The Second Vatican Ecumenical Council

Vatican II

Opened Under Pope John XXIII in 1962

Closed by Pope Paul VI in 1965

VATICAN COUNCIL, THE SECOND

These same documents in numerous other languages are available on this Vatican webpage: Documents of the Second Vatican Council

Pope John XXIII’s Address to Open the Council 1962

Pope Paul VI’s Address to Last General Meeting 1965

DOCUMENTS already appearing at this site ...

On the Church in the Modern World Gaudium Et Spes

Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium

Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation Dei Verbum

Declaration on Religious Freedom Dignitatis Humanae

Decree on Ecumenism Unitatis Redintegratio

Decree on the Churches of the Eastern Rite Orientalium Ecclesiarum

On the Relation to Non-Christian Religions Nostra Aetate

Guidelines on Religious Relations with the Jews

Decree on Mission Activity of the Church Ad Gentes

Declaration on Christian Education Gravissimum Educationis

Decree on the Pastoral Office of Bishops Christus Dominus

Decree on Apostolate of Laity Apostolicam Actuositatem

Constitution on Sacred Liturgy Sacrosactum Concilium

Decree on Renewal of Religious Life Perfectae Caritatis

Decree on Ministry of Priests Presbyterorum Ordinis

Decree on Priestly Training Optatam Totius

Decree on Means of Social Communication Inter Mirifica

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Pope John's Opening Speech to the Council

On October 11, 1962, the first day of the Council, Pope John delivered this

address in St. Peter's Basilica.

Mother Church rejoices that, by the singular gift of Divine Providence, the

longed-for day has finally dawned when -- under the auspices of the virgin

Mother of God, whose maternal dignity is commemorated on this feast -- the

Second Vatican Ecumenical Council is being solemnly opened here beside St.

Peter's tomb.

THE ECUMENICAL COUNCILS OF THE CHURCH

The Councils -- both the twenty ecumenical ones and the numberless others,

also important, of a provincial or regional character which have been held

down through the years -- all prove clearly the vigor of the Catholic Church

and are recorded as shining lights in her annals.

In calling this vast assembly of bishops, the latest and humble successor to

the Prince of the Apostles who is addressing you intended to assert once

again the magisterium (teaching authority), which is unfailing and perdures

until the end of time, in order that this magisterium, taking into account

the errors, the requirements, and the opportunities of our time, might be

presented in exceptional form to all men throughout the world.

It is but natural that in opening this Universal Council we should like to

look to the past and to listen to its voices whose echo we like to hear in

the memories and the merits of the more recent and ancient Pontiffs, our

predecessors. These are solemn and venerable voices, throughout the East and

the West, from the fourth century to the Middle Ages, and from there to

modern times, which have handed down their witness to those Councils. They

are voices which proclaim in perennial fervor the triumph of that divine and

human institution, the Church of Christ, which from Jesus takes its name,

its grace, and its meaning.

Side by side with these motives for spiritual joy, however, there has also

been for more than nineteen centuries a cloud of sorrows and of trials. Not

without reason did the ancient Simeon announce to Mary the mother of Jesus,

that prophecy which has been and still is true: ''Behold this child is set

for the fall and the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which

shall be contradicted'' ( Lk. 2: 34 ) . And Jesus Himself, when He grew up,

clearly outlined the manner in which the world would treat His person down

through the succeeding centuries with the mysterious words: ''He who hears

you, hears me'' (Ibid. 10:16), and with those others that the same Evangelist

relates: ''He who is not with me is against me and he who does not gather

with me scatters'' (Ibid. 11 :23).

The great problem confronting the world after almost two thousand years

remains unchanged. Christ is ever resplendent as the center of history and

of life. Men are either with Him and His Church, and then they enjoy light,

goodness, order, and peace. Or else they are without Him, or against Him,

and deliberately opposed to His Church, and then they give rise to

confusion, to bitterness in human relations, and to the constant danger of

fratricidal wars.

Ecumenical Councils, whenever they are assembled, are a solemn celebration

of the union of Christ and His Church, and hence lead to the universal

radiation of truth, to the proper guidance of individuals in domestic and

social life, to the strengthening of spiritual energies for a perennial

uplift toward real and everlasting goodness.

