Understanding Faith's Open Door

Understanding
and Praying
the “Door of Faith”.

Padre Diego Cabrera Rojas, ssc

Concept of the Logo

Concept of the Logo:
The logo is composed of a square , bordered fiel on which a boat symbolizing
the Church, is represented as sailing on a graphically minimal representation
of waves. The main mast of the boat is a cross from which sails are displayed
in the form of a dynamic signs which compose the trigram of Christ “IHS”
(Iesus Hominum Salvator); The background to the sails is a sun which,
associated with the trigram, refers also to the Eucharist.

Motive
50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council (11 Octubre 1962)
20th anniversary of the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

The Pope Benedict XVI,
established a year
particularly dedicated
“to profess the true Faith”.

With the Apostolic Letter
Motu Proprio
Porta Fidei
(The door of Faith),
published on the 10/11/11,
Benedict XVI invites us
to get closer to our Faith,
Through the reading of the
documents of the
II Vatican Council
and the Catechism
of the Catholic Church.

Motu Proprio
• Un motu proprio es un documento
de la Iglesia Católica
emanado directamente del Papa,
por su propia iniciativa y autoridad.
Contiene la promulgación de una ley particular,
que modifica y perfecciona
La Constitución Apostólica.

Apostolic Letter
“PORTA FIDEI” (Door of Faith)
By Benedict XVI
“In the light of all this, I have decided
to announce a Year of Faith. It will begin
on 11 October 2012, the fiftieth anniversary
of the opening of the II Vatican Council, and
it will end on the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus
Christ, Universal King, on 24 November 2013.
The starting date of 11 October 2012 also
marks the twentieth anniversary of the
publication of the Catechism of the Catholic
Church, a text promulgated by my
predecessor, Blessed John Paul II,
with a view to illustrating for all the faithful
the power and beauty of the faith.
This document, an authentic fruit of the
Second Vatican Council, was requested by the
Extraordinary Synod of Bishops in 1985 as an
instrument at the service of catechesis”. (PF 4)

The Year of Faith is a
“summons to an authentic
and renewed conversion
to the Lord,
the One Savior of the world”
Catholics are asked to study
and reflect on the Documents
of Vatican II and the Catechism
of the Catholic Church
so that they may deepen their
knowledge of the faith.
Catechetical leaders are
encouraged to incorporate Year
of Faith activities and events
during the coming year.

The Year of Faith,
will begin
on October 1,
2012,
the fiftieth
anniversary
of the opening
of the Second
Vatican Council,

The Year of Faith
will conclude on
November 24, 2013,
the Solemnity
of Christ the King.

twentieth anniversary
of the publication of the
Catechism of the Catholic Church
(October 11 of 1992)

The starting date
of 11 October 2012 also marks
the twentieth anniversary
of the publication of the
Catechism of the Catholic Church,
a text promulgated by my
Predecessor, Blessed John Paul II,
with a view to illustrating
for all the faithful
the power and beauty of the faith.

was requested by the Extraordinary Synod of Bishops
in 1985 as an instrument at the service of catechesis”.

ANTECEDENT
It is not the first time that the Church
has been called to celebrate a Year of Faith.
My venerable Predecessor the Servant of God
Paul VI announced one in 1967,
to commemorate the martyrdom of Saints
Peter and Paul on the 19th centenary
of their supreme act of witness.

He thought of it as a solemn moment
for the whole Church to make “an authentic
and sincere profession of the same faith”;
moreover, he wanted this to be confirmed
in a way that was “individual and collective,
free and conscious, inward and outward,
humble and frank”.
He thought that in this way the whole Church
could re-appropriate “exact knowledge
of the faith, so as to reinvigorate it,
purify it, confirm it, and confess it” (PF, 4)

From 7th to 28th of October 2012, was celebrated the XIII General Assembly
of the Synod of Bishops.
“the theme is
“The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith”. (PF 4)

Year of Faith

October 11th 2012 November 24th 2013
The fiftieth anniversary
of the opening Solemnity of
of the Second Vatican Council Our Lord Jesus Christ, Universal King

From 7th to 28th of October 2012, was celebrated the XIII General Assembly
of the Synod of Bishops. the theme is:
“The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith”

The Synod of Bishops
The Synod of Bishops was established by Pope Paul Vl
by Motu proprio "Apostolica sollicitudo" of 15 September 1965.
Pope Paul Vl gave the definition of the Synod of Bishops
at the Sunday Angelus of 22 September 1974:
"It is an ecclesiastic institution, which,
on interrogating the signs of the times and as well as trying
to provide a deeper interpretation of divine designs
and the constitution of the Catholic Church,
we set up after Vatican Council II in order to foster the unity
and cooperation of bishops around the world with the Holy See.
It does this by means of a common study concerning the conditions
of the Church and a joint solution on matters concerning Her mission.
It is neither a Council nor a Parliament but a special type of Synod".

