DECREE
ON THE APOSTOLATE OF THE LAITY
APOSTOLICAM ACTUOSITATEM
SOLEMNLY PROMULGATED BY HIS HOLINESS,
POPE PAUL VI
ON NOVEMBER 18, 1965
INTRODUCTION
1. To intensify the apostolic
activity of the people of God,(1) the most holy synod earnestly addresses
itself to the laity, whose proper and indispensable role in the mission of the
Church has already been dealt with in other documents.(2) The apostolate of the
laity derives from their Christian vocation and the Church can never be without
it. Sacred Scripture clearly shows how spontaneous and fruitful such activity
was at the very beginning of the Church (cf. Acts 11:19-21; 18:26; Rom.
16:1-16; Phil. 4:3).
Our own times require of the laity no
less zeal: in fact, modern conditions demand that their apostolate be broadened
and intensified. With a constantly increasing population, continual progress in
science and technology, and closer interpersonal relationships, the areas for
the lay apostolate have been immensely widened particularly in fields that have
been for the most part open to the laity alone. These factors have also
occasioned new problems which demand their expert attention and study. This
apostolate becomes more imperative in view of the fact that many areas of human
life have become increasingly autonomous. This is as it should be, but it
sometimes involves a degree of departure from the ethical and religious order
and a serious danger to Christian life. Besides, in many places where priests
are very few or, in some instances, deprived of due freedom for priestly work,
the Church could scarcely exist and function without the activity of the laity.
An indication of this manifold and
pressing need is the unmistakable work being done today by the Holy Spirit in
making the laity ever more conscious of their own responsibility and
encouraging them to serve Christ and the Church in all circumstances.(3)
In this decree the Council seeks to
describe the nature, character, and diversity of the lay apostolate, to state
its basic principles, and to give pastoral directives for its more effective
exercise. All these should be regarded as norms when the canon law, as it
pertains to the lay apostolate, is revised.
CHAPTER
I
THE
VOCATION OF THE LAITY TO THE APOSTOLATE
2. The Church was founded for the
purpose of spreading the kingdom of Christ throughout the earth for the glory
of God the Father, to enable all men to share in His saving redemption,(1) and
that through them the whole world might enter into a relationship with Christ.
All activity of the Mystical Body directed to the attainment of this goal is
called the apostolate, which the Church carries on in various ways through all
her members. For the Christian vocation by its very nature is also a vocation
to the apostolate. No part of the structure of a living body is merely passive
but has a share in the functions as well as life of the body: so, too, in the
body of Christ, which is the Church, "the whole body . . . in keeping with
the proper activity of each part, derives its increase from its own internal
development" (Eph. 4:16).
Indeed, the organic union in this
body and the structure of the members are so compact that the member who fails
to make his proper contribution to the development of the Church must be said
to be useful neither to the Church nor to himself.
In the Church there is a diversity
of ministry but a oneness of mission. Christ conferred on the Apostles and
their successors the duty of teaching, sanctifying, and ruling in His name and
power. But the laity likewise share in the priestly, prophetic, and royal
office of Christ and therefore have their own share in the mission of the whole
people of God in the Church and in the world.(2)
They exercise the apostolate in fact
by their activity directed to the evangelization and sanctification of men and
to the penetrating and perfecting of the temporal order through the spirit of
the Gospel. In this way, their temporal activity openly bears witness to Christ
and promotes the salvation of men. Since the laity, in accordance with their
state of life, live in the midst of the world and its concerns, they are called
by God to exercise their apostolate in the world like leaven, with the ardor of
the spirit of Christ.
3. The laity derive the right and
duty to the apostolate from their union with Christ the head; incorporated into
Christ's Mystical Body through Baptism and strengthened by the power of the
Holy Spirit through Confirmation, they are assigned to the apostolate by the
Lord Himself. They are consecrated for the royal priesthood and the holy people
(cf. 1 Peter 2:4-10) not only that they may offer spiritual sacrifices in
everything they do but also that they may witness to Christ throughout the
world. The sacraments, however, especially the most holy Eucharist, communicate
and nourish that charity which is the soul of the entire apostolate.(3)
One engages in the apostolate
through the faith, hope, and charity which the Holy Spirit diffuses in the
hearts of all members of the Church. Indeed, by the precept of charity, which
is the Lord's greatest commandment, all the faithful are impelled to promote
the glory of God through the coming of His kingdom and to obtain eternal life
for all men-that they may know the only true God and Him whom He sent, Jesus
Christ (cf. John 17:3). On all Christians therefore is laid the preeminent
responsibility of working to make the divine message of salvation known and
accepted by all men throughout the world.
For the exercise of this apostolate,
the Holy Spirit Who sanctifies the people of God through ministry and the
sacraments gives the faithful special gifts also (cf. 1 Cor. 12:7),
"allotting them to everyone according as He wills" (1 Cor. 12:11) in
order that individuals, administering grace to others just as they have
received it, may also be "good stewards of the manifold grace of God"
(1 Peter 4:10), to build up the whole body in charity (cf. Eph. 4:16). From the
acceptance of these charisms, including those which are more elementary, there
arise for each believer the right and duty to use them in the Church and in the
world for the good of men and the building up of the Church, in the freedom of
the Holy Spirit who "breathes where He wills" (John 3:8). This should
be done by the laity in communion with their brothers in Christ, especially
with their pastors who must make a judgment about the true nature and proper
use of these gifts not to extinguish the Spirit but to test all things and hold
for what is good (cf. 1 Thess. 5:12,19,21).(4)
4. Since Christ, sent by the Father,
is the source and origin of the whole apostolate of the Church, the success of
the lay apostolate depends upon the laity's living union with Christ, in
keeping with the Lord's words, "He who abides in me, and I in him, bears
much fruit, for without me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). This life of
intimate union with Christ in the Church is nourished by spiritual aids which
are common to all the faithful, especially active participation in the sacred
liturgy.(5) These are to be used by the laity in such a way that while
correctly fulfilling their secular duties in the ordinary conditions of life,
they do not separate union with Christ from their life but rather performing
their work according to God's will they grow in that union. In this way the
laity must make progress in holiness in a happy and ready spirit, trying
prudently and patiently to overcome difficulties.(6) Neither family concerns
nor other secular affairs should be irrelevant to their spiritual life, in
keeping with the words of the Apostle, "What-ever you do in word or work,
do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God the Father
through Him" (Col. 3:17).