The testimony of this extraordinary magisterium of the Church in the

succeeding epochs of these twenty centuries of Christian history stands

before us collected in numerous and imposing volumes, which are the sacred

patrimony of our ecclesiastical archives, here in Rome and in the more noted

libraries of the entire world.

THE ORIGIN AND REASON FOR THE SECOND VATICAN ECUMENICAL COUNCIL

As regards the initiative for the great event which gathers us here, it will

suffice to repeat as historical documentation our personal account of the

first sudden bringing up in our heart and lips of the simple words,

''Ecumenical Council.'' We uttered those words in the presence of the Sacred

College of Cardinals on that memorable January 25, 1959, the feast of the

Conversion of St. Paul, in the basilica dedicated to him. It was completely

unexpected, like a flash of heavenly light, shedding sweetness in eyes and

hearts. And at the same time it gave rise to a great fervor throughout the

world in expectation of the holding of the Council.

There have elapsed three years of laborious preparation, during which a wide

and profound examination was made regarding modern conditions of faith and

religious practice, and of Christian and especially Catholic vitality. These

years have seemed to us a first sign, an initial gift of celestial grace.

Illuminated by the light of this Council, the Church -- we confidently trust

-- will become greater in spiritual riches and gaining the strength of new

energies therefrom, she will look to the future without fear. In fact, by

bringing herself up to date where required, and by the wise organization of

mutual co-operation, the Church will make men, families, and peoples really

turn their minds to heavenly things.

And thus the holding of the Council becomes a motive for wholehearted

thanksgiving to the Giver of every good gift, in order to celebrate with

joyous canticles the glory of Christ our Lord, the glorious and immortal

King of ages and of peoples.

The opportuneness of holding the Council is, moreover, venerable brothers,

another subject which it is useful to propose for your consideration.

Namely, in order to render our Joy more complete, we wish to narrate before

this great assembly our assessment of the happy circumstances under which

the Ecumenical Council commences.

In the daily exercise of our pastoral office, we sometimes have to listen,

much to our regret, to voices of persons who, though burning with zeal, are

not endowed with too much sense of discretion or measure. In these modern

times they can see nothing but prevarication and ruin. They say that our

era, in comparison with past eras, is getting worse, and they behave as

though they had learned nothing from history, which is, none the less, the

teacher of life. They behave as though at the time of former Councils

everything was a full triumph for the Christian idea and life and for proper

religious liberty.

We feel we must disagree with those prophets of gloom, who are always

forecasting disaster, as though the end of the world were at hand.

In the present order of things, Divine Providence is leading us to a new

order of human relations which, by men's own efforts and even beyond their

very expectations, are directed toward the fulfilment of God's superior and

inscrutable designs. And everything, even human differences, leads to the

greater good of the Church.

It is easy to discern this reality if we consider attentively the world of

today, which is so busy with politics and controversies in the economic

order that it does not find time to attend to the care of spiritual reality,

with which the Church's magisterium is concerned. such a way of acting is

certainly not right, and must justly be disapproved. It cannot be denied,

however, that these new conditions of modern life have at least the

advantage of having eliminated those innumerable obstacles by which, at one

time, the sons of this world impeded the free action of the Church. In fact,

it suffices to leaf even cursorily through the pages of ecclesiastical

history to note clearly how the Ecumenical Councils themselves, while

constituting a series of true glories for the Catholic Church, were often

held to the accompaniment of most serious difficulties and sufferings

because of the undue interference of civil authorities. The princes of this

world, indeed, sometimes in all sincerity, intended thus to protect the

Church. But more frequently this occurred not without spiritual damage and

danger, since their interest therein was guided by the views of a selfish

and perilous policy.

In this regard, we confess to you that we feel most poignant sorrow over the

fact that very many bishops, so dear to us are noticeable here today by

their absence, because they are imprisoned for their faithfulness to Christ,

or impeded by other restraints. The thought of them impels us to raise most

fervent prayer to God. Nevertheless, we see today, not without great hopes

and to our immense consolation, that the Church, finally freed from so many

obstacles of a profane nature such as trammeled her in the past, can from

this Vatican Basilica, as if from a second apostolic cenacle, and through

your intermediary, raise her voice resonant with majesty and greatness.