“The new evangelization
is not a program.
It is a mode of thinking,
seeing and acting,
It is a lens through which
we see the opportunities
to proclaim
the Gospel anew.
It is also a recognition
that the Holy Spirit
is actively working
in the church ”.
(Cardenal Wuerl Donarl, Arzobispo de Washington, relator general del Sínodo
y ponente general de la Asamblea sinodal. Noviembre 1st, 2012)

“The duty to announce
the saving truth is not just
the responsibility
of clergy and religious.
On the contrary, this synod
highlighted the important role
of every disciple of Christ
in the mission of spreading the faith.
The discussion accentuated
the crucial and vital participation
of every Catholic, especially through
the eager dedication and gifts
of the lay faithful to the mission
of evangelization.”

“Like the first disciples who walked
with Jesus as his friends,
today's Catholics are called
to proclaim his Good News
to an indifferent and sometimes
even hostile world that now
more than ever needs that message
of Christ's truth and love”.
“Today, like the first disciples,
we can be Jesus's witnesses,
and proclaim his Good News
in our everyday lives.
With our hearts
transformed by Christ,
we can change the hearts of others,
and transform the world.”

Challenges for the Synod
- Intereligious dialogue, especially with the muslim
world;
- violence and limitation of religious freedom ;
- The ecumenical commitment;
- The mass media,
which requires a new language
and a new form of communication in the Church.
- Great is the challenge the new evangelization poses
in the context of culture and, therefore,
in the relationship between
Person - community - society.
Therefore, a great contribution may come
From the “Atrium of the Gentiles"
as well from the works of social justice and charity
of the Church with the poor and the suffering.

Some “tools” for a new proclamation of the Gospel:
- Parases,
- Small Christian communities,
- Schools, Universities,
- pilgrimages,
- Catechists.

- Most of all, marriages, the family,
the domestic church, the institution
which help us to pass on our Faith
even in very difficult situations,
which help to form the human
person, who needs lot of suport
in this secularized world.

¿What is the invitation
of the Year of Faith?
“The Year of Faith is a
“summons to an authentic and
renewed conversion to the Lord,
the One Savior of the world”

What is our commitment in the Year of Faith?

“The Year of Faith
Should be an expression
of an unanimous commitment
to rediscover and study
The fundamental contents
of our faith”.

Hechos 14, 27
“And when they arrived, they called the church together and reported
what God had done with them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.”.

Knowledge of faith opens a door into the fullness
of the saving mystery revealed by God.
The “door of faith” (Acts 14:27)

is always open for us, ushering us into the life
of communion with God
and offering entry into his Church.
It is possible to cross that threshold
when the word of God is proclaimed
and the heart allows itself

Rom 6, 4
“We were buried ... with him by baptism into death,
so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory
of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life”.

To enter through that door
is to set out on a journey
that lasts a lifetime.
It begins with baptism (Rm 6, 4),
through which we can
address God as Father,
and it ends with the passage
through death to eternal life,
fruit of the resurrection
of the Lord Jesus,
whose will it was,
by the gift of the Holy Spirit,
to draw those who believe
in him into his own glory. (Jn 17, 22)
(PF 1)

To profess faith in the Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit –
is to believe in one God who is Love (1 Jn 4:8):
the Father, who in the fullness of time
sent his Son for our salvation;
Jesus Christ, who in the mystery of his death and resurrection
redeemed the world;
the Holy Spirit, who leads the Church across the centuries
as we await the Lord’s glorious return. (PF 1)

“To the extent that he freely cooperates,
man’s thoughts and affections,
mentality and conduct are slowly
Purified and transformed, on a journey
that is never completely finished in this life”
(PF. 6).

“To rediscover the content of the faith that is professed,
celebrated, lived and prayed,
and to reflect on the act of faith, is a task that every believer
must make his own, especially in the course of this Year”. (PF 9)
“Faith, precisely because it is a free act, also demands
social responsibility for what one believes. ”. (PF 10)

¿What does it want?
1°
That as church,
We us all
will be introduced,
Into a time
of reflection
and rediscovery
of faith.

2° to feel
invited to a
authentic and
renewed
conversion
To the Lord,
The only
Savior.
Conversion
Of the world.

3° to make a joyfull eclesial commitment
for the new evangelization.

1.
To celebrate
Our Faith
In the liturgy,
especially
In the Eucharist.

2. To walk again through the history of our Faith.

3. To intensify the testimony of charity.

¡what we
believe in!

The
content
of
our
Faith.

