Answer the Call to Holiness

Universal Call to Holiness at National Shrine

The Laity
The laity makes up the largest group of the Church and its members are defined as those not ordained (CCC, 897; LG, 31). Many lay Catholics today have heard of “the universal call to holiness,” yet few know what this phrase means, let alone how to rightly pursue it in their daily lives. This is evident in the current mindset that says, “I love Jesus, but I just can’t buy into the teachings of the Church.” Mindful of this crisis of faith, Pope Benedict XVI instituted a Year of Faith, in which we have been instructed, among other things, to spend time reading the documents of Vatican II (Porta fidei, 5). In so doing we can discover what this call to holiness demands and what role the Church serves in helping us become sanctified, for indeed we are all “called to be saints” (Rom 1:7).

Pray, Pay and Obey

Ask a regular Joe fifty years ago what the role the laity served in the Catholic Church and you were likely to get an answer similar to this: "To pray, to pay and to obey." The fact is that many still fill that way, but Vatican II emphasized that we are ALL called to holiness – ordained and laity alike (LG, 40).

Holiness Defined
Holiness means to belong to God, to be in union with Him for holiness is an attribute of God. To be perfect, as God the Father is (Matt 5:48), requires that one be in unity with God. This is precisely what John the Baptist was articulating when he said “He must increase; I must decrease” (John 3:30). This means enjoining one’s will with the will of God. Thus the ultimate expression of one’s gift of free will is freely returning it to the Father. Then and only then can we say that it is not us who lives, but Christ Jesus who lives (Gal. 2:20). Put another way, holiness is the process of ongoing conversion towards this union with the Father, this relationship with the Holy Spirit, this friendship with Christ.

God Calls Us
God initiates this call to holiness, which is essentially a call to a relationship with him. Since God calls us, it must be possible to answer. In his love for us, God provides man with the tools for sanctification. Primary among these are the sacraments which all draw us closer to him by availing us to his grace. He also gives us the liturgy so that me might learn how to pray, the essential tool to develop our relationship with the Lord. He provides the faithful with role models to follow in the lives of the saints. Their lives provide evidence that answering the call to holiness is possible for all.

JP2 on Holiness...In His Own Words

Year of Faith - Midway Checkpoint

Half-Way Point
We've long passed the half way point of the Year of Faith. What have you done either personally or through your parish to learn more about your Catholic faith?

If the answer is nothing or very little, there is still time to set out to consciously learn more about our rich Catholic faith. Here are some suggestions.

The Catechism
It is not too late for you to register to get the daily emails to read the Catechism in a year. Granted, you aren't going to be able to accomplish the complete reading without going back and reading archived posts, but you could start today. You can register to receive the daily emails at Flocknote. If reading the Catechism through the emails isn't to your liking, you could pick one of the main sections of the Catechism and read it. I would recommend reading Part One, The Profession of Faith.

Documents of Vatican II
You still have time to read some of the documents of Vatican II. I recommend the following:

• Lumen Gentium - Dogmatic Constitution on the Church
• Dei Verbum - Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation
• Apostolicam Actuositatem - Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity
• Gaudium et Spes - Pastoral Consitution on the Church in the Modern World
• Sacrosanctum Concilium - Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy

Despite what you may have heard or assumed, these are wonderful documents. One theologian described them as the "Christmas gift that has gone unopened." If you need a little help understanding them, you can listen to Father John Trigilio's EWTN show, Council of Faith: the Documents of Vatican II. 

Holy Trinity: Central Mystery of Faith

Holy Trinity, Hendrick van Balen

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity. It seems fitting that this celebration should follow immediately after the Church's celebration of Pentecost.

Central Mystery
Belief in the Holy Trinity is the central mystery of our Catholic faith (CCC, 261). This is reflected in the sacramental form of Baptism: "In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit" (CCC, 232) One should note that the formula uses the singular of "name" to accentuate the belief that the Trinity is one God (CCC, 233). This is revealed as early as the creation story in Genesis (1:26): Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.” [Emphasis added.]

The Baptism of Jesus

The Blessed Trinity is most explicitly revealed in scripture during the Baptism of Jesus:

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matt 3:13-17).

