Year of Faith 2012-2013

Pope Benedict XVI declared a Year of Faith to begin on October 11, 2012 and conclude on the Feast of Christ the King, November 24, 2013. The Year of Faith marks the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council. October 11, 2012 is also the 20th anniversary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The Pope will launch the Year of Faith with a Synod of Bishops. The theme of the Synod is "The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith." This sacred time will provide Catholics locally and throughout the world a precious opportunity to celebrate, deepen and share the spiritual richness of their Catholic faith.

APOSTOLIC LETTER
“MOTU PROPRIO DATA”
Porta Fidei
OF THE SUPREME PONTIFF
BENEDICT XVI
The “door of faith” (Acts 14:27) is always open....

The “New Evangelization” invites people into a relationship with Jesus Christ and his Church; it strives to engage our culture while drawing inspiration from the Gospel and it calls all Catholics first to be evangelized and then in turn to reach out to others.  New evangelization is derived from teachings of Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI and it is at the heart of the Year of Faith.

Disciples Called To Witness: The New Evangelization is a website established by United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, designed to help diocesan and parish leaders seeking to develop faith formation programs for the New Evangelization.

Go And Make Disciples: A National Plan And Strategy For Catholic Evangelization In The United States.

• Read and pray with Pope Benedict's Apostolic Letter, Porta Fidei.

• Study the four major documents of Vatican II.

• Study the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults.

• Visit the Vatican,website to learn more about the new evangelization and the Year of Faith.

• Make a commitment to daily prayer for the Catholics who are absent from our faith community.

• Pray to Mary, the Star of Evangelization.

• Share your faith.

O God, as you sent your Holy Spirit
upon the early Church
in the fiery tongues and the
mighty wind of Pentecost,
so now, we ask you to send that
same Spirit upon us
that we may go forth to proclaim
the Gospel of Christ to every creature.
We humbly pray that you deepen
your Trinitarian life within us;
make us effective and holy witnesses
of Jesus’ death and Resurrection;
help us to live our Catholic faith
with such joy, conviction and love
that others will be drawn to the
sacred mystery of your Church
and the powerful grace of the sacraments.
We implore you to make us
ministers of your Word,
in speech and action, in truth and charity,
in the mystery of Jesus’ cross
and the light of his resurrected glory.
Amen.