CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH
Note with pastoral recommendations for the Year of Faith
With the Apostolic Letter of 11 October 2011,
Porta fidei,
Pope Benedict XVI declared a Year of Faith. This year will begin on 11
October 2012, on the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second
Ecumenical Vatican Council, and will conclude on 24 November 2013, the Solemnity
of our Lord Jesus Christ, Universal King.
This year will be a propitious occasion for the faithful to
understand more profoundly that the foundation of Christian faith is “the
encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive
direction.”[1]
Founded on the encounter with the Risen Christ, faith can be rediscovered in its
wholeness and all its splendor. “In our days too faith is a gift to rediscover,
to cultivate and to bear witness to” because the Lord “grants each one of us to
live the beauty and joy of being Christians.”[2]
The beginning of the Year of Faith coincides with the
anniversaries of two great events which have marked the life of the Church in
our days: the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the
Second Vatican Council,
called by Blessed Pope John XXIII (11 October 1962), and the twentieth of the
promulgation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, given to the Church
by Blessed Pope John Paul II (11 October 1992).
The Council, according to Pope
John XXIII, wanted “to transmit
doctrine, pure and whole, without attenuations or misrepresentations,” in such a
way that “this sure and immutable teaching, which must be respected faithfully,
is elaborated and presented in a way which corresponds to the needs of our
time.”[3]
In this regard, the opening words of the Dogmatic Constitution
Lumen gentium
remain of primary importance: “Christ is the Light of nations. Because this is
so, this Sacred Synod gathered together in the Holy Spirit eagerly desires, by
proclaiming the Gospel to every creature, (cfr. Mk 16:15) to bring the light of
Christ to all men, a light brightly visible on the countenance of the Church.”[4]
Beginning with the light of Christ, which purifies, illuminates and sanctifies
in the celebration of the sacred liturgy (cfr. Constitution,
Sacrosanctum
Concilium) and with His divine word (cfr. Dogmatic Constitution,
Dei
Verbum), the Counil wanted to elaborate on the intimate nature of the Church
(cfr. Dogmatic Constitution,
Lumen gentium) and its relationship with the
contemporary world (cfr. Pastoral Constitution,
Gaudium et spes). Around
these four Constitutions, the true pillars of the Council, are arranged the
Declarations and Decrees which address some of the major challenges of the day.
After the Council the Church – under the sure guidance of the
Magisterium and in continuity with the whole Tradition – set about ensuring the
reception and application of the teaching of the Council in all its richness. To
assist in the correct reception of the Council, the Popes have frequently
convoked the Synod of Bishops,[5]
first instituted by the Servant of God,
Paul VI, in 1965, providing the Church
with clear guidance through the various post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortations. The
next General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, to be held in October 2012, will
have as its theme: The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the
Christian Faith.
From the beginning of his pontificate, Pope
Benedict XVI has worked
decisively for a correct understanding of the Council, rejecting as erroneous
the so-called “hermeneutic of discontinuity and rupture” and promoting what he
himself has termed “the ‘hermeneutic of reform’, of renewal in the continuity of
the one subject-Church which the Lord has given to us. She is a subject which
increases in time and develops, yet always remaining the same, the one subject
of the journeying People of God.”[6]
The Catechism of the Catholic Church, in this same vein, is
both an “authentic fruit of Vatican Council II”[7]
and a tool for aiding in its reception. The Extraordinary Synod of Bishops of
1985, convoked on the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the closing of
the Second Vatican Council and to measure its reception, suggested the
preparation of a Catechism in order to offer the People of God a compendium of
all Catholic doctrine and a sure point of reference for local catechisms. Pope
John Paul II accepted this proposal as a desire which “fully responds to a real
need of the universal Church and of the particular Churches.”[8]
Compiled in collaboration with the entire Episcopate of the Catholic Church,
this Catechism “truly expresses what could be called the symphony of the faith.”[9]
The Catechism includes “the new and the old (cfr. Mt 13:52), because the
faith is always the same yet the source of ever new light. To respond to this
twofold demand, the Catechism of the Catholic Church on the one hand
repeats the old, traditional order already followed by the Catechism of St Pius
