Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., will open the Year of Faith in Philadelphia with a Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul.

Sunday, October 14, 2012
6:30 p.m.
Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul
18th Street and Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia, PA 19103

The Year of Faith commemorates the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council which took place on October 11, 1962. It will conclude on the Feast of Christ the King on November 24, 2013. Pope Benedict XVI, in his Apostolic Letter, Porta Fidei, describes the Year of Faith as a time to reflect upon and renew our encounter with Jesus Christ.

Yearlong observance of the Year of Faith called for by Pope Benedict XVI includes:

Archdiocese of Philadelphia Catholic Life Congress
Saturday, November 17, 2012
An annual convocation of the laity, religious, deacons, and priests for ongoing faith formation. This year's theme is "Baptized in Christ: Live in the Joy of Believing." Archbishop Chaput will give a presentation titled: Renewing the Church and Her Mission in a 'Year of Faith.' The Keynote addresses will be given by Archbishop Jose H. Gomez of Los Angeles, CA (Spanish) and Dr. Jonathan Reyes (English). Doctor Jonathan Reyes was recently named, executive director of the Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development of the U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Public Witness of Faith
Parishes of the Archdiocese are invited to encourage parishioners to give public witness of faith throughout the Year of Faith. Some examples of public witness include: Marian Processions, outdoor Mass, outdoor prayer vigils, and rallies.

One Faith One Story
Monthly books with stories of faith of Christians who, throughout the ages, bore great witness to the joy of faith in Christ. The monthly book guide can be used for book clubs, adult faith formation, family reading at home, or personal faith enrichment. It's available online at archphila.org/yearoffaith/, in the Resources tab, under Guidebooks for Parishes.

Faith and Charity
Catholics are invited during the Year of Faith to celebrate the great Catholic tradition of charity. A guidebook offers assistance to parishes and individuals providing resources and suggestions for works of service. It's available online at archphila.org/yearoffaith/, in the Resources tab, under Guidebooks for Parishes.

Testimonies of Faith
Catholics of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia will share their stories of faith in short videos that will be posted on the Year of Faith website. The first videos are expected to be posted towards the end of October.

A Time of Grace Parish Evangelization Formation Series
A three course formation series examining the major themes of the Year of Faith, Vatican II documents and other texts. Open to all in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. For more information email Meghan Cokeley at mcokeley@adphila.org

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Editor's Note:
The Year of Faith Opening Mass on October 14th will be streamed live on the archdiocesan website archphila.org.

For more information on the above observances visit The Year of Faith website at archphila.org/yearoffaith.

Contact
Jhoselyn Martinez
Communications Specialists
215-587-3747