For First Saturday and Year of Faith from the World Apostolate of Fatima

Our Lady of Fatima, Blue Army Shrine, Washington, NJ

Today is First Saturday.  Please remember to fulfill the requirements to the best of your ability.

The World Apostolate of Fatima shrine in Washington, NJ, (otherwise known as the Blue Army Shrine) has been named a place of pilgrimage for the Year of Faith.

By decree of His Excellency Most Reverend Paul G. Bootkoski, Bishop of the Metuchen diocese, the Blue Army Shrine has been named a site of pilgrimage during the Year of Faith.  Visitors may receive a plenary induglence each time they visit the shrine during this period, which concludes November 24, 2013.  We encourage you to take advantage of this great spiritual benefit.  We are grateful to Bishop Bootkoski for bestowing this honor upon us and promise to welcome all in his name.

ToThe flyer can be viewed here.

A Message of Hope from Leonardo Defilippis

Year of Faith - CATECHISMS AND CATECHISTS

by Brother John Samaha, S.M.

          As we begin the observe the Year of Faith marking the 20^th anniversary of the publication if the Catechism of the Catholic Church,

it is helpful to examine the various meanings attached to the term “catechism” and “catechist” throughout past history.

          Long before the invention of the printing press in 1450, learning was passed on primarily by word of mouth.  Learning was an oral and aural experience. “Catechism” comes from an ancient Greek verb that means “to echo.”   A teaching would be explained or recited and the listener would be asked to “echo” it, or repeat it until it was learned.  This method of learning reached back to ancient times.  Even before the establishment of the Church, Jewish teachers in the Old Testament era had taught the Scriptures by asking the learner to repeat verses again and again. This was a common method of teaching and learning.

          With the development of the printing press the speak-and-echo method of catechesis was adapted to a question-and-answer approach that could be set in print.  The Church adopted this system, and it was successful.  This is evident in the influence of the catechisms authored by St. Peter Canisius (d. 1597) and St. Robert Bellarmine (d. 1621).

          On a deeper and more personal level, both catechist and catechized were expected to interiorize the truth being studied and

“echo” it in their personal lives by the faithful living of the lesson.  It is with this intent that the late Cardinal John Wright chose as his episcopal motto Resonare Jesum.  Echo Jesus!

A YEAR OF FAITH WINDOW ON THE THE NASCENT U.S.A. CHURCH

Brother John M. Samaha, S.M.

         

          The Year of Faith proclaimed by Pope Benedict XVI marks the 50^th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council and the 20^th anniversary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.  From October 11, 2012, to November 24, 2013, we are invited to open the door of faith and re-value our U.S. Catholic origins and catechetical efforts.

          After the American Revolutionary War was settled in favor of the colonies and the new nation formed its independent government, John Carroll was appointed the first Bishop of Baltimore.   He was ordained bishop on August 15, 1790, and soon after named his cathedral church for Mary’s Assumption.    

          John Carroll, a native of Maryland, was ordained to the episcopacy on the feast of Mary’s Assumption in 1790 in St. Mary’s Chapel at Ludworth Castle in England.  This was the Weld family’s ancestral home.  The Weld family had been staunch Catholics for centuries before, during, and after the Protestant Reformation.  John Carroll of Maryland chose this historic setting, and Bishop Charles Walmsley was the ordaining prelate.

          The new diocese included the entire U.S.A., and Bishop John Carroll became shepherd for about 35,000 Catholics in a national population of four million.  Catholicism began to flourish in many areas.

For the next quarter-century the new bishop set the pattern for the growth of the Catholic Church in the United States.  He shaped a creative and dynamic role for Catholicism in a new type of country guided by a new form of government.

          When the new diocese was a year old, Bishop Carroll convened a synod, a formal meeting of his clergy.  The diocesan synod addressed the pastoral needs of the faithful and set pastoral policies.  Twenty priests gathered at the bishop’s house in Baltimore on November 7, 1791.   The first session of the diocesan synod dealt with policies for administering Baptism and Confirmation.  The following four sessions

developed guidelines for admitting children to First Holy Communion and Reconciliation, faculties for the priests of the diocese, Matrimony, and religious education.  This synod was acclaimed a success both at home and abroad.  Its organization and manner of governance influenced the provincial and plenary councils of the nineteenth century and beyond.  Already the seeds were being sown for the Baltimore Catechism.  Bishop Carroll’s commitment as an attentive, teacher, bishop, and shepherd was clearly evident.

