Who are we?

We are ecclesial association of lay persons – men and women, young and old, single and married, born of the apostolic heart of Blessed James Alberione, the Founder of the Pauline Family. We live the Pauline life in the world, remaining in our own state of life but united to the Pauline Family, with which we share the same spirit and mission. Since our association was approved by the Church in 1918, we have spread to all six continents.

Our project of life springs from the prophetic inspiration of Fr. Alberione, who welcomed the plea of Jesus to work on behalf of humanity. Fr. Alberione felt that in order to meet the challenge of announcing the Gospel through the instruments of communication rapidly and effectively, a band of consecrated religious and lay people inflamed with the same missionary passion that motivated the Apostle Paul – the Apostles of the Gentiles. Fr. Alberione gave the Pauline Family St. Paul as its Father, Teacher, Model and Protector.

The vocation of the Pauline Cooperators is a true ideal of missionary life in the Church. Those who are consumed with passion for God and for humanity will find the Association of Pauline Cooperators an ideal way of giving full meaning to their lives and of helping to sow good in the lives of others.

What the Church says about the vocation of the Laity

“All the members of the people of God work in the Lord’s vineyard: priests, men and women religious, all baptized laity. All of them are object and subject of the communion of the church and, as such, share in her mission of salvation. Each and everyone works in the one vineyard of the Lord through specific charisms and ministries that are diverse but complementary to one another” (Christifidelis Laici, n. 55).

Pauline Cooperators are fully inserted in the local Church, in its pastoral work for communications, in its catechetical activities, liturgical functions and its educational efforts. Spurred on by the apostolic anxiety of St. Paul, who yearned to bring the Gospel to everyone, we infuse all these contexts with the dynamism, creativity and content of the Pauline apostolate.