It’s one of many responses in the diocese to the Papal Year of Faith, which officially began on Oct. 11. Many parishes marked the occasion with liturgies, celebratory events and study sessions of Church documents that are to be revisited during the 13-month period. Meanwhile, priest leaders and top diocesan lay ministers convened in September to develop recommendations for observing the Year of Faith at the diocesan level.
The Year of Faith coincides with the 50th Anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, and Catholics around the world are being encouraged to study the ideas and changes that resulted from it. Sacred Heart parish in Rancho Cucamonga began its opening Mass for the Year of Faith by processing with the Vatican II documents, the bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which was first published 20 years ago.
The Holy Name of Jesus parish in Redlands began the Year of Faith by kicking off a six-week study of the Vatican II documents on Oct. 12. “For most of us, taking an adult faith formation course, like the one going on here on Friday evenings, is a better way to learn about the teachings of the Council,” Sister Mary Garascia, C.P.P.S., pastoral coordinator of the parish, wrote in a recent parish bulletin.
Similarly, Sacred Heart, Rancho Cucamonga offers a 90-minute study session after the parish’s Holy Hour every second and fourth Thursday of the month to learn more about a topic related to the Year of Faith.
“I see that our people are very enthusiastic,” said Father Ben Nwachuckwu, pastor of the parish. “They are embracing the opportunity to learn.”
Our Lady of Perpetual Help parish in Indio has taken the Year of Faith in many directions. After holding an opening Mass the parish dedicated a new Plaza de los Santos or, Plaza of the Saints, a project spearheaded by the local Knights of Columbus and Catholic Daughters of the Americas chapters. The plaza features statues of Saint Jude and Our Lady Protector of the Unborn with plans to add other Marian icons Our Lady of Lavaang (Vietnam) and Our Lady of Guadalupe (patroness of the diocese) and also Saint Toribio, patron of immigrants.
Pastoral Coordinator Laura Lopez said Our Lady of Perpetual Help will also offer a brief video catechesis on different elements of the Year of Faith before each weekend Mass on a monthly basis. A six-week course on the Year of Faith is being offered to parents in the parish and monthly mini-retreats for families on the same themes will be offered.
“There are many, many activities here,” Lopez said. “Every ministry is focusing on the Year of Faith.”
On Sept. 20, the Presbyteral Council, Bishop Barnes’ priest advisory body, and the Curia, a primarily lay advisory group to the Bishop, held a joint study session to put forth ideas on how the diocese might observe the Year of Faith. Suggestions included holding a diocesan wide Mass, promoting Lectio Divina on the documents of the Second Vatican Council and encouraging parish mission projects. Most at the gathering agreed that a primary goal of the Year of Faith is to help lay Catholics re-encounter the living Christ.
“It’s about knowing more about the faith and knowing God,” said Father David Andel, JV, a member of both the Presbyteral Council and the Curia. “It involves both my head and my heart. As the pope’s letter [Porta Fidei] says, ‘you cannot have one without the other – that is, it is not possible to be spiritual but not religious (or vice versa).’ ”
A subcommittee consisting of three Presbyteral Council members and three Curia members is working to hone the ideas offered at the joint meeting into a formal plan of activities for the Year of Faith. In addition to the Catechism and Vatican II documents, the diocese will also encourage Catholics to study how the diocesan vision statement relates to the Year of Faith and the call to a New Evangelization. A pastoral letter from Bishop Barnes and a mass media campaign that includes video, web communication and printed materials is also expected to be part of the diocesan observance.