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A little over a year ago, I challenged myself, and you, to read the whole Catechism for the Year of Faith with Flocknote's "Catechism in a Year" program.

Pope Benedict had asked the whole Church to discover the riches of Catholic doctrine and reflect on the Faith anew by studying the Catechism.

Over 100,000 people signed up for that program (not all of them because of that post), the largest number of people reading the Catechism together in history! I can’t really prove that, but can you think of any other time in history when something like that could have been possible?

Now the Year of Faith is over, and I can honestly now say that I've read the whole Catechism...twice.

It wasn't easy. There were some bumps in the road. I didn't always read every day. Sometimes I had to catch up on 4 or 5 emails at a time because I was too busy when they came in. But I did it!

Now that it's over...what to do? What are you going to do? Well here's an idea.

Let’s do it all again! Or maybe the same thing with a little twist.

Study the Gospels

Flocknote is starting it all over. If you'd like to give it another go and read the whole thing again (which I should), you can sign up and get back on the track. The actual content in the emails is from the Youth Catechism (YOUCAT), but there's a link at the bottom to the corresponding paragraphs in the Catechism. So the actual CCC text is only a click away.

However, if you're up for a change (me, me, me), Flocknote is also offering the new program, “Study the Gospels in a Year.”

Yep, every day you'll get a short, daily Gospel reading (+commentary) in your email inbox. Read that little bit every day and you'll study the gospels, all four, in a year. Bam! Spiritual reading plan for next year...done!

The commentary is from the Ignatius Study Bible written by my professor, Scott Hahn. I may be slightly biased but this really is the best Bible commentary you can get. Not only is it theologically rich (come on, this is Scott Hahn!), but it also references Church doctrine, Ecumenical Councils, commentary from the Saints, and most importantly, the Catechism.

Whenever the Catechism cites a particular Scripture passage, there's a note in the commentary for that passage with the CCC paragraph number and a short description of what the Catechism says. There’s no better way to study the gospels, and it's a natural follow on from reading the Catechism all last year.

The Ignatius Study Bible commentary truly allows you to read the Bible within the mind of the Church. It looks at the New Testament in light of the Old. It references the Church’s Living Tradition as found in the Magisterial pronouncements and writings of the Saints. And, it takes into account how the Church's authoritative norm for teaching, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, interprets passages. You just can't go wrong with this!

So sign up (perhaps again) to read the Catechism, or put your name in the hat to study the gospels this year.

The choice is yours, but please...make one. Over 100,000 people did last year.

This year you'll be happy you're one of them.

Did you read the Catechism last year with the Flocknote program? What was your experience with it? Would you recommend to others this year?

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Copyright 2013 Marc Cardonella