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Documents of the Second Vatican Council
Unitatis Redintegratio: Dekrét o ekumenizme
The sixteen official documents—constitutions, decrees, and declarations—of the Second Vatican Council are now available from Liturgical Press in the most popular and widely used inclusive-language edition translated by Irish Dominican Austin Flannery (+October 21, 2008).
As the worldwide Church continues to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Council (1962–65), there is a great need in college classrooms and parish faith formation groups—as well as for individuals—to again have access to these documents in contemporary English. As Flannery wrote in his introduction to the 1996 edition, “The translation of the texts of the Vatican documents in the present volume differs from that in the previous publication in two respects. It has been very considerably revised and, in place, corrected. It is also, to a very large extent, in inclusive language.
“I say ‘to a very large extent,’ because we have used inclusive language in passages about men and women but not, however, in passages about God, except where the use of the masculine pronoun was easily avoidable.”
As the worldwide Church continues to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Council (1962–65), there is a great need in college classrooms and parish faith formation groups—as well as for individuals—to again have access to these documents in contemporary English. As Flannery wrote in his introduction to the 1996 edition, “The translation of the texts of the Vatican documents in the present volume differs from that in the previous publication in two respects. It has been very considerably revised and, in place, corrected. It is also, to a very large extent, in inclusive language.
“I say ‘to a very large extent,’ because we have used inclusive language in passages about men and women but not, however, in passages about God, except where the use of the masculine pronoun was easily avoidable.”
Unknown Binding
First published June 1, 2014
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Second Vatican Council
52 books16 followersThe Second Vatican Council (Latin: Concilium Oecumenicum Vaticanum Secundum, informally known as Vatican II) addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first ecumenical council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at Saint Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. The council, through the Holy See, formally opened under the pontificate of Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed under Pope Paul VI on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on 8th December 1965.
Several changes resulted from the council, including the renewal of consecrated life with a revised charism, ecumenical efforts towards dialogue with other religions, and the call to holiness for everyone including the laity, according to Pope Paul VI "the most characteristic and ultimate purpose of the teachings of the Council".
According to Pope Benedict XVI, the most important and essential message of the council is "the Paschal Mystery as the center of what it is to be Christian and therefore of the Christian life, the Christian year, the Christian seasons". Other changes which followed the council included the widespread use of vernacular languages in the Mass instead of Latin, the subtle disuse of ornate clerical regalia, the revision of Eucharistic prayers, the abbreviation of the liturgical calendar, the ability to celebrate the Mass versus populum (with the officiant facing the congregation), as well as ad orientem (facing the "East" and the Crucifix), and modern aesthetic changes encompassing contemporary Catholic liturgical music and artwork, many of which remain divisive among the Catholic faithful.
Several changes resulted from the council, including the renewal of consecrated life with a revised charism, ecumenical efforts towards dialogue with other religions, and the call to holiness for everyone including the laity, according to Pope Paul VI "the most characteristic and ultimate purpose of the teachings of the Council".
According to Pope Benedict XVI, the most important and essential message of the council is "the Paschal Mystery as the center of what it is to be Christian and therefore of the Christian life, the Christian year, the Christian seasons". Other changes which followed the council included the widespread use of vernacular languages in the Mass instead of Latin, the subtle disuse of ornate clerical regalia, the revision of Eucharistic prayers, the abbreviation of the liturgical calendar, the ability to celebrate the Mass versus populum (with the officiant facing the congregation), as well as ad orientem (facing the "East" and the Crucifix), and modern aesthetic changes encompassing contemporary Catholic liturgical music and artwork, many of which remain divisive among the Catholic faithful.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 29, 2013
One of the most ignored documents among Catholics. I often find rush opinions about ecumenism, but hardly ever I hear an educated opinion of what this concept is. Hopefully more people inside the Church could read this document first before expressing such a romantic idea of it.
March 28, 2020
If you want to know how the Church sees itself in relationship to other Christian confessions and also happen to ignore what Ecumenism actually means, this is the go-to document.
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October 30, 2021Solid Vatican II document!
