Given the imminent beginning of the Year of Faith, it is obvious to ask ourselves what is the meaning of this convocation. What does the Pope want? Why now?

Although Benedict XVI himself explains it in the motu proprio Porta Fidei, it is worth recalling some ideas that will help us to live it with intensity.

The reasons for the convenience of the convocation, which the Pope also lists, rest on two pillars: reasons of "historical" subject , on the occasion of very important anniversaries for the Church (the opening of Vatican Council II, 45 years since the convocation of the first Year of Faith by Paul VI and 20 years since the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church); and, above all, the urgent need for a new evangelization.

It is evident that the Church today is facing this challenge. A good part of humanity is not Christian, a B percentage of non-Christians is agnostic or atheist, and among baptized Christians there are many who have ceased to be so and are militating in indifferentism or relativism, if not in anti-Christian groups. People live as if God did not exist.

In this context, what is the Pope's proposal for this year? First of all, that we read, meditate on and apply the doctrinal patrimony contained in the texts of the Second Vatican Council, which are still extremely timely.

The starting point of faith is the conviction that "worldly" realities need an explanation. Without God, everything becomes incomprehensible and cruel. On the other hand, Christian tradition reminds us that faith and reason need each other(intellectus quaerens fidem and fides quaerens intellectum). Hence the Pope recommends for this year the reading and meditation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, together with employment of his Compendium.

Benedict XVI points out another reason for proclaiming the Year of Faith: the analogy with the year 1967. At that time it was the nineteenth centenary of the martyrdom of Saints Peter and Paul. Paul VI wanted to take advantage of the centenary to promulgate a solemn profession of faith: the"Creed of the People of God". Those were difficult times for the application of the conciliar texts. The nature of the sacraments - essentially the Eucharist -, the nature of holy orders and Christian marriage were under debate. Paul VI then published three very significant encyclicals: Mysterium fidei, on the reality of the Eucharistic Presence; Sacerdotalis coelibatus, on the nature and appropriateness of celibacy in the Latin Church; and Humanae vitae, on the nature of Christian marriage and the use of contraceptives.

The convocation of the Year of Faith is also related to this year's Synod of Bishops, whose topic is "The New Evangelization in the Transmission of the Christian Faith". In the preparatory document sent to the bishops of the whole world, it is underlined that the mission statement of evangelizing belongs to the very essence of the Church and is, moreover, a particularly urgent task today due, above all, to ignorance and to the complex cultural status (atheistic, indifferent or anti-theistic cultures) in whose context the light of truth must be made to shine.

On January 6 of this year, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a grade to facilitate the understanding and application of the Motu Proprio. Among other things, it encourages the intensification of pilgrimages to the Holy Land and to Rome, the holding of ecumenical meetings or meetings on faith and reason, as well as taking advantage of manifestations of popular piety, feasts and pilgrimages to transmit Catholic doctrine. It is to be hoped that Sunday preaching will also focus more on the contents of the faith.

A final exhortation is addressed to Christian families, so that these domestic churches may truly be the first center of transmission of the faith.

The Year of Faith is thus intended to be a call to all to live their faith better and to help others to know it. According to grade,"this year will be a propitious occasion for all the faithful to understand more deeply that the foundation of the Christian faith is 'the meeting with an event, with a Person, which gives a new horizon to life and, with it, a decisive orientation'." Founded on meeting with the Risen Jesus Christ, faith can be rediscovered in its fullness and splendor.