          In the ensuing years Bishop John Carroll continued to promote the establishment of Catholic schools, the institution of religious congregations, and the creation of new parishes and dioceses.  He was effective in molding a healthy Church in his far-flung diocese, which included the original thirteen states, the Northwest Territory, and the vast Louisiana Purchase.  He is rightly credited with building a firm foundation on which the American Church would grow.

          When Pope Pius VII established in 1808 the dioceses of Boston and Bardstown, Baltimore became an archdiocese and John Carroll the first archbishop in the U.S.A.

          In 1815 Archbishop John Carroll died.  Catholicism had grown steadily.  The number of faithful increased fourfold, and the clergy doubled in number.  Carroll had established three seminaries, three colleges for men, and several academies for women.  He encouraged religious congregations to spread to the frontiers, and they flourished across the country.  Archbishop Carroll had guided the infant Church in the new republic with faith, wisdom, and kindness.

          This Year of Faith affords us a special opportunity to recall and appreciate our past history, and to review and renew our baptismal commitment to the present and future.  In celebrating this year the twentieth anniversary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, let us value also the contribution of the Baltimore Catechism to our early religious education.

          

Prayer from the Legion of Mary Tessera

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Confer, O Lord, on us, 

who serve beneath the stand of Mary  

that fullness of faith in you and trust in her, 

to which it is given to conquer the world.  

Grant us a lively faith, 

animated by charity, 

which will enable us to perform all our actions from the motive of pure love of you, 

and ever to see you and serve you in our neighbour; 

a faith, firm and immovable as a rock, 

through which we shall rest tranquil and steadfast amid the crosses, toils, and disappointments of life; 

a courageous faith which will inspire us 

to undertake and carry out without hesitation 

great things for your glory and for the salvation of souls; 

a faith which will be our Legion's Pillar of Fire - 

to lead us forth united - 

to kindle everywhere the fires of divine love 

- to enlighten those who are in darkness and in the shadow of death 

- to inflame those who are lukewarm

 - to bring back life to those who are dead in sin; 

and which will guide our own feet in the way of peace; 

so that - the battle of life over 

- our Legion may reassemble, 

without the loss of any one, in the kingdom of your love and glory.  Amen.

Prayer Chosen for the Year of Faith

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The prayer that appears on the sidebar is the prayer I chose for this blog. It is one of the Fatima prayers. It is exactly what we need to pray during this year of Faith. It is customary to pray the prayer three times.

Prayer to remain Faithful to God

by Cima da Conegliano

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Lead me in Your way,

and I will walk in Your truth.

Let my heart rejoice

that it may fear Your name.

My God, 

save me from the clutches of the sinner

who works against your law:

for You are the one I await.

New Saint Joseph People's Prayer Book

Saintly Quote - Faith by St. Teresa de Avila

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"The truth of faith alone, deeply graven in the soul, is sufficient to 

encourage us to very perfect works;

for it strengthens man and increases his charity."

Year of Faith - Called to Faith

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"...The sacred liturgy does not exhaust the entire activity of the Church.  Before men can come to the liturgy they must be called to faith and to conversion.  'How then are they to call upon him in whom they have not believed?  And how are they to believe in him of whom they have not heard?  And how are they to h ear without a preacher?  And how are men to preach unless they be sent?'" (Rom. 10:14-15)  

Vatican Council II, 1981 Edition, Sacred Liturgy

Getting Ready for the Year of Faith - Recommended Reading

Well, tomorrow begins the Year of Faith!  Actually, this is very exciting.  As you may know, tomorrow is the feast of Blessed Pope John XXIII.  The Catholic Church is also commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council.  Lastly, it is the 20th anniversary of the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Recommended reading:  

1.  Journal of a Soul by Pope John XXIII. via Roman Catholic Spiritual Direction Book Club.  Blessed Pope John XXIII's personal notebooks, papers, writings compiled into one large volume.  He started his journal writing as a young boy.

