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The '''Missionary Society of Saint Paul the Apostle''', better known as the '''Paulist Fathers''', is a [[Roman Catholic]] [[society of apostolic life]] for men founded in [[New York City]] in 1858 by [[Servant of God]] [[Isaac Thomas Hecker]] in collaboration with [[George Deshon]], [[Augustine Hewit]], and [[Francis A. Baker]]. Members of the society are called [[Paulist]]s, and identify themselves as such by the use of the initials C.S.P. after their names, for the Congregation of St. Paul. The Society's mission is to [[evangelize]]—preach the [[gospel]] or give information with the intention of converting people to Catholicism—the people of North America in a manner suited to the continent's culture.

==North American focus==
The Paulist Fathers were the first religious community of [[Priesthood (Catholic Church)|priests]] (as distinct from other religious communities) created in [[North America]].{{Dubious|date=October 2015|reason=[Séminaire de Québec, 1663}} Another community of priests, the [[Séminaire de Québec]], had been set up in 1663. The Paulists additionally have ministries of [[ecumenism]], [[interfaith]] relations, and [[Reconciliation (theology)|reconciliation]]. The Paulists seek to be a bridge between contemporary culture and Catholicism, using media to accomplish this, beginning with the founding of ''[[Catholic World]]'' magazine in 1865, and continuing with the '''Paulist Press''' and its ministries in radio, film, and on the Internet.

Because the Paulist Fathers' primary mission has been the conversion of the ''American'' people and society, almost all of its foundations (as Paulist centers of ministry are called) and priests are located in the USA. There are Paulist Foundations in 11 U.S. states and Washington, D.C.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.paulist.org/location/ |title=Where We Serve |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date= |website=www.paulist.org |publisher=Paulist Fathers |access-date=11 May 2016}}</ref> They also serve the American Catholic community in Rome at [[San Patrizio]] (which replaced a former foundation at [[Santa Susanna]] in August 2017),<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.ncronline.org/news/world/american-community-finds-new-home-rome | accessdate = 10 August 2017 | work = National Catholic Reporter | date = 7 August 2017 | title =American community finds a new home in Rome | agency = Catholic News Service | first = Junno | last = Arocho Esteves}}</ref> and, until June 2015,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.paulist.org/the-conversation/paulists-to-withdraw-from-toronto/ |title=Paulists to withdraw from Toronto |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |date= 12 January 2015 |website=www.paulist.org |publisher=Paulist Fathers |access-date=11 May 2016}}</ref> maintained foundations in [[Toronto]].

== Hecker and the early years ==

[[File:Hecker3.jpg|thumb|upright|Founder Isaac Hecker, circa 1887]][[Servant of God]] Isaac Hecker was a Priest of the [[Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer]] ([[Redemptorists]]), as were all the founding members of the Paulists.  Following their conversion to Catholicism, they wanted to create an institute of priests that could evangelize to the people of North America in ways that would be more effective than the previous methods. Hecker’s notion of what constituted ‘more effective’ means or techniques of evangelization brought him into conflict with the leadership of the Redemptorist community, which ultimately resulted in him being expelled.  Hecker was supported by Redemptorist Fathers George Deshon, Augustine Hewit, Francis Baker, and Clarence Walworth, who were themselves converts to Catholicism from the [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal Church]] and were influenced significantly by the [[Oxford Movement]].  Hecker and his companions were soon after dispensed from their Redemptorist vows and were granted permission to found the Paulist Fathers in 1858 as the Missionary Priests of Saint Paul the Apostle, in honor of [[Paul of Tarsus]], by [[Pope Pius IX]].

The Paulists got their start in the [[Archdiocese of New York]], establishing their headquarters in a parish on 59th Street appropriately named [[St. Paul the Apostle Church (Manhattan)|Church of St. Paul the Apostle]], granted them by [[John Hughes (archbishop of New York)|John Hughes]]. Hecker, who was also known as "The Yellow Dart," conceived the Paulists to be a smaller community with a specific missionary focus.  From their headquarters in New York City, they began their task of performing [[missionary]] work to non-Catholics. With the outbreak of the [[American Civil War]] the northern-based Paulists were compelled to cancel their southern missions.

