“A Christian may never think of belief as a private act…Faith, precisely because it is a free act, also demands social responsibility for what one believes.”  Porta Fidei #10

“The Church encompasses with her love all those who are afflicted by human misery and she recognizes in those who are poor and who suffer, the image of her poor and suffering founder. She does all in her power to relieve their need and in them she strives to serve Christ. Christ, “holy, innocent and undefiled” knew nothing of sin, but came only to expiate the sins of the people. The Church, however, clasping sinners to her bosom, at once holy and always in need of purification, follows constantly the path of penance and renewal. Lumen Gentium 8”

“The spiritual life is not limited solely to participation in the liturgy. The Christian is indeed called to pray with others, but he must also enter into his bedroom to pray to his Father in secret, furthermore, according to the teaching of the apostle, he must pray without ceasing. We also learn from the same apostle that we must always carry around in our bodies the dying of Jesus, so that the life also of Jesus may be manifest in our mortal Flesh. Sacrosanctum Concilium 12”

“Deep within his conscience man discovers a law which he has not laid upon himself but which he must obey.  Its voice, ever calling him to love and to do what is good and to avoid evil, tells him inwardly at the right moment: do this, shun that.  For man has in his heart a law inscribed by God.  His dignity lies in observing this law, and by it he will be judged.  His conscience is man’s most secret core, and his sanctuary.  There he is alone with God whose voice echoes in his depths.  By conscience, in a wonderful way, that law is made known which is fulfilled in the love of God and of one’s neighbor.  Through loyalty to conscience Christians are joined to other men in the search for truth and for the right solution to many moral problems that arise in both the life of individuals and from social relationships.” Gaudium et spes 16

“ ‘Ignorance of the Scripture is ignorance of Christ.’ Therefore, let all go gladly to the sacred text itself, whether in the sacred liturgy, which is full of the divine words, or in devout reading, or is such suitable exercises and various other helps which, with the approval and guidance of the pastors of the Church are happily spreading everywhere in our day. Let them remember, however, that prayer should accompany the reading of sacred Scripture, so that dialogue takes place between God and man.  For, ‘we speak to him when we pray; we listen to him when we read the divine oracles.’ Dei Verbum 25”

“Christ is now at work in the hearts of men by the power of his Spirit; not only does he arouse in them a desire for the world to come but he quickens, purifies, and strengthens the generous aspirations of mankind to make life more humane and conquer the earth for his purpose.  The gifts of the Spirit are manifold: some men are called to testify openly to mankind’s yearning for its heavenly home and keep the awareness of it vividly before men’s minds; others are called to dedicate themselves to the earthly service of men and in this way to prepare the way for the kingdom of heaven.  But of all the Spirit makes free men, who are ready to put aside love of self and integrate earthly resources into human life, in order to reach out to that future day when mankind itself will become an offering acceptable to God. Gaudium et spes 38”

“When the work which the Father gave the Son to do on earth was accomplished, the Holy Spirit was sent on the day of Pentecost in order that he might continually sanctify the Church, and that, consequently, those who believe might have access through Christ in one Spirit to the Father.  He is the Spirit of life, the fountain of water springing up to eternal life.  To men, dead in sin, the Father gives life through him. until the day when, in Christ, he raises to life their mortal bodies.  The Spirit dwells in the Church and in the hearts of the faithful as in a temple.  In them he prays and bears witness to their adoptive sonship.  Guiding the Church in the way of all truth and unifying her in communion and in the works of ministry, he bestows upon her varied hierarchic and charismatic gifts, and in this way directs her; and he adorns her with his fruits.  By the power of the Gospel he permits the Church to keep the freshness of youth. Constantly he renews her and leads her to perfect union with her Spouse.  For the Spirit and the Bride both say to Jesus, the Lord: ‘Come!’

“We want this year to arouse I every believer the aspiration to profess the faith in fullness and with renewed conviction, with confidence and hope. It will also be a good opportunity to intensify the celebration of faith in the liturgy, especially in the Eucharist.” Porta Fidei #9

In the mystery of his death and resurrection, God revealed in its fullness the love that saves and calls us to conversion of life through the forgiveness of sins.  For St. Paul, this love ushers us into a new life: “We were buried by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4).”  Porta Fidei #6

The fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council would provide a good opportunity to help people understand that the texts bequeathed by the Council Fathers, in the words of Blessed John Paul II, “have lost nothing of their value or brilliance.” Porta Fidei #5