Such a life requires a continual
exercise of faith, hope, and charity. Only by the light of faith and by
meditation on the word of God can one always and everywhere recognize God in
Whom "we live, and move, and have our being" ( Acts 17:28), seek His
will in every event, see Christ in everyone whether he be a relative or a
stranger, and make correct judgments about the true meaning and value of
temporal things both in themselves and in their relation to man's final goal.
They who have this faith live in the
hope of the revelation of the sons of God and keep in mind the cross and
resurrection of the Lord. In the pilgrimage of this life, hidden with Christ in
God and free from enslavement to wealth, they aspire to those riches which
remain forever and generously dedicate themselves wholly to the advancement of
the kingdom of God and to the reform and improvement of the temporal order in a
Christian spirit. Among the trials of this life they find strength in hope,
convinced that "the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be
compared with the glory to come that will be revealed in us" (Rom. 8:18).
Impelled by divine charity, they do
good to all men, especially to those of the household of the faith (cf. Gal.
6:10), laying aside "all malice and all deceit and pretense, and envy, and
all slander" (1 Peter 2:1), and thereby they draw men to Christ. This
charity of God, "which is poured forth in our hearts by the Holy Spirit
who has been given to us" (Rom. 5:5), enables the laity really to express
the spirit of the beatitudes in their lives. Following Jesus in His poverty,
they are neither depressed by the lack of temporal goods nor inflated by their
abundance; imitating Christ in His humility, they have no obsession for empty
honors (cf. Gal. 5:26) but seek to please God rather than men, ever ready to
leave all things for Christ's sake (cf. Luke 14:26) and to suffer persecution
for justice sake (cf. Matt. 5:10), as they remember the words of the Lord,
"If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his
cross and follow me" (Matt. 16:24) . Promoting Christian friendship among
themselves, they help one another in every need whatsoever.
This plan for the spiritual life of
the laity should take its particular character from their married or family
state or their single or widowed state, from their state of health, and from
their professional and social activity. They should not cease to develop
earnestly the qualities and talents bestowed on them in accord with these
conditions of life, and they should make use of the gifts which they have
received from the Holy Spirit.
Furthermore, the laity who have
followed their vocation and have become members of one of the associations or
institutes approved by the Church try faithfully to adopt the special
characteristics of the spiritual life which are proper to them as well. They
should also hold in high esteem professional skill, family and civic spirit,
and the virtues relating to social customs, namely, honesty, justice,
sincerity, kindness, and courage, without which no true Christian life can
exist.
The perfect example of this type of
spiritual and apostolic life is the most Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of
Apostles, who while leading the life common to all here on earth, one filled
with family concerns and labors, was always intimately united with her Son and
in an entirely unique way cooperated in the work of the Savior. Having now been
assumed into heaven, with her maternal charity she cares for these brothers of
her Son who are still on their earthly pilgrimage and remain involved in
dangers and difficulties until they are led into the happy fatherland.(7) All
should devoutly venerate her and commend their life and apostolate to her
maternal care.
CHAPTER
II
OBJECTIVES
5. Christ's redemptive work, while
essentially concerned with the salvation of men, includes also the renewal of
the whole temporal order. Hence the mission of the Church is not only to bring
the message and grace of Christ to men but also to penetrate and perfect the
temporal order with the spirit of the Gospel. In fulfilling this mission of the
Church, the Christian laity exercise their apostolate both in the Church and in
the world, in both the spiritual and the temporal orders. These orders,
although distinct, are so connected in the singular plan of God that He Himself
intends to raise up the whole world again in Christ and to make it a new
creation, initially on earth and completely on the last day. In both orders the
layman, being simultaneously a believer and a citizen, should be continuously
led by the same Christian conscience.
6. The mission of the Church
pertains to the salvation of men, which is to be achieved by belief in Christ
and by His grace. The apostolate of the Church and of all its members is
primarily designed to manifest Christ's message by words and deeds and to
communicate His grace to the world. This is done mainly through the ministry of
the Word and the sacraments, entrusted in a special way to the clergy, wherein
the laity also have their very important roles to fulfill if they are to be
"fellow workers for the truth" (3 John 8). It is especially on this
level that the apostolate of the laity and the pastoral ministry are mutually
complementary.
There are innumerable opportunities
open to the laity for the exercise of their apostolate of evangelization and
sanctification. The very testimony of their Christian life and good works done
in a supernatural spirit have the power to draw men to belief and to God; for
the Lord says, "Even so let your light shine before men in order that they
may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven"
(Matt. 5:16).
However, an apostolate of this kind
does not consist only in the witness of one's way of life; a true apostle looks
for opportunities to announce Christ by words addressed either to non-believers
with a view to leading them to faith, or to the faithful with a view to
instructing, strengthening, and encouraging them to a more fervent life.
"For the charity of Christ impels us" (2 Cor. 5:14). The words of the
Apostle should echo in all hearts, "Woe to me if I do not preach the
Gospel" (1 Cor. 9:16).(1)
Since, in our own times, new
problems are arising and very serious errors are circulating which tend to
undermine the foundations of religion, the moral order, and human society
itself, this sacred synod earnestly exhorts laymen-each according to his own
gifts of intelligence and learning-to be more diligent in doing what they can
to explain, defend, and properly apply Christian principles to the problems of
our era in accordance with the mind of the Church.
7. God's plan for the world is that men
should work together to renew and constantly perfect the temporal order.
All those things which make up the
temporal order, namely, the good things of life and the prosperity of the
family, culture, economic matters, the arts and professions, the laws of the
political community, international relations, and other matters of this kind,
as well as their development and progress, not only aid in the attainment of
man's ultimate goal but also possess their own intrinsic value. This value has
been established in them by God, whether they are considered in themselves or
as parts of the whole temporal order. "God saw that all He had made was
very good" (Gen. 1:31). This natural goodness of theirs takes on a special
dignity as a result of their relation to the human person, for whose service
they were created. It has pleased God to unite all things, both natural and
supernatural, in Christ Jesus "so that in all things He may have the first
place" (Col. 1:18). This destination, however, not only does not deprive the
temporal order of its independence, its proper goals, laws, supports, and
significance for human welfare but rather perfects the temporal order in its
own intrinsic strength and worth and puts it on a level with man's whole
vocation upon earth.
