Year of Faith across the state

Sconnie dioceses are kicking off the Year of Faith.

D. Madison has an intro video for the year.


From Madison Diocese:

Tonight, at 7:30 pm at St. Maria Goretti Parish, the Diocese of Madison will open the Year of Faith with Solemn Vespers, with many priests and faithful from around the diocese. Building on the Pope’s theme of welcoming everyone to enter the open “Door of Faith”, Bishop Robert C. Morlino has chosen a particular theme for the Diocese of Madison’s Year of Faith: Evangelization Though Beauty. Most simply, we will clearly point out that the beauty of God’s creation is directing us toward the truth; toward the good; toward God Himself. Everything that is truly beautiful leads to Him. All that is true finds its source in Truth Himself.

This charge to share this message of beauty, and of invitation to know the source of true beauty, is that of every Catholic Christian in the world, but is specifically being offered as a challenge to those in the Diocese of Madison during this Year of Faith, which begins today and goes until next November.

As a resource, the Diocese of Madison has built a webpage (www.yearoffaithmadison.org) to serve as launch pad for those seeking more information about this Year of Faith and how to share the faith with others

Bp. Ricken is featured in The Catholic Register:

“We’re at an incredible moment of history,” said Bishop Ricken, commenting on the coinciding of the anniversaries with the Year of Faith. “The Year of Faith provides a kind of threshold experience.”

In his own diocese, in addition to encouraging attendance at the Sunday liturgy and a return to the sacrament of reconciliation, Bishop Ricken has recommended that individuals read at least one of the documents of the Second Vatican Council during the Year of Faith. The Diocese of Green Bay has also designated the Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier as a pilgrimage site. During the Year of Faith, the faithful may receive a plenary indulgence by visiting the cathedral and meeting the requirements of the indulgence.

Bp Callahan said this on his blog:

Secondly, there is a basic misunderstanding of what the Catholic Church is all about. While we have lost our understanding of what American liberty and freedom is all about, we have become all too ready and eager to transform those qualities to the Church and its leadership. Time for an introduction to the real Church. Take time to read the documents of the Second Vatican Council, especially Lumen Gentium (the dogmatic constitution) and Gaudium et Spes (the pastoral constitution).

Finally, what ever became of knowing what we believe – that is, thinking and intelligently reflecting on the truths of our faith? Many Catholics have become comfortable feeling about what the Church teaches and believes. Better still, many Catholics have replaced what the Catholic Church believes and teaches with their own personal theories, conjecture, and yes, basically what they “feel.” Time for an introduction to the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Take time to learn what the Catholic Church believes and teaches – it goes beyond sentiment and feeling.

And MKE JS has this:

The Archdiocese of Milwaukee will mark the 50th anniversary of Vatican II and kick off its Year of Faith aimed at evangelization and strengthening the faithful at a special Mass at 7 p.m. tonight at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist[speaking of disfiguring beauty in the Spirit of VII], 812 N. Jackson St.

The anniversary of Vatican II, which was aimed at bringing the church into the modern world, is being celebrated around the world this week. Its reforms included the celebration of the Mass in the native language[actually the council did not call for 100% of the liturgy in the vernacular] of the people and greater roles for women and the laity.  [aka clericalism.  An attitude the priest has when he thinks the ordinary work folks do is not good enough, and that you must carry around a bowl of something during a liturgy to become relevant.] However, there is ongoing tension within the church over what the Vatican Council truly intended and whether those reforms are being eroded. [I think we're more interested in what VII actually said, not what someone has decided its intention was.]

This was the intention of the Second Vatican Council?

Looking forward to boisterous debates on Vatican II for the next year.