PRINCIPLE DUTY OF THE COUNCIL: THE DEFENSE AND ADVANCEMENT OF TRUTH

The greatest concern of the Ecumenical Council is this: that he sacred

deposit of Christian doctrine should be guarded and taught more

efficaciously. That doctrine embraces the whole of man, composed as he is of

body and soul. And, since he is a pilgrim on this earth, it commands him to

tend always toward heaven.

This demonstrates how our mortal life is to be ordered in such a way as to

fulfil our duties as citizens of earth and of heaven, and thus to attain the

aim of life as established by God. That is, all men, whether taken singly or

as united in society, today have the duty of tending ceaselessly during

their lifetime toward the attainment of heavenly things and to use. for this

purpose only, the earthly goods, the employment of which must not prejudice

their eternal happiness.

The Lord has said: ''Seek first the kingdom of Cod and his justice'' (Mt.

6:33). The word ''first'' expresses the direction in which our thoughts and

energies must move. We must not, however, neglect the other words of this

exhortation of our Lord, namely: ''And all these things shall be given you

besides'' (Ibid. ). In reality, there always have been in the Church, and

there are still today, those who, while seeking the practice of evangelical

perfection with all their might, do not fail to make themselves useful to

society. Indeed, it from their constant example of life and their charitable

undertakings that all that is highest and noblest in human society takes its

strength and growth.

In order, however, that this doctrine may influence the numerous fields of

human activity, with reference to individuals, to families, and to social

life, it is necessary first of all that the Church should never depart from

the sacred patrimony of truth received from the Fathers. But at the same

time she must ever look to the present, to the new conditions and new forms

of life introduced into the modern world, which have opened new avenues to

the Catholic apostolate.

For this reason, the Church has not watched inertly the marvellous progress

of the discoveries of human genius, an has not been backward in evaluating

them rightly. But, while following these developments, she does not neglect

to admonish men so that, over and above sense -- perceived things -- they

may raise their eyes to God, the Source of all wisdom and all beauty. And

may they never forget the most serious command: ''The Lord thy God shalt thou

worship, and Him only shalt thou serve'' (Mt. 4:10,, Lk. 4:8), so that it may

happen that the fleeting fascination of visible things should impede true

progress.

The manner in which sacred doctrine is spread, this having been established,

it becomes clear how much is expected from the Council in regard to

doctrine. That is, the Twenty-first Ecumenical Council, which will draw upon

the effective and important wealth of juridical, liturgical, apostolic, and

administrative experiences, wishes to transmit the doctrine, pure and

integral, without any attenuation or distortion, which throughout twenty

centuries, notwithstanding difficulties and contrasts, has become the common

patrimony of men. It is a patrimony not well received by all, but always a

rich treasure available to men of good will.

Our duty is not only to guard this precious treasure, as if we were

concerned only with antiquity, but to dedicate ourselves with an earnest

will and without fear to that work which our era demands of us, pursuing

thus the path which the Church has followed for twenty centuries.

The salient point of this Council is not, therefore, a discussion of one

article or another of the fundamental doctrine of the Church which has

repeatedly been taught by the Fathers and by ancient and modern theologians,

and which is presumed to be well known and familiar to all.

For this a Council was not necessary. But from the renewed, serene, and

tranquil adherence to all the teaching of the Church in its entirety and

preciseness, as it still shines forth in the Acts of the Council of Trent

and First Vatican Council, the Christian, Catholic, and apostolic spirit of

the whole world expects a step forward toward a doctrinal penetration and a

formation of consciousness in faithful and perfect conformity to the

authentic doctrine, which, however, should be studied and expounded through

the methods of research and through the literary forms of modern thought.

The substance of the ancient doctrine of the deposit of faith is one thing,

and the way in which it is presented is another. And it is the latter that

must be taken into great consideration with patience if necessary,

everything being measured in the forms and proportions of a magisterium

which is predominantly pastoral in character.

