Many of the administrative offices at the Rockford Diocese have been working together on preparing for the Year of Faith. If you have been an attentive and detailed reader of The Observer the past few months, you have been reading excerpts from the Apostolic Letter, Porta Fidei, issued on Oct. 11, 2011, in which Pope Benedict XVI declared Oct. 11, 2012, through Nov. 24, 2013, as a “Year of Faith.” The first day of the Year of Faith is also the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, more commonly known as Vatican II. But wait … there’s more … it is also the 20th anniversary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

So what does this mean? Basically, the Holy Father is asking Catholics during this Year of Faith, to study and reflect on the documents of Vatican II and the catechism so that they may deepen their knowledge of the faith. My first reaction to this call, quite honestly, was “aren’t we supposed to be doing that every year? Isn’t every year, a year of faith?” Recognizing the special anniversaries on which the Year of Faith will start would, of course, be a natural springboard to go forward into the next year. I was around when the new catechism was issued. I participated in the study days and continue to read it, so that is a good connection to faith. Vatican II is quite another story for me, though. I have no frame of reference for the pre-Vatican II days or what the documents meant, what they required and how they changed the mechanics of our faith. So, okay, the Year of Faith could be a time to examine those documents and reflect on them. Is that it?

Of course not.

Our Holy Father recognizes that we need to be called to a finer focus. And as I look around, outside the diocesan walls and the confines of The Observer pages, there are problems in our world. There are problems in our faith communities. Once we step outside the door of our homes and churches it becomes very clear that there are many who do not conduct themselves as a people filled with the guidance of faith. Even in our own household of faith, known as the Catholic Church, there are problems. We say we are “practicing” Catholics. You would think with all that practice we should be getting better, not worse, at it. Unfortunately, if we are totally honest with ourselves, it becomes very apparent that we need to reign ourselves in to a more concentrated effort to examine what our faith is, what it means and how it is integrated into the very fabric of who we are and how we function as human beings in a world that has many religions, philosophies and doctrines. When you think about it that way, a year might not be enough! A Year of Faith should be the catalyst to put faith in all our years. Obviously the pope knows that. So here we are … at the doorstep of a thematic time for our Church.

In his letter for the indiction of the Year of Faith, the Holy Father wrote “The ‘door of faith’ (Acts 14:27) is always open for us, ushering into the life of communion with God and offering entry into his Church.” So if we use the beautiful ‘door’ imagery stated in the Acts of the Apostles, we realize that a door is our invitation to the wonders that lie beyond. God opens the door but it is up to each of us to answer the call to step through and explore what’s inside. We can imagine a great hall full of other rooms and doors that lead us deeper and deeper into a relationship with our God and Father. Each door we encounter is yet another summons to a richer and more meaningful life of prayer and conversion to and with God.

And that’s what the Diocese of Rockford is preparing for. We are working to create activities, opportunities and to provide resources for Catholics in this region during the Year of Faith. We will have prayer cards, reflections for bulletins and a web page all dedicated to offer many little doors and entry points into a deeper, richer experience of God so that we Catholics can open the door to faith, walk through it and rediscover and renew our relationship with Christ and the Church again and again and again.

Watch for the Year of Faith logo throughout the year. More details about the Rockford Diocesan observance of the Year of Faith will be published in the Oct. 5 issue of The Observer.