SHENANDOAH - "Year of Faith" in the Catholic Church worldwide officially begins today, but the students and faculty at Trinity Academy, Shenandoah, held their kickoff Wednesday in preparation.
An afternoon prayer service was held in Annunciation BVM Roman Catholic Church, Shenandoah, highlighting the observances of faith and prayer for a year.
According to the official Vatican website, the Year of Faith begins today and will end on Nov. 24, 2013, the Solemnity of Christ the King. Pope Benedict XVI chose Oct. 11 as the opening date because two important anniversaries occur on this day: the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council and the 20th anniversary of the promulgation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
The yearlong observance is coordinated through the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization.
The Rev. Robert Finlan, pastor of Annunciation BVM, St. Ann and St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church, both in Frackville, presided at the prayer service. The Gospel reading, Matthew 17:20, focused on the mustard seed, which was a theme of the Year of Faith service.
"Amen, I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you," Finlan read before presenting his homily to the children.
"When we talk about faith, part of that is what we do, we believe about God," Finlan said. "It is what you do at Trinity Academy. Each time you have religion class, you learn about God. We want to believe the right things about God, come to understand God as best we can based upon what God has told us about Himself. So that right belief is orthodoxy, it's part of faith, and during this Year of Faith, one of the things Pope Benedict has said is that we should study our faith more. We should learn more about God. That's part of the Year of Faith."
The homily included three other aspects of faith that involves putting faith in practice, learning about completely trusting in God and that faith is about joy.
"So, if we learn about God and practice our faith, and we grow in our relationship with God, hopefully we become joyful, and that others can see that joy in us. We need to be evangelizers," Finlan said.
After the homily, the students came to the steps in front of the sanctuary and were presented with a "Student's Prayer for A Year of Faith" holy card by their teachers. Eighth-grade student Lydia Paulukonis and sixth-grade student Alexa Murray read intercessions that God will be with everyone at the school to make the Year of Faith a time of growth and blessing for all.
The prayer service ended with a closing prayer by Finlan, followed by remarks by Sister Mary Ann Spaetti, IHM, principal. The students returned to the school for a sweet treat of apple cider and a cookie.
Coordinating the service were teachers Sue Klinger, Sister Catherine Glackin, IHM, Diane O'Connor, Kim Kringe and Barbara Eiche. The committee will continue with keeping the Year of Faith in the minds of students throughout the coming year.
"We decided to start with the mustard seed, and we will have two other services during the year to keep it alive," Klinger said.
"We just don't want them to think that it's once and done," Glackin said.
"We're also decorating our classroom doors," Klinger said. "I have eighth grade and many of them were confirmed, so my theme will be 'Confirmation - Growing in the Faith.' "
Klinger said there is a plan to have students give a testimonial after Masses in November of how important their faith is in their lives.
The Year of Faith was announced and explained by Pope Benedict in his apostolic letter, "Porta Fidei," which was published on Oct. 21, 2011.
At the diocesan level, the Most Rev. John O. Barres, bishop of the Diocese of Allentown, celebrated the noon Mass on Sunday at the Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena to kick of the "Year of Faith," according to diocesan communications director Matt Kerr.
The bishop's "Year of Faith" message will be presented at many churches this weekend, Kerr said.
"At many parishes this coming Sunday, a DVD of the bishop will be played," Kerr said. "In it, as the centerpiece of the diocese's Year of Faith effort, he asks every active Catholic to invite one inactive Catholic to return to Mass. That DVD will also be posted on the diocesan website later this week."
To learn more about the "Year of Faith," go to the official website at www.annusfidei.va/content/novaevangelizatio/en.html.