In the course of history, the use of
temporal things has been marred by serious vices. Affected by original sin, men
have frequently fallen into many errors concerning the true God, the nature of
man, and the principles of the moral law. This has led to the corruption of
morals and human institutions and not rarely to contempt for the human person
himself. In our own time, moreover, those who have trusted excessively in the
progress of the natural sciences and the technical arts have fallen into an
idolatry of temporal things and have become their slaves rather than their
masters.
The whole Church must work
vigorously in order that men may become capable of rectifying the distortion of
the temporal order and directing it to God through Christ. Pastors must clearly
state the principles concerning the purpose of creation and the use of temporal
things and must offer the moral and spiritual aids by which the temporal order
may be renewed in Christ.
The laity must take up the renewal
of the temporal order as their own special obligation. Led by the light of the
Gospel and the mind of the Church and motivated by Christian charity, they must
act directly and in a definite way in the temporal sphere. As citizens they
must cooperate with other citizens with their own particular skill and on their
own responsibility. Everywhere and in all things they must seek the justice of
God's kingdom. The temporal order must be renewed in such a way that, without
detriment to its own proper laws, it may be brought into conformity with the higher
principles of the Christian life and adapted to the shifting circumstances of
time, place, and peoples. Preeminent among the works of this type of apostolate
is that of Christian social action which the sacred synod desires to see
extended to the whole temporal sphere, including culture.(2)
8. While every exercise of the
apostolate should be motivated by charity, some works by their very nature can
become specially vivid expressions of this charity. Christ the Lord wanted
these works to be signs of His messianic mission (cf. Matt. 11:4-5).
The greatest commandment in the law
is to love God with one's whole heart and one's neighbor as oneself (cf. Matt.
22:37-40). Christ made this commandment of love of neighbor His own and
enriched it with a new meaning. For He wanted to equate Himself with His
brethren as the object of this love when He said, "As long as you did it
for one of these, the least of My brethren, you did it for Me" (Matt.
25:40). Assuming human nature, He bound the whole human race to Himself as a
family through a certain supernatural solidarity and established charity as the
mark of His disciples, saying, "By this will all men know that you are My
disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35).
ln her very early days, the holy Church
added the agape to the eucharistic supper and thus showed itself to be wholly
united around Christ by the bond of charity. So, too, in every era it is
recognized by this sign of love, and while it rejoices in the undertakings of
others, it claims works of charity as its own inalienable duty and right. For
this reason, pity for the needy and the sick and works of charity and mutual
aid intended to relieve human needs of every kind are held in highest honor by
the Church.(3)
At the present time, with the
development of more rapid facilities for communication, with the barrier of
distance separating men greatly reduced, with the inhabitants of the entire
globe becoming one great family, these charitable activities and works have
become more urgent and universal. These charitable enterprises can and should
reach out to all persons and all needs. Wherever there are people in need of
food and drink, clothing, housing, medicine, employment, education; wherever
men lack the facilities necessary for living a truly human life or are
afflicted with serious distress or illness or suffer exile or imprisonment,
there Christian charity should seek them out and find them, console them with
great solicitude, and help them with appropriate relief. This obligation is imposed
above all upon every prosperous nation and person.(4)
In order that the exercise of
charity on this scale may be unexceptionable in appearance as well as in fact,
it is altogether necessary that one should consider in one's neighbor the image
of God in which he has been created, and also Christ the Lord to Whom is really
offered whatever is given to a needy person. It is imperative also that the
freedom and dignity of the person being helped be respected with the utmost
consideration, that the purity of one's charitable intentions be not stained by
seeking one's own advantage or by striving for domination,(5) and especially
that the demands of justice be satisfied lest the giving of what is due in
justice be represented as the offering of a charitable gift. Not only the
effects but also the causes of these ills must be removed and the help be given
in such a way that the recipients may gradually be freed from dependence on
outsiders and become self-sufficient.
Therefore, the laity should hold in
high esteem and, according to their ability, aid the works of charity and
projects for social assistance, whether public or private, including
international programs whereby effective help is given to needy individuals and
peoples. In so doing, they should cooperate with all men of good will.(6)
CHAPTER
III
THE
VARIOUS FIELDS OF THE APOSTOLATE
9. The laity carry out their
manifold apostolate both in the Church and in the world. In both areas there
are various opportunities for apostolic activity. We wish to list here the more
important fields of action, namely, church communities, the family, youth, the
social milieu, and national and international levels. Since in our times women
have an ever more active shale in the whole life of society, it is very
important that they participate more widely also in the various fields of the
Church's apostolate.
10. As sharers in the role of Christ
as priest, prophet, and king, the laity have their work cut out for them in the
life and activity of the Church. Their activity is so necessary within the
Church communities that without it the apostolate of the pastors is often
unable to achieve its full effectiveness. In the manner of the men and women
who helped Paul in spreading the Gospel (cf. Acts 18:18, 26; Rom. 16:3) the
laity with the right apostolic attitude supply what is lacking to their
brethren and refresh the spirit of pastors and of the rest of the faithful (cf.
1 Cor. 16:17-18). Strengthened by active participation in the liturgical life
of their community, they are eager to do their share of the apostolic works of
that community. They bring to the Church people who perhaps are far removed
from it, earnestly cooperate in presenting the word of God especially by means
of catechetical instruction, and offer their special skills to make the care of
souls and the administration of the temporalities of the Church more efficient
and effective.
The parish offers an obvious example
of the apostolate on the community level inasmuch as it brings together the
many human differences within its boundaries and merges them into the
universality of the Church.(1) The laity should accustom themselves to working
in the parish in union with their priests,(2) bringing to the Church community
their own and the world's problems as well as questions concerning human
salvation, all of which they should examine and resolve by deliberating in
common. As far as possible the laity ought to provide helpful collaboration for
every apostolic and missionary undertaking sponsored by their local parish.
