Program #0443 for Monday, January 7, 2013: Catholic Faith Essentials in the Year of Faith

Summary of today’s show: For the Year of Faith called by Pope Benedict, the Archdiocese of Boston is offering Catholic Faith Essentials, an innovative new course for adults which is provided primarily through live webcasting to parishes and homes through the archdiocese and anywhere in the world. Scot Landry talks with Bishop Arthur Kennedy and Michael Lavigne about the Year of Faith, Catholic Faith Essentials, and the topics and speakers over 30 sessions for next one year plus.

Listen to the show:

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Watch the show via live video streaming or a recording later: BostonCatholicLive.com

Today’s host(s): Scot Landry

Today’s guest(s): Bishop Arthur Kennedy, Episcopal Vicar for the New Evangelization, and Michael Lavigne

Links from today’s show:

• Year of Faith, Boston
• Catholic Faith Essentials
• BostonCatholicLive.com

Today’s topics: Catholic Faith Essentials

Show notes: Catholic Faith Essentials uses new technology to help people connect with their faith through a series of reflections and topics related to faith. They will have pre- and post-reading that will help attendees reflect on what they will hear. Participants can participate individually and in groups as they can and if they cannot participate live on Mondays, they will be able to watch the recordings of the speakers later on the Year of Faith, Boston website or at BostonCatholicLive.com. They will also be able to submit questions before and during the talks and some will be answered live or others after the event. It’s a unique offering that is innovative and unlike any offering from other dioceses.

Bishop Kennedy said we can take our faith for granted, which leaves us not seeing that action of God in our lives that is a gift. Faith is a response to the inner desire which exists in our heart by virtue of having been created been God. We can sometimes become inattentive to that desire in our hearts.

There are two aspects to faith: The content of the faith itself and the act of wanting a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. The Year of Faith is about an intimate relationship with Christ himself. For it to be a true relationship, there has to be a selfless giving of each person to the other. The act of faith is to surrender self completely to God. Faith is trust too. And when we are away from those we genuinely love and trust, we miss them. When we are not with God, we have something missing in our lives, which is the purpose and meaning that only God can give to us.