By Dr. Scott Hahn

What a summer it's been! It began for me with the St. Paul Center's June pilgrimage to Rome that I was privileged to make with many of you.

We were there as our new Holy Father, Benedict XVI, for the first time celebrated the feast of the Church's "founding fathers," Ss. Peter and Paul. And, on the vigil of the feast, we joined hundreds of Catholics from around the world in a beautiful evening prayer service that formally inaugurated the sainthood cause of our great Pope John Paul II.

While in Rome, I also delivered a paper at the Scripture and Hermeneutics Seminar, which met at the Pontifical Biblical Institute. The Seminar is an ecumenical project sponsored by leading Protestant scholars which aims to renew biblical interpretation in seminaries and colleges.

I shared with some of my my Protestant friends an extraordinary article from the May 17, 2005 issue of Christian Century. The piece, by D. Stephen Long, a theologian at a leading American Protestant seminary, argues that Protestants need a pope - "for the sake of unity of the Church, and for the sake of truth grounded in love."

Recalling John Paul II's funeral, Long writes: "Could we ever see in our own churches the transnational. . . expression of love and joy we witnessed in St. Peter's Square? If not, then how can we refuse to acknowledge the beauty of the papacy?"

For me, Long's article was a sensible sign and consolation that old divisions and rivalries are breaking down as Protestants and Catholics continue studying Scripture together.

Kimberly and I received still another providential sign this summer. For the last couple of years, we've been trying, without any success to buy a nearby mansion, formerly the bishop's residence. Out of the blue, and with the help of a realtor who is married to the local Baptist pastor, the mansion suddenly became available. Within 24 hours, we'd signed the contract!

Kimberly and I personally purchased this building in order to dedicate it to the service of the St. Paul Center. Our hope is that it will become a home for visiting scholars, a center for biblical research, and a site for on-going Bible studies and lectures.

Currently, I'm in the process of moving my library - now over 50,000 volumes - into the new center. The center will also house the donated libraries of two important 20th–century scholars, Father Ronald Lawler, O.F.M. Cap. and Msgr. Michael J. Wrenn.

There's still more to tell, but that will have to wait for a future column! Pray for us as we embark upon this exciting new adventure. As always, it is your prayers and gifts that make us bold in putting out into the deep.

September 2005