Vatican Council II

• Nearly a third of the writings from all the councils through the centuries come from Vatican II
• Types of documents issued by the bishops at Vatican II

  • Constitutions
  • Declarations
  • Decrees
• Constitutions


  • Have the highest teaching authority
• The documents reflect new ways of thinking applied to ancient beliefs
• The Council reaffirmed the fundamental teachings of the faith while updating their presentation and practice
• The bishops tried to look beyond the historically conditioned nature of many Church teachings
• The documents of Vatican II are historically conditioned
• Future generations of Catholics will need to retrieve the basic ideas presented in the Vatican II documents
• Top seven reasons why the Second Vatican Council is important

  • Aggiornamento
  • Religious Freedom
  • Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue
  • The Church’s Mission
  • Scripture
  • The Faithful
  • Diversity
• Aggiornamento


  Updating the Church
• Religious Freedom


  Conscience is key
• Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue

  • Talking to people with other beliefs
• The Church’s Mission


  • Living the Good News
• The Faithful


  • All working together to be Church
• The bishops changed the way the Mass was celebrated
• Changes to the Mass

  • Use of native languages
  • Priest facing the congregation
  • Lay people as readers and Eucharistic ministers
  • Fast before communion changed to one hour
• Diversity


  • Different ways of being the same Church
• The Vatican II documents were written in Latin
• The Vatican II documents were later translated into many languages, including English
• Vatican II Documents


  • Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium)
  • Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation (Dei Verbum)
  • Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World (Gaudium et Spes)
  • Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (Sacrosanctum Concilium)
  • Declaration on Religious Freedom (Dignitatis Humanae)
  • Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions (Nostra Aetate)
  • Declaration on Christian Education (Gravissum Educationis)
  • Decree on Ecumenism (Unitatis Redintegratio)
  • Decree on the Catholic Eastern Churches (Orientalium Ecclesiarum)
  • Decree on the Church’s Missionary Activity (Ad Gentes)
  • Decree on the Pastoral Office of Bishops in the Church (Christus Dominus)
  • Decree on Ministry and Life of Priests (Presbyterorum Ordinis)
  • Decree on the Training of Priests (Optatum Totius)
  • Decree on the Up-to-Date Renewal of the Religious Life (Perfectae Caritatis)
  • Decree on the Apostolate of Lay People (Apostolicam Actuositatem)
  • Decree on the Means of Social Communication (Inter Mirifica)
• Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium)


  Talks about how the Church sees itself
• Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation (Dei Verbum)


  God has revealed himself most fully through Christ and his Church
• Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World (Gaudium et Spes)


  The Church is a vibrant, living sacramental sign of Jesus in the midst of history
• Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (Sacrosanctum Concilium)


  The liturgy needs to be updated for better understanding
• Declaration on Religious Freedom (Dignitatis Humanae)

  Each human has the right to religious liberty
• Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions (Nostra Aetate)


  Believers of all faiths experience similar struggles
• Declaration on Christian Education (Gravissum Educationis)


  Everyone has the right to education
• Decree on Ecumenism (Unitatis Redintegratio)


  Other Christian communities have also been used by God as a means of salvation
• Decree on the Catholic Eastern Churches (Orientalium Ecclesiarum)

  This document affirms the value of the Eastern Churches
• Decree on the Church’s Missionary Activity (Ad Gentes)


  The Church is missionary in its very nature
• Decree on the Pastoral Office of Bishops in the Church (Christus Dominus)


  Bishops are the shepherds of their communities
• Decree on Ministry and Life of Priests (Presbyterorum Ordinis)


  Priests have vital roles to play as helpers of the bishops
• Decree on the Training of Priests (Optatum Totius)


  Seminary training should be restructured
• Decree on the Up-to-Date Renewal of the Religious Life (Perfectae Caritatis)


  Religious Orders should be updated to adapt to the modern world
• Decree on the Apostolate of Lay People (Apostolicam Actuositatem)


  The laity have their own Christian vocation
• Decree on the Means of Social Communication (Inter Mirifica)


  The Church must use new means of communication
• The primary reasons for convening the Second Vatican Council were to address and update Church doctrines and practices to be more relevant to the modern world, promote Christian unity, and renew the Church spiritually and pastorally.
• The Second Vatican Council took place

  1962 to 1965
• Key themes addressed during the Second Vatican Council

  • Liturgical reform
  • Role of the laity
  • Ecumenism
  • Church's relationship with the modern world
  • Religious freedom
  • Nature of the Church
• The Council aimed to foster a dialogue with the modern world, updating Church practices and teachings to be more accessible and relevant to contemporary society.