"I was a good boy, innocent, somewhat timid.  I wanted to love God at all costs and my one idea was to become a priest, in the service of simple souls who needed patient and attentive care.  Meanwhile I had to fight an enemy within me, self-love, and in the end I was able to get better of it.  But I was mortified to feel it constantly returning.  I was troubled about my distractions during prayer and I imposed  severe sacrifices on myself to get rid of them.  I took everything very seriously and my examinations of conscience were detailed and severe...Now, at a distance of more than sixty years, I can look upon these first spiritual writings of mine as if they had been written by someone else, and I bless the Lord for them..."

I wonder if there is anyone who read the above without being touched by this holy Father's humility and sincerity of heart.

2.  Vatican Council II:  The conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents

3.  The Holy Bible.  Consider reading it from the very beginning (Genesis).

4.  The Catechism of the Catholic Church.  Also consider reading the Catechism from the very start.  But an easier way is to sign up to get daily readings.  See sidebar for signup information.

Here at this blog I will try to post a saintly quote about faith to help us rediscover our the theological virtue of faith and to grow to appreciate it as this jubilee year progresses.

Year of Faith - Ringing of the Bells and Plenary Indulgence

From (in Honolulu) Sts. Peter and Paul Church's bulletin:

BELLS TO RING IN YEAR OF FAITH!

At 12 noon on October 11th, hundreds of Catholic churches and thousands of people across the United States will be joining together to ring in the first day of the Year of Faith.  Every church is invited to take part.

Anyone who will be attending the Noon Mass that day, please bring a bell and join us in ringing them for 3 minutes to celebrate the beginning of the Year of Faith.

Decree Granting Plenary Indulgence for Year of Faith

VATICAN CITY, OCT. 5, 2012 (Zenit).- Here is the translation of the Decree released by the Apostolic Penitentiary granting Plenary Indulgence during the Year of Faith.

Urbis et Orbis
Decree
Enriched by the Gift of Sacred Indulgences

Special Exercises of Piety to Be Undertaken during the Year of Faith

On the day of the 50th anniversary of the solemn opening of the Ecumenical Council Vatican II, to which Blessed John XXIII "assigned as main task to guard and present better the precious deposit of the Christian Doctrine, to make it more accessible to Christ's faithful and to all men of good will" (John Paul II, Apostolic Constitution Fidei Depositum, October 11, 1992: AAS 86 [1994] 113), the Supreme Pontiff Benedict XVI has established the beginning of a Year dedicated particularly to the profession of the true faith and to its correct interpretation, with the reading, or better, with the pious meditation of the Acts of the Council and of the Articles of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, published by Blessed John Paul II, thirty years after the beginning of the Council, with the precise intention to "induce the faithful to adhere better to it and to promote knowledge of it and its implementation" (Ibid., 114).

Already in the year of the Lord 1967, to recall the 19th centenary of the martyrdom of the Apostles Peter and Paul, a similar Year of Faith" was proclaimed by the Servant of God Paul VI, "to attest in a solemn profession of Faith, in as much as the essential contents that for centuries have constituted the patrimony of all believers, are in need of being confirmed, comprehended and deepened in an ever new way, in order to give coherent witness in historical conditions that are different from the past" (Benedict XVI, Apostolic Letter Porta Fidei, no. 4).

In this time of profound changes, to which humanity is subjected, the Holy Father Benedict XVI, with the proclamation of this second Year of Faith, intends to invite the People of God, of whom he is the universal Pastor, as well as brother Bishops of the whole world "to join the Successor of Peter, in the time of spiritual grace that the Lord offers us, in recalling the precious gift of the faith" (Ibid., no. 8).

To all faithful will be given "the opportunity to confess their faith in the Risen Lord [.] in the cathedrals and churches of the whole world; in [their] homes and with [their] families, so that everyone will feel strongly the need to know better and to transmit to future generations the everlasting faith. Religious as well as parish communities, and all the ancient and new ecclesial realities, will find the way in this Year to make public profession of the Creed" (Ibid.).

