This page is not about Modernism.

It is about recent church history beginning with the Second Vatican Council. Leading up to this council called by St. John XXIII in 1962, theologians and scholars from around Europe were exploring past and current scholarship from a post world war perspective.

The council began in October 1962 and concluded in December 1965 under Pope Paul VI.

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Documents of Vatican II

Constitutions

• Dei Verbum  — Consitution of Divine Revelation
• Lumen Gentium — Dogmatic Constitution on the Church
• Sacrosanctum Concilium — Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy
• Gaudium et Spes — Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World

Declarations

• Gravissimum Educationis — Declaration on Christian Education
• Nostra Aetate — Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions
• Dignitatis Humanae — Declaration on Religious Liberty

Decrees

• Ad Gentes — Decree on Church’s Missionary Activity
• Presbyterorum Ordinis — Decree on teh Ministry and Life of Priests
• Apostolicam Actuositatem — Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity
• Optatam Totius — Decree on Training of Priests
• Perfectae Caritatis — Decreee on the Renewal of Religious Life
• Christus Dominus — Decree on the Pastoral Office of Bishop
• Unitatis Redintegratio — Decree on Ecumenism
• Orientalium Ecclesiarum — Decree on the Eastern Rite Catholic Churches
• Inter Mirifica  — Decree on the Media

Catechism of the Catholic Church

In response to requests from bishops, clergy and lay leaders from around the world, the Special Synod in Rome in 1985, launched the effort to develop a new catechism of the Catholic Church in which all church teachings would be housed.

After many years of compiling and editing and reviewing with great scrutiny, the Catechism of the Catholic Church was promulgated and published in 1994 and was translated into a myriad of languages.

Meant to be a reference book the catechism is arranged in books reflecting on the Creed, the Sacraments, Christian Life and Prayer.