They should develop an
ever-increasing appreciation of their own diocese, of which the parish is a
kind of cell, ever ready at their pastor's invitation to participate in
diocesan projects. Indeed, to fulfill the needs of cities and rural areas,(3)
they should not limit their cooperation to the parochial or diocesan boundaries
but strive to extend it to interparochial, interdiocesan, national, and
international fields. This is constantly becoming all the more necessary
because the daily increase in mobility of populations, reciprocal
relationships, and means of communication no longer allow any sector of society
to remain closed in upon itself. Thus they should be concerned about the needs
of the people of God dispersed throughout the world. They should especially
make missionary activity their own by giving material or even personal
assistance. It is a duty and honor for Christians to return to God a part of
the good things that they receive from Him.
11. Since the Creator of all things
has established conjugal society as the beginning and basis of human society
and, by His grace, has made it a great mystery in Christ and the Church (cf.
Eph. 5:32), the apostolate of married persons and families is of unique
importance for the Church and civil society.
Christian husbands and wives are
cooperators in grace and witnesses of faith for each other, their children, and
all others in their household. They are the first to communicate the faith to
their children and to educate them by word and example for the Christian and
apostolic life. They prudently help them in the choice of their vocation and
carefully promote any sacred vocation which they may discern in them.
It has always been the duty of
Christian married partners but today it is the greatest part of their apostolate
to manifest and prove by their own way of life the indissolubility and
sacredness of the marriage bond, strenuously to affirm the right and duty of
parents and guardians to educate children in a Christian manner, and to defend
the dignity and lawful autonomy of the family. They and the rest of the
faithful, therefore, should cooperate with men of good will to ensure the
preservation of these rights in civil legislation and to make sure that
governments give due attention to the needs of the family regarding housing,
the education of children, working conditions, social security, and taxes; and
that in policy decisions affecting migrants their right to live together as a
family should be safeguarded.(4)
This mission-to be the first and
vital cell of society-the family has received from God. It will fulfill this
mission if it appears as the domestic sanctuary of the Church by reason of the
mutual affection of its members and the prayer that they offer to God in
common, if the whole family makes itself a part of the liturgical worship of
the Church, and if it provides active hospitality and promotes justice and
other good works for the service of all the brethren in need. Among the various
activities of the family apostolate may be enumerated the following: the
adoption of abandoned infants, hospitality to strangers, assistance in the
operation of schools, helpful advice and material assistance for adolescents,
help to engaged couples in preparing themselves better for marriage,
catechetical work, support of married couples and families involved in material
and moral crises, help for the aged not only by providing them with the
necessities of life but also by obtaining for them a fair share of the benefits
of an expanding economy.
At all times and places but particularly
in areas where the first seeds of the Gospel are being sown, or where the
Church is just beginning, or is involved in some serious difficulty, Christian
families can give effective testimony to Christ before the world by remaining
faithful to the Gospel and by providing a model of Christian marriage through
their whole way of life.(5)
To facilitate the attainment of the
goals of their apostolate, it can be useful for families to be brought together
into groups.(6)
12. Young persons exert very important
influence in modern society.(7) There has been a radical change in the
circumstances of their lives, their mental attitudes, and their relationships
with their own families. Frequently they move too quickly into a new social and
economic status. While their social and even their political importance is
growing from day to day, they seem to be unable to cope adequately with their
new responsibilities.
Their heightened influence in
society demands of them a proportionate apostolic activity, but their natural
qualities also fit them for this activity. As they become more conscious of
their own personalities, they are impelled by a zest for life and a ready
eagerness to assume their own responsibility, and they yearn to play their part
in social and cultural life. If this zeal is imbued with the spirit of Christ
and is inspired by obedience and love for the Church, it can be expected to be
very fruitful. They should become the first to carry on the apostolate directly
to other young persons, concentrating their apostolic efforts within their own
circle, according to the needs of the social environment in which they live.(8)
Adults ought to engage in such
friendly discussion with young people that both age groups, overcoming the age
barrier, may become better acquainted and share the special benefits each
generation can offer the other. Adults should stimulate young persons first by
good example to take part in the apostolate and, if the opportunity presents
itself, by offering them effective advice and willing assistance. By the same
token young people should cultivate toward adults respect and trust, and
although they are naturally attracted to novelties, they should duly appreciate
praiseworthy traditions.
13. The apostolate in the social
milieu, that is, the effort to infuse a Christian spirit into the mentality,
customs, laws, and structures of the community in which one lives, is so much
the duty and responsibility of the laity that it can never be performed
properly by others. In this area the laity can exercise the apostolate of like
toward like. It is here that they complement the testimony of life with the
testimony of the word.(9) It is here where they work or practice their
profession or study or reside or spend their leisure time or have their companionship
that they are more capable of helping their brethren.
The laity fulfill this mission of
the Church in the world especially by conforming their lives to their faith so
that they become the light of the world as well as by practicing honesty in all
their dealings so that they attract all to the love of the true and the good
and finally to the Church and to Christ. They fulfill their mission also by
fraternal charity which presses them to share in the living conditions, labors,
sorrows, and aspirations of their brethren with the result that the hearts of
all about them are quietly prepared for the workings of saving grace. Another
requisite for the accomplishment of their task is a full consciousness of their
role in building up society whereby they strive to perform their domestic,
social, and professional duties with such Christian generosity that their
manner of acting should gradually penetrate the whole world of life and labor.
This apostolate should reach out to
all wherever they may be encountered; it should not exclude any spiritual or
temporal benefit which they have the ability to confer. True apostles however,
are not content with this activity alone but endeavor to announce Christ to
their neighbors by means of the spoken word as well. For there are many persons
who can hear the Gospel and recognize Christ only through the laity who live
near them.
Children also have their own
apostolic work to do. According to their ability they are true living witnesses
of Christ among their companions.
