bible Courses amidst others.
The Daughters of St Paul have:
38 Websites e.g:
....www.paoline.org
From 1929 onwards, there was a great expansion •
within Italy and outside Italy. Many communi-
ties came up in other countries and with that
followed editorial activity editions in Italian and •
French. tions only;
224 Pauline Bookshops run by the sisters, 44 Pauline Bookshops run by the laity;
32 Distribution agencies of Pauline publica-
In 1938 the sisters began the Cinema Apostolate • (Romana Editrice Film) and the Radio apostolate
in 1948 both in collaboration with the Society of • St Paul. In 1945 in the United States radio trans- • mission began and also the sisters from Japan, in 1948.
The sisters came up with different methods of • diffusing their publications. They engaged in house-to-house visitation, they also moved from parish to parish, city to city, and region to region • with books for everyone. They organised special days such as: Day of the Gospel, Marian Day, Printing Day, Catechetical week, Liturgical week, Anti protestant week. They also had
daily, weekly and yearly subscriptions for their magazines. Many bibles were diffused and they made sure their pub- lications addressed different human, so- cial and spiritual issues of the time.
Technology, in the course of time con- tinues to offer new possibilities to serve God’s people better and the Daughters of St Paul feel obliged to use these means for proclaiming God’s Word.
Here are some of the means the Daugh- ters of St Paul employs today in her apostolate: Printing, Cinema, Radio, Bookshops, Lending Libraries, Book Displays/Exhibitions, Presentations, Conferences, Home Visitation, Bible days, Media Schools, eBooks, Apps, On-
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29 publishing houses all over the world and publications are in various languages;
Web TV by the sisters in Brazil;
Online Radio by the sisters in the Philip- pines;
Media schools run by the sisters in Brazil, Colombia, Philippines, Chile, Los Angeles- USA, Italy;
Virtual Bible School run by the sisters in Korea.
Sr Josephine Idowu fsp


GAZING INTO THE FUTURE
of Beauty Within, “Special I
dation he said: “Now you have reached all the continents. Your word is heeded every- where; continue, elevating your voice always more and more. Teach!”.
Mother Thecla Merlo, our Mother and Co-foundress, loved to repeat that she would have wished to have a thousand lives to dedicate to the Gospel. We are part and parcel of those “lives”, and we wish with all our hearts that her witness may be light for those young women that the Lord – we are sure of it – will continue to call so that they may live and communi- cate his Son with all the instru- ments, the forms and the lan- guages of communications.
We feel encouraged also by the continuous invitation of Pope Francis, to make the Word heard and to be a Congregation “going out” to bring to all men and women of today, the conso- lation of God. A Congregation able to elaborate the contents that touch the heart, vibrate and warm the life of women and men, and “awaken” our so- cieties.
We feel ourselves challenged to be attractive communities who witness a different way to live and behave, as evangelical signs among people.
The Centenary of Foundation challenges us to write new pag- es of evangelical and Pauline life, to be passionate women, prophetic signs in the society of today, assuming the herit- age of continuous progress, al- ways trusting in the words of our Founder: “Ahead. always moving forward until we reach Jesus in Paradise. Moving for- ward every day, without stop- ping in the journey of sanctity and in the apostolic work.”
We believe that the Lord is with us, and from here, from our persons and communities, in the same way as at the begin- ning of our history, he contin- ues to radiate light, and can continue to realise his history of salvation. Our future is in his hands, in the hands of a Faith- ful God.
Sr Anna Maria Parenzan, fsp
General Superior of the Daughters of St Paul
am glad to send my heartfelt wishes through the pages
Edition”, on the occasion of the Centenary of Foundation that we are celebrating throughout the whole world.
Following the invitation of our Founder, Blessed James Albe- rione, from the beginning, 100 years ago, we are journeying to bring the Gospel of Joy and of Peace through the various forms and languages of com- munication. Sisters from all the continents, from different lan- guages, speak the language that the Spirit puts on our lips and in our heart, through the char- ism which he gave us.
It is the language of faith that every day is entrusted to the grace of our vocation.
It is the language of love that makes us, as St Paul says, “all toall”.
It is the language of joy to re- count to the world of today the joy of the Gospel.
It is the language of gratitude to contemplate our own story as a story of love, guided and sus- tained by the tender and strong hand of the Father.
Father Alberione opened our vocation to ever new and large horizons. On the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of foun-
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100 Years of Blessings & Evangelisation
The Pauline Family was founded on 15th June, 1915 by Blessed James Alberione against all challenges. The Pauline Family
is one out of the ten ecclesial groups founded by Blessed Alberione.
Pauline Family in its mission of evangelisation – through modern media of social communication has touched so many lives in many ways.
The Pauline Family is 100 years in existence working in the vineyard of the Lord giving Jesus, the way, the truth & the life to the World and lead them to him.