V, arranging the material in four parts: the Creed, the Sacred
Liturgy, with pride of place given to the sacraments, the Christian way
of life, explained beginning with the Ten Commandments, and finally,
Christian prayer. At the same time, however, the contents are often
expressed in a new way in order to respond to the questions of our age.”[10]
This Catechism is “a valid and legitimate instrument for ecclesial
communion and a sure norm for teaching the faith.”[11]
The content of faith finds “ its systematic and organic synthesis in the
Catechism of the Catholic Church. Here, in fact, we see the wealth of
teaching that the Church has received, safeguarded and proposed in her two
thousand years of history. From Sacred Scripture to the Fathers of the Church,
from theological masters to the saints across the centuries, the Catechism
provides a permanent record of the many ways in which the Church has meditated
on the faith and made progress in doctrine so as to offer certitude to believers
in their lives of faith.”[12]
The Year of Faith is intended to contribute to a renewed
conversion to the Lord Jesus and to the rediscovery of faith, so that the
members of the Church will be credible and joy-filled witnesses to the Risen
Lord in the world of today - capable of leading those many people who are
seeking it to the “door of faith.” This “door” opens wide man’s gaze to Jesus
Christ, present among us “always, until the end of the age” (Mt 28:20). He shows
us how “the art of living” is learned “in an intense relationship with him.”[13]
“Through his love, Jesus Christ attracts to himself the people of every
generation: in every age he convokes the Church, entrusting her with the
proclamation of the Gospel by a mandate that is ever new. Today too, there is a
need for stronger ecclesial commitment to new evangelization in order to
rediscover the joy of believing and the enthusiasm for communicating the faith.”[14]
At the invitation of Pope Benedict XVI,[15]
the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, in consultation with the
competent Dicasteries of the Holy See and with the contribution of the
Committee for the Preparation of the Year of Faith,[16]
has drawn up this Note, with some recommendations for living this time of
grace, without precluding other initiatives which the Holy Spirit will inspire
among Pastors and faithful in various parts of the world.
Recommendations
“I know him in whom I have believed” (2 Tm 1:12). These words of St
Paul help us to understand that faith is “first of all a personal adherence of
man to God. At the same time, and inseparably, it is a free assent to the whole
truth that God has revealed.”[17]
Faith which is a personal trust in the Lord and the faith which we profess in
the Creed are inseparable; they focus on each other and they require each other.
There exists a profound bond between the lived faith and its contents. The faith
of the Witnesses and Confessors is also the faith of the Apostles and Doctors of
the Church.
Thus, the following recommendations for the Year of Faith
desire to aid both the encounter with Christ through authentic witnesses to
faith, and the ever-greater understanding of its contents. These proposals are
intended as examples to encourage a ready response to the invitation of the Holy
Father to live fully this Year as a special “time of grace.”[18]
The joyous rediscovery of faith can also contribute to consolidate the unity and
communion among the different bodies that make up the wider family of the
Church.
I. On the level of the Universal Church
1. The main ecclesial event at the beginning of the Year of Faith
will be the XIII General Assembly of the Ordinary Synod of Bishops, convoked
by Pope Benedict XVI in October 2012, dedicated to The New Evangelization for
the Transmission of the Christian Faith. During this Synod, on 11 October
2012, there will be a solemn celebration of the beginning of the Year of
Faith, in remembrance of the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the
Second Vatican Council.
2. In the Year of Faith pilgrimages of the faithful to the
See of Peter are to be encouraged, to profess faith in God the Father, Son and
Holy Spirit, in unity with him who today is called to confirm his brothers and
sisters in the faith (cfr. Lk 22:32). It is also important to promote
pilgrimages to the Holy Land, the place which first saw the presence of Jesus,
the Savior, and Mary, his Mother.
3. During this Year, it will be helpful to invite the
faithful to turn with particular devotion to Mary, model of the Church, who
“shines forth to the whole community of the elect as the model of virtues.”[19]
Therefore, every initiative that helps the faithful to recognize the special
role of Mary in the mystery of salvation, love her and follow her as a model of
faith and virtue is to be encouraged. To this end it would be proper to
organize pilgrimages, celebrations and gatherings at the major Marian shrines.