10. A vast field for the apostolate
has opened up on the national and international levels where the laity
especially assist with their Christian wisdom. In loyalty to their country and
in faithful fulfillment of their civic obligations, Catholics should feel
themselves obliged to promote the true common good. Thus they should make the
weight of their opinion felt in order that the civil authority may act with
justice and that legislation may conform to moral precepts and the common good.
Catholics skilled in public affairs and adequately enlightened in faith and
Christian doctrine should not refuse to administer pubic affairs since by doing
this in a worthy manner they can both further the common good and at the same
time prepare the way for the Gospel.
Catholics should try to cooperate
with all men and women of good will to promote whatever is true, whatever just,
whatever holy, whatever lovable (cf. Phil. 4:8). They should hold discussions
with them, excel them in prudence and courtesy, and initiate research on social
and public practices which should be improved in line with the spirit of the
Gospel.
Among the signs of our times, the
irresistibly increasing sense of the solidarity of all peoples is especially
noteworthy. It is a function of the lay apostolate sedulously to promote this
awareness and to transform it into a sincere and genuine love of brotherhood.
Furthermore, the laity should be aware of the international field and of the
questions and solutions, doctrinal as well as practical, which arise in this
field, with special reverence to developing nations.(10)
All who work in or give help to
foreign nations must remember that relations among peoples should be a genuine
fraternal exchange in which each party is at the same time a giver and a
receiver. Travelers, whether their interest is international affairs, business,
or leisure, should remember that they are itinerant heralds of Christ wherever
they go and should act accordingly.
CHAPTER
IV
THE
VARIOUS FORMS OF THE APOSTOLATE
15. The laity can engage in their
apostolic activity either as individuals or together as members of various
groups or associations.
16. The individual apostolate,
flowing generously from its source in a truly Christian life (cf. John 4:14),
is the origin and condition of the whole lay apostolate, even of the organized
type, and it admits of no substitute.
Regardless of status, all lay
persons (including those who have no opportunity or possibility for
collaboration in associations) are called to this type of apostolate and obliged
to engage in it. This type of apostolate is useful at all times and places, but
in certain circumstances it is the only one appropriate and feasible.
There are many forms of the
apostolate whereby the laity build up the Church, sanctify the world, and give
it life in Christ. A particular form of the individual apostolate as well as a
sign specially suited to our times is the testimony of the whole lay life
arising from faith, hope, and charity. It manifests Christ living in those who
believe in Him. Then by the apostolate the spoken and written word, which is
utterly necessary under certain circumstances, lay people announce Christ,
explain and spread His teaching in accordance with one's status and ability,
and faithfully profess it.
Furthermore, in collaborating as
citizens of this world, in whatever pertains to the upbuilding and conducting
of the temporal order, the laity must seek in the light of faith loftier
motives of action in their family, professional, cultural, and social life and
make them known to others when the occasion arises. Doing this, they should be
aware of the fact that they are cooperating with God the creator, redeemer, and
sanctifier and are giving praise to Him.
Finally, the laity should vivify
their life with charity and express it as best they can in their works.
They should all remember that they
can reach all men and contribute to the salvation of the whole world by public
worship and prayer as well as by penance and voluntary acceptance of the labors
and hardships of life whereby they become like the suffering Christ (cf. 2 Cor.
4:10; Col. 1:24).
17. There is a very urgent need for
this individual apostolate in those regions where the freedom of the Church is
seriously infringed. In these trying circumstances, the laity do what they can
to take the place of priests, risking their freedom and sometimes their life to
teach Christian doctrine to those around them, training them in a religious way
of life and a Catholic way of thinking, leading them to receive the sacraments frequently
and developing in them piety, especially Eucharistic devotion.(1) While the
sacred synod heartily thanks God for continuing also in our times to raise up
lay persons of heroic fortitude in the midst of persecutions, it embrace them
with fatherly affection and gratitude.
The individual apostolate has a
special field in areas where Catholics are few in number and widely dispersed.
Here the laity who engage in the apostolate only as individuals, whether for
the reasons already mentioned or for special reasons including those deriving
also from their own professional activity, usefully gather into smaller groups
for serious conversation without any more formal kind of establishment or
organization, so that an indication of the community of the Church is always
apparent to others as a true witness of love. In this way, by giving spiritual
help to one another through friendship and the communicating of the benefit of
their experience, they are trained to overcome the disadvantages of excessively
isolated life and activity and to make their apostolate more productive.
18. The faithful are called to
engage in the apostolate as individuals in the varying circumstances of their
life. They should remember, nevertheless, that man is naturally social and that
it has pleased God to unite those who believe in Christ into the people of God
(cf. 1 Peter 2:5-10) and into one body (cf. 1 Cor. 12:12). The group apostolate
of Christian believers then happily corresponds to a human and Christian need
and at the same time signifies the communion and unity of the Church in Christ,
who said, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I
in the midst of them" (Matt. 18:20).
For this reason the faithful should
participate in the apostolate by way of united effort.(2) They should be
apostles both in their family communities and in their parishes and dioceses,
which themselves express the community nature of the apostolate, as well as in
the informal groups which they decide to form among themselves.
The group apostolate is very
important also because the apostolate must often be performed by way of common
activity both the Church communities and the various spheres. For the
associations established for carrying on the apostolate in common sustain their
members, form them for the apostolate, and rightly organize and regulate their
apostolic work so that much better results can be expected than if each member
were to act on his own.
In the present circumstances, it is
quite necessary that, in the area of lay activity, the united and organized
form of the apostolate be strengthened. In fact, only the pooling of resources
is capable of fully achieving all the aims of the modern apostolate and firmly
protecting its interests.(3) Here it is important that the apostolate encompass
even the common attitudes and social conditions of those for whom it is
designed. Otherwise those engaged in the apostolate are often unable to bear up
under the pressure of public opinion or of social institutions.
19. There is a great variety of
associations in the apostolate.(4) Some set before themselves the broad
apostolic purpose of the Church; others aim to evangelize and sanctify in a
special way. Some purpose to infuse a Christian spirit into the temporal order;
others bear witness to Christ in a special way through works of mercy and
charity.
