ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. | The leaders of Florida�s seven Roman Catholic dioceses paid tribute Sunday, Dec. 2, in the state�s oldest cathedral to the worldwide Year of Faith, proclaimed by Pope Benedict XV.

In the historic Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine, Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of the Archdiocese of Miami acknowledged they were in America�s �oldest parish,� founded in 1565, and �the first cathedral in the Sunshine State,� designated in 1870.

Archbishop Wenski, in his homily, said the Year of Faith honors the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council and the 20th anniversary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. In Florida, it coincides, he said, with the 500th anniversary of Juan Ponce de Leon�s arrival and the beginning of the Catholic faith in this nation.

�The history of this state � and indeed the history of various peoples who have in these five centuries lived here � cannot be fully understood without reference to Jesus Christ and his Gospel,� Archbishop Wenski said. �The Great Cross rising 208 feet into the skies at Mission Nombre de Dios and the Shrine of Our Lady of La Leche reminds us of the role that religion has played and continues to play in our nation and our state.�

Archbishop Wenski asked Catholics to rediscover the joy of their faith and enthusiastically share it with others �without fear or embarrassment.� In this era of �increasingly dominant secularism, we must profess the faith in its fullness with renewed conviction, with confidence and hope.�

Quoting St. Augustine, patron saint of the cathedral and the diocese, Archbishop Wenski said, �Believers strengthen themselves by believing.�

�And since the renewal of the Church is achieved through the witness offered by believers, this Year of Faith is a renewed call to conversion of all the baptized so that the truth and the beauty of faith can shine forth more credibly in us.�

St. Augustine�s Bishop Felipe J. Est�vez said of the pilgrimage, �This is where our faith began so it is like coming to the beginning of the story.�

Father Tom Willis, cathedral rector, said, �It was a blessing to be able to host the bishops of Florida as they made this pilgrimage to America's First Parish for the Year of Faith. I caught myself reflecting on why this particular church was honored with the title of 'minor basilica' over three decades ago. Because of our historical and spiritual significance, people from all walks of life come here to be renewed in their faith. What a wonderful blessing that is to our community and city.�

Joining Archbishop Wenski and Bishop Est�vez on the pilgrimage were Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito of Palm Beach; Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice; Bishop Robert N. Lynch of St. Petersburg; Bishop John Noonan of Orlando; and Bishop Gregory L. Parkes of Pensacola-Tallahassee.