Moreover, all the faithful, individually and in community, will be called to give open witness of their faith before others in the particular circumstances of daily life: "Man's social nature itself exacts that he express externally the acts of religion, that he communicate with others in religious matters, profess his religion in a communal way" (Declaration, Dignitatishumanae, December 7, 1965: AAS 58 [1966], 932).

Because it is above all a question of developing to the highest degree -- in so far as it is possible on this earth -- holiness of life and hence of obtaining, in the highest degree, purity of soul, very useful will be the great gift of Indulgences, which the Church, in virtue of the power conferred on her by Christ, offers to all those who with the proper dispositions fulfill the special prescriptions to obtain them. "With the Indulgence -- Paul VI taught -- the Church, making use of her power of minister of the Redemption wrought by Christ the Lord, communicates to the faithful the participation of this fullness of Christ in the communion of Saints, furnishing them in very large measure the means to attain salvation" (Apostolic Letter Apostolorum Limina, May 23, 19745: AAS 66 [1974] 2898). Manifested thus is the "treasure of the Church," "of which also the merits of the Holy Mother of God and of all the elect, from the first to the last righteous" constitute "a further increase" (Clement VI, Bull Unigenitus Dei Filius, January 27, 1343).

The Apostolic Penitentiary, which has the task of regulating what concerns the concession and use of Indulgences, and of stimulating the spirit of the faithful to conceive correctly and to nourish the pious desire to obtain them -- solicited by the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization, in attentive consideration of the Note with pastoral indications for the Year of Faith of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, in order to obtain the gift of the Indulgences during the Year of Faith --, has established the following dispositions, issued in conformity with the mind of the August Pontiff, so that the faithful will be greatly stimulated to know and love the Doctrine of the Catholic Church and obtain more abundant spiritual fruits.

During the whole span of the Year of Faith, proclaimed from October 11, 2012 to the whole of November 24, 2013, all individual faithful truly repentant, duly confessed, communing sacramentally, and who pray according to the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff, will be able to acquire a Plenary Indulgence from the temporal punishment for their sins imparted by God's mercy, applicable in suffrage to the souls of the deceased faithful.

a.- Every time they take part in at least three instances of preaching during the Sacred Missions, or at least three lessons on the Acts of Vatican Council II and on the Articles of the Catechism of the Catholic Church in any church or ideal place;

b.- Every time they visit by way of pilgrimage a Papal Basilica, a Christian catacomb, a Cathedral; Church, a sacred place designated by the Ordinary of the place for the Year of Faith (for example between the Minor Basilicas and the Shrines dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, to the Holy Apostles and to Patron Saints) and take part there in some sacred function or at least pause for an apt time of recollection with pious meditations, concluding with the recitation of the Our Father, the Profession of Faith in any legitimate form, invocations to the Blessed Virgin Mary and, according to the case, to Holy Apostles or Patrons;

c.- Every time, in days determined by the Ordinary of the place for the Year of Faith (for example on the solemnities of the Lord, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, on the feast s of the Holy Apostles and Patrons, on the Chair of Saint Peter), in any sacred place they participate in a solemn Eucharistic celebration or the Liturgy of the Hours, adding the Profession of Faith in any legitimate form;

d.- A day freely chosen, during the Year of Faith, for the pious visit of the baptistery or other place, in which they received the sacrament of Baptism, renewing the baptismal promises in any legitimate formula.

Diocesan or Eparchial bishops, and those who in law are equivalent to them, in the most appropriate day of this time, on the occasion of the main celebration (for example November 24, 2013, on the solemnity of Jesus Christ King of the Universe, with which the Year of Faith will close) will be able to impart the Papal Blessing with the Plenary Indulgence, to be gained by all the faithful who receive this Blessing devoutly.