Centenary is a time to measure milestones achieved, a time of stock taking to see where we were, where we are & the way forward.
It is a time for the transformation of the World through the teaching and – values of Jesus.
During this centenary, we are called to check our lives, our spirituality and improve where neces- sary.
We are also called to a life of righteousness, holi- ness, sacrifice and thanksgiving.
In this period of stock taking, we are enjoined – to emulate the life and teaching of our Master Jesus.
On this note, on behalf of the Abuja Cooperators, I congratulate the Pauline Family on the occa- sion of this centenary celebration, rejoice with them on their achievements and wish them God’s guidance in all their endeavours.
Happy Centenary, Pauline Family! God bless.
Celestina C. Etuh (Mrs) Pauline Cooperator, Abuja.
Pauline Cooperators: Daughters of St Paul
Iam a mother of three and a member of the Association of the Pauline Cooperators for eight years now. One may ask who are Paul-
ine Cooperators? is a member of the Pauline Family, which began in 1917 and was founded by Blessed James Alberione.
Blessed James Alberione quoted: “If people do not go to church, the church has to go to the peo- ple.” As a Pauline Cooperator, I am inspired by the tireless effort of The Daughters of St Paul to make Jesus known and loved throughout the world through their mission. Their sublime mis- sion is to give Christ to the world as Mary did, through the media of social communication e.g. books, videos and music, radio, TV e.t.c.
We, The Pauline Cooperators, live according to the Pauline spirituality, having Jesus Master, Way, Truth, and Life, Mary Queen of the Apos- tles, and St Paul the Apostle as our models. We
20
share the same charism as the Pauline Family by cooperating through prayers, book displays, of- ferings in the apostolic activities of the Pauline Family, radio programs, TV etc.
Mother Thecla said, “All our efforts are blessed, when we seek to bring God and the Gospel to the people, announcing the peace of Christ.”
I am happy to be a member of Pauline Coopera- tors. The spiritual formation we receive is very enriching and has enabled me grow in faith. It has helped me understand that there is more joy, more blessings in serving than being served!
Are you interested to serve God in our mission as a Cooperator?
Do not hesitate to write to DSP or call (Our contacts are on page 3)
By Virginia G. Njoroge
DSP Cooperator & Staff Paulines Publictions Africa.


Centenary
D
of the congregation.
It is indeed a milestone for these sisters.
Daughters of St Paul is a com- munity of consecrated women sent by Jesus Christ to spread his Gospel in the world. This congregation was founded by Blessed James Alberione with the Collaboration of Venerable Thecla Merlo.
As we mark 100 years in evange- lisation through the social com- munication of the media, let us thank the sisters for their tire- less effort in making it a success.
The Daughters of St Paul Sis- ters started their journey in Kenya way back in 1976 they were called by the late Cardinal Otunga, to take over the man- agement of the Catholic Book- shop. In 1985 they started pub- lishing books.
The aim of the sisters was to diffuse the word of the Gospel across regions. The bookshop. is well stocked with all kinds of books and audio visuals.
The Daughters of St Paul Sisters are a big Family and its branch- es are the Cooperators.
“They are part of the Pauline Family’’.
The seed that has been planted grows slowly bearing fruits in the world.
Blessed James Alberione felt the need for Lay people to be includ- ed in the ministry of the Pauline Family. Therefore he encouraged lay people from different fami- lies, both married and single, to join and dedicate themselves in the spread of the Gospel.
I am a member of the Pauline Cooperators and we participate in different activities together with the sisters. Many thanks to Sister Eugene who was our formator for some time.
The Apostolate is geared to bringing the whole of Jesus (way, truth and Life) to the hu- man person.
The Founder used to say “Bible in one hand and newspaper in the other’’
The Daughters of St Paul sisters have strengthened in evange- lizing through social means of Communication from the book stores, Audio-visuals to E-books-, E-Commerce (Texts converted into the standard for- mat for electronic Publishing and an E-reader can purchase the book and read) and more so through the mobile phone.
The Sisters have also played a major role in Formation of the young girls in their vocation as sisters.
The various books sold in our Catholic Bookshop are good for the youth in strengthening their faith, morals and values in life as they grow up.
``When people don’t come to church take the word to them wherever they are thus in Schools, colleges, parishes uni- versities etc.”
We as Cooperators meet regu- larly and share ideas about the Pauline Family.
We are invited to commit our- selves and to participate in vari- ous activities in the diffusion of the books. We go for book dis- plays in various places, ie par- ishes, schools, colleges etc.
We also come to the communi- ty to celebrate with them mass, feast days etc as they journey in their vocation.
Pauline Spirituality ``Jesus Master, Way, Truth and Life’’ teaches us much more. Mary is the Queen of the Apostles in the Pauline Family.
