Vatican City, Jan 5, 2012 / 11:12 am
The Vatican issued guidelines Jan. 5 for how the Church at all levels should celebrate the Year of Faith, which starts in October 2012.
A summary of the guideline document, which was produced by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, was released on Jan. 5, but the full text will be published Saturday, Jan. 7.
The introduction to the guidelines explains that the Year of Faith is "intended to contribute to a renewed conversion to the Lord Jesus and to the rediscovery of faith, so that the members of the Church will be credible and joy-filled witnesses to the Risen Lord, capable of leading those many people who are seeking it to the door of faith."
The Year of Faith was announced by Pope Benedict XVI last year in his apostolic letter "Porta Fidei." It will begin on October 11, 2012, the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council. It also coincides with the 20th anniversary of the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The year will end on November 24, 2013, the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ Universal King.