Among these associations, those
which promote and encourage closer unity between the concrete life of the
members and their faith must be given primary consideration. Associations are
not ends unto themselves; rather they should serve the mission of the Church to
the world. Their apostolic dynamism depends on their conformity with the goals
of the Church as well as on the Christian witness and evangelical spirit of
every member and of the whole association.
Now, in view of the progress of
social institutions and the the fast- moving pace of modern society, the global
nature of the Church's mission requires that apostolic enterprises of Catholics
should more and more develop organized forms in the international sphere.
Catholic international organizations will more effectively achieve their
purpose if the groups comprising them, as well as their members, are more
closely united to these international organizations.
Maintaining the proper relationship
to Church authorities,(5) the laity have the right to found and control such
associations(6) and to join those already existing. Yet the dispersion of
efforts must be avoided. This happens when new associations and projects are
promoted without a sufficient reason, or if antiquated associations or methods
are retained beyond their period of usefulness. Nor is it always fitting to
transfer indiscriminately forms of the apostolates that have been used in one
nation to other nations.(7)
20. Many decades ago the laity in
many nations began to dedicate themselves increasingly to the apostolate. They
grouped themselves into various kinds of activities and societies which, while
maintaining a closer union with the hierarchy, pursued and continue to pursue
goals which are properly apostolic. Of these associations, or even among
similar and older institutions, those are specially noteworthy which followed
different methods of operation and yet produced excellent results for Christ's
kingdom. These societies were deservedly recommended and promoted by the popes
and many bishops, from whom they received the title of "Catholic
Action," and were often described as the collaboration of the laity in the
apostolate of the hierarchy.(8)
Whether these forms of the
apostolate have the name of "Catholic Action" or some other title,
they exercise an apostolate of great value for our times and consist in the
combination and simultaneous possession of the following characteristics:
a) The immediate aim of
organizations of this kind is the Church's apostolic aim, that is, the
evangelization and sanctification of men and the formation of a Christian
conscience among them so that they can infuse the spirit of the Gospel into
various communities and departments of life.
b ) Cooperating with the hierarchy
in their own way, the laity contribute the benefit of their experience to, and
assume responsibility for the direction of these organizations, the
consideration of the conditions in which the pastoral activity of the Church is
to be conducted, and the elaboration and execution of the plan of things to be
done.
c) The laity act together in the
manner of an organic body so that the community of the Church is more fittingly
symbolized and the apostolate rendered more effective.
d) Whether they offer themselves
spontaneously or are invited to action and direct cooperation with the
apostolate of the hierarchy, the laity function under the higher direction of
the hierarchy itself, and the latter can sanction this cooperation by an
explicit mandate.
Organizations in which, in the
opinion of the hierarchy, the ensemble of these characteristics is realized,
must be considered to be Catholic Action even though they take on various forms
and titles because of the needs of different regions and peoples.
The most holy council earnestly
recommends these associations, which surely answer the needs of the apostolate
of the Church among many peoples and countries, and invites the clergy and
laity working in them to develop the above-mentioned characteristics to an ever
greater degree and to cooperate at all times with all other forms of the
apostolate in a fraternal manner in the Church.
21. All associations of the
apostolate must be given due appreciation. Those, however, which the hierarchy
have praised or recommended as responsive to the needs of time and place, or
have ordered to be established as particularly urgent, must be held in highest
esteem by priests, Religious, and laity and promoted according to each one's
ability. Among these associations, moreover, international associations or
groups of Catholics must be specially appreciated at the present time.
22. Deserving of special honor and
commendation in the Church are those lay people, single or married, who devote
themselves with professional experience, either permanently or temporarily, to
the service of associations and their activities. There is a source of great
joy for the Church in the fact that there is a daily increase in the number of
lay persons who offer their personal service to apostolic associations and
activities, either within the limits of their own nation or in the
international field or especially in Catholic mission communities and in
regions where the Church has only recently been implanted.
The pastors of the Church should
gladly and gratefully welcome these lay persons and make sure that the demands
of justice, equity, and charity relative to their status be satisfied to the
fullest extent, particularly as regards proper support for them and their
families. They should also take care to provide for these lay people the
necessary formation, spiritual consolation, and incentive.
CHAPTER
V
EXTERNAL
RELATIONSHIPS
23. Whether the lay apostolate is
exercised by the faithful as individuals or as members of organizations, it
should be incorporated into the apostolate of the whole Church according to a
right system of relationships. Indeed, union with those whom the Holy Spirit
has assigned to rule His Church (cf. Acts 20:28) is an essential element of the
Christian apostolate. No less necessary is cooperation among various projects
of the apostolate which must be suitably directed by the hierarchy.
Indeed, the spirit of unity should
be promoted in order that fraternal charity may be resplendent in the whole
apostolate of the Church, common goals may be attained, and destructive
rivalries avoided. For this there is need for mutual esteem among all the forms
of the apostolate in the Church and, with due respect for the particular
character of each organization, proper coordination.(1) This is most fitting
since a particular activity in the Church requires harmony and apostolic
cooperation on the part of both branches of the clergy, the Religious, and the
laity.
24. The hierarchy should promote the
apostolate of the laity, provide it with spiritual principles and support,
direct the conduct of this apostolate to the common good of the Church, and
attend to the preservation of doctrine and order.
Indeed, the lay apostolate admits of
different types of relationships with the hierarchy in accordance with the
various forms and objects of this apostolate. For in the Church there are many
apostolic undertakings which are established by the free choice of the laity
and regulated by their prudent judgment. The mission of the Church can be
better accomplished in certain circumstances by undertakings of this kind, and
therefore they are frequently praised or recommended by the hierarchy.(2) No
project, however, may claim the name "Catholic" unless it has
obtained the consent of the lawful Church authority.
Certain forms of the apostolate of
the laity are given explicit recognition by the hierarchy, though in various
ways.
Because of the demands of the common
good of the Church, moreover, ecclesiastical authority can select and promote
in a particular way some of the apostolic associations and projects which have
an immediately spiritual purpose, thereby assuming in them a special
responsibility. Thus, making various dispositions of the apostolate according
to circumstances, the hierarchy joins some particular form of it more closely
with its own apostolic function. Yet the proper nature and distinctiveness of
each apostolate must be preserved, and the laity must not be deprived of the
possibility of acting on their own accord. In various Church documents this procedure
of the hierarchy is called a mandate.