• Catholics are asked to study and reflect on the
• Documents of Vatican II and the Catechism of
the Catholic Church so that they may deepen
their knowledge of the faith.
• Catechetical leaders are encouraged to
incorporate Year of Faith activities and events
during the coming year.

¿To whom
would we
believe?

The credible
transmitters
of the truth
of our Faith.

¿Who do we
believe?
Jesus is
who sustains us,
to whom we give our full trust.

LA FE
“Faith is neither
a submission
to some
indisputable proof
Not a blind leap
In the dark.
It is both:
A calculated risk”.
(W.J. O’Malley, s.j.).

Faith is an act of freedom,
It is fruit of a joyful encounter with God
It is experienced, nurtured and celebrated in Church

… a person who melts faith and life

• Faith is a personal decision.
• Faith thrives on personal relationship with God.
• Faith needs a constant deepening.
• Faith has a Community dimension.
• Faith involves a public commitment.
• Faith is expressed in the testimony of life.
• Faith is celebrated in the Church.

By faith,
Mary accepted
the Angel’s word
and believed
the message
that she
was to become
the Mother of God
in the obedience
of her devotion
(Lk 1, 38).

Visiting Elizabeth,
she raised her hymn of praise
to the Most High
for the marvels he worked
in those who trust him
(Lk 1, 46-55).

With joy and trepidation she gave birth
To her only son, keeping her virginity intact
(Lk 2, 6-7).

With the same faith,
she followed the Lord in his preaching and remained
with him all the way to Golgotha
(Jn 19, 25-27).

By faith,
Mary tasted the
fruits
of Jesus’
resurrection, and
treasuring
every memory
in her heart
(Lk 2, 19.51),

she passed them on
to the Twelve
assembled with her
in the Upper Room
to receive
the Holy Spirit
(Act 1, 14; 2, 1-4).

Trusting in Joseph, her husband,
she took Jesus to Egypt to save him
from Herod’s persecution (Mt 2, 13-15).

By faith,
the Apostles
left everything
to follow their Master
(Mt 10, 28).

They believed the words with which
he proclaimed the Kingdom of God
present and fulfilled in his person
(Lk 11, 20)

They lived
in communion of life
with Jesus
who instructed them
with his teaching,
(Jn 13, 34-35).

leaving them
a new rule of life,
by which
they would be
Recognized
as his disciples
after his death
(Jn 13, 34-35).

By faith,
they went out to the whole world,
following the command
to bring the Gospel to all creation
(Mc 16, 15)

(Mc 16, 15)

and they fearlessly proclaimed to all
the joy of the resurrection,
of which they were faithful witnesses.

By faith,
the disciples formed
the first community,
gathered around
the teaching
of the Apostles,
in prayer,
in celebration
of the Eucharist,
(Act 2, 42-47).

holding their possessions in common
so as to meet the needs of the brethren
(Act 2, 42-47).

By faith,
the martyrs
gave their lives,
bearing witness
to the truth
of the Gospel

Monseñor Oscar Arnulfo Romero Galdames

that had
transformed them
and made them
capable of
attaining to
the greatest
gift of love:
the forgiveness
of their
persecutors.

By faith,
men and women
have consecrated
their lives to Christ,
leaving all things behind
so as to live obedience,
poverty and chastity
with Gospel simplicity,
concrete signs of waiting
for the Lord
who comes without delay.

By faith,
countless Christians
have promoted
Action for justice
so as to put into practice
the word of the Lord,
who came to proclaim
Deliverance
from oppression
and a year
of favour for all.
(Lk 4, 18-19).

By faith,
across the centuries,
men and women
of all ages,
whose names
are written
in the Book of Life,
(Rev 7:9, 13:8)

Sister Dorothy Stang, assassinated on the 2nd February 2009 in Brazil
while defending Brazil Rain Forest from over exploitation.

have confessed
the beauty
of following
the Lord Jesus
Wherever
they were called
to bear witness:

and the performing of charisms and ministries
entrusted to them.

our Faith
Also drives us to:
reconognize
Our Lord Jesus,
present
in our lives
And in history.

Believing to understand
understanding to believe better
“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.”
(PF 10)

¿Which resourses could we use this Year?
1. Prayer.
2. Catechism of the Catholic Church y/o its compendium.
3. The II Vatican Council documents.
4. The document of the Synod of Bishops on the New
Evangelization. http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/synod/documents/rc_synod_20050309_index-profile_en.html
5. Other documents of the Church.
6. And of course ¡The Holy Bible!

Prayer
It is through our personal relationship
with God how do we grow solid in our faith.
Our prayer can be:
a) vocal
- Shouts of Praise
- Shouts of worship
- Thanksgiving
- Confession
- singing
- Supplication
- requests
b) mental
-Inspirational readings
- Bible reading
- Video
- Movies
- music
c) silent.
- Meditation
- Contemplation

The whole book
or the compendium,
will help us
to be in touch especially
with the first part:
The Profession of Faith.

