Regional Regional GatheringsGatheringsMay 2012 May 2012

The Year of FaithThe Year of Faith

Oct. 11, 2012 to Nov. 14, Oct. 11, 2012 to Nov. 14, 20132013

Why the Year of Faith Why the Year of Faith Now?Now?

50th Anniversary of the Second 50th Anniversary of the Second Vatican Council Vatican Council

20th Anniversary of the Catechism of 20th Anniversary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (as arranged by the Catholic Church (as arranged by Bl. JPII)Bl. JPII)

Reminiscent of Paul VI who called for Reminiscent of Paul VI who called for a Year of Faith in 1967a Year of Faith in 1967

“ “In some respects, my venerable In some respects, my venerable predecessor [Pope Paul VI] saw this predecessor [Pope Paul VI] saw this Year as a ‘consequence and a Year as a ‘consequence and a necessity of the postconciliar period’ necessity of the postconciliar period’ fully conscious of the grave fully conscious of the grave difficulties of the time, especially difficulties of the time, especially with regard to the profession of the with regard to the profession of the true faith and its correct true faith and its correct interpretation.”interpretation.”

“ “Whereas in the past it was possible Whereas in the past it was possible to recognize to recognize a unitary cultural a unitary cultural matrix, broadly accepted in its matrix, broadly accepted in its appeal to the content of the faith and appeal to the content of the faith and the values inspired by itthe values inspired by it, today this , today this no longer seems to be the case in no longer seems to be the case in large swathes of society, because of large swathes of society, because of a profound crisis of faith that has a profound crisis of faith that has affected many people” (PF, 2).affected many people” (PF, 2).

Theme 1: Appropriate and Theme 1: Appropriate and Implement the documents of the Implement the documents of the Second Vatican CouncilSecond Vatican Council

“ “It seemed to me It seemed to me … [the timing] of the Year of … [the timing] of the Year of Faith … Faith … would provide a good opportunity to would provide a good opportunity to help people understand that the texts help people understand that the texts bequeathed by the Council Fathers, in the bequeathed by the Council Fathers, in the words of Blessed John Paul II, ‘words of Blessed John Paul II, ‘have lost have lost nothing ofnothing of their value or brilliancetheir value or brilliance. They need . They need to be to be read correctlyread correctly, to be , to be widely knownwidely known and and taken to heart as important and normative taken to heart as important and normative texts of the Magisterium, within the Church's texts of the Magisterium, within the Church's Tradition ... I feel more than ever in duty Tradition ... I feel more than ever in duty bound to point to bound to point to the Council as the great the Council as the great grace bestowed on the Church in the twentieth grace bestowed on the Church in the twentieth centurycentury: there we find a sure compass by : there we find a sure compass by which to take our bearings in the century now which to take our bearings in the century now beginning’” (5).beginning’” (5).

Emphasis: Hermeneutic of Emphasis: Hermeneutic of ReformReform

“ “I would also like to emphasize I would also like to emphasize strongly what I had occasion to say strongly what I had occasion to say concerning the Council a few months concerning the Council a few months after my election as Successor of after my election as Successor of Peter: ‘if we interpret and implement Peter: ‘if we interpret and implement it guided by a it guided by a right hermeneuticright hermeneutic, it , it can be and can be and can become increasingly can become increasingly powerful for the ever necessary powerful for the ever necessary renewal of the Churchrenewal of the Church’”(5).’”(5).

Theme 2: The Gift of the Theme 2: The Gift of the Catechism / Rediscovery of the Catechism / Rediscovery of the fundamental content of the faith.fundamental content of the faith.

“ “In order to arrive at a systematic knowledge In order to arrive at a systematic knowledge of the content of the faith, all can find in the of the content of the faith, all can find in the Catechism of the Catholic ChurchCatechism of the Catholic Church a a precious precious and indispensableand indispensable tool. It is tool. It is one of the most one of the most important fruits of the Second Vatican Councilimportant fruits of the Second Vatican Council. . In the Apostolic Constitution In the Apostolic Constitution Fidei DepositumFidei Depositum, , signed, not by accident, on the thirtieth signed, not by accident, on the thirtieth anniversary of the opening of the Second anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, Blessed John Paul II wrote: Vatican Council, Blessed John Paul II wrote: ‘‘this catechism will make a very important this catechism will make a very important contribution to that work of renewing the contribution to that work of renewing the whole life of the Churchwhole life of the Church ... I declare it to be a ... I declare it to be a valid and legitimate instrument for ecclesial valid and legitimate instrument for ecclesial communion and a sure norm for teaching the communion and a sure norm for teaching the faith.’”(11)faith.’”(11)

Therefore, “the Year of Faith will Therefore, “the Year of Faith will have to see a have to see a concerted effort to concerted effort to rediscover and study the rediscover and study the fundamental content of the faithfundamental content of the faith that that receives its systematic and organic receives its systematic and organic synthesis in the Catechism of the synthesis in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.”Catholic Church.”

Theme 3: (Deeper) ConversionTheme 3: (Deeper) Conversion

“ “On page after page, we find that what is On page after page, we find that what is presented here (in the Catechism) is no presented here (in the Catechism) is no theory, but theory, but an encounter with a Person an encounter with a Person (Jesus Christ)(Jesus Christ) who who lives within the lives within the ChurchChurch” (11).” (11).

Theme 4: Renewed Profession of Theme 4: Renewed Profession of FaithFaith

“ “We want this Year to We want this Year to arouse in every arouse in every believer the aspiration to profess the faith believer the aspiration to profess the faith in fullness and with renewed conviction, in fullness and with renewed conviction, with confidence and hopewith confidence and hope … To rediscover … To rediscover the content of the faith that is professed, the content of the faith that is professed, celebrated, lived and prayed, and to celebrated, lived and prayed, and to reflect on the act of faith, is a task that reflect on the act of faith, is a task that every believer must make his own, every believer must make his own, especially in the course of this Yearespecially in the course of this Year” (9).” (9).

Needed Emphasis:Needed Emphasis:

““Evidently, knowledge of the content of Evidently, knowledge of the content of faith is essential for giving one’s own faith is essential for giving one’s own assent, that is to say for adhering fully with assent, that is to say for adhering fully with intellect and will to what the Church intellect and will to what the Church proposes. Knowledge of faith opens a door proposes. Knowledge of faith opens a door into the fullness of the saving mystery into the fullness of the saving mystery revealed by God. revealed by God. The giving of assent The giving of assent implies that, when we believe, we freely implies that, when we believe, we freely accept the whole mystery of faith, because accept the whole mystery of faith, because the guarantor of its truth is God who the guarantor of its truth is God who reveals himself and allows us to know his reveals himself and allows us to know his mystery of lovemystery of love” (10).” (10).

Theme 5: New Theme 5: New EvangelizationEvangelization

“‘ “‘Caritas Christi urget nos’Caritas Christi urget nos’ ( (2 Cor2 Cor 5:14): it is 5:14): it is the love of Christ that fills our hearts and the love of Christ that fills our hearts and impels us to evangelize … Today too, there impels us to evangelize … Today too, there is a need for stronger ecclesial commitment is a need for stronger ecclesial commitment to new evangelization in order to to new evangelization in order to rediscover the joy of believing and the rediscover the joy of believing and the enthusiasm for communicating the faith. In enthusiasm for communicating the faith. In rediscovering his love day by day, the rediscovering his love day by day, the missionary commitment of believers attains missionary commitment of believers attains force and vigour that can never fade away” force and vigour that can never fade away” (7).(7).