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A Brief History

The Society of St Paul is an international religious institute of priests and brothers whose ministry involves the media of communication. It was founded by Fr James Alberione in Italy on 20 August 1914. It was established in Australia in 1952.

The Society sets as its goal for its members:

• The perfection of charity - to be attained through the spirit and practice of the vows of chastity, poverty, obedience and fidelity to the Pope, in common life, in accordance with the norms of the Constitutions; and,
• The evangelisation of humankind through the apostolate by the means of social communication.

The members of the Society of St Paul, priests and brothers, profess the same religious vows. They form a community of life, prayer and apostolate. They are governed by the same norms, share in the same spiritual benefits, and have common rights and duties with the exception of those deriving from sacramental ordination.

In the foundational charism of Fr Alberione (founder), priesthood is an element that cannot be renounced. It is from the Pauline priests' that there must flow forth fervour and life-giving light so as to strengthen the community, the Congregation and the whole Pauline Family by giving new life to ideals and acting as stimulus to the imperatives of apostolic action. The characteristic role that the Pauline priest fulfils in the particular apostolate, is that of a person who is at home with God's word, bestowing on the preaching of the message of salvation a surety and sense of authority. The presence of the Pauline brother in the membership of the Congregation is, in the strictest terms, complementary and co-essential to the priest. His characteristic role is that of being an active go between of the word of God with regard to social communication 'multiplying over and over' the word that is preached.