First Part

THE PROFESSION OF FAITH
1a. Sección: “I believe”, “we believe”.
2a. Sección: The profession of the Christian Faith
(including its twelve articles).
I is worthy to read also the other three parts:
- Celebrating the Chiristian mystery,
- Life in Christ
- The Christian Prayer.

DOCUMENTS of
THE II VATICAN
CONCIL

 To know them.
 To read them.
 To assimilate
them.
 To welcome
them.
 To put them into
practice with
renew zest.

Three propousals for all of us:
Profession of Faith, life and Announcement.
1°.
It is desirable that all of us
In the Diocese of Los Angeles
take this opportunity
to cultivate
our relationship with God,
deepen and confess publicly
that faith in our churches,
in our seminars;
and at home
with our family.

2°. It is convenient and desirable
to exhort and support each other
to live to the end
The community dimension
(social and ecclesial)
of our faith

3°. Every priest and every parishioner
is already an evangelizer,
so we all should feel urged by love to:
 Better convey what we profess,
 To form more agents of evangelization
 And to celebrate with joy our faith with others.

¡TIME OF GRACE!

• “Saint Paul asks his disciple Timothy
to “aim at faith”(2Tim 2, 22)
with the same constancy
as when he was a boy(2Tim 3, 15)”.
¡Let us hear that invitation!
• “may this Year of Faith make our relationship
with Christ the Lord increasingly firm,”.
t

• “Let us entrust this time of grace
to the Mother of God,
proclaimed “blessed
because she believed” (Lc 1, 45) . (PF 15)

TIME OF HOLINESS
St. Paul’s Greek term
for ordinary believers is hagioi,
“saints, holy ones”
not just
meticulously purified souls,
but all believers, made holy.
It is not we who qualify as holy,
but Christ’s
generous acceptance of us
that negates our unworthiness.
William J. Omalley “Accesible Hollines. The good news: We're all
invited. The bad news: It takes effort.
America magazine, July 30, 2007.

Accesible Holiness
Seeking holiness means
trying to heal
that separation
and regain
that person-to-Person
friendship that makes
us holy once again.
The very word
“religion,”
in fact, means
connection.
William J. Omalley “Accesible Hollines. The good news: We're all
invited. The bad news: It takes effort.

Here is the key: Jesus loves imperfect people.
On that score, all of us qualify. We can, therefore,
consider holiness without the distancing,
antiseptic “requirements” that make the subject,
and pursuit of the reality, inaccessible to ordinary mortals.
William J. Omalley “Accesible Hollines.
The good news: We're all invited.
The bad news: It takes effort.

Baptism and confirmation
are incalculably precious
assurances of inclusion
in a second family that
will welcome us back,
no matter what.
Reconciliation gives
a concrete pledge that
we can never make ourselves
so unworthy that we negate
what Jesus did for us.
William J. Omalley “Accesible Hollines. The good news: We're all invited.
The bad news: It takes effort.

'A disciple is a person
attentive
to Jesus’ word (Lk 10:39),
someone who
acknowledges
that Jesus
is the Teacher
who has loved us
so much
that he gave his life
for us.

Each one of you,
therefore,
should let
yourself be shaped
by God’s word
every day.

This will make you
Friends
of the Lord Jesus
and enable you
to lead
other young people
to friendship
with him.

'I encourage you
to think of the gifts
you have received
from God
so that you can pass
them on
to others in turn.'
Benedict XVI, Message for WYD 2013.
['The Pilgrims' Inn', blog of the editor of MISYON.]

Prayer
for
the
Year of Faith
Intention for March
for the reparation of sin and
the grace of conversion.

O my God,
I firmly believe
that You are
one God
in three divine persons,
Father,
Son and Holy Spirit.

I believe that
Your divine Son
became man and died
for our sins,
and that
he will come
to judge
the living and the dead.

I believe these and all the truths
the holy Catholic Church teaches because
You have revealed them,
who can neither deceive nor be deceived.

In this faith I intend to live and die.

We turn to you in humble supplication
for ourselves and our Parish and Diocese
in which we work, live, and pray,
that this Year of Faith may be
a true source of renewal for each of us.

May we be strengthened to live our faith
in the midst of the world with joy and love.

We ask this
through our Lord
Jesus Christ your Son,
who lives and reigns
with you
in the unity
of the Holy Spirit,
one God,
for ever and ever.
Amen.

Seleccion of Photos and edition:
Fr. Diego Cabrera Rojas, ssc

Understanding Faith's Open Door

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