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Resources sent to every Catholic parish supporting the ‘Year of Faith’

18/06/2012 4:35 pm

Woman looking up in prayer

Parishes across England and Wales are being sent free resources to help them participate in a worldwide Catholic celebration of faith.

Pope Benedict XVI will open a ‘Year of Faith’ on 11 October 2012, which will end on the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Universal King, on 24 November 2013.

The start of the Year coincides with three significant events in the life of the Catholic Church:

  • 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council
  • 20th anniversary of the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church
  • Synod of Bishops in Rome focusing on evangelisation

The Department for Evangelisation and Catechesis will coordinate resourcing the year in England and Wales. Bishop Kieran Conry, Department Chair, said:

"The Year provides a wonderful opportunity for the Catholic community in England and Wales to be renewed in, to celebrate and share the joy of its faith in Jesus Christ. In his Motu Proprio Porta Fidei, the Pope writes: 'Faith grows when it is lived as an experience of love received and when it is communicated as an experience of grace and joy.' May this be our shared experienced as we prepare for the Year and may our combined efforts serve fruitfully the mission of the Church."

Every parish in England and Wales will receive five booklets, which are aimed at parish priests, catechists and / or parish councils, to support their preparations. The booklets propose a number of key themes and highlight resources and initiatives that will be offered in support of catechesis and evangelisation.
 
The resources will begin arriving in parishes the week beginning 18 June. Some additional copies are available on request from the Bishops’ Conference, Home Mission Desk.

Background

Second Vatican Council: Met between 1962-1965 and led to the publication of documents which offer very important teaching in support of the Church’s ongoing mission.
 
Catechism of the Catholic Church: Publication that helps everyone to learn about the content of the faith as received and safeguarded by the Church during the past 2,000 years.
 
Synod of Bishops: A Synod is an international meeting of bishops. The October 2012 gathering involves Catholic Bishops from around the world, who will come together in Rome for the XIII Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, to reflect on the theme of ‘The New Evangelisation for the Transmission of the Christian Faith’. The bishops who will represent England and Wales at the Synod are Bishop Kieran Conry (Arundel and Brighton) and Bishop Michael Campbell OSA (Lancaster).

Link

Catholic News section on the Year of Faith.

Download

Year of Faith Programme

YOF-programme.pdf 2.59 MB

A programme on the Year of Faith in the Catholic Church containing information, resources and projects to celebrate the year.