4. The next World Youth Day, in Rio de Janeiro in July 2013, will
offer a special occasion for the young to experience the joy which comes from
faith in the Lord Jesus and communion with the Holy Father, in the greater
family of the Church.
5. It is hoped that many symposia, conferences and large gatherings
will be held, even at the international level, to encourage encounters with
authentic witness to the faith and to promote understanding of the contents of
Catholic doctrine. Noting how, still today, the Word of God continues to grow
and spread, it will be important to give witness that “all the anguish and all
the longing of the human heart finds fulfilment”[20]
in Christ Jesus and that faith “becomes a new criterion of understanding and
action that changes the whole of man’s life.”[21]
Some conferences should be particularly dedicated to the rediscovery of the
teachings of Vatican Council II.
6. The Year of Faith will offer a special opportunity for all
believers to deepen their knowledge of the primary documents of the Second
Vatican Council and their study of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
This is especially true for candidates for priesthood, particularly during the
propeduetic year or in their first years of theological studies, for novices in
Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, as well as for
those in a period of discernment for joining an Ecclesial Association or
Movement.
7. This Year will provide an auspicious time for a more
attentive reception of the homilies, catechesis, addresses and other speeches
and documents of the Holy Father. Pastors, consecrated persons and the lay
faithful are invited to renew their efforts in effective and heart-felt
adherence to the teaching of the Successor of Peter.
8. During the Year of Faith, in cooperation with the
Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity, various ecumenical
initiatives are to be planned, aimed at “the restoration of unity among all
Christians” which “is one of the principal concerns of the Second Vatican
Council.”[22]
In particular, there will be a solemn ecumenical celebration in which all of the
baptized will reaffirm their faith in Christ.
9. A Secretariat to coordinate all of the different
initiatives promoted by various Dicasteries of the Holy See, or other events
relevant to the Universal Church, will be established within the Pontifical
Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization. This Secretariat
should be informed timely of the main events and can also suggest appropriate
initiatives. The Secretariat will open a dedicated website with the goal
of making available useful information regarding living out the Year of Faith
more effectively.
10. At the conclusion of this Year, on the Solemnity of Our
Lord Jesus Christ, Universal King, there will be a Eucharist celebrated by the
Holy Father, in which a solemn renewal of the profession of faith will take
place.
II. On the level of Episcopal Conferences[23]
1. Episcopal Conferences, in light of the specific mission of the
Bishops as teachers and “heralds of the faith,”[24]
can dedicate a day of study to the topic of faith, its personal witness and its
transmission to new generations.
2. The republication in paperback and economical editions of the
Documents of Vatican Council II, the Catechism of the Catholic Church and
its Compendium is to be promoted, as is the wider distribution of these
texts through electronic means and modern technologies.
3. A renewed effort to translate the documents of Vatican Council II
and the Catechism of the Catholic Church into languages which lack a
translation is desirable. Initiatives of charitable support to enable
translations into the local languages of mission countries, where the local
Churches cannot afford the expense, are to be encouraged. This should be done
under the guidance of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
4. Pastors should work to promote television and radio
transmissions, films and publications focusing on the faith, its principles and
content, as well as on the ecclesial significance of the Second Vatican Council.
This should be done using the new styles of communication, especially on the
popular level, making these things available to a wider public.
5. The Saints and the Blessed are the authentic witnesses of the
faith.[25]
It is, therefore, opportune that Episcopal Conferences work toward the
dissemination of a knowledge of the local Saints of their territory, also by
modern means of social communication.
6. The contemporary world is sensitive to the relationship between
faith and art. It is, therefore, recommended that Episcopal Conferences maximize
the catechetical potential – possibly with ecumenical cooperation – of the
artistic patrimony of the region entrusted to their pastoral care.
7. Educators in centers of theological studies, seminaries and
Catholic universities should be encouraged in their teaching to demonstrate the
relevance within their various disciplines of the contents of the Catechism
of the Catholic Church and of the implications derived from them.