Archbishop Hughes appealed to [[United States Military Academy at West Point|West Point]] graduate George Deshon to serve as a chaplain to a New York Brigade, but given that the Paulists were a newly created community and were so few in number, Father Deshon declined. During the [[New York Draft Riots]] of 1863 the Paulists attempted to dissuade people from violence, but only marginally succeed as efforts were hampered when Father Augustine Hewit was wounded in such an effort.

In 1866, under Hecker's guidance, the Paulist Press was created, adding the written word to the Paulist mission. In 1870, a magazine for Catholic youth, ''The Young Catholic'', was also created. In 1875, the first Paulist missionaries set sail for [[California]]; other missions quickly followed in [[Rhode Island]], [[Kentucky]], [[Michigan]], and as far north as [[Quebec]].  In 1925, they established WLWL, their own radio station in New York.  Around 1935, the Paulists outfitted motor trailers as chapels and began a series of missions to rural areas such in states such as [[South Carolina]], [[Tennessee]] and [[Utah]].

== The Paulists today ==
{{Refimprove section|date=December 2013}}
[[Image:DaveCSP.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Paulists at work]]The Paulist Fathers work as missionaries in the United States. The Society created the Paulist Associate program for lay people who wish to associate themselves with the Paulists. The Paulists are a [[society of apostolic life]], meaning they do not make [[religious vows]]; rather, by means of promises they are supposed to pursue their mission through living in community.

The Paulists are not immune from wider religious trends and have experienced a large decline in their community membership over the past 50 years. As of 2017, the Paulists have 120 members in total. 107 members of the society are priests and another 13 are non-priest male religious. In 1967 the Paulists had a total membership of 306, with 261 priests. This represents a priestly decline of 61% over the last 50 years.<ref>http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/dqpau.html</ref> Even though most Catholic religious orders have seen a membership decline over the past half-century, the Paulists' decline is particularly notable.

In addition to serving as [[parish]] priests at their Foundations, the Paulists continue evangelization by means of the [[Paulist National Catholic Evangelization Association]], National Offices, publishing and film companies as well as Paulist Mission Preachers.  {{As of|2015}} the Society had 20 priests listed as available for missions.  The form the missions take is largely dependent on which Paulist is giving it; the Paulists emphasise individuality, and each Paulist presents his message in his own way.  The Paulists have also relatively recently created National Offices to head up some of their more important ministries.

The Paulist Office for Reconciliation is a ministry for Catholics who feel alienated or outside of the community. The office seeks to create processes, resource materials, forums, and leaders to recruit these people into the Church.

<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Ecumenism main.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Paulist Father in discussion with Buddhist Monk]] -->The Paulist National Office of Ecumenism and Interfaith Relations has the mission of fostering understanding, respect, and collaboration with members of other religions.  The office was initially created as a means of updating and educating Paulists in these two fields as to how to go about integrating initiatives locally, but later adopted the additional role of offering consultative visits at campuses, parishes, retreats, and conferences.  The office also maintains a newsletter and provides articles and resources for online ministries.

The Paulist Office for Young Adult Ministries is intended to connect young adults to faith communities.  The office seeks to promote youth integration and leadership amongst Christian communities, and to see issues and concerns of youth addressed by Church leaders and organizations.  This Paulist ministry has many forms such as Busted Halo which is an online spiritual magazine for peoples in their 20s and 30s; the Busted Halo Show, with Father Dave Dwyer, CSP, was picked up by the Catholic Channel on [[Sirius Satellite Radio]].  The office also hosts young adult retreats and, on occasion, hosts forums and gives presentations.  Paulists also have a number of [[Newman Center]]s and campus ministries at several major universities throughout the United States; they consider this one of their highest priorities.

The Paulist Press, based in [[Mahwah, NJ]], publishes relevant materials.  It is a well-established publisher of hardcover and paperback books, audio and visual tapes, DVDs, and educational materials and resources for parishes. It publishes the Classics of Western Spirituality series.  Paulist Press also maintains an online journal, founded by Father Hecker, called The [[Catholic World]], which is a collection of articles on faith and culture.

