Pioneer of Modern Catholic Mission

Sisters and brothers, we just passed Memorial Day, so we're officially into the summer season. When graduations are near complete, schools are almost closed, and we look ahead to an exciting summer. But this week also is on Thursday, which would normally be, for many dioceses, the feast of the Ascension.

A number of years ago, though, the Diocese of Galveston-Houston, along with the majority of dioceses in the United States, elected to move the feast of the Ascension to the seventh Sunday of Easter.

This week, we are ten days away from the celebration of Ascension. In lieu of that, though, on Thursday, which would have been Ascension Thursday, there is another marvelous feast for us to celebrate—the Feast of Saint Paul VI, Giovanni Montini.

Italian, who is the Pope after Pope John XXIII, who closed the Second Vatican Council on December 8, 1965. Who brought about the first touch between the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church, removing the mutual excommunication.

The Pope who began to be the pilgrim Pope, before Pope John Paul II covered the world, and Pope Francis after him. The first Pope to leave the Vatican to travel the world as a missionary to the peoples of the world was Pope Paul VI, champion of the Second Vatican Council, champion of humanism, and champion of the Church's missionary work.

A great saint for us to consider in our lives and say, How do I help unite ourselves with our brothers and sisters? How do I work for the spread of the gospel?

Saint Pope Paul VI, pray for us.