HOW TO REPRESS ERRORS

At the outset of the Second Vatican Council, it is evident, as always, that

the truth of the Lord will remain forever. We see, in fact, as one age

succeeds another, that the opinions of men follow one another and exclude

each other. And often errors vanish as quickly as they arise, like fog

before the sun The Church has always opposed these errors. Frequently she

has condemned them with the greatest severity. Nowadays however, the Spouse

of Christ prefers to make use of the medicine of mercy rather than that of

severity. She consider that she meets the needs of the present day by

demonstrating the validity of her teaching rather than by condemnations Not,

certainly, that there is a lack of fallacious teaching, opinions, and

dangerous concepts to be guarded against an dissipated. But these are so

obviously in contrast with the right norm of honesty, and have produced such

lethal fruits that by now it would seem that men of themselves are inclined

to condemn them, particularly those ways of life which despise God and His

law or place excessive confidence in technical progress and a well-being

based exclusively on the comforts of life. They are ever more deeply

convinced of the paramount dignity of the human person and of his perfection

as well as of the duties which that implies. Even more important, experience

has taught men that violence inflicted on others, the might of arms, and

political domination, are of no help at all in finding a happy solution to

the grave problems which afflict them.

That being so, the Catholic Church, raising the torch of religious truth by

means of this Ecumenical Council, desires to show herself to be the loving

mother of all, benign, patient, full of mercy and goodness toward the

brethren who are separated from her. To mankind, oppressed by so many

difficulties, the Church says, as Peter said to the poor who begged alms

from him: ''I have neither gold nor silver, but what I have I give you,, in

the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise and walk'' (Acts 3:6). In other

words, the Church does not offer to the men of today riches that pass, nor

does she promise them merely earthly happiness. But she distributes to them

the goods of divine grace which, raising men to the dignity of sons of God,

are the most efficacious safeguards and aids toward a more human life. She

opens the fountain of her life-giving doctrine which allows men, enlightened

by the light of Christ, to understand well what they really are, what their

lofty dignity and their purpose are, and, finally, through her children, she

spreads everywhere the fullness of Christian charity, than which nothing is

more effective in eradicating the seeds of discord, nothing more efficacious

in promoting concord, just peace, and the brotherly unity of all.

THE UNITY OF THE CHRISTIAN AND HUMAN FAMILY MUST BE PROMOTED

The Church's solicitude to promote and defend truth derives from the fact

that, according to the plan of God, who wills all men to be saved and to

come to the knowledge of the truth (l Tim. 2:4), men without the assistance

of the whole of revealed doctrine cannot reach a complete and firm unity of

minds, with which are associated true peace and eternal salvation.

Unfortunately, the entire Christian family has not yet fully attained this

visible unity in truth.

The Catholic Church, therefore, considers it her duty to work actively so

that there may be fulfilled the great mystery of that unity, which Jesus

Christ invoked with fervent prayer from His heavenly Father on the eve of

His sacrifice. She rejoices in peace, knowing well that she is intimately

associated with that prayer, and then exults greatly at seeing that

invocation extend its efficacy with salutary fruit, even among those who are

outside her fold.

Indeed, if one considers well this same unity which Christ implored for His

Church, it seems to shine, as it were, with a triple ray of beneficent

supernal light: namely, the unity of Catholics among themselves, which must

always be kept exemplary and most firm,, the unity of prayers and ardent

desires with which those Christians separated from this Apostolic See aspire

to be united with us,, and the unity in esteem and respect for the Catholic

Church which animates those who follow non-Christian religions.

In this regard, it is a source of considerable sorrow to see that the

greater part of the human race -- although all men who are born were

redeemed by the blood of Christ -- does not yet participate in those sources

of divine grace which exist in the Catholic Church. Hence the Church, whose

light illumines all, whose strength of supernatural unity redounds to the

advantage of all humanity, is rightly described in these beautiful words of

St. Cyprian:

''The Church, surrounded by divine light, spreads her rays over the entire

earth. This light, however, is one and unique and shines everywhere without

causing any separation in the unity of the body. She extends her branches

over the whole world. By her fruitfulness she sends ever farther afield he

rivulets. Nevertheless, the head is always one, the origin one for she is

the one mother, abundantly fruitful. We are born of her, are nourished by

her milk, we live of her spirit' (De Catholicae Eccles. Unitate, 5).

Venerable brothers, such is the aim of the Second Vatican Ecumenical

Council, which, while bringing together the Church's best energies and

striving to have men welcome more favorably the good tidings of salvation,

prepares, as it were and consolidates the path toward that unity of mankind

which is required as a necessary foundation, in order that the earthly city

may be brought to the resemblance of that heavenly city where truth reigns,

charity is the law, and whose extent is eternity (Cf. St. Augustine, Epistle

138, 3).