We are called upon to imitate her. What can I do for my fam- ily, my neighbour, for the needy, for the Church? We are a family.
I thank the sisters and rejoice for having been chosen by God to be a part of the Pauline Fam- ily in evangelizing the gospel.
May God bless us all as we join with the sisters in celebrating 100 years in service.
By Maxcy – DSP Cooperator & Staff Paulines Publictions Africa.
aughters of St Paul cel- ebrate 100 years in ser-
vice for the foundation
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The Mind of a Young Cooperator
Pauline family is indeed blessed, multifaceted and multitalented. This I am
writing out of experience. I have worked and mingled with the Daughters of St Paul for some years now to testify this. As a Co- operator, I have learned the basis of their foundation right from its roots. As a campus girl, confused and without any priorities, I was lucky enough to be employed by the Daughters of St Paul (DSP). I worked with them for an entire year before I got the conviction that I enjoyed what I was do- ing, and that I was yearning for more. The more I worked with them, the more my desire of dig- ging deeper into their lives grew. I wanted to know everything I could get about their spiritual- ity, their motivation in life, their presence in the world and any- thing and everything that there was about them.
The psalmists have it, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” Indeed I was motivated to attend my first class as a Pauline Cooperator. What I got was really inspiring. Knowing more about St Paul the Apostle was great! It was the year of St Paul and thus I can tell that his conversion was an inspiration for me. Up to date, Paul’s expe- rience encourages and strength- ens me. I know that regardless of my sinful life, God gives me the grace of conversion and the grace to serve him daily. We all live this reality as Christians and that is why we are still hopeful that God never gives up on us.
True devotions to Jesus the Di- vine Master, Mary Queen of the Apostles and St Paul the Apostle are the pillars and foundations
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on which the Pauline Family stands. As Cooperators, we are deeply rooted in our societies, thus we know the thirst and hun- ger of our people. This is why we play a very vital role in the Paul- ine Family. This is so because we have different experiences, backgrounds, cultures and pro- fessions. We are called to easily blend with the DSP to bring out a mix of capacities and talents that are geared towards effective and efficient evangelisation to the people of God. The Coopera- tors link the DSPs to our various parishes and necessitate success- ful book displays. This enables those who cannot visit the vari- ous book centres to receive the word of God from the comfort of their parishes.
There are different programmes and activities that are organised to deepen our spirituality and the knowledge of God. Such includes among others, days of recollec- tion, pilgrimages, visits to the challenged people of our society and seminars. With this we are given a chance to become bet- ter Christians and prepared to become better messengers and bearers of God’s love.
It is not easy to commit one’s self into such an association es- pecially for a young person. The commitment itself is a gift, given that we live in a busy society full of worldly pleasures and indul- gences. If one lacks the motiva- tion, will power and above all God’s grace, such a commitment becomes a dream that will never be realised. The scriptures have it that a good shepherd is one who leaves his ninety-nine sheep and goes to look for the one sheep
that is lost. I remember once I was on the verge of giving up and one of the DSPs visited me at my place of work. She asked me what was happening because I no longer attended the meetings as I was supposed to...true! I could not even recall my last meeting... anyway, I gave my usual excuse that I was very busy and that I no longer saw the values of the meetings. I had a couple of other excuses. The Sister did not give up on me, as was my expectation. To my surprise she was way too patient with me. She gave me a week to reflect on my decision and get back to her.
During my period of reflection, I came across a book in the shop. I opened the book and my eyes landed on the phrase; “We usual- ly give up after a long battle, and after the journey is almost over.” Mhh...was this author commu- nicating to me? That was exactly after a week so I knew somebody somewhere was expecting my call. I made the long awaited call and got her on the second dial. I told her that I wanted to fin- ish the journey I had begun. “It would be such a waste to let go of all the years of formation,” I reflected. “Sometimes we have to make decisions because of the people who will benefit from them,” she said. Her words made perfect sense! She continued and said, “Just think of the many peo- ple’s lives you are going to touch through your life as a Coopera- tor.” That is why I am still on my journey towards becoming a full Pauline Cooperator. I don’t know where I will land, but I know it’s going to be a safe landing.
By Caroline Kabemba
DSP Cooperator & Staff Catholic Bookshop Nairobi


Venerable Thecla Merlo
Co-foundress of the Daughters of St Paul
“The mission that the Lord entrusted to our Congregation
is very beautiful and very huge.
When a Daughter of St Paul thinks that she is called to spend
all her energies and her entire life for the Gospel,
she should feel happy and recognise that the Lord loved her with
a very special love”.
“We belong to a congregation that is prophetic, open, universal and missionary”.
Ven. Thecla Merlo,
(Co-foundress of the Daughters of St Paul)