8. It would be useful to arrange for the preparation of pamphlets
and leaflets of an apologetic nature (cfr. 1 Pt 3:15), which should be done with
the help of theologians and authors. Every member of the faithful would then be
enabled to respond better to the questions which arise in difficult contexts –
whether to do with sects, or the problems related to secularism and relativism,
or to questions “arising from a changed mentality which, especially today,
limits the field of rational certainties to that of scientific and technological
discoveries,”[26]
or to other specific issues.
9. It is hoped that local catechisms and various catechetical
supplements in use in the particular Churches would be examined to ensure their
complete conformity with the Catechism of the Catholic Church.[27]
Should a catechism or supplement be found to be not totally in accord with the
Catechism, or should some lacunae be discovered, new ones should be
developed, following the example of those Conferences which have already done
so.
10. The Year of Faith will also be an appropriate time to
examine, in collaboration with the Congregation for Catholic Education, the
Ratio of formation for future priests, ensuring that the contents of the
Catechism for the Catholic Church are present in their theological
studies.
III. At the Diocesan level
1. It is hoped that each particular Church would have a celebration
of the opening of the Year of Faith and a solemn conclusion to it, in
which to “profess our faith in the Risen Lord in our cathedrals and in the
churches of the whole world.”[28]
2. It would be desirable that each Diocese in the world organize a
study day on the Catechism of the Catholic Church, particularly for its
priests, consecrated persons and catechists. On this occasion, for example, the
Eastern Catholic Eparchies could hold a meeting with their priests to give
witness to their specific experience and liturgical tradition in the one faith
in Christ. Also, in this way, young particular Churches in mission territories
would be able to give renewed witness to that joy of faith which is so often
particular to them.
3. Each Bishop could devote a pastoral letter of his own to the
topic of faith, keeping in mind the specific pastoral circumstances of the
portion of the faithful entrusted to him, reminding them of the importance of
the Second Vatican Council and of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
4. It is hoped that in each Diocese, under the leadership of the
Bishop, catechetical events will be organized, especially for the youth and
those searching for a sense of life, helping them to discover the beauty of
ecclesial faith, promoting encounters with meaningful witnesses to the faith.
5. It would be appropriate for each particular Church to review the
reception of Vatican Council II and the Catechism of the Catholic Church
in its own life and mission, particularly in the realm of catechesis. This would
provide the opportunity for a renewal of commitment on the part of the
catechetical offices of the Dioceses which - supported by the Commissions for
Catechesis of the Episcopal Conferences – have the duty to care for the
theological formation of catechists.
6. The continuing education of the clergy can be focused during this
Year of Faith on the documents of Vatican Council II and on the
Catechism of the Catholic Church, treating such themes as “the proclamation
of the Risen Christ”, “the Church - sacrament of salvation”, “the mission of
evangelization in the world today”, “faith and disbelief”, “faith, ecumenism and
inter-religious dialogue”, “faith and eternal life”, “the hermeneutic of reform
in continuity” and “the Catechism in ordinary pastoral care.”
7. Bishops are invited to organize penitential celebrations,
particularly during Lent, in which all can ask for God’s forgiveness, especially
for sins against faith. This Year also provides an appropriate occasion
in which all can approach the Sacrament of Penance with greater faith and more
frequently.
8. It is hoped that there will be a renewed creative dialogue
between faith and reason in the academic and artistic communities, through
symposia, meetings and days of study, especially at Catholic universities, in
order to demonstrate that “there cannot be any conflict between faith and
genuine science, because both, albeit via different routes, tend towards the
truth.”[29]
9. It is also important to promote encounters with those persons
who, “while not claiming to have the gift of faith, are nevertheless sincerely
searching for the ultimate meaning and definitive truth of their lives and of
the world,”[30]
taking as an example the dialogues of the Courtyard of the Gentiles,
sponsored by the Pontifical Council for Culture.
10. The Year of Faith can be an opportunity to pay greater
attention to Catholic schools, which are a perfect place to offer to students a
living witness to the Lord and to nurture their faith. This can be done by
making use of good catechetical tools, like the Compendium of the Catechism
of the Catholic Church and Youcat.
IV. At the level of the parish/community/association/movement
1. In preparation for the Year of Faith, all of the faithful are invited
to read closely and meditate upon Pope Benedict XVI’s Apostolic Letter,
Porta fidei.
2. The Year of Faith “will also be a good opportunity to
intensify the celebration of the faith in the liturgy, especially in the
Eucharist.”[31]
In the Eucharist, mystery of faith and source of the new evangelization, the
faith of the Church is proclaimed, celebrated and strengthened. All of the
faithful are invited to participate in the Eucharist actively, fruitfully and
with awareness, in order to be authentic witnesses of the Lord.
3. Priests should devote greater attention to the study of the
documents of Vatican Council II and the Catechism of the Catholic Church,
drawing from them resources for the pastoral care of their parishes –
catechesis, preaching, Sacramental preparation. They should also offer cycles of
homilies on the faith or on certain specific aspects such as, for example, “the
encounter with Christ”, “the fundamental contents of the Creed”, and “faith and
the Church.”[32]
4. Catechists should hold more firmly to the doctrinal richness of
the Catechism of the Catholic Church and, under the direction of their
pastors, offer guidance in reading this precious document to groups of faithful,
working toward a deeper common understanding thereof, with the goal of creating
small communities of faith, and of giving witness to the Lord Jesus.
5. It is hoped that there will be a renewed commitment in parishes
to the distribution of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and of other
resources appropriate for families, which are true domestic churches and the
primary setting for the transmission of the faith. This might be done, for
example, during the blessing of homes, the Baptism of adults, Confirmations and
Marriages. This can contribute to the deepening of Catholic teaching “in our
homes and among our families, so that everyone may feel a strong need to know
better and to transmit to future generations the faith of all times.”[33]
6. The promotion of missions and other popular programs in
parishes and in the workplace can help the faithful to rediscover the gift of
Baptismal faith and the task of giving witness, knowing that the Christian
vocation “by its very nature is also a vocation to the apostolate.”[34]
7. During this time, members of Institutes of Consecrated Life and
of Societies of Apostolic Life are asked to work towards the new evangelization
with a renewed union to the Lord Jesus, each according to their proper charism,
in fidelity to the Holy Father and to sound doctrine.
8. Contemplative communities, during the Year of Faith,
should pray specifically for the renewal of the faith among the People of God
and for a new impulse for its transmission to the young.
9. Associations and Ecclesial Movements are invited to promote
specific initiatives which, through the contribution of their proper charism and
in collaboration with their local Pastors, will contribute to the wider
experience of the Year of Faith. The new Communities and Ecclesial
Movements, in a creative and generous way, will be able to find the most
appropriate ways in which to offer their witness to the faith in service to the
Church.
10. All of the faithful, called to renew the gift of faith, should
try to communicate their own experience of faith and charity[35]
to their brothers and sisters of other religions, with those who do not believe,
and with those who are just indifferent. In this way, it is hoped that the
entire Christian people will begin a kind of mission toward those with whom they
live and work, knowing that they “have welcomed the news of salvation which is
meant for every man.”[36]
Conclusion
Faith “is the lifelong companion that makes it possible to perceive, ever anew,
the marvels that God works for us. Intent on gathering the signs of the times in
the present of history, faith commits every one of us to become a living sign of
the presence of the Risen Lord in the world.”[37]
Faith is both a personal and a communal act: it is a gift from God that is lived
in the communion of the Church and must be communicated to the world. Every
initiative for the Year of Faith should be designed to aid in the joyous
rediscovery of the faith and its renewed transmission. The recommendations
provided here have the goal of inviting all of the members of the Church to work
so that this Year may be a special time in which we, as Christians, may
share that which is most dear to us: Christ Jesus, the Redeemer of mankind,
Universal King, “leader and perfecter of faith” (Hb 12: 2).
Given in Rome, at the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, on
6 January 2012, the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord.
William Cardinal Levada
Prefect
Prefect
Luis F. Ladaria, S.J.
Secretary
Secretary
[1] Benedict XVI, Enc. Letter,
Deus caritas est, 25 December 2005, n. 1.
[2] Id.,
Homily on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, 10 January
2010.
[3] John XXIII,
Address of the solemn opening of the Ecumenical Vatican Council II, 11 October 1962.
