In addition to our call to prayer, manifested in celebrating the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and in keeping the discipline of praying the Divine Office and other devotions such as Our Lady’s Rosary, the Pauline Fathers manifest their own particular devotions in their Prayer Book. The Pray Book manifests those devotions, that are also celebrated in our Liturgical Calendar, though out the year. It is used to sanctify our day, both on regular occasions such as every morning and evening or at meals, or on particular occasions.
We have chosen to make this Prayer Book public, both through the Pauline Prayer Book Phone Application or a direct download of the PDF Edition.
If any of our own Fathers or Brothers from outside Australia should desire the printed hardcover edition, they should contact the editor, Fr. Joseph Maria Buckley.
Below are the introductions to the prayer book written by our Father General and Provincial on the occasion of its publication.
Introduction to the Polish Edition
“Prayer is the fundamental characteristic of our spirituality. In prayer, we familiarise ourselves with God’s plan for ourselves and for the world. We plunge into the depths of the saving mystery of Christ and unite ourselves with the Father in the Holy Spirit, renewing the face of the world.” (The Constitutions and Directory of the Order of St Paul the First Hermit, art. 26, no. 26)
The Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life in the year 2002 reminded all anew, who through setting foot on the path of consecrated life, determined to give the gift of themselves to the Triune God, begin their religious call, the first enchantment with Christ, which one can never loose. Therefore, in this remarkable document of St. John Paul II, we read the following words, which allude to the thought of the saint:
Every vocation to consecrated life is born in contemplation, from moments of intense communion and from a deep relationship of friendship with Christ, from the beauty and light which was seen shining on his face. From there the desire to always be with the Lord – and to follow him – matures: “how good it is for us to be here” (Mt 17:4).
Starting Afresh from Christ: A Renewed Commitment to Consecrated Life in the Third Millennium, no. 25
Gifted with the grace of a vocation in the order of St Paul the First Hermit, with greater zeal, we desire each day to abide with our Master and Lord – Jesus Christ. During prayer, let us desire to gaze into His most holy Countenance because the religious life renews itself through the unceasing contemplation of the Saviour. In Him we, most fully trusting in the intercession of St Paul the First Hermit and in Blessed Eusebius, go out into the world, that through our ministry and apostolate we may carry the joy of the Gospel to every man and woman.
Just as His disciples were gathered in the Cenacle, may we abide in prayer with Mary, the Mother of the Risen Lord! Let her obtain for us all the grace of unceasing spiritual and apostolic renewal.
Very Reverend Father Arnold Chrapkowski
Superior General of the Order of St. Paul the Frist Hermit
Introduction
Prayer constitutes the foundation of the religious life in the Church. Therefore, the members of the Order of St. Paul the First Hermit, by reason of its charism and mission, are called to remain in prayer solus cum Deo solo (alone with God alone) in order to strive for Christian perfection. Therefore, it is with joy that I write this preface to this new English translation of the Modlitewnik Zakonu Paulinskiego. As we are blessed with new vocations, our Province, in a renewed way, is called to authentically express the Pauline charism among Australians.
Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi, Lex Vivendi – as one prays, so too does one believe and also live. Thus, I encourage every member of our Province, as well as those who choose to use it, to pray with this prayer book and make it a part of their way of living out our Pauline form of life. We find this encouragement in the Decree on the Adaptation and Renewal of Religious Life of the Second Vatican Council in no. 6, where we read: “Drawing therefore upon the authentic sources of Christian spirituality, members of religious communities should resolutely cultivate both the spirit and practice of prayer.” So do we, the Sons of St Paul of Thebes, need to draw on authentic sources of Pauline spirituality in our daily lives.
The more closely we can follow Christ in prayer, the more closely we can live out the special gifts and charisms particular to our order. (Cf. Can. 577) In turn, we trust that God will bless and make ever more fruitful our mission in the Catholic Church in Australia, that God will enable us to fulfil the mission of the Founder of our Province, Fr. Augustyn Lazur OSPPE, who always wanted to extend the honour of Our Lady of Jasna Gora to yet another country, by deeply embedding the Order of St. Paul the First Hermit in the religious landscape of the Southern Land of the Holy Spirit, where Our Lady, Help of Christians exercises her special custodianship.
Very Reverend Father Albert Wasinowski OSPPE
Provincial of Province of Our Lady Queen of Hermits