Letters

Perhaps it is just me, but recently, while studying the Letter of St. Paul to Philemon, it occurred to me that toward the end of his life, at least in his personal communications (of which Philemon is the only extant example) Paul became quite sentimental. There is something endearing about the way that the Apostle describes the slave, Onesimus, as "his heart" and how troubled he was about the situation in which Onesimus found himself.

I was discussing this text with my teaching parish committee today, and we were all reminded of a recent letter from the Holy Father describing his decision to lift the excommunications against several bishops, among them, Bishop Williamson. He too expresses the heartfelt pain he experienced at the ire directed toward him by many public figures. I commend both (very short) letters to your reading.

Philemon

Holy Father's Letter