Scottish Catholic Observer

Pope Benedict XVI has announced a Year of Faith, starting next year, calling the period ‘a summons to an authentic and renewed conversion to the Lord, the one Saviour of the world.’

The Pope made the announcement at St Peter’s Basilica, Rome, at a Mass for the New Evangelisation on Sunday.

Speaking in his homily about his decision to invoke the Year of Faith, Pope Benedict said that it was ‘to give new impetus to the mission of the whole Church to lead men out of the desert in which they often find themselves, to the place of life, of friendship with Christ.’

“It will be a moment of grace and commitment to a more complete conversion to God, to strengthen our faith in Him and proclaim Him with joy to the people of our time,” he added.

The year will begin on October 11 next year, the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council, and end on November 24, 2013, the Solemnity of Christ the King.

Apostolic letter

In his Motu Proprio, highlighting the reasons and guidelines for the Year of Faith, the Holy Father said: “Ever since the start of my ministry as Successor of Peter, I have spoken of the need to rediscover the journey of Faith so as to shed ever clearer light on the joy and renewed enthusiasm of the encounter with Christ.”

Referring to the homily at the Mass marking the inauguration of his pontificate in 2005, at which he called for

the Church to lead people towards friendship with the Son of God, the Holy Father added: “It often happens that Christians are more concerned for the social, cultural and political consequences of their commitment, continuing to think of the Faith as a self-evident presupposition for life in society.

“In reality, not only can this presupposition no longer be taken for granted, but it is often openly denied.

“Whereas in the past it was possible to recognise a unitary cultural matrix, broadly accepted in its appeal to the content of the Faith and the values inspired by it, today this no longer seems to be the case in large swathes of society, because of a profound crisis of faith that has affected many people.”

The Holy Father said that this is not the first time that the Church has been called to celebrate a year of faith.

“My venerable Predecessor the Servant of God Paul VI announced one in 1967, to commemorate the martyrdom of saints Peter and Paul on the 19th centenary of their supreme act of witness,” the Pope said.

Evangelisation

Sunday’s Mass marked the conclusion of a two-day meeting at the Vatican organised by the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelisation, at which Bishop Philip Tartaglia of Paisley represented the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland.

Addressing the New Evangelisers for the New Evangelisation conference on Saturday evening, the Holy Father said that the Word of God is still alive, to this day ‘because the Church makes it present through Her faithful transmission.’

In his homily on Sunday, the Pope said that he was delighted that the New Evangelisation conference had taken place in the month of October, a month of prayer, and just one week before World Mission Sunday.

The Holy Father said that the General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops he has convoked for October 2012 will explore the theme the New Evangelisation for the Transmission of the Christian Faith as it will be ‘a good opportunity to usher the whole Church into a time of particular reflection and rediscovery of the Faith.’

Pope’s health

At Sunday’s Mass, Pope Benedict was wheeled in and out of St Peter’s on a mobile platform once used by Pope John Paul II.

Afterwards, Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi quelled any fears over ill-health ahead of upcoming events—such as the interfaith peace pilgrimage in Assisi next week—by confirming that the platform was being used ‘solely to reduce fatigue.’

“This is just not to tire him,” Fr Lombardi said. “Nothing else should be read into the general state of his health, which is good.”

— To read the Motu Proprio in full visit: http://sconews.co.uk/news/13248/motu-proprio-year-of-faith

— [email protected]