The 76th and most important international book fair for the exchange of rights (Frankfurter Buchmesse) took place from October 16 – 20 in Frankfurt, the fifth largest city in Germany.

The Frankfurt Book Fair welcomes around 4,000 exhibitors from 95 countries around the world and thousands of professional visitors every year. For the first three days, access is reserved for sector operatives: publishers, literary agents, and large distributors, while on the other two days it is also open to the public.

Our international publishing house, with its renewed logo, once again displayed its publications in various languages, ranging from spirituality to literature for adults and children, from biblical to current affairs, from pastoral ministry to catechesis. Relationships were established with new publishers, existing ones were strengthened, and more innovative content, languages, aesthetic and graphic forms were discovered. These will arouse interest and attraction with an increasingly distracted and technology-savvy audience.

There was no shortage of cultural events of great interest during the book fair. This year the attention was focused on Italy, the book fair’s guest of honor, which presented its culture and literature to the public, with concerts, conferences and discussions. Now the baton passes to the Philippines which will be the guest of honor for the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2025.

On Saturday, October 12th, at the Basilica of Mary Queen of the Apostles in Rome, the Pauline Family held its annual conference, organized by an inter-congregational preparatory commission and presided over by Fr. Boguslaw Zeman, SSP.

The well-attended event was especially significant as it coincided with the 70th anniversary of the Basilica’s dedication.

The theme of the day, Journeying with Mary, Queen of the Apostles, was organized according to a synodal dynamic—a method now integral to ecclesial practice, characterized by listening, reflection, sharing, and discernment.

Participants were encouraged to deepen their understanding of Mary through Sacred Scripture and the teachings of Fr. James Alberione. In addition, they were given the opportunity to discover or rediscover the artistic works of the Sanctuary, which authentically reflect the theological and Marian thought of the Founder.

The first presentation, titled The Marian Vision of Fr. James Alberione for the Queen of Apostles Sanctuary: A Biblical, Artistic, and Charismatic Reading, was given by Fr. Carlo Cibien, editorial director of Gruppo San Paolo . He began by discussing Alberione’s vision for the construction of the Basilica, highlighting Alberione’s practical approach, his trust in Providence, and outlining the different phases of the project. He also emphasized the charismatic insights of Alberione, focusing on the details of the mosaics and other artistic elements.

The second presentation, Mary, Queen of the Apostles – Mother and Teacher of the People of God on the Move, was delivered by biblical scholar Rosanna Virgili. Her exegesis on various female biblical figures was particularly insightful.

Following the presentations, participants joined ‘synodal circles,’ where they engaged in dialogue around key points that had emerged from the talks.

From Sept. 20-23, at Myeongdong Cathedral (Seoul), the Daughters of St. Paul organized a series of cultural events under the theme Healing and Hope, sponsored by the City of Seoul.

The central theme of these busy days was the Bible, which has greatly influenced human culture and the arts. Drum performances, concerts with commentaries, art lectures, painting exhibitions were organized to demonstrate and celebrate the Bible’s influence. Attracting special interest was the display of original paintings from the book Illustrated Stories of the Bible, by painter-author Sr Magdalena Kim Ok-soon, F.S.P.

The paintings were displayed alongside various objects from the biblical world including the model of a tabernacle, a replica of David’s sling bag, and an example of a basin for washing feet, so that visitors could better understand life in biblical times. The exhibition was further enriched by the presence of teachers from the Pauline Bible Institute’s e-learning and correspondence programs.

On September 21, a musical concert was held on the theme Musical Instruments in the Bible: harp, trumpet, and vocal music, showing the appeal of each instrument with Bible-inspired compositions. A commentary by philosopher and humanities expert Father Choi Jae-hwan John Baptist (Diocese of Uijeongbu) introduced participants to the understanding of each instrument and song.

On the same day, artist Julia Kim’s lecture on The History of Medieval Manuscripts explored the history of the development of biblical manuscripts and the process for making them.

On September 22, the Book Concert was held, a type of conference, with biblical scholar Fr. Song Bong-Mo Thomas, SJ titled When Life is Shaken by Suffering. It aroused as emotional response from the audience who felt comforted by the speaker’s words.

We hope that everyone who encountered the Bible in its various forms during these four days experienced the celebration’s theme: inner healing and hope in God.

It was a moment of great joy for all the Daughters of St. Paul in Nigeria, when on September 12, 2024, the Thecla house and community of Calabar was blessed by Msgr. Joseph Effiong Ekuwem, metropolitan archbishop of the diocese, in the presence of the auxiliary bishop Msgr. Christopher Naseri. Priests, religious and lay faithful showed up for the event in large numbers, joining the entire community in thanking God for the presence of the Pauline Sisters in Calabar, a city in Nigeria. Calabar is the capital of the state of Cross River, in the south-eastern part of the county. Don Charles Etim, vicar general of pastoral care, expressed his profound gratitude to God and the general government of the Daughters of Saint Paul for their sacrifices and their support of the religious in this region. He prayed that our mission would inspire and draw many hearts to the Lord.

The permanent presence of the Paulines has had a notable impact on the hearts of the people. Many said that finally “the Sisters are ours”, for they realize that they need the Pauline apostolate in this part of the country. The Sisters of the community wrote: «We are grateful to the Lord, to the general government and to all the sisters of the West African Delegation for their help and prayerful support. To God be the glory!