St. Augustine & the Trinity
There is a pious legend that holds that St. Augustine was walking on the beach near Hippo, where he was bishop, contemplating the mystery of the Trinity. As he walked, he saw a boy in front of him who had dug a hole in the sand and was going out to the sea again and again and bringing some water in a bucket to pour into the hole. St. Augustine asked him, “What are you doing?” “I’m going to pour the entire ocean into this hole.” St. Augustine replied, “That is impossible, the whole ocean will not fit in the hole you have made.” The boy answered back, “And you cannot fit the Trinity in your tiny little brain.” Reflecting on this story, Archbishop Chaput concluded the following:

Augustine didn't stop thinking about the Trinity. In fact, he gave the Church her single most important Christian reflection on the Trinity, called De Trinitate, which is as profound and powerful today as it was 1,600 years ago.  But Augustine did learn to be humble. He learned that no matter how hard he thought about mysteries like the Trinity, he would never fully understand them. The same is true for us. We'll always need faith to guide us in our lives. In all our searching for God, we need to remember what Pope John Paul the Great taught us: Our minds need to fly on two wings — faith and reason. We need both. They're meant to go together.  

Creedal Claim
If we reflect closely as we pray the Nicene Creed during Mass or the Apostle's Creed when we pray the Rosary, we will more fully discover their Trinitarian character. When he proclaimed this a Year of Faith, Pope Benedict recommended we PRAY the Creed daily.

Marian Dimension
Our Blessed Mother Mary has the distinction of having a unique relationship with the Holy Trinity. She is the the Mother of God, the Son. She is the favored daughter of the Father who is full of His grace (Luke 1:28). Finally, she is the "temple of the Holy Spirit" (Lumen Gentium, 53).

Signs and Prayers
When we make the Sign of the Cross we are invoking the Holy Trinity. When we pray the Glory Be we are professing our faith and praising the Holy Trinity.

Joe Catholic & the Catechism

Photo by Thicke

If you will notice from the image above, the Joe Catholic logo includes a representation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church - the green book with the keys.  We included this to symbolize that we are men faithful to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church. Yesterday morning, the men of Joe Catholic packed into a classroom to gather to break open the Catechism. Why? Because many of us had never even opened a Catechism let alone own one AND, more importantly, because our Holy Father instructed us to read the Catechism.

Year of Faith
When Pope Benedict announced that the Church would be celebrating a Year of Faith, he suggested we read the documents of the Second Vatican Council and that we read the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC). This makes sense because this year is the 50th anniversary of Vatican II and it is also the 20th anniversary of the promulgation of the Catechism.

Norm for Teaching the Faith
The CCC is only the second universal catechism handed down by the Church. The Catechism of Trent is the other and it was written in 1566 primarily for priests. The CCC is one of the fruits of Vatican II and it is intended as resource for ALL members of the Church. Blessed John Paul II called the CCC "a sure norm for teaching the faith" and he asserted that it would help "serve the renewal" of the Church. He continued in Fidei Depositum (Deposit of Faith), explaining that the CCC "is a statement of the Church's faith and of Catholic doctrine, attested to or illumined by Sacred Scripture, Apostolic Tradition and the Church's Magisterium."

Important Functions
According to the USCCB, the CCC serves several important functions. They include: 

• Conveying the complete, essential and fundamental content of Catholic faith and morals in a summative way.
• It acts as a point of reference for the development of national and diocesan catechisms like the "burgundy" one developed by the USCCB.
• It is a positive, objective and declarative exposition of Catholic doctrine.
• It aids those who have a duty to catechize, namely promoters and teachers of catechesis. I contend this includes parents, who are the primary instructors of the faith to their children.

