Lord, to whom shall we go?

October 11, 2012

From Oct. 11, 2012, to Nov. 24, 2013, our Holy Father has called the Universal Church to a New Evangelization and a Year of Faith.

The Year of Faith will coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council and the 20th anniversary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The purpose of the year is to deepen our faith through study, prayer and meditation and to witness our faith – that is, to be evangelizers as called by Jesus at our baptism and strengthened by the gift of the Holy Spirit at Confirmation.

In our diocese, on Thursday, Oct. 18, 2012, at 6:30 p.m. there will be the opening Mass for the Year of Faith at St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica. During the next two days, Friday, Oct. 19, and Saturday, Oct. 20, we will have an Evangelization Conference to inform, inspire and give direction for the Year of Faith. The conference will take place at Infant Jesus Parish in Lumberton. Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, will open the conference as the keynote speaker.

More information will be forthcoming, but I ask all of you to mark your calendars now and to plan to attend. This is important for you, your family and the entire diocese.

A good way to prepare for the Year of Faith is to read the sixth chapter of John’s Gospel which we have heard proclaimed during the past Sundays in August. The sixth chapter of John focuses on the Eucharist, the center of our Catholic faith.

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Catholic schools prepare to make 2012-2013 a 'Year of Faith'

October 2, 2012

The Year of Faith, which begins Oct. 11, is to help Catholics rediscover the truths of faith and deepen their understanding of Church teaching.

By Jonah Dycus/Texas Catholic Herald

Catholic Schools of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston are preparing to invite students and school communities “on a journey that lasts a lifetime” during the upcoming Year of Faith.

Last October, Pope Benedict XVI announced a Year of Faith to help Catholics appreciate the gift of faith, deepen their relationship with God and strengthen their commitment to sharing faith with others. The Holy Father said the Year of Faith would give “renewed energy to the mission of the whole Church to lead men and women out of the desert they often are in and toward the place of life: friendship with Christ who gives us fullness of life.”

The observance begins Oct. 11, 2012 — the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council — and concludes Nov. 24, 2013 — the feast of Christ the King. Read Full Story >>

The Year of Faith: New evangelization and Vatican II at 50

August 29, 2012

Several months ago, Pope Benedict XVI declared a “Year of Faith” which will begin on October 11, 2012, the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Ecumenical Vatican Council and conclude November 24, 2013—the Solemnity of Christ the King. 

To build up our beautiful Catholic faith in each one of us and as a community, and to continue to live the spirit and inspiration of the great Vatican Council, our Holy Father is calling the entire Church to the promotion of a New Evangelization.  In launching this program of New Evangelization, the Pope stated that “The mission of the Church, like Christ, is essentially to speak of God, to commemorate His sovereignty, reminding everyone, especially Christians, who have lost their identity, of God’s right over what belongs to Him, which is our lives.”  This New Evangelizations aims to revivify Catholicism, in traditionally Christian countries, which have been particularly affected by secularization—the transformation of society from close identification with religious values and institutions to non-religious values and secular institutions. 

Pope Benedict reminds us that the upcoming Year of Faith seeks to awaken humanity at a critical moment of history, as we see in vast areas of the earth that the faith risks being extinct, like a flame without fuel. Our Holy Father stated, “We are facing a profound crisis of faith, a loss of a religious sense, which represents one of the greatest challenges for the Church today.”