The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has published a Note with pastoral recommendations for the Year of Faith proclaimed by Pope Benedict XVI in his apostolic letter Porta Fidei (11 October 2011). The Year of Faith will begin on 11 October 2012, the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Ecumenical Vatican Council, and will conclude on 24 November 2013, the Solemnity of our Lord Jesus Christ, Universal King. During this year, the Church will also be celebrating the 20th anniversary of the promulgation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
The Note offers various suggestions to the Episcopal Conferences, saying that it would be well to dedicate a day of study to the topic of faith, its personal witness and its transmission to new generations. It urges that a renewed effort be made to translate the documents of Vatican Council II and the Catechism of the Catholic Church into languages which lack a translation. It also advocates initiatives of charitable support to enable translations into the local languages of mission countries, where the local Churches cannot afford the expense, recommending that this be done under the guidance of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
In addition, the Note entreats bishops to promote television and radio transmissions, films and publications focusing on the Faith, its principles and content, as well as on the ecclesial significance of the Second Vatican Council. This should be done using the new styles of communication, especially on the popular level, so as to reach a wider public. And since the contemporary world is sensitive to the relationship between faith and art, the Note also recommends that Episcopal Conferences maximize the catechetical potential–possibly with ecumenical cooperation–of the artistic patrimony of the region entrusted to their pastoral care.