Society of St. Paul produces TV segments
In his letters, St. Paul the Apostle wrote how to live as a Christian and why love is the essence of life.
ELLSWORTH — The Rev. Jeffrey Mickler characterizes St. Paul the Apostle “as a pivotal figure in Christianity.”
Here’s why. “His letters are the earliest documents of the New Testament ... written before the Gospels,” said Father Mickler of the Society of St. Paul.
The society is based at St. Paul’s Monastery, 9531 Akron-Canfield Road, U.S. Route 224, which has a chapel, a shrine and outdoor Stations of the Cross. The community, founded by the Rev. James Alberione in 1914 in Italy, is dedicated to bringing Christ to the world through the means of mass communication.
And Father Mickler, featured on camera, and Brother Dominic Colabro, producer and director, are using television as the media in the society’s latest venture. The Society of St. Paul produced a series of 52 10-minute segments entitled, “St. Paul, The Man and His Message.”
The Pauline Year is coming to an end with special Masses and prayer services this weekend; St. Paul’s Feast Day is Monday. 2008 marked 2,000 years since the birth of St. Paul in 8 A.D. “The segments were inspired by the Year of St. Paul,” Father Mickler said. But, he said, the series isn’t limited by the observance and St. Paul’s message is timeless.
St. Paul espoused a radical idea for the time — that the resurrected Lord and his message of salvation applied to everyone, not just the Jews.
Paul was born in Tarsus, modern-day Turkey, to Jewish parents who were Roman citizens. Though Rome ruled the area around the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Greece dominated culturally. Paul wrote his letters in Greek.
Father Mickler said St. Paul’s writings deal with a new way of life — Christianity. But it wasn’t an easy choice. “Christianity was a capital offense ... deserving of death. The reason was the good news of the Gospel,” Father Mickler said.
He explained that Caesar Augustus had brought “peace on earth” in a manner speaking. For Romans and some fortunate others, Rome had brought the good news. If you were among the conquered people, this wasn’t such good news.
“Christianity was revolutionary,” Father Mickler said.
He also pointed out people were considered atheists if they didn’t worship at pagan temples, and Christians would be labeled so. “Christian assemblies weren’t authorized,” Father Mickler said, noting that the gatherings didn’t go by the rules of the Roman governor and generals.
St. Paul addressed living as a Christian — how to celebrate the Eucharist, questions on how to apply morality, women’s role in the church and how to be disciples of Jesus.
Though various passages written by St. Paul are well known, one often quoted verse is found in the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians in 1Corinthians 13:4, “Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoings, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things.”
The passage continues and in 1 Corinthians 13:8 ends with “And now faith, hope and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.”
Father Mickler also described St. Paul’s words about love as “pivotal.” He said taking care of the “weak, widowed and poor” was and is a wisdom and directive in Judaism. But, he said, it also was advice that was important to the development of religion and the development of civilization. “Everyone has a role in the body of Christ,” Father Mickler said. “It gives you a sense of identity.”
Father Mickler said the segments for “St. Paul, The Man and His Message” were filmed in various sites including St. Paul Church in Canton.
“The church has magnificent stained-glass windows that relate the life of St. Paul,” he said, adding that the windows provided a wonderful backdrop.
Father Mickler attended an international seminar focusing on St. Paul in late April and early May in Rome, and took that opportunity to film at sites in Italy associated with St. Paul.
These included San Paulo alla Regulo, where the saint stayed as he awaited his trial that led to his beheading.
Father Mickler said St. Paul was a tentmaker by trade and this site near the Tiber River would have been an appropriate setting for the work. He also visited the Basilica of St. Paul, considered to be one of the ancient basilicas of Rome and the site of St. Paul’s grave where followers built a shrine.
“We try to be creative,” Father Mickler said of the settings.
Father Mickler said Brother Dominic is in Rome, where he is participating in the closing services of the Jubilee Year of St. Paul. “He has vast experience as a producer, director and editor,” Father Mickler said of his co-worker on the project.
The introductory and ending music are by Dr. Marsha Long of New York City, who spent time recording last summer at the Society of St. Paul.
She said she composed and arranged the harp music for the St. Paul segments. “His message was one of love and it is powerful,” she said.
She said the music, chant-like, enhances “the bridge to understanding.”