WASHINGTON - Here are the 16 documents approved by the Second
Vatican Council, which ran from Oct. 11, 1962, to Dec. 8,
1965, and their dates of promulgation:
- Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy ("Sacrosanctum
Concilium"), Dec. 4, 1963. It ordered an extensive revision
of worship so that people would have a clearer sense of their
own involvement in the Mass and other rites.
- Decree on the Instruments of Social Communication ("Inter
Mirifica"), Dec. 4, 1963. It called on members of the church,
especially the laity, to instill "a human and Christian
spirit" into newspapers, magazines, books, films, radio and
television.
- Dogmatic Constitution on the Church ("Lumen Gentium"), Nov.
21, 1964. It presented the church as a mystery, as a
communion of baptized believers, as the people of God, as the
body of Christ and as a pilgrim moving toward fulfillment in
heaven but marked on earth with "a sanctity that is real,
although imperfect."
- Decree on Ecumenism ("Unitatis Redintegratio"), Nov. 21,
1964. It said that ecumenism should be everyone's concern and
that genuine ecumenism involves a continual personal and
institutional renewal.
- Decree on Eastern Catholic Churches ("Orientalium
Ecclesiarum"), Nov. 21, 1964. It stated that variety within
the church does not harm its unity and that Eastern Catholic
churches should retain their own traditions.
- Decree on the Bishops' Pastoral Office in the Church
("Christus Dominus"), Oct. 28, 1965. It said each bishop has
full ordinary power in his own diocese and is expected to
present Christian doctrine in ways adapted to the times. It
urged conferences of bishops to exercise pastoral direction
jointly.
- Decree on Priestly Formation ("Optatam Totius"), Oct. 28,
1965. It recommended that seminaries pay attention to the
spiritual, intellectual and disciplinary formation necessary
to prepare priesthood students to become good pastors.
- Decree on the Appropriate Renewal of the Religious Life
("Perfectae Caritatis"), Oct. 28, 1965. It provided
guidelines for the personal and institutional renewal of the
lives of nuns, brothers and priests belonging to religious
orders.
- Declaration on the Relationship of the Church to
Non-Christian Religions ("Nostra Aetate"), Oct. 28, 1965. It
said the Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and
holy in non-Christian religions, called for an end to
anti-Semitism and said any discrimination based on race,
color, religion or condition of life is foreign to the mind
of Christ.
- Declaration on Christian Education ("Gravissimum
Educationis"), Oct. 28, 1965. It affirmed the right of
parents to choose the type of education they want for their
children, upheld the importance of Catholic schools and
defended freedom of inquiry in Catholic colleges and
universities.
- Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation ("Dei Verbum"),
Nov. 18, 1965. It said the church depends on Scripture and
tradition as the one deposit of God's word and commended the
use of modern scientific scholarship in studying Scripture.
- Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity ("Apostolicam
Actuositatem"), Nov. 18, 1965. It said the laity should
influence their surroundings with Christ's teachings.
- Declaration on Religious Freedom ("Dignitatis Humanae"),
Dec. 7, 1965. It said that religious liberty is a right found
in the dignity of each person and that no one should be
forced to act in a way contrary to his or her own beliefs.
- Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests ("Presbyterorum
Ordinis"), Dec. 7, 1965. It said the primary duty of priests
is to proclaim the Gospel to all, approved and encouraged
celibacy as a gift and recommended fair salaries.
- Decree on the Church's Missionary Activity ("Ad Gentes"),
Dec. 7, 1965. It said missionary activity should help the
social and economic welfare of people and not force anyone to
accept the faith.
- Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World
("Gaudium et Spes"), Dec. 7, 1965. It said the church must
talk to atheists, a continual campaign must be waged for
peace, nuclear war is unthinkable and aid to underdeveloped
nations is urgent. It said marriage was not just for
procreation and urged science to find an acceptable means of
birth regulation.