Finally, the hierarchy entrusts to
the laity certain functions which are more closely connected with pastoral
duties, such as the teaching of Christian doctrine, certain liturgical actions,
and the care of souls. By virtue of this mission, the laity are fully subject
to higher ecclesiastical control in the performance of this work.
As regards works and institutions in
the temporal order, the role of the ecclesiastical hierarchy is to teach and
authentically interpret the moral principles to be followed in temporal
affairs. Furthermore, they have the right to judge, after careful consideration
of all related matters and consultation with experts, whether or not such works
and institutions conform to moral principles and the right to decide what is
required for the protection and promotion of values of the supernatural order.
25. Bishops, pastors of parishes,
and other priests of both branches of the clergy should keep in mind that the
right and duty to exercise this apostolate is common to all the faithful, both
clergy and laity, and that the laity also have their own roles in building up
the Church.(3) For this reason they should work fraternally with the laity in
and for the Church and take special care of the lay persons in these apostolic
works.(4)
Special care should be taken to
select priests who are capable of promoting particular forms of the apostolate
of the laity and are properly trained.(5) Those who are engaged in this
ministry represent the hierarchy in their pastoral activity by virtue of the
mission they receive from the hierarchy. Always adhering faithfully to the
spirit and teaching of the Church, they should promote proper relations been
laity and hierarchy. They should devote themselves to nourishing the spiritual
life and an apostolic attitude in the Catholic societies entrusted to them;
they should contribute their wise counsel to the apostolic activity of these
associations and promote their undertakings. Through continuous dialogue with
the laity, these priests should carefully investigate which forms make
apostolic activity more fruitful. They should promote the spirit of unity
within the association as well as between it and others.
Finally, in keeping with the spirit
and norms of their societies, Religious Brothers and Sisters should value the
apostolic works of the laity and willingly devote themselves to promoting lay
enterprises.(6) They should also strive to support, uphold, and fulfill
priestly functions.
26. In dioceses, insofar as possible,
there should be councils which assist the apostolic work of the Church either
in the field of evangelization and sanctification or in the charitable, social,
or other spheres, and here it is fitting that the clergy and Religious should
cooperate with the laity. While preserving the proper character and autonomy of
each organization, these councils will be able to promote the mutual
coordination of various lay associations and enterprises.(7)
Councils of this type should be
established as far as possible also on the parochial, interparochial, and
interdiocesan level as well as in the national or international sphere.(8)
A special secretariat, moreover,
should be established at the Holy See for the service and promotion of the lay
apostolate. It can serve as a well-equipped center for communicating
information about the various apostolic programs of the laity, promoting
research into modern problems arising in this field, and assisting the
hierarchy and laity in their apostolic works with its advice. The various
movements and projects of the apostolate of the laity throughout the world
should also be represented in this secretariat, and here clergy and Religious
also are to cooperate with the laity.
27. The quasi-common heritage of the
Gospel and the common duty of Christian witness resulting from it recommend and
frequently require the cooperation of Catholics with other Christians, on the
part of individuals and communities within the Church, either in activities or
in associations, in the national or international field.(9)
Likewise, common human values not
infrequently call for cooperation between Christians pursuing apostolic aims
and those who do not profess Christ's name but acknowledge these values.
By this dynamic and prudent
cooperation,(10) which is of special importance in temporal activities, the
laity bear witness to Christ, the Savior of the world, as well as to the unity
of the human family.
CHAPTER
VI
FORMATION
FOR THE APOSTOLATE
28. The apostolate can attain its
maximum effectiveness only through a diversified and thorough formation. This
is demanded not only by the continuous spiritual and doctrinal progress of the
lay person himself but also by the accommodation of his activity to
circumstances varying according to the affairs, persons, and duties involved.
This formation for the apostolate should rest upon those bases which have been
stated and proclaimed by this most holy council in other documents.(1) In
addition to the formation which is common for all Christians, many forms of the
apostolate demand also a specific and particular formation because of the
variety of persons and circumstances.
29. Since the laity share in their
own way in the mission of the Church, their apostolic formation is specially
characterized by the distinctively secular and particular quality of the lay
state and by its own form of the spiritual life.
The formation for the apostolate
presupposes a certain human and well-rounded formation adapted to the natural
abilities and conditions of each lay person. Well-informed about the modern
world, the lay person should be a member of his own community and adjusted to
its culture.
However, the lay person should learn
especially how to perform the mission of Christ and the Church by basing his
life on belief in the divine mystery of creation and redemption and by being
sensitive to the movement of the Holy Spirit who gives life to the people of
God and who urges all to love God the Father as well as the world and men in
Him. This formation should be deemed the basis and condition for every
successful apostolate.
In addition to spiritual formation,
a solid doctrinal instruction in theology, ethics, and philosophy adjusted to
differences of age, status, and natural talents, is required. The importance of
general culture along with practical and technical formation should also be
kept in mind.
To cultivate good human relations,
truly human values must be fostered, especially the art of living fraternally
and cooperating with others and of striking up friendly conversation with them.
Since formation for the apostolate
cannot consist in merely theoretical instruction, from the beginning of their
formation the laity should gradually and prudently learn how to view, judge and
do all things in the light of faith as well as to develop and improve
themselves along with others through doing, thereby entering into active
service to the Church.(2) This formation, always in need of improvement because
of the increasing maturity of the human person and the proliferation of
problems, requires an ever deeper knowledge and planned activity. In the
fulfillment of all the demands of formation, the unity and integrity of the
human person must be kept in mind at all times so that his harmony and balance
may be safeguarded and enhanced.
In this way the lay person engages
himself wholly and actively in the reality of the temporal order and
effectively assumes his role in conducting the affairs of this order. At the
same time, as a living member and witness of the Church, he renders the Church
present and active in the midst of temporal affairs.(3)
30. The training for the apostolate
should start with the children's earliest education. In a special way, however,
adolescents and young persons should be initiated into the apostolate and
imbued with its spirit. This formation must be perfected throughout their whole
life in keeping with the demands of new responsibilities. It is evident,
therefore, that those who have the obligation to provide a Christian education
also have the duty of providing formation for the apostolate.