The truly repentant faithful, who cannot take part in solemn celebrations for serious reasons (as, first of all, nuns that live in convents of perpetual cloister, anchorites and hermits, prisoners, the elderly, the sick, as well as those that, in hospitals or other nursing places, give continuous service to the sick .), will obtain the Plenary Indulgence in the same conditions  if, united in spirit and thought to the faithful present, particularly in moments in which the Words of the Supreme Pontiff or of the Diocesan Bishops are broadcast on television or radio, recite in their own home  or where the impediment keeps them (for example in the chapel of the convent, of the hospital, of the nursing home, of the prison .) the Our Father, the Profession of Faith in any legitimate form, and other prayers in keeping with the objective of the Year of Faith, offering the sufferings or discomforts of their life.

In order that access to the sacrament of Penance and the obtaining of divine forgiveness through the power of the Keys is pastorally facilitated, the Ordinaries of the places are invited to grant to canons and priests -- who in the Cathedrals and in the designated Churches for the Year of Faith are able to hear the confessions of the faithful --, the faculties limited to the internal forum, of which, for the faithful of the Eastern Churches is canon 728, paragraph 2 of the CCEO, and in the case of an eventual reserve, those for canon 727, excluding, as is evident, cases considered in canon 728, paragraph 1; for the faithful of the Latin Church, the faculties of which are in canon 508, paragraph 1 of the CIC.

The confessors, after having admonished the faithful on the gravity of sins to which is annexed a reserve or a censure, will determine appropriate sacramental penances, such as to lead them to the most possible stable repentance and, according to the nature of the cases, to impose on them the reparation of eventual scandals and damages.

Finally, the Penitentiary warmly invites the Most Excellent Bishops, in as much as holders of the threefold munus of teaching, guiding and sanctifying, to take care in explaining clearly the principles and dispositions proposed here for the sanctification of the faithful, taking into account in a particular way the circumstance of place, culture and traditions. A catechesis adapted to the nature of each people, will be able to propose more clearly and with greater vivacity to the intelligence and root more firmly and profoundly in hearts the desire for this unique gift, obtained in virtue of the mediation of the Church.

The present Decree is valid only for the Year of Faith, any contrary disposition notwithstanding.

Given in Rome at the Headquarters of the Apostolic Penitentiary, September 14, 2012, on the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

Manuel Cardinal Monteiro de Castro
Major Penitentiary

Monsignor Krzysztof Nykiel
Regent

Preparing for the Year of Faith

The Year of Faith commences on October 11, 2012 and will end on November 24, 2013.
Source: USCCB

"The 'door of faith' (Acts14:27) is always open for us, ushering us into the life of communion with God and offering entry into his Church."-

--Pope Benedict XVI, Apostolic Letter Porta Fidei for the Indiction of the Year of Faith.

For those of us living in the Diocese of Honolulu please take note of the following:

MAKAHIKI KIALELE

2012 Year of Faith 2013 Year of Faith Opening Celebration

Please join us as we begin the Year of Faith with a Mass celebrated by Bishop Larry Silva.

DATE:  Tuesday, October 9th

TIME:  Mass to being at 7pm, 

Dinner to follow

WHO:  All Faithful

PLACE:  Co-Cathedral of St. Theresa Parish

712 N. School Street

Honolulu

There is also Bishop Ricken Offers ‘10 Ways Catholics Can Live The Year Of Faith’ which I highly recommend as the good Bishop has ten really good suggestions on what we can do to enrich our spiritual lives and personally participating during the Year of Faith.

The Year of Faith official website

Annus Fidei

Pontifical council for promoting the New Evangelization.

VATICAN II AND THE YEAR OF FAITH A CONTINUING CHALLENGE

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by Brother John M. Samaha, S.M.

        On the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, January 25, 1959, Pope John Paul XXIII had announced the convocation of a general council for the universal Church.  And the Second Vatican Council was born.  John XXIII had been pope for fewer than 100 days.  Trembling with emotion, he issued the call for an ecumenical council in the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in the presence of 17 cardinals of the Curia and other Church servants. 