Now, ''our voice is directed to you'' (2 Cor. 6:11 ) venerable brothers in the

episcopate. Behold, we are gathered together in this Vatican Basilica, upon

which hinges the history of the Church where heaven and earth are closely

joined, here near the tomb of Peter and near so many of the tombs of our

holy predecessors, whose ashes in this solemn hour seem to thrill in mystic

exultation.

The Council now beginning rises in the Church like daybreak, a forerunner of

most splendid light. It is now only dawn. And already at this first

announcement of the rising day, how much sweetness fills our heart.

Everything here breathes sanctity and arouses great joy. Let us contemplate

the stars, which with their brightness augment the majesty of this temple.

These stars, according to the testimony of the Apostle John (Apoc. 1:20),

are you, and with you we see shining around the tomb of the Prince of the

Apostles, the golden candelabra. That is, the Church is confided to you

(Ibid.).

We see here with you important personalities, present in an attitude of

great respect and cordial expectation, having come together in Rome from the

five continents to represent the nations of the world.

We might say that heaven and earth are united in the holding of the Council

-- the saints of heaven to protect our work, the faithful of the earth

continuing in prayer to the Lord, and you, seconding the inspiration of the

Holy Spirit in order that the work of all may correspond to the modern

expectations and needs of the various peoples of the world.

This requires of you serenity of mind, brotherly concord moderation in

proposals, dignity in discussion, and wisdom of deliberation.

God grant that your labors and your work, toward which the eyes of all

peoples and the hopes of the entire world are turned, may abundantly fulfil

the aspirations of all.

Almighty God! In Thee we place all our confidence, not trusting in our own

strength. Look down benignly upon these pastors of Thy Church. May the light

of Thy supernal grace aid us in taking decisions and in making laws.

Graciously hear the prayers which we pour forth to Thee in unanimity of

faith, of voice, and of mind.

O Mary, Help of Christians, Help of Bishops, of whose love we have recently

had particular proof in thy temple of Loreto, where we venerated the mystery

of the Incarnation dispose all things for a happy and propitious outcome

and, with thy spouse, St. Joseph, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul St. John

the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist, intercede for us to God.

To Jesus Christ, our most amiable Redeemer, immortal King of peoples and of

times, be love, power, and glory forever and ever.

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CLOSING OF THE SECOND VATICAN ECUMENICAL COUNCIL

HOMILY OF POPE PAUL VI

8 December 1965

Your eminences, venerable brothers, representatives of governments, gentlemen of the city of Rome, authorities and citizens of the entire world! You, observers belonging to so many different Christian denominations, and you, faithful and sons here present, and you also scattered across the earth and united with us in faith and charity!

You will hear shortly, at the end of this holy Mass, a reading of some messages which, at the conclusion of its work, the ecumenical council is addressing to various categories of persons, intending to consider in them the countless forms in which human life finds expression. And you will also hear the reading of our official decree in which we declare terminated and closed the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council. This is a moment, a brief moment of greetings. Then, our voice will be silent. This council is completely terminated, this immense and extraordinary assembly is disbanded.

Hence, this greeting which we address to you has particular significance, which we take the liberty of pointing out to you, not to distract you from prayer, but to occupy the better your attention in this present celebration.

This greeting is, before all, universal. It is addressed to all of you assisting and participating here in this sacred rite: to you, venerable brothers in the episcopate,, to you, representatives of nations,, to you, people of God. And it is extended and broadened to the entire world. How could it be otherwise if this council was said to be and is ecumenical, that is to say, universal? Just as the sound of the bell goes out through the skies, reaching each one within the radius of its sound waves, so at this moment does our greeting go out to each and every one of you. To those who receive it and to those who do not, it resounds pleadingly in the ear of every man. From this Catholic center of Rome, no one, in principle, is unreachable,, in principle, all men can and must be reached. For the Catholic Church, no one is a stranger, no one is excluded, no one is far away. Every one to whom our greeting is addressed is one who is called, who is invited and who, in a certain sense, is present. This is the language of the heart of one who loves. Every loved one is present! And we, especially at this moment, in virtue of our universal pastoral and apostolic mandate, we love all, all men.