In the family parents have the task
of training their children from childhood on to recognize God's love for all
men. By example especially they should teach them little by little to be
solicitous for the material and spiritual needs of their neighbor. The whole
family in its common life, then, should be a sort of apprenticeship for the
apostolate. Children must be educated, too, in such fashion that transcending
the family circle, they may open their minds to both ecclesiastical and temporal
communities. They should be so involved in the local community of the parish
that they will acquire a consciousness of being living and active members of
the people of God. Priests should focus their attention on the formation of the
laity for the apostolate in their catechetics, their ministry of the word,
their direction of souls, and in their other pastoral services.
Schools, colleges, and other
Catholic educational institutions also have the duty to develop a Catholic
sense and apostolic activity in young persons. If young people lack this
formation either because they do not attend these schools or because of any
other reason, all the more should parents, pastors of souls, and apostolic
organizations attend to it. Teachers and educators on the other hand, who carry
on a distinguished form of the apostolate of the laity by their vocation and
office, should be equipped with that learning and pedagogical skill that are
needed for imparting such education effectively.
Likewise, lay groups and associations
dedicated to the apostolate or other supernatural goals, should carefully and
assiduously promote formation for the apostolate in keeping with their purpose
and condition.(4) Frequently these groups are the ordinary vehicle for
harmonious formation for the apostolate inasmuch as they provide doctrinal,
spiritual, and practical formation. Their members meet in small groups with
their associates or friends, examine the methods and results of their apostolic
activity, and compare their daily way of life with the Gospel.
Formation of this type must be so
organized that it takes into account the whole lay apostolate, which must be
carried on not only among the organized groups themselves but also in all
circumstances throughout one's whole life, especially one's professional and
social life. Indeed, everyone should diligently prepare himself for the
apostolate, this preparation being the more urgent in adulthood. For the
advance of age brings with it a more open mind, enabling each person to detect
more readily the talents with which God has enriched his soul and to exercise
more effectively those charisms which the Holy Spirit has bestowed on him for
the good of his brethren.
31. Various types of the apostolate
demand also a specially suitable formation.
a) In regard to the apostolate for
evangelizing and sanctifying men, the laity must be specially formed to engage
in conversation with others, believers, or non-believers, in order to manifest
Christ's message to all men.(5)
Since in our times, different forms
of materialism are spread far and wide even among Catholic, the laity should
not only learn doctrine more diligently, especially those main points which are
the subjects of controversy, but should also exhibit the witness of an
evangelical life in contrast to all forms of materialism.
b) In regard to the Christian
renewal of the temporal order, the laity should be instructed in the true
meaning and value of temporal things, both in themselves and in relation to all
the aims of the human person. They should be trained in the right use of things
and the organization of institutions, attentive always to the common good in
line with the principles of the moral and social teaching of the Church. Laymen
should above all learn the principles and conclusions of the social doctrine so
as to become capable of working for the development of this doctrine to the
best of their ability and of rightly applying these same principles and
conclusions to individual cases.(6)
c) Since the works of charity and
mercy express the most striking testimony of the Christian life, apostolic
formation should lead also to the performance of these works so that the
faithful may learn from childhood on to have compassion for their brethren and
to be generous in helping those in need.(7)
32. There are many aids for lay
persons devoted to the apostolate, namely, study sessions, congresses, periods
of recollection, spiritual exercises, frequent meetings, conferences, books,
and periodicals directed toward the acquisition of a deeper knowledge of sacred
Scripture and Catholic doctrine, the nourishment.of spiritual life, the
discernment of world conditions, and the discovery and development of suitable
methods.(8)
These aids in formation take into
consideration the various types of the apostolate in the milieu where it is
exercised.
For this purpose also centers or
higher institutes have been erected, and they have already proved highly
successful.
The most holy council rejoices over
projects of this kind which are already flourishing in certain areas, and it
desires that they may be promoted also in other areas where they may be needed.
Furthermore, centers of documentation and study not only in theology but also
in anthropology, psychology, sociology, and methodology should be established
for all fields of the apostolate for the better development of the natural
capacities of the laity-men and women, young persons and adults.
EXHORTATION
33. The most holy council, then,
earnestly entreats all the laity in the Lord to answer gladly, nobly, and promptly
the more urgent invitation of Christ in this hour and the impulse of the Holy
Spirit. Younger persons should feel that this call has been directed to them
especially and they should respond to it eagerly and generously. Through this
holy synod, the Lord renews His invitation to all the laity to come closer to
Him every day, recognizing that what is His is also their own (Phil. 2:5), to
associate themselves with Him in His saving mission. Once again He sends them
into every town and place where He will come (cf. Luke 10:1) so that they may
show that they are co-workers in the various forms and modes of the one
apostolate of the Church, which must be constantly adapted to the new needs of
our times. Ever productive as they should be in the work of the Lord, they know
that their labor in Him is not in vain (cf. 1 Cor. 15:58).
NOTES
Introduction:
1. cf. John XXIII, apostolic
constitution "Humani Salutis," Dec. 25, 1961: A.A.S. 54 (1962) pp.
7-10.
2. cf. Second Vatican Council,
Dogmatic Constitution on the Nature of the Church, nos. 33 ff.: A.A.S. 57
(1965) pp. 39 ff.; cf; also Constitution on the Liturgy, nos. 26-40; A.A.S. 56
(1964) pp. 107- 111; cf. Decree on Instruments of Social Communication: A.A.S.
56 (1964) pp. 145-158; cf. Decree on Ecumenism: A.A.S. 57 (1965) pp. 90-107;
cf. Decree on Pastoral Duties of Bishops, nos. 16, 17, 18; cf. Declaration on
Christian Education, nos. 3, 5, 7; cf. Decree on Missionary Activity of Church,
nos. 15, 21, 41; cf. Decree on Priestly Life and Ministry, no. 9.
3. cf. Pius XII, allocution to
cardinals, Feb. 18, 1946: A.A.S. 38 (1946) pp. 101-102; Idem., sermon to young
Catholic workers, Aug. 25