        The immediate reaction was  –  silence.  Later Pope John mentioned that he expected the cardinals to be elated and overjoyed with enthusiasm.  But this was not the case.  Quickly and from various parts of the world several cardinals expressed skepticism, saying this was “a rash and impulsive decision,” “a hornet’s nest,” and “premature, senseless, and doomed in advance to failure.”  But history quickly exposed their poor judgment, and John XXIII’s dauntless confidence in the working of the Holy Spirit bore rich fruit.

        Now in 2012 we observe the 50th anniversary of the opening session of Vatican II.  And Vatican II still challenges us.

A significant anniversary

        Three years of preparation led to the four sessions of Vatican II, which began in 1962 and concluded in 1965. Blessed John XXIII passed to his eternal reward after the first session, and Pope Paul VI presided over the remaining three sessions.

        Three decades earlier Pope Pius XI had considered a general council, and in the early 1950s the same thought occupied Pope Pius XII.  But conditions were not right.  The 1959 announcement by Blessed John XXIII was welcomed by the majority of leading theologians, who wondered if this new council would be a continuation of Vatican I held almost a century earlier.  But the intrepid Dominican Yves Congar expressed the confidence that this would be a new council and not a continuation of Vatican I: “I saw in the council an opportunity for the recovery of the true meaning of the episcopacy and of ecclesiology.  This would be a pastoral council.”

        In the nascent Church, the Council of Jerusalem (Gal 2:1-10 and Acts15:1-22), like the Second Vatican Council, dealt with challenging pastoral questions.  Paul, Titus, Barnabas, and others came to Jerusalem to meet with Peter, James, and other leaders of the apostolic Church to meld different but complementary charisms and gifts for the good and growth of the Church.  The Jerusalem Council is an early example of the very real interrelationship between the human and the divine in Christ’s Church. A similar interplay was experienced at the Second Vatican Council.

The proper perspective

        The past is prologue, so with wisdom we recall the past as well as point to the future.  Today it is important to recall the insight of Blessed John Henry Newman at the time of the First Vatican Council (1870), that there is always a lack of historical perspective after an ecumenical council.  “It is rare,” Newman wrote, “for a council not to be followed by great confusion…. The century following each council has ever been a time of great trial…and this seems likely to be no exception.”

        This perceived lack of historical perspective after Vatican II caused some observers to suggest erroneously that the Council rejected the historical consciousness of the Church in order to meet the needs of our contemporary world, overlooking history and tradition.  Pope Benedict XVI aptly described this as a

“hermeneutic of discontinuity and rupture” by which Vatican II is seen as an end of tradition, a new start from scratch, a history and

 a theology based on a false distinction between a “pre-conciliar Church” and a “post-conciliar Church.”

        Our faith reminds us that the Holy Spirit guided the Church through all the centuries before John XXIII’s inspiration to convoke a council.  The Holy Spirit was with the Fathers of the Council during the Vatican II.  The Holy Spirit has been with the church during the past fifty years as we gradually incorporated the Council’s teachings.  And the Holy Spirit will be with the Church in all the years to come.  St. Paul made this crystal clear in his writings.  If we lose sight of this fundamental truth, we risk the confused thinking that the Holy Spirit would abandon Christ’s Church.  But we know that the Holy Spirit, like Christ Himself, is with us always.

An important lesson of Vatican II

        Benedict XVI prudently teaches us that the false “hermaneutic of discontinuity and rupture” needs to be replaced by an authentic “hermeneutic of continuity and reform.”  History shows us that the Church is not always the same, but is reformed and always reforming.  Continuity and reform provide the correct directional map for the study and implementation of Vatican II. 

        Blessed John XXIII told us: “This Council wishes to transmit

doctrine pure and whole without attenuating it or falsifying it, but

not watching over this precious treasure as if we were concerned

only with antiquity.  We wish to present the sure and immutable doctrine in a way that answers the needs of our time.  The deposit

of faith and our venerated doctrines are one thing; the way they are announced is another thing.”  Pope John called for the Second Vatican Council to be a synthesis of faithfulness and dynamism in the spirit of Saints Peter and Paul and the Council of Jerusalem.

