As part of the Year of Faith proclaimed by the Holy Father Benedict XVI, the Dominican Liturgical Center, together with the Dominican friary in Kraków and St. Mary’s Basilica, prepared proposals for living this special time fruitfully. We present the calendar for the whole year and a description of the individual projects, and warmly encourage you to take part.
The Holy Father Benedict XVI proclaimed the Year of Faith in the letter Porta Fidei. “It will begin on 11 October 2012, the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, and it will end on the Solemnity of our Lord Jesus Christ, Universal King, on 24 November 2013. The starting date of 11 October 2012 also marks the twentieth anniversary of the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, a text promulgated by my Predecessor, Blessed John Paul II, with a view to illustrating for all the faithful the power and beauty of faith.”
The Pope writes, and we repeat after him: “We want this Year to arouse in 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 the faith in the liturgy, especially in the Eucharist, which is ‘the summit towards which the activity of the Church is directed; and also the source from which all its power flows.’ At the same time, we make it our prayer that believers’ witness of life may grow in credibility. To rediscover the content of the faith that is professed, celebrated, lived and prayed, and to reflect on the act of faith, is a task that every believer must make his own, especially in the course of this Year.”
In accordance with the encouragement of the Holy Father and following the guidance he has given, we want to live this year working intensively on getting to know, strengthening, living out and praying our faith. That is why, together with theKraków Dominicans andSt. Mary’s Parish we have prepared a series of initiatives to make this task easier for us. We do not want this year to be like all the others. With the Pope we want to enter consciously into the mystery of our baptism and of the life that flows from it. In this way we have the chance to discover that “The ‘door of faith’ is always open for us, ushering us into the life of communion with God and offering entry into his Church. It is possible to cross that threshold when the word of God is proclaimed and the heart allows itself to be shaped by transforming grace. To enter through that door is to set out on a journey that lasts a lifetime. It begins with baptism, through which we can address God as Father, and it ends with the passage through death to eternal life.”
Holy Mass to open the Year of Faith
Presentation of the Creed
The Year of Faith begins on Thursday, 11 October this year, and on that day we want to enter together into the rhythm of the events ahead. That is why we invite you to a Holy Mass together, during which we will receive the Creed and venerate the relics of St. Peter of Verona, the Dominican martyr who, as he was dying, wrote “Credo” in the sand with his own blood. We believe that his prayer and witness will help us to receive the Creed and to live it this year and for the rest of our lives.
- 11.10.2012, 7:30 p.m.: Dominican Basilica, 12 Stolarska Street, Kraków.
Rites of Christian Initiation
We rediscover our baptism
Most of us received holy baptism when we were small children. The sacrament is not limited to the moment when it was received. We can see its effect throughout our lives. To become more aware of the grace of baptism, we invite you to accompany the catechumens. During Mass at Gródek, adults will go through the successive stages of preparation for Baptism, Confirmation and First Communion. By accompanying them, we can understand what baptism has changed in our lives.
Benedict XVI invites us to live a deuterocatechumenate, that is, to live again the preparation for baptism, a renewed initiation into life with the sacraments. The rites will lead us into this experience.
Year-round schedule of rites
The rites of Christian initiation (unless otherwise stated) take place in the Church of Our Lady of the Snows at Gródek (21 Mikołajska Street) during the 11:00 Masses.
- 02.12.2012: Rite of acceptance into the order of catechumens
- 17.02.2013: Rite of election of candidates for holy baptism.
- 24.02.2013: Presentation of the Creed to the catechumens
- 03.03.2013: First scrutiny
- 10.03.2013: Second scrutiny
- 17.03.2013: Third scrutiny
- 27.03.2013, 7 p.m., Dominican Friary (12 Stolarska Street), Chapter House: Presentation of the Lord’s Prayer
- 30.03.2013: 8 p.m. Ephphetha rite, recitation of the Creed and the Lord’s Prayer, Dominican Friary (12 Stolarska Street), the “Crypt”; 9 p.m. the Easter Vigil, during which the catechumens will receive the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist.
- 18.05.2013, 7 p.m.: Vespers and the Vigil Mass of Pentecost, during which the sacrament of Confirmation will be conferred on adults.
Vigils, nights of watching, services
We celebrate the faith
During the Year of Faith we invite you to several Nights of Watching (Marian, penitential, before Pentecost), liturgical Vigils celebrated with Gregorian chant (on the eve of the Epiphany, the Annunciation and the Holy Trinity) and several gatherings filled with singing (devotional singing for the dead, carol singing, penitential devotional singing, alleluia singing).
We will also honor the saints whose chapels are in the Dominican Basilica. On their memorials we will hold services in honor of St. Thomas, St. Joseph, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Rose of Lima, St. Dominic and St. Hyacinth. We will also hold a May devotion in the chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary and a June devotion in the chapel of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
In St. Giles’ Church we will celebrate Masses in the Dominican Rite for the Dominicans working in the missions.
Year-round schedule of services
- 27.10.2012, 3:30 p.m., St. Giles’ Church (67 Grodzka Street)
Mass in the Dominican Rite for the Dominicans working in the missions
The Nights of Watching take place in the Basilica of the Holy Trinity (12 Stolarska Street). They begin at 9 p.m.:
- 26.10.2012: Marian Night of Watching
- 08.03.2013: Penitential Night of Watching
- 18.05.2013: Night of Watching before the Solemnity of Pentecost
Gregorian vigils – Matins
- 5.01.2013: Church of Our Lady of the Snows at Gródek (21 Mikołajska Street)
8 p.m., Gregorian Vigil of the Solemnity of the Epiphany - 8.04.2013: Church of Our Lady of the Snows at Gródek (21 Mikołajska Street)
Office of Readings of the Solemnity of the Annunciation (Gródek) - 25.05.2013: Basilica of the Holy Trinity (12 Stolarska Street)
8:30 p.m. Gregorian Vigil of the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity
Services in the chapels of the Basilica of the Holy Trinity after the 7:30 p.m. Mass:
- 08.11.2012: Devotional singing for the dead
- 10.01.2013: Carol singing at the crib
- For technical reasons the following (previously planned) will not take place: Alleluia singing – devotional singing of Easter hymns, the service in honor of St. Catherine of Siena, the May devotion, the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Retreats for adults
We stop to listen
During the Year of Faith we offer two additional series of retreats for adults: the first in Advent, the second in Lent. The retreats will be preached by friars of the Dominican friary in Kraków. Each series begins on Sunday at the Masses at 9:00, 10:30, 13:30, 17:00 and 21:30. On the following days (Monday to Wednesday) the retreat talks will be given during and after the 7:30 p.m. Masses.
Retreat dates
- 9.12.2012–12.12.2012: Advent retreat for adults
- 17.02.2013–20.02.2013: Lenten retreat for adults