Hence, we say this to you good and faithful souls who, absent in person from this gathering of believers and of nations, are here present in spirit with your prayer. The Pope is thinking of you too, and with you he celebrates this sublime moment of universal communion.

We say this to you, you who suffer like prisoners of your infirmities, to you who, if you were without the comfort of our heartfelt greeting, would, because of your spiritual solitude, experience a redoubling of your pain.

This we say especially to you, brothers in the episcopate, who through no fault of your own were missing from the council and now leave voids in the ranks of your brother bishops and still more in their hearts and ours, a void which gives us such sufferings and which condemns the injustices which shackle your liberty—would that this were all that was wanting to enable you to come to our council.

Greetings to you, brothers, who are unjustly detained in silence, in oppression, and in the privation of the legitimate and sacred rights owed to every honest man, and much more to you who are the workmen of nothing but good, piety and peace. To hindered and humiliated brethren, the Church is with you. She is with your faithful and with all those who have a part in your painful condition! May this also be the civil conscience of the world!

Lastly, our universal greeting goes out to you, men who do not know us, men who do not understand us, men who do not regard us as useful, necessary or friendly. This greeting goes also to you, men who, while perhaps thinking they are doing good, are opposed to us. A sincere greeting, and unassuming greeting but one filled with hope and, today, please believe that it is filled with esteem and love.

This is our greeting. But please be attentive, you who are listening to us. We ask you to consider how our greeting, differently from what ordinarily happens in day to day conversation, would serve to terminate a relationship of nearness or discourse. Our greeting tends to strengthen and, if necessary, to produce a spiritual relationship whence it draws its meaning and its voice. Ours is a greeting, not of farewell which separates, but of friendship which remains, and which, if so demanded, wishes to be born. It is even precisely in this last expression that our greeting, on the one hand, would desire to reach the heart of every man, to enter therein as a cordial guest and speak in the interior silence of your individual souls, the habitual and ineffable words of the Lord: ''My peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, but not as the world gives it'' (John 14:27)—Christ has His own special way of speaking in the secrets of hearts—and on the other hand, our greeting wants to be a different and higher relationship because it is not only a two-sided exchange of words among us people of this earth, but it also brings into the picture another present one, the Lord Himself, invisible but working in the framework of human relationships. It invites Him and begs of Him to arouse in him who greets and in him who is greeted new gifts of which the first and highest is charity.

Behold, this is our greeting. May it rise as a new spark of divine charity in our hearts, a spark which may enkindle the principles, doctrine and proposals which the council has organized and which, thus inflamed by charity, may really produce in the Church and in the world that renewal of thoughts, activities, conduct, moral force and hope and joy which was the very scope of the council.

Consequently, our greeting is in the ideal order. Is it a dream? Is it poetry? Is it only a conventional and meaningless exaggeration, as often happens in our day-to-day expression of good wishes? No. This greeting is ideal, but not unreal. Here we would ask for a further moment of your attention. When we men push our thoughts and our desires toward an ideal conception of life, we find ourselves immediately in a utopia, in rhetorical caricature, in illusion or delusion. Man preserves an unquenchable yearning toward ideal and total perfection, but of himself he is incapable of reaching it, perhaps not in concept or much less with experience or reality. This we know, it is the drama of man, the drama of the fallen king.

But note what is taking place here this morning. While we close the ecumenical council, we are honoring Mary Most Holy, the mother of Christ, and consequently, as we declared on another occasion, the mother of God and our spiritual mother. We are honoring Mary Most Holy, the Immaculate One, therefore innocent, stupendous, perfect. She is the woman, the true woman who is both ideal and real, the creature in whom the image of God is reflected with absolute clarity, without any disturbance, as happens in every other human creature.

Is it not perhaps in directing our gaze on this woman who is our humble sister and at the same time our heavenly mother and queen, the spotless and sacred mirror of infinite beauty, that we can terminate the spiritual ascent of the council and our final greeting? Is it not here that our post-conciliar work can begin? Does not the beauty of Mary Immaculate become for us an inspiring model, a comforting hope?

Oh, brothers, sons, and gentlemen who are listening to us, we think it is so for us and for you. And this is our most exalted and, God willing, our most valuable greeting.

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