        Cardinal Newman shrewdly projected that it takes a century to integrate fully the wisdom of an ecumenical council.  At the outset of Vatican II Pope John XXIII noted that “It is now only dawn….”  We are still digesting the work of Vatican II: 16 important decrees approved by more than 2,500 Council Fathers, who cast over 1,200,000 ballots after more than 1,000 speeches and over 6,000 written interventions.

        As we enter the fiftieth anniversary celebration of the Second Vatican Council, let us consider this an invitation and opportunity to refresh and renew ourselves by rereading (or reading for the first time) the dynamic teachings of the Council.  These documents reveal a Church ever faithful, a divine gift, a Church ever dynamic, and a grace that continues from that very first council at Jerusalem.

                                               

        Both continuity and reform are the call of Vatican II, the great Council that will always have the power to draw us closer to Jesus Christ and to each other.

        Pope Benedict XVI reminds us that “The Church both before and after the Council is the same one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church journeying through time.”  He invites us to ponder this truth with special attention in a Year of Faith, beginning on October 11, 2012, and concluding on November 24, 2013, the feast of Christ the King.

        The Year of Faith marks the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of Vatican II and the twentieth anniversary of the promulgation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. 

        Benedict XVI announced this second Year of Faith in his apostolic letter, Porta Fidei (Door of Faith), dated October 11, 2011.  Pope Paul VI proclaimed a Year of Faith in 1967 to mark the nineteenth centenary of the martyrdom of Saints Peter and Paul.

        How will you observe these anniversaries? 

PASTORAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE YEAR OF FAITH

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The following is from VIS News

VATICAN CITY, 7 JAN 2012 (VIS) - Made public today was a Note from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith containing pastoral recommendations for the Year of Faith. Summarised extracts of the English-language version are given below.

"With the Apostolic Letter of 11 October 2011, 'Porta fidei', Pope Benedict XVI declared a Year of Faith. This Year will begin on 11 October 2012, … and will conclude on 24 November 2013, the Solemnity of our Lord Jesus Christ, Universal King".

"The beginning of the Year of Faith coincides with the anniversaries of two great events which have marked the life of the Church in our days: the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, … and the twentieth of the promulgation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church".

Recommendations for the Universal Church

- The main ecclesial event will be the thirteenth General Assembly of the Ordinary Synod of Bishops, on "The New Evangelisation for the Transmission of the Christian Faith" to be held in October. It is during the Synod that the Year of Faith will begin.

- Encouraging pilgrimages of the faithful to the See of Peter and to the Holy Land.

- Inviting the faithful to recognise the special role of Mary in the mystery of salvation, to love her and follow her as a model of faith and virtue.

- Holding symposia, conferences and large gatherings to encourage encounters with authentic witness to the faith and to promote understanding of the contents of Catholic doctrine, especially the teachings of Vatican Council II.

- Deepening knowledge of the primary documents of Vatican Council II and of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. This is especially true for candidates for priesthood, novices in Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, as well as for those in a period of discernment for joining an Ecclesial Association or Movement.

- More attentive reception of the homilies, catechesis, addresses and other speeches and documents of the Holy Father.

- Planning ecumenical initiatives aimed at the restoration of unity among all Christians. In particular, there will be a solemn ecumenical celebration in which all of the baptised will reaffirm their faith in Christ.

- A Secretariat to coordinate all of the different initiatives of the Year of Faith will be established within the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelisation. The Secretariat will also open a dedicated website.

- At the conclusion of the Year, on the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Universal King, there will be a Eucharist celebrated by the Holy Father, in which a solemn renewal of the profession of faith will take place.

Recommendations for episcopal conferences

- Dedicating a day of study to the topic of faith, its personal witness and its transmission to new generations.

- Promoting the republication in paperback and economical editions of the documents of Vatican Council II, the Catechism of the Catholic Church and its Compendium, and their wider distribution using modern technologies.

- Translating the documents of Vatican Council II and the Catechism of the Catholic Church into languages which lack a translation. Also, encouraging initiatives of charitable support to enable translations into the local languages of mission countries, where the local Churches cannot afford the expense.