It emphasized the need for interfaith dialogue and ESPECIALLY understanding, while still maintaining that in the Catholic Church the unity will be found, and that we really truly long for the day when all Christian faiths are united in the Catholic Eucharist. :)
My favorite bit: "this Sacred Council exhorts the faithful to refrain from superficiality and imprudent zeal, which can hinder real progress toward unity."
It emphasized the need for interfaith dialogue and ESPECIALLY understanding, while still maintaining that in the Catholic Church the unity will be found, and that we really truly long for the day when all Christian faiths are united in the Catholic Eucharist. :)
My favorite bit: "this Sacred Council exhorts the faithful to refrain from superficiality and imprudent zeal, which can hinder real progress toward unity."
February 28, 2019
The reality is Christ called for One Church and until we can start dialogue with each other we will never get there! Yes, there is unity found in diversity, but too much diversity just leads to confusion and misunderstandings. This document from Vatican II should be read by all, Catholic and non-Catholic alike so that together we can work together to build up Christ’s Body, the Church!
November 2, 2020
Unitatis Redintegratio is main document of Vatican 2 about ecumenism with Ortodox and protestant churches. It pawed the way catholics should deal with other brothers in Christ. As of now fruits of this great document are still in process of making. I pray to Holy Spirit for more unity in Christ.
April 3, 2023
This needs to be read side by side with Ratzinger's "Dominus Jesus." I was surprised to find myself slightly less averse to this document reading it the second time around. We live in a very confusing time, and the examples of ecumenism in action we are given make me very skeptical of the notion (e.g., Assissi meetings, Amazon synod, etc.). However, while there are ambiguous and questionable paragraphs in the document itself, it is not totally errant, and it prods me to reconsider the importance of evangelization.
January 24, 2013
Unitatis Redintegratio es un decreto sobre el Ecumenismo que se realizó en el Concilio Vaticano II. Este busca, a través de la comunión con Dios, la unión de la Iglesia, es decir, de la Iglesia Oriental y Occidental, y también la unión con los hermanos separados.
«Por "movimiento ecuménico" se entiende el conjunto de actividades y de empresas que, conforme a las distintas necesidades de la Iglesia y a las circunstancias de los tiempos, se suscitan y se ordenan a favorecer la unidad de los cristianos» UR Capítulo I
Este docuemento nos exhorta también a conocer más a nuestros hermanos separados y valorar las costumbres de la Iglesia Oriental y Occidental. Y nos motiva a reconocer las cosas que nos unen: la confesión de Cristo, estudio de la Sagrada Escritura y la vida sacramental. Este concilio, a través de este decreto, exhorta finalmente a evitar cualquier tipo de actitud que perjudique el progreso de la unidad de la Iglesia y que, por el contrario, luchemos por hacer del cuerpo de Cristo (La Iglesia) uno solo; recordando que esta empresa no puede lograrse por nuestros méritos y que debemos acudir constantemente a Dios, por medio de la oración, para poder hacerlo.
«Por "movimiento ecuménico" se entiende el conjunto de actividades y de empresas que, conforme a las distintas necesidades de la Iglesia y a las circunstancias de los tiempos, se suscitan y se ordenan a favorecer la unidad de los cristianos» UR Capítulo I
Este docuemento nos exhorta también a conocer más a nuestros hermanos separados y valorar las costumbres de la Iglesia Oriental y Occidental. Y nos motiva a reconocer las cosas que nos unen: la confesión de Cristo, estudio de la Sagrada Escritura y la vida sacramental. Este concilio, a través de este decreto, exhorta finalmente a evitar cualquier tipo de actitud que perjudique el progreso de la unidad de la Iglesia y que, por el contrario, luchemos por hacer del cuerpo de Cristo (La Iglesia) uno solo; recordando que esta empresa no puede lograrse por nuestros méritos y que debemos acudir constantemente a Dios, por medio de la oración, para poder hacerlo.
Para finalizar debo decir que este decreto es muy corto y la redacción es muy entendible, vale la pena leerlo, para entender el rol que tenemos los católicos frente a los demás cristianos del mundo.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews