A concelebrated mass at the San Sebastian Cathedral led by Bishop Vicente Navarra yesterday opened the celebration of the Year of Faith that will end Nov. 24, 2013.

Before the mass, a procession was held at the Bacolod Public Plaza.

It was also the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council and the 20th anniversary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Navarra said.

The bishop encouraged all parishioners to strengthen their faith and surpass all temptations. He said people must not fear because the Church is armed with two instruments of faith, the 16 documents of the Second Vatican Council, and the Book of Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Bacolod City and Negros Occidental are enjoying festivals and celebrations but also facing problems and other occurrences that give people fear, he said.

He reminded the parishioners that this is the challenge people must face in the Year of Faith. “We need faith as God has risen from death to save us from sins,” he said.

The youth who are confronted with various distractions, excessive happiness and excitement, and media practitioners, who are also faced with commercialism and conflict of ideologies, must also strengthen their faith in Christ, Navarra also said.

“We need to help the youth not to get distracted by the worldly things and make them realize their dreams and aspirations in life,” he said. The mass media, on the other hand has the responsibility to reveal the truth and information, encourage the youth to improve their attitude, and to make them responsible citizens in the future, he also said.

The Year of Faith is also the chance for the people to go back to Christ and Bacolodnons will take that step, Navarra added. *LTG

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