[[File:Paulist Productions Pacific Palisades.jpg|thumb|right|Built in 1928, since the 1960s this has been the home of Paulist Productions]][[Paulist Productions]] was founded by Father Ellwood Kieser, CSP, in California around 1960.  It today creates films and television programs on a variety of subjects with spiritual concerns and matters at the heart of the production.  Paulist Productions has received a number of awards and continues to develop and produce an assortment of films and series.  It has produced ''[[Romero (film)|Romero]]'', ''[[Entertaining Angels: The Dorothy Day Story]]'', and ''The Twelve Apostles''.

==Current leadership==
The President, Vice-President, and Council of the Paulist Fathers are elected to four-year terms; in addition, a First Consultor is appointed by the President.  Eric Andrews, C.S.P. succeeded Michael McGarry, C.S.P. as president in May 2014.<ref>http://www.paulist.org/about/paulist-leadership</ref>

==Becoming a Paulist==
{{unreferenced section|date=December 2013}}
Training to become a Paulist priest is similar to [[religious institute]]s. The Society is open to single Catholic men with an undergraduate degree that are in good standing with the Church. Training consists of three phases that takes usually 6 years to complete. The first phase  is a year-long novitiate, designed to introduce the individual to Paulist life and to help them decide if the Paulist life is for them. The next phase consists of two years of philosophical and theological studies, followed by a one-year apostolate at a Paulist Foundation.  On return from his apostolate, he returns to school for two more years and, if successful, will be awarded a [[Master of Divinity]] degree.  The Paulist Seminary and Novitiate is located at St. Paul's College in Washington, DC, and in recent years Paulist students had a choice of attending either the [[Catholic University of America]] or the [[Washington Theological Union]] (now closed).  Near the end of his studies, the Society then decides whether he will proceed to ordination to the [[diaconate]].  Once a Deacon, the last phase of formation is a year-long pastoral internship, at the end of which the individual is ordained a priest in the Missionary Society of Saint Paul the Apostle.

==Patrons==
{{unreferenced section|date=December 2013}}
Patrons of the Paulist Fathers include the [[Virgin Mary]], [[St. Paul the Apostle]], [[St. Joseph]], [[St. Alphonsus Liguori]], [[St. Francis de Sales]], [[St. Thomas Aquinas]], [[St. Patrick]], [[St. Philip Neri]], [[St. Teresa of Avila]], [[St. John of the Cross]], [[St. Mary Magdalene]] and [[St. Elizabeth Seton]].

== Paulist foundations ==

==See also==
{{Portal|Catholicism}}
*''[[Catholic World]]''
*[[Consecrated life (Catholic Church)|Consecrated life]]
*[[Institute of Consecrated Life|Institutes of consecrated life]]
*[[Orestes Brownson]]
*[[Religious institute (Catholic)]]
*[[Secular institute]]
*[[Vocational Discernment in the Catholic Church]]
*[[Order of Saint Paul the First Hermit]]

== References ==

*''Hecker: A Missionary to North America''. The Paulist Fathers, 997 Macarthur Boulevard, Mahwah, N.J. 07430
*''What Makes the Paulists Different?'' Vocations Office, the Paulist Fathers, 415 West 59th Street, New York, New York, 10019
*'' Paulists and the Civil War'', Paulist Office for History and Archives, North American Paulist Center, 3015 4th NE, Washington, DC, 20017
*''On the Road: The History of Paulist Missions'', Father John E. Lynch, C.S.P., Paulist Office for History and Archives, North American Paulist Center, 3015 4th NE, Washington, DC, 20017
*''Isaac Hecker: An American Catholic''.  By David J. O'Brien.  New York: Paulist Press, 1992.
*''Isaac Hecker and his Friends''.  By Joseph McSorley.  New York: Paulist Press, 1972.
{{refend}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Paulists}}
* {{Official website|http://www.paulist.org/}}
*[http://www.paulistproductions.org/ Paulist Productions]
*[http://www.paulistpress.com/ Paulist Press]
*[http://www.pncea.org Paulist National Catholic Evangelization Association]
*[http://www.bustedhalo.com/ Bustedhalo]
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10368c.htm Catholic Encyclopedia article]

[[Category:1858 establishments in New York (state)]]
[[Category:1858 in North America]]
[[Category:Paulist Order| ]]
[[Category:Catholic orders and societies]]
[[Category:Societies of apostolic life]]