Foreword Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Two thousand years ago, St. Paul who was appointed by God to be the ‘Apostle to the Gentiles’ was born in Tarsus, in present day Turkey.To mark the bimillenium of his birth Pope Benedict XVI called for a Holy Year from June 2008 – June 2009. From the moment of his conversion, Paul fearlessly proclaimed the Good News. He sought to take this News into the Gentile world and to build up the Body of Christ beyond the confines of the Jewish community from which he came. For this he journeyed, he suffered, he was martyred. One suspects that were you and I to meet him today, we would encounter an unshakable, almost infectious faith. His was a faith which was permeated with hope: which trusted in the faithfulness of God. He looked to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, and knew the abiding presence of the Risen Lord who opened the way to the Father and eternal life. Today, faced with the challenges that agitate the Catholic conscience in our society, the opportunity to reflect on the life and ministry of St. Paul seems especially appropriate. If we are to build up the Body of Christ, if others are to encounter He who is ‘wisdom, virtue, holiness and freedom’ (1 Corinthians 1:30), our faith and witness must be as convincing as St. Paul’s. My dear people, I ask you to pray for me and for my fellow bishops that we can lead well as you grow in faith and confidence in the Risen Lord. Pray for your priests that they lead you to deeper understanding of God the Father’s gift, Jesus Christ. Pray too for yourselves, that you may truly hear Christ’s voice and act upon it, using your gifts to help build his Church and to serve the world in which we live (1 Corinthians 12:7). May God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ grant peace, love and faith to all of you. May grace and eternal life be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 6:23-24). With my blessing and prayers,
Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor Archbishop of Westminster 3