Participating in the Year of Faith

Want to do something for the Year of Faith but don’t have time to sit down and study the Catechism? Check out some of CathFamily’s suggestions that are simple and can be easily slotted into busy family life.

Things to Read

Level 1: The Catechism of the Catholic Church

Wait… Didn’t you say this would be easy? Yes I did, because there is more than one version of the Catechism available. You can have the full version if you like but now there is a handy short version the Compendium of the Catechism. Both are available online via the Vatican website If you have a simple question and want a straight forward answer, check out Youcat which is the youth catechism. It is graphically rich and structured in a Q & A style for easier navigation. It also has an awesome website too!

Level 2: Porta Fidei

If want a bit of a challenge, why not download Benedict’s Apostolic letter and read it. It might be the first time you have ever read one of these things, so don’t be daunted! Once you start reading, it’s not so bad. Offer a little prayer as you begin to ask God to open your heart to Benedict’s message and that you have the strength to carry it out into the world. Download the letter here.

Level 3: Jesus of Nazareth Trilogy

Are you really up for a challenge? Why not get Benedict’s theological magnum opus and crack into it. This is a read not for the faint-hearted, but those who are used to more academic style of writing will find this an incredibly fascinating and insightful series on the man at the center of our Faith, Jesus. If you have never tried to read anything like this, dip your toes in and don’t despair if it puts you to sleep at night! These theological works are not meant to be read quickly, but need time to digest and grow.

They are available from any Catholic Bookstore and also from Amazon.

Things to Pray

The Nicene Creed

This Creed which we say every Sunday was chosen by Pope Benedict to be the prayer for the Year of Faith. How often do we just mumble and bumble our way through it without giving much thought to what it means? Well, this year, make a commitment to spend a few minutes meditating on the Creed. Take the time to consider what each paragraph means (have your Catechism handy if are unsure of something) and how you live it.

The text of the creed (and the shorter Apostle’s Creed) is available here.

Things to Listen to

Cradio.org.au | The Living Faith Show with Fr Richard Umbers

Check out the Living Faith show with Fr Richard Umbers from the online catholic radio station Cradio. Covering everything from prayer to Trinitarian dogma, Fr Richard gives you everything you need to know about why we do things the way we do. Cradio is a fantastic source of podcasts on all kinds of topics with some of Australia’s best Catholic minds sharing their thoughts on everything imaginable. Check it out!

Things to Watch

WordonFire.org

The web hub of Fr Robert Barron’s ministry. He puts up regular YouTube commentaries on everything from Batman to New Atheism. To get you started, check out his reflection on the legacy of BXVI.

The Catholicism Series

This stunning production is a wonderful tour through the Catholic Faith making full use of the incredible visual and liturgical library of the universal Church. This is a wonderful way to fall in love with Catholicism all over again! Have a look at the trailer here.

Catholic Movies

There is surprisingly, a vast array of incredible Catholic films, ranging from saint’s biographies, to classics like the Ten Commandments and the Passion, to films like Babette’s Feast which showcase the Catholic worldview. We’ve found a couple of good lists here:

• Catholic Culture. – A comprehensive list of the 50 greatest Catholic Films of All Time. Many of them are a little older and are beloved film Classics
• Top Catholic Movies in Netflix – Another fantastic list that covers the more recent films and is sorted by category.

Enjoy! And let us know what you found most helpful in the comments below.

This article featured in the March 2013 edition of the CathFamily e-Magazine.