[4] Conc. Ecum. Vat. II, Dogmatic Constitution,
Lumen gentium, n. 1.
[5] The Ordinary Assemblies of the Synod of Bishops have treated the following
topics: The preservation and strengthening of the Catholic Faith, its
integrity, vigor, development, historical and doctrinal coherence (1967),
The ministerial priesthood and justice in the world (1971),
Evangelization in the modern world (1974), Catechesis in our time
(1977), The Christian Family (1980), Penance and reconciliation in the
mission of the Church (1983), The vocation and mission of the laity in
the Church and in the world (1987), The formation of priests in actual
circumstances (1991), Consecrated life and its mission in the Church and
in the world (1994), The Bishop: Servant of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
for the hope of the world (2001), The Eucharist: source and summit of the
life and mission of the Church (2005), The Word of God in the life and
mission of the Church (2008).
[6] Benedict XVI,
Address to the Roman Curia, 22 December 2005.
[7] Id.,
Porta fidei, n. 4.
[8] John Paul II, Address on the closing of the Second Extraordinary Assembly of the Synod of
Bishops, 7 December 1985, n. 6. The same Pope, in the initial phase of this
Synod, during the Angelus of 24 November 1985, said: “Fatih is the
principal foundation, it is the cornerstone, the essential criterion of the
renewal willed by the Council. From faith come custom, the stile of life and
practical direction in every circumstance.”
[9] Id., Apostolic Constitution,
Fidei depositum, 11 October 1992, n. 2.
[10]
Ibid., n. 3.
[11]
Ibid., n. 4.
[12] Benedict XVI,
Porta fidei, n. 11.
[14] Id.,
Apostolic Letter,
Porta fidei, n. 7.
[15]
Cfr. ibid., n. 12.
[16]
This Committee, formed by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the
Faith, according to the mandate of the Holy Father, Benedict XVI, includes
among its members: Cardinals William Levada, Francis Arinze, Angelo Bagnasco,
Ivan Dias, Francis E. George, Zenon Grocholewski, Marc Ouellet, Mauro
Piacenza, Jean-Pierre Ricard, Stanisław Ryłko and Christoph Schönborn;
Archbishops Luis F. Ladaria, and Salvatore Fisichella; Bishops Mario del
Valle Moronta Rodríguez, Gerhard Ludwig Müller and Raffaello Martinelli.
[17]
Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 150.
[18] Benedict XVI, Apostolic Letter,
Porta fidei, n. 15.
[19] Conc. Ecum. Vat. II, Dogmatic Constitution,
Lumen gentium, n. 65.
[20] Benedict XVI, Apostolic Letter,
Porta fidei, n. 13.
[21]
Ibid., n. 6.
[22] Conc. Ecum. Vat. II, Decree,
Unitatis redintigratio, n. 1.
[23] The following recommendations made for Episcopal Conferences are also
offered, in an analogous way, to the Synods of Bishops of Patriarchal and Major
Archepiscopal Churches, as well as to the Assemblies of Hierarchs of the other
Eastern Catholic Churches sui iuris.
[24] Conc. Ecum. Vat. II, Dogmatic Constitution,
Lumen gentium, n. 25.
[25] Benedict XVI, Apostolic Letter,
Porta fidei, n. 13.
[26]
Ibid., n. 12.
[27] John Paul II, Apostolic Constitution,
Fidei depositum, n. 4.
[28] Benedict XVI, Apostolic Letter,
Porta fidei, n. 8.
[29]
Ibid., n. 12.
[30]
Ibid., n. 10.
[31]
Ibid., n. 9.
[32] Cfr., Benedict XVI, Apostolic Exhortation,
Verbum Domini, 30
September 2010, nn. 59-60, and 74.
[33] ID.,
Apostolic Letter,
Porta fidei, n. 8.
[34] Conc. Ecum. Vat. II, Decree,
Apostolicam actuositatem, n. 2.
[35] Cfr. Benedict XVI, Apostolic Letter,
Porta fidei, n. 14.
[36] Conc. Ecum. Vat. II, Pastoral Constitution,
Gaudium et spes, n. 1.
[37] Benedict XVI, Apostolic Letter,
Porta fidei, n. 15.
