26th Sunday of the Year 30th September 2012

Approaching the Year of Faith Next weekend we will hear a pastoral letter from Archbishop Vincent Nichols, to introduce the ‘Year of Faith’. So why am I writing about it now? Because we are going to start a week early in order to get our first parish ‘project’ completed by Christmas. Pope Benedict said, when he set up this ‘Year of Faith’:- “We want to celebrate this Year in a worthy and fruitful manner. Reflection on the faith will have to be intensified, so as to help all believers in Christ to acquire a more conscious and vigorous adherence to the Gospel, especially at a time of profound change such as humanity is currently experiencing.” He added that he wanted us to profess our faith with renewed conviction; intensify the celebration of our Faith in the Liturgy, especially at Mass; and pray that the witness of our lives as Christians may grow in credibility. The Pope summarised this year as a year when we “ … rediscover the content of the faith that is professed, celebrated, lived and prayed.” But then the Pope adds:- “Evidently, knowledge of the content of faith is essential for giving one’s own assent, that is to say for adhering fully with intellect and will to what the Church proposes. Knowledge of faith opens a door into the fullness of the saving mystery revealed by God.” So as part of this ‘Year of Faith’ we need to know what Christ’s Church teaches. Starting this Tuesday (2nd October) and for the next 10 weeks we will be screening the 10 programme series “Catholicism”. It is NOT a video lecture; not a lesson in Church history nor a Scripture Study, but an engaging and interesting formation program to illuminate the treasures of the Catholic Tradition and timeless teachings of the Church, filmed in many parts of the world. After each video showing there will be time for questions and discussions. You may just want to come for the video showing, or go more deeply and take the accompanying study book. There is also a separate book based on the series. Do come along and see for yourselves, and I know you will be pleasantly surprised. Why not invite someone who has been away from the Church for some time, they may find this series helpful. Deacon Michael