Year of faith comes to an end, life of faith continues

Bishop Michael Mulvey.

On the solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, Nov. 24, Bishop Michael Mulvey celebrated Mass in the Corpus Christi Cathedral to mark the closing of the Year of Faith, inaugurated by Pope Benedict XVI on Oct. 11, 2012 to mark the 50th anniversary of the opening of Vatican Council II and the 20th anniversary of publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

“As we conclude this year of faith, we open a new life of faith,” Bishop Mulvey said in his homily.

Reminding Mass goers of Pope Benedict XVI’s call to revitalize ourselves with the writings of Vatican II, the bishop said that Catholics must discover the “true meaning” of the Second Vatican Council, which was “a call to be pastoral” much like Pope Francis often calls us to do.

Bishop Mulvey said, in referring to Pope Benedict XVI’s announcement of the Year of Faith, “the flavor that salt gives has diminished, the light seems to dim.”

“We do not know Jesus Christ—we know about Him, we know what he says, but the point is do you live the message,” Bishop Mulvey said.

The fathers of the Second Vatican Council called us to be “so sure in our faith that we are willing to dialogue with those different from us.” We must be so sure in what we believe, the bishop said, that we would like to share these beliefs with Christians that think different from us and with non-Christians.

“So we can be true participants in the New Evangelization, requires us to be authentic and to to be renewed,” Bishop Mulvey said. Renewed, above all, in a life of charity that reaches “beyond our limitations” of time, resources and talent.

“We must push ourselves to greater limits,” the bishop said.

In his homily in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis expressed related thoughts when he said, “Jesus is the center of creation; and so the attitude demanded of us as true believers is that of recognizing and accepting in our lives the centrality of Jesus Christ, in our thoughts, in our words and in our works. And so our thoughts will be Christian thoughts, thoughts of Christ; our works will be Christian works, works of Christ; and our words will be Christian words, words of Christ.”
On the solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, Nov. 24, Bishop Michael Mulvey celebrated Mass in the Corpus Christi Cathedral to mark the closing of the Year of Faith, inaugurated by Pope Benedict XVI on Oct. 11, 2012 to mark the 50th anniversary of the opening of Vatican Council II and the 20th anniversary of publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

“As we conclude this year of faith, we open a new life of faith,” Bishop Mulvey said in his homily.

Reminding Mass goers of Pope Benedict XVI’s call to revitalize ourselves with the writings of Vatican II, the bishop said that Catholics must discover the “true meaning” of the Second Vatican Council, which was “a call to be pastoral” much like Pope Francis often calls us to do.

Bishop Mulvey said, in referring to Pope Benedict XVI’s announcement of the Year of Faith, “the flavor that salt gives has diminished, the light seems to dim.”

“We do not know Jesus Christ—we know about Him, we know what he says, but the point is do you live the message,” Bishop Mulvey said.

The fathers of the Second Vatican Council called us to be “so sure in our faith that we are willing to dialogue with those different from us.” We must be so sure in what we believe, the bishop said, that we would like to share these beliefs with Christians that think different from us and with non-Christians.

“So we can be true participants in the New Evangelization, requires us to be authentic and to to be renewed,” Bishop Mulvey said. Renewed, above all, in a life of charity that reaches “beyond our limitations” of time, resources and talent.

“We must push ourselves to greater limits,” the bishop said.

In his homily in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis expressed related thoughts when he said, “Jesus is the center of creation; and so the attitude demanded of us as true believers is that of recognizing and accepting in our lives the centrality of Jesus Christ, in our thoughts, in our words and in our works. And so our thoughts will be Christian thoughts, thoughts of Christ; our works will be Christian works, works of Christ; and our words will be Christian words, words of Christ.”