This Year in the Eyes of the Pope...

Catholic News Service Rome correspondent says Pope Benedict XVI's teachings, speeches, and decisions of  2012 can be summed up in three values:  

1. Religious Liberty
2. Catholic Identity 
3. Evangelization  

The Video: 
http://bcove.me/otma4rpq


Highlights:  

February 2012- Creation of New Cardinals:

Holy Mass with New Cardinals

Here are the names of the new Cardinals:

1. Archbishop Fernando Filoni, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples;
2. Archbishop Manuel Monteiro de Castro, Major Penitentiary;
3. Archbishop Santos Abril y Castelló, Archpriest of the Papal Basilica of St Mary Major;
4. Archbishop Antonio Maria Vegliò, President of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People;
5. Archbishop Giuseppe Bertello, President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and President of the Governorate of the same State;
6. Archbishop Francesco Coccopalmerio, President of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts;
7. Archbishop João Braz de Aviz, Prefect of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life;
8. Archbishop Edwin Frederick O’Brien, Pro-Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem;
9. Archbishop Domenico Calcagno, President of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See;
10. Archbishop Giuseppe Versaldi, President of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See;
11. H.B. George Alencherry, Major Archbishop of Ernakulam — Angamaly for Syro-Malabars, India;
12. Archbishop Thomas Christopher Collins of Toronto, Canada;
13. Archbishop Dominik Duka, O.P., of Prague, Czech Republic;
14. Archbishop Willem Jacobus Eijk of Utrecht, The Netherlands;
15. Archbishop Giuseppe Betori of Florence, Italy;
16. Archbishop Timothy Michael Dolan of New York, United States of America;
17. Archbishop Rainer Maria Woelki of Berlin, Federal Republic of Germany;
18. Bishop John Tong Hon of Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China;

In addition, I have decided to raise to the dignity of cardinal a venerable prelate who is carrying out his ministry as the pastor and father of a Church, and three praiseworthy clerics who have distinguished themselves for their commitment at the service of the Church:
1. H.B. Lucian Mureşan, Major Archbishop of Făgăraş and Alba Iulia for Romanians, Romania;
2. Mons. Julien Ries, Priest of the Diocese of Namur, Belgium, Professor emeritus of history and religion at the Catholic University of Leuven/Louvain;
3. Fr Prosper Grech, OSA, Lecturer emeritus at various universities in Rome and Consultor to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith;
4. Fr Karl Becker, SJ, Lecturer emeritus at the Pontifical Gregorian University, Consultor to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

March 2012:

Ad Limina Visits from American Bishops

Apostolic Journey to Mexico and Cuba.  

April 2012: 

Holy Week 

Ad Limina Visits from American Bishops 

September 2012:

Apostolic Journey to Lebanon

-Gallery 1

-Gallery 2 

October 2012: 

October 7: Holy Mass for the opening of the Synod of Bishops and proclamation of St John of Avila and St Hildegard of Bingen as "Doctors of the Church"

October 11: Holy Mass for the opening of the   Year of Faith  (Also 50th Anniversary of the opening Vatican II Council) 

October 21: Canonization of the Blesseds: 

Holy Mass

- James Berthieu
- Pedro Calungsod
- John Baptist Piamarta
- Carmen Sallés y Barangueras
- Marianne Cope
- Kateri Tekakwitha
- Anna Schäffer

October 28: Holy Mass for the closing of the Synod of Bishops

November 2012: 

Creation of New Cardinals: 

Here are the names of the New Cardinals: 

- Archbishop James Michael Harvey, prefect of the Pontifical Household who, Benedict XVI said, "I intend to appoint as archpriest of the papal basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls".
- His Beatitude Bechara Boutros Rai, patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites, Lebanon.
- His Beatitude Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal, major archbishop of Trivandrum of the Syro-Malankars, India.
- Archbishop John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan of Abuja, Nigeria.
- Archbishop Ruben Salazar Gomez of Bogota, Colombia.
- Archbishop Luis Antonio G. Tagle of Manila, Philippines.

December 2012:  

Christmas Celebrations

Also throughout the Year, the Holy Father made many statements to bishops (especially American Bishops) on the Importance of Religious Liberty.  As he called it, 

"THE MOST CHERISHED OF AMERICAN LIBERTIES" 

He also called for the New Evangelization, to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ in an increasingly secular Society.  

The Year of Faith is also a means to help that.  

Let us Pray that Next Year will be even better than this!  

Mary, Mother of God, Pray for you children here on earth.  We entrust to Jesus through  you this next year 2013 AD.      

May the Blessings of the Most Holy Trinity always be upon you!!!