Four Pillars of the Faith
Pope John Paul II called the Four Pillars of Faith the "four movements of a great symphony." They include: 

1. Profession of Faith (The Apostle's & Nicene Creeds) - what the Church believes 
2. Celebration of the Christian Mystery (The Sacraments & Liturgy) - what the Church celebrates
3. Life in Christ (Commandments and Beatitudes) - what the Church lives
4. Universal Call to Prayer (Our Father) - what the Church prays 

CCC's Organization
The Catechism is made up of 2,865 paragraphs. This is how we find things in the CCC - we look up the paragraph number that has been referenced. I liked the way the New Evangelizers referred to the CCC as being written like an encyclopedia, dictionary and history book all in one. In the back of the "big green" version of the CCC are a number of cross reference tools for scripture, papal documents and documents of the councils. It is written in easy to understand prose and calls upon Sacred Scripture and the writings of the Church fathers, the saints and the Magisterium.

How to Use the CCC

When you first look at the CCC, it can look a bit intimidating because it is as thick as many phone books (do people still use those or are they just thrown in the recycling bin?). While one can certainly read it from cover to cover as FlockNote has attempted through daily emails, it is not necessary nor intended to be read that way. Instead, it is meant to be used as a reference for studying or growing deeper in the faith. Have a question about faith and morals? Pop open the Catechism. 

Tips to Get Started

I recommend two ways to get started reading and utilizing the Catechism of the Catholic Church. First, I recommend sitting down with the family and just looking up answers to common questions you or your children may have. Make it fun. Let the kids ask the questions to see what you can find. Remember to be patient because so many of us have become spoiled by the likes of Google searches. You might actually have to narrow down or even change the key words or terms you are using to look up in the INDEX. For example, yesterday we were looking up cloning. There is no reference to cloning in the index, but there is one for LIFE and a subcategory for "snares of human life." That's where we found our answer.

During Lent we are urged to pray, fast and give alms. The Catechism is a great source for learning more about improving your prayer life. As we continue the period of Lent, we could read portions of the Catechism devoted to Prayer.

Plenary Indulgence

If you didn't have enough reason to open the CCC. Here's one more.  The Church has attached a plenary indulgence to the study of the Catechism. Joe Catholic intends to sponsor two more talks on the CCC in the coming months. Here are the requirements (remember that the other requirements of a plenary indulgence are required too):

(A) Each time they attend at least three sermons during the Holy Missions, or at least three lessons on the Acts of the Council or the articles of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, in church or any other suitable location. (USCCB)

Year of Faith & The Catechism

Universal Catechism
When Pope Benedict announced that the Church would be celebrating a Year of Faith, he suggested we read the documents of the Second Vatican Council and that we read the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC). This makes sense because this year is the 50th anniversary of Vatican II and it is also the 20th anniversary of the promulgation of the Catechism.

Norm for Teaching the Faith
The CCC is only the second universal catechism handed down by the Church. The Catechism of Trent is the other and was written in 1566 primarily written for priests. The CCC is one of the fruits of Vatican II and is intended as resource for ALL members of the Church. Blessed John Paul II called the CCC "a sure norm for teaching the faith" and he asserted that it would help "serve the renewal" of the Church.

Four Pillars of Faith
The CCC is organized into four pillars of the faith: Profession of Faith (The Creed), Celebration of the Christian Mystery (The Sacraments & Liturgy), Life in Christ (Commandments and Beatitudes) and the Universal Call to Prayer (Our Father). The CCC is written like an encyclopedia and organized by paragraph numbers. In the back of the "big green" version are a number of cross reference tools for scripture, papal documents and documents of the councils. It is written in easy to understand prose and calls upon the writings of the Church fathers, the saints and the Magisterium.

This weekend the men of Joe Catholic will be breaking open the CCC and reviewing how to implement it into our daily lives. Please enjoy this video from Father John Riccardo of Our Lady of Good Counsel. The first 5 minutes are dedicated to talking about the CCC and the Year of Faith.

Additional Resources on CCC:

• Joe Catholic Toolbox - introduction to CCC and links to free copies of CCC and documents about the CCC; includes video from the New Evangelizers
• Read the Catechism in a Year
• USCCB's Online CCC as eBook 
• Catholic Cross Reference - online tool that allows you to cross reference the CCC with scripture, papal documents and the documents of Vatican II

Parable of the Sower:A Year of Faith Reflection

The Sower

Today's Gospel is one we are all quite familiar with - The Parable of the Sower. Mark's depiction is similar to the same account in the 13th Chapter of Matthew which has been called the parabolic discourse because it contains seven different parables. We are about one third of the way through the Year of Faith. We should consider how we are being sowers of the New Evangelization.

