Name: Bhrnt Joshua A.
Abiles Course/Year: BSIT-III
Lesson 3
Introduction: This module will guide you to outline the importance of the Second Vatican
Council Documents. It will lead you to browse and research the important
documents related to peace and justice.
I. Topic: Vatican II Documents
II. Objectives:
· Outlined the highlights and significance of the Second Vatican Council
documents.
· Critic and infer some hot topics mentioned in the documents that has not been
applied in the Church.
· Apply in their day to day living the essential issue that has been raise; like
protecting human dignity, valuing equity, common good, solidarity, peace.,
· Classify the following documents according to historical period.
· Identify the purpose of writing the documents, the context and the historical
background and who produces the encyclical.
· Highlight the essential topic which relates to social justice and peace.
III. Activities to engage students:
Experience (Content)
Research the following: (30 points)
1.What are the Second Vatican Council Documents? Identify the following documents.
Outlined the significant points of the Documents; message, purpose, context, etc..(It
consists 14 documents)
Deepening: (refer to the link attach on this assignment) https://bit.ly/3lnlb
Activity III: Research
The Second Vatican Council Documents are documents written vary to authority,
content, and effects. This document was observed by the members of the council to
ensure the order of the council. This document gives the benchmark of judiciary,
pastoral, and dogmatic constitution as well as the constitution of sacred liturgy. This are
sixteen documents of the second Vatican council.
Constitution: Dei Verbum
Constitution: Lumen Gentium
Constitution: Sacrosanctum Concilium
Constitution: Gaudium et Spes
Declaration: Gravissimum Educationis
Declaration: Nostra Aetate
Declaration: Dignitatis Humanae
Decree: Ad Gentes
Decree: Presbyterorum Ordinis
Decree: Apostolicam Actuositatem
Decree: Optatem Totius
Decree: Perfectae Caritatis
Decree: Christus Dominus
Decree: Unitatis Redintegratio
Decree: Orientalium Ecclesiarum
Decree: Inter Mirifica
Courtesy of St. Mary’s University (Louis J Blume Library)
https://lib.stmarytx.edu/c.php?g=288118&p=1920388
December 8 marked 50th years since the closing of the Second Vatican Council. Here
are the 16 documents approved by the Second Vatican Council and their dates of
promulgation:
Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy known as “Sacrosanctum Concilium,” and was
honored 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 also acknowledge as “Inter
Mirifica,” and was honored on 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, in latin “Lumen Gentium,” and was honored on
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 or “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 or “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 or “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 or “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 or “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 or “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 or “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 or “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 or “Apostolicam Actuositatem,” Nov. 18, 1965. It
said the laity should influence their surroundings with Christ’s teachings.
Declaration on Religious Freedom or “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 or “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 or “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 or “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.
Conclusion
This document helped the council to be open to the modern world as well as
flushing the order and laws of the church. The theme of the documents was
reconciliation. In keeping, they allowed for Catholics to pray with other Christian
denominations, encouraged friendship with other non-Christian faiths, and opened the
door for languages besides Latin to be used during Mass. Other new positions
concerned education, the media and divine revelation. The council called between
2,000 and 2,500 bishops and thousands of observers, auditors, sisters, laymen and
laywomen to four sessions at St. Peter's Basilica between 1962 and 1965. Cultural
changes in the aftermath of World War II spelled a need to reconsider church practices.
These meetings did just that — 16 documents in total came out of it, laying a foundation
for the church as we know it today.