Ending the "Year of Faith"

At the praying of Evening Prayer I tonight, the Church begins the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe (which is the last Sunday in the Liturgical Year of the Church. Next Sunday Dec. 1 we begin the Season of Advent). 

This year however, the Solemnity of Christ the King also marks the end of the "Year of Faith" (declared by Pope Benedict XVI on October 11, 2011), which began on Thursday October 11, 2012, the same day the Church marked the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council (and the 20th anniversary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church).

One of the goals for all Catholics during this Year of Faith was to study and reflect on the documents of Vatican II and the Catechism of the Catholic Church so as to deepen their knowledge of the faith. In his Apostolic Letter Porta Fidei, Pope Benedict called the Year of Faith the “summons to an authentic and renewed conversion to the Lord, the One Savior of the world” (Porta Fidei 6). On the USCCB website, the Year of Faith is described as "an opportunity for Catholics to experience a conversion – to turn back to Jesus and enter into a deeper relationship with him. The “door of faith” is opened at one’s baptism, but during this year Catholics are called to open it again, walk through it and rediscover and renew their relationship with Christ and his Church."

Dioceses around the world have held their own events (i.e conferences, Bible studies, faith sharing groups etc) to participate in the Year of Faith. At St. John's Seminary, the "Lecture Series" was inaugurated--different speakers were brought in from around the country/world to give talks on faith, the documents of Vatican II, etc. At the North American College, Wednesday pranzo (aka lunch) began by praying the Creed that we profess each Sunday at Mass. There was also a "Year for Faith" theme table at cena (aka dinner) once a week. I cannot comment on how the Year of Faith was received as a universal Church since I didn't experience events in other dioceses, but rather back in Boston. And to be honest, even with the lecture series we were doing at SJS, I didn't attribute my growth in relationship with Christ to the Year of Faith, but rather to the face that I'm a seminarian studying for the priesthood! I wasn't studying any Vatican II documents, or having discussions about them or any of that...I was just living my life as a seminarian.

We were only 4 months into the Year of Faith when, on February 11 2013 the (Catholic) world was taken aback when Pope Benedict XVI announced that he was resigning the papacy at the end of the month (the first Pope to resign since Gregory XII in 1415). It seemed as if everyone weighed in their opinions of whom the Cardinals should elect--what type of man he should be, where he should be from, what changes he would bring to the Church etc. However, uncertainty of the future gave way to enthusiasm with the the election of Pope Francis, who in his first words to us encouraged us to hold Pope Benedict in prayer, to pray for him as he began his papacy. He said  "Let us always pray for one another. Let us pray for the whole world, that there may be a great spirit of fraternity." 

In the 8+ months since the election of Pope Francis, I would say there are a definitely a lot of positive things happening! It seems as if more people began to dive into the Year of Faith,  and because I've been in Rome the past 4 months, I've witnessed some incredible gatherings of the Universal Church! (The Prayer Vigil for Peace in Syria, the Mass consecrating the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, many Angelus addresses...) The Sunday "Angelus'" are packed, rain or shine, with thousands of people coming to hear their Papa encourage them in their faith journey, and then lead them in a prayer of devotion to Our Lady. It is a beautiful thing to experience! And tomorrow in St. Peter's Square, Pope Francis will celebrate the closing Mass of the Year of Faith, and for the first time ever in public, the bones of St. Peter will be displayed for the veneration of the faithful!! What a way to close the Year of Faith!

So whether you dove right into the Year of Faith and attended all/many of the events offered by your church/diocese, you dipped your feet in the water and attended a couple things, or you didn't even go near the water, there's great news! Growing in our Catholic faith is not/was not bound to the Year of Faith!! Let us use the Solemnity of our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe as an opportunity to draw closer to Creator of Heaven and Earth, the Redeemer of mankind and the God who loves you and me SO much that He would come to earth and die than risk spending eternity without us.

¡Viva Cristo Rey!...¡QUE VIVA! (Blessed Miguel Pro...Pray for us!)

--KPL