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Holy Father invites all to ‘profess the Faith in fullness and with renewed conviction, with confidence and hope’

ATLANTA, GA (October 10, 2012) – Pope Benedict XVI has proclaimed Oct. 11, 2012, through Nov. 24, 2013 as the Year of Faith in the Roman Catholic Church, inviting believers across the globe to “rediscover the journey of faith so as to shed light on the joy and renewed enthusiasm of the encounter with Christ.” The Year of Faith begins on the 50th anniversary of the opening of the second Vatican Council, and it concludes on the 2013 celebration of the Feast of Christ the King. Oct. 11 also is the 20th anniversary of the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

The last time a Year of Faith was celebrated was in 1967, when Pope Paul VI called for a Year of Faith to commemorate the martyrdom of Saints Peter and Paul.

In his Apostolic Letter PORTA FIDEI, in which he announced the Year of Faith, Pope Benedict explained clearly his vision.

“We want this Year to arouse in every believer the aspiration to profess the faith in fullness and with renewed conviction, with confidence and hope,” he said. He also suggested the need for a concerted effort to focus on the Catechism, in order to “rediscover and study the fundamental content of the faith.”

The Holy Father also noted the New Evangelization as providing the tools necessary for anyone to profess their faith in fullness and with renewed conviction. A number of tools are available to Catholics everywhere for active engagement in the Year of Faith.

PLENARY INDULGENCE

On Oct. 5, the Vatican announced that the Holy Father will grant Plenary Indulgence during the Year of Faith. What does that mean? A Plenary Indulgence grants full remission of all temporal punishment (i.e. time spent in purgatory) due to sin for a person’s entire lifetime up to that point.

Full details on benefitting from this Plenary Indulgence also are available on the USCCB website at http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/how-we-teach/new-evangelization/year-of-faith/plenary-indulgence-for-the-year-of-faith.cfm.

STUDY RESOURCES

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has devoted a portion of its website to the Year of Faith. Visitors will find a wealth of resources – background information on the Year of Faith, information on the Year of Faith saints, graphics for download, videos to watch and link to, a Year of Faith Q&A and much more. Explore it all at http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/how-we-teach/new-evangelization/year-of-faith/index.cfm.

STUDY THE CATECHISM

• The Vatican website offers the entire Catechism of the Catholic Church online. Access it at http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM.
• YOUCAT – The Youth Catechism of the Catholic Church is the best-selling Catholic book in the world, and is suitable for anyone with an interest in going deeper into their faith by exploring the Catechism. English and Spanish versions are available in the U.S. from Ignatius Press. Check them out at http://www.ignatius.com/promotions/youcat/.
• FlockNote.com has set up a daily email with a portion of the Catechism. It begins Oct. 11, the start of the Year of Faith – and if you read every daily email until the end of the Year of Faith, you will read the entire CCC! Sign up at http://www.FlockNote.com/catechism.

EVANGELIZE THROUGH MEDIA

Professing one’s Faith through film and other media with important messages is an outstanding way to engage in the Year of Faith.
Films

• RESTLESS HEART – The first-ever feature film on the life of St. Augustine of Hippo is based on his landmark book, The Confessions. Here is what the Holy Father had to say, in part, about St. Augustine, one of the first Doctors of the Church: “St. Augustine was a man driven by a tireless desire to find the truth, to find out what life is, to know how to live, to know man. And precisely because of his passion for the human being, he necessarily sought God, because it is only in the light of God that the greatness of the human being and the beauty of the adventure of being human can fully appear.” Click here to read the full address this statement comes from. The film tells Augustine’s story in his own words. Hosted theatrical screenings are drawing sellout crowds across the country. Get information on hosting a screening at http://www.RestlessHeartFilm.com/.
• FOR GREATER GLORY – The true story of Mexico’s Cristero War, which rocked 1920s North America, introduces audiences to faithful Catholics who fought for their religious liberty against the oppressive government of then-Mexican ...