- Promoting television and radio transmissions, films and publications focusing on the faith and on Vatican Council II. This should be done using the new styles of communication, especially on the popular level.

- Disseminating knowledge of local saints and blesseds, the authentic witnesses of the faith.

- Maximising the catechetical potential of local artistic patrimony, possibly with ecumenical cooperation.

- Educators in centres of theological studies, seminaries and Catholic universities should be encouraged to demonstrate the relevance within their various disciplines of the contents of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

- Preparing pamphlets and leaflets of an apologetic nature, with the help of theologians and authors, to help the faithful respond to the questions which arise in difficult contexts, including the challenge of sects and problems related to secularism.

- Examining local catechisms and various catechetical supplements in use in the particular Churches to ensure their complete conformity with the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and preparing new ones in case of need.

- Ensuring that the contents of the Catechism of the Catholic Church are present in the "Ratio" of formation for future priests, and in the curriculum of their theological studies.

Recommendations at the diocesan level

- It is hoped that each particular Church will celebrate the opening and the solemn conclusion of the Year of Faith.

- Organising a study day in each diocese on the Catechism of the Catholic Church, particularly for priests, consecrated persons and catechists.

- Each bishop could devote a pastoral letter to the topic of faith, keeping in mind the specific pastoral circumstances of his faithful, reminding them of the importance of Vatican Council II and of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

- Organising catechetical events, especially for young people and those seeking the meaning of life, helping them to discover the beauty of ecclesial faith.

- Reviewing the reception of Vatican Council II and the Catechism of the Catholic Church in the life and mission of dioceses, particularly in the realm of catechesis.

- Focusing the continuing education of the clergy on the documents of Vatican Council II and on the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

- Organising penitential celebrations in which all can ask for God's forgiveness, especially for sins against faith.

- Renewing creative dialogue between faith and reason in the academic and artistic communities, through symposia, meetings and days of study, especially at Catholic universities.

- Promoting encounters with non-believers who sincerely search for the ultimate meaning and definitive truth of their lives and of the world, taking as an example the dialogues of the Courtyard of the Gentiles, sponsored by the Pontifical Council for Culture.

- Paying greater attention to Catholic schools, which are a perfect place to offer students a living witness to the Lord and to nurture their faith, using such instruments as the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and "Youcat".

Recommendations for parishes, communities, associations and movements

- All of the faithful are invited to read closely and meditate upon Pope Benedict XVI's Apostolic Letter, "Porta fidei".

- Intensifying the celebration of the faith in the liturgy, especially in the Eucharist, in which the faith of the Church is proclaimed, celebrated and strengthened. All of the faithful are invited to participate in the Eucharist actively, fruitfully and with awareness.

- Priests should devote greater attention to the study of the documents of Vatican Council II and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, apply this to their pastoral care and offer cycles of homilies on the faith or on certain specific aspects.

- Catechists should hold more firmly to the doctrinal richness of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and guide groups of faithful towards a deeper common understanding thereof.

- Parishes can help to distribute the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and other resources appropriate for families - the primary setting for the transmission of the faith - for example, during the blessing of homes, the Baptism of adults, Confirmation and Marriage.

- Promoting missions and other popular programmes in parishes and in the workplace, to help the faithful rediscover the gift of baptismal faith and the task of giving witness.

- Members of Institutes of Consecrated Life and of Societies of Apostolic Life are asked to work towards the new evangelisation, each according to their proper charism.

- Contemplative communities should pray specifically for the renewal of the faith among the People of God, and for a new impulse for its transmission to the young.

- Associations and Ecclesial Movements are invited to promote specific initiatives, through the contribution of their proper charism.

- All of the faithful should try to communicate their own experience of faith and charity to their brothers and sisters of other religions, believers and non-believers. In this way, it is hoped that the entire Christian people will begin a kind of mission towards those with whom they live and work.

The Note concludes by stating that "the recommendations provided here have the goal of inviting all of the members of the Church to work so that this Year may be a special time in which we, as Christians, may share that which is most dear to us: Christ Jesus, the Redeemer of mankind".
CDF/ VIS 20120107 (1430)