Parables of Work
Blessed Pope John Paul II explains how Jesus often uses parables related to everyday, ordinary work to explain the kingdom of God and the mission of the Church:

In His parables on the Kingdom of God, Jesus Christ constantly refers to human work: that of the shepherd (e.g. John 10:1-6), the farmer (cf. Mark 12:1-12), the doctor (cf. Luke 4:32), the sower (cf. Mark 4:1-9), the householder (cf. Matthew 13:52), the servant (cf. Matthew 24:25; Luke 12:42-48), the steward (cf. Luke 16:1-8), the fisherman (cf. Matthew 13:47-50), the merchant (cf. Matthew 13:45-46), the laborer (cf. Matthew 20:1-16). He also speaks of the various forms of women's work (cf. Matthew 13:33; Luke 15:8-9). He compares the apostolate to the manual work of harvesters (cf. Matthew 9:37; John 4:35-38) or fishermen (cf. Matthew 4:19). He refers to the work of scholars too (cf. Matthew 13: 52)" (John Paul II, Laborem Exercens, 26).

CCC Commentary

According to the commentary in the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible (RSV), the parable demonstrates how Christ's message "elicits diverse responses. The condition of the soil in each scenario determines one's reaction to Jesus (CCC 29)." On the flip side of this, the responsive heart "yields an abundant harvest." (CCC 2707)

Learn, Live & Share
This seems to me to be consistent with our focus on Learn, Live and Share. What I mean is that most of us follow this pattern. First encounter Christ through some type of conversion experience. If we are properly disposed, this in turn leads us to seek out spiritual formation. As we are formed in the faith, we are moved to bear fruit, to evangelize. This parallels the experience outlined in Pope Paul VI's encyclical, Ecclesiam Suam: awareness, renewal and dialogue.

Role of the Laity

There are significant implications that can be drawn from this about our role as the laity. The Second Vatican Council explained the laity's role in the mission of the Church to evangelize. The Council was more specific in its discussion of the lay apostolate: "On all Christians therefore is laid the pre-eminent responsibility of working to make the divine message of salvation known and accepted by all people throughout the world"(Apostolicam Actuositatem, 3).

Our Call to Apostolate

God is counting on us to do our part in bringing others to Christ. This is at the heart of the Church's mission. Practically speaking, it's our mission too. We might have a friend or family member who has fallen away from the Church and is scared to come back. Or maybe they have never stepped foot in a Catholic Church. Perhaps all they need is a kind gesture, an invitation. They need to know that Christ is waiting for them. We don't have to thump them over the head with a Bible or Catechism; we merely need to be their friends and, like St. John the Baptist and St. Andrew, point the way. We can't let our own insecurities get in the way. The fact is our inadequacies don't matter as long as we put our trust in the Holy Spirit. He will do the rest of the work.

Bear Fruit
As we reflect on today's Gospel, we should consider what we are doing to bear fruit. Furthermore, we should also contemplate the ways we can make ourselves more available to God's Word.

I'll close with a thought from St. Josemaria Escriva:"the sower went out to sow, to scatter the seed at all the crossroads of this earth. What a blessed task we have. We have the job of making sure that in all the circumstances of time and place the word of God takes root, springs up and bears fruit." (The Forge, 970)

For further reading:

• The Sower and the Seeds, Joe Catholic
• Farming the Seeds of Faith, Dr. Marcellino D'Ambrosio
• Understand Your Catholic Faith or Lose It, Father John Hardon, S.J.

Please enjoy this flash video that portrays the parable in a simple, but striking way.

A Look at Vatican II

Image from Vatican Archive of the Documents of Vatican II

We are now one full month into the Year of Faith (YOF) promulgated by Pope Benedict XVI. One of the explicit instructions we have received in order to more fully participate in the YOF is to revisit the documents of Vatican II. Pope Benedict exhorted the Church to build the New Evangelization "on a concrete and precise basis, and this basis is the documents of the Second Vatican Council.” This is wholly consistent with the Pope's comments in July 2007:

And thus it seems to me that we must rediscover the great heritage of the Council, which is not a “spirit” reconstructed behind the texts, but the great conciliar texts themselves, reread today with the experiences that we have had and that have borne fruit in so many movements, in so many new religious communities. [emphasis added] 

Since we are being asked to read the documents, we should also possess an understanding of the context in which they were written. I can think of no better way to do this than to share the insights of Douglas Bushman, STL, the director of the Institute of Pastoral Theology at Ave Maria University. Here is an interview with Father Mitch Pacwa on EWTN Live. The video is nearly an hour long, but well worth the investment.

Saint Talk: St. Frances Cabrini

Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Frances Cabrini, the first United States citizen to be canonized and patron of immigrants.

Cabrini was born on July l5, 1850 in Sant’Angelo Lodigiano in the province of Lombardy, which is located in northern Italy.  St. Frances Cabrini was the tenth of eleven children (some sources say she twelve siblings). All but four of the children died before adolescence. Although Frances survived a premature birth, she was frail.

St. Frances Cabrini's parents, Agostino, who was farmer, and Stella who was a housewife, were devout Catholics.  They lived as example of the faith for their children. Agosto even "read to the family from the Annals of the Propagation of the Faith, telling stories of the great missionaries."  These stories of missionaries and her frail health influenced her entire life.

St. Frances Cabrini was rejected by several religious order because of her frail health. Frances, determined to do God's work, in 1863 she registered as a student at Normal School in Arluno in order to become a teacher. While she studied at the school, she lived with nuns. This served further fueled her desire to enter into the religious life. Eventually, through her work as a teacher, she would form her own order known at the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Some time after 1877, Pope Leo XIII would send St. Frances as a missionary to the United States.

Discernment Prayer by St. Frances Xavier Cabrini:

My Jesus,

I have not always recognized

your loving plans for me.

Every day,

with the help of your light,

I learn more of your loving care.

Continue to increase 

my awareness of the gentleness of

your loving plans.

I want to follow the purpose

for which I was created.

See, I am in your hands.

I need you to help me choose

the best way to serve you.

Walk with me, Jesus.

Stay by my side and guide me!

Disciples Called to Witness

The Year of Faith was kicked with a Synod of the Bishops. As the participating bishops near the conclusion of the Synod, they explained that the New Evangelization “is not a question of finding new strategies as if the Gospel was to be spread like a market product, but rediscovering the ways in which individuals come close to Jesus.”

The Synod issued a strong challenge to the Church in North America:

The Bishops of the synodal Assembly invite you, Christians of North America, to respond with joy to the call to a new evangelization, while they look with gratitude at how your young Christian communities have borne generous fruits of faith, charity and mission. You need to recognize the many expressions of the present culture in the countries of your world which are today far from the Gospel. Conversion is necessary, from which is born a commitment that does not bring you out of your cultures, but in their midst to offer to all the light of faith and the power of life.

Below you will find a video overview of the synod. Look carefully at the image at the 33 second mark and you will notice our own Bishop Kevin Vann.

Pope Benedict Opens Door to Year of Faith

Image from Catholic News Agency

Pope Benedict XVI opened the Year of Faith with a call to share the faith in our daily lives.  Specifically, in his homily the Pope said, “People of faith are needed who, with their own lives, point out the way to the Promised Land and keep hope alive.” He went on to say that our faith must be informed by the truth of Catholic teaching. He explained that "the new evangelization [must] neither remain just an idea nor be lost in confusion, it needs to be built on a concrete and precise basis, and this basis is the documents of the Second Vatican Council”.

Toolbox: Have You Read the Catechism?

Today we begin the Year of Faith. Today also marks the 20th Anniversary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Blessed John Paul II called the CCC "a sure norm for teaching the faith" and he asserted that it would help "serve the renewal" of the Church. In this spirit of renewal, Pope Benedict XVI said in Porta Fidei that one of the things we the faithful can do during this year is to read the Catechism.

Do you own a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC)? If you are serious about learning your Catholic faith, you MUST own a copy of the CCC and more importantly you have to read it.

How to Get a Copy of the Catechism
Daily Email, Flocknote
Free Online, USCCB
eBook & Paperback, USCCB

Additional Resources
FAQ about the CCC from USCCB
Porta Fidei
Opus Dei Prelate's October Letter

Be sure to check out That Catholic Show's funny and informative video "Night of the Living Catechism."

Plenary Indulgence Granted for the Year of Faith

Zenit reported on October 5th that the Apostolic Penitentiary issued a decree granting a Plenary Indulgence during the Year of Faith.

Here are the circumstances, during the Year of Faith, in which one might gain a Plenary Indulgence:

During the whole span of the Year of Faith, proclaimed from October 11, 2012 to the whole of November 24, 2013, all individual faithful truly repentant, duly confessed, communing sacramentally, and who pray according to the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff, will be able to acquire a Plenary Indulgence from the temporal punishment for their sins imparted by God’s mercy, applicable in suffrage to the souls of the deceased faithful.
a.- Every time they take part in at least three instances of preaching during the Sacred Missions, or at least three lessons on the Acts of Vatican Council II and on the Articles of the Catechism of the Catholic Church in any church or ideal place;

b.- Every time they visit by way of pilgrimage a Papal Basilica, a Christian catacomb, a Cathedral; Church, a sacred place designated by the Ordinary of the place for the Year of Faith (for example between the Minor Basilicas and the Shrines dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, to the Holy Apostles and to Patron Saints) and take part there in some sacred function or at least pause for an apt time of recollection with pious meditations, concluding with the recitation of the Our Father, the Profession of Faith in any legitimate form, invocations to the Blessed Virgin Mary and, according to the case, to Holy Apostles or Patrons;

c.- Every time, in days determined by the Ordinary of the place for the Year of Faith (for example on the solemnities of the Lord, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, on the feast s of the Holy Apostles and Patrons, on the Chair of Saint Peter), in any sacred place they participate in a solemn Eucharistic celebration or the Liturgy of the Hours, adding the Profession of Faith in any legitimate form;

d.- A day freely chosen, during the Year of Faith, for the pious visit of the baptistery or other place, in which they received the sacrament of Baptism, renewing the baptismal promises in any legitimate formula.

Diocesan or Eparchial bishops, and those who in law are equivalent to them, in the most appropriate day of this time, on the occasion of the main celebration (for example November 24, 2013, on the solemnity of Jesus Christ King of the Universe, with which the Year of Faith will close) will be able to impart the Papal Blessing with the Plenary Indulgence, to be gained by all the faithful who receive this Blessing devoutly.

Read the Catechism in a Year

Pope Benedict XVI has encouraged Catholics to study their faith during the upcoming Year of Faith. What better way to do that than by reading the Catechism of the Catholic? Well Matthew Warner and the folks at Flocknote have established a way to read a small part of the Catechism daily. With your subscription, you receive a daily email with an excerpt from the Catechism beginning October 11th.

Subscribe at Flocknote.

Powered on Twitter @CatechismAPI!

What is The Year of Faith?

I mentioned in yesterday's post that we are approaching the beginning of the celebration of the Year of Faith. Pope Benedict XVI announced the Year of Faith last October. Below is a video from Rome Reports which outlines some of the activities, events and teachings that will take place during the year.

Additional Resources:

Fr. Robert Barron's Word on Fire Blog
USCCB - US Bishop's YOF website
Vatican Year of Faith Website

What is the New Evangelization?

As we get closer to the Year of Faith celebration, I think it is important for us to get more acquainted with the concept of the New Evangelization.

Here is Dr. Scott Hahn's take on the New Evangelization:

Year of Faith Logo Unveiled

Today the Vatican unveiled the official logo for the Year of Faith. Pope Benedict XVI announced last October 11th that beginning on October 11, 2012, the Church would celebrate this Year of Faith. October 11th marks the 50th anniversary of Second Vatican Council and the 20th anniversary of the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. One can surmise from Pope Benedict's Apostolic Letter, Porta Fidei (4), that the aim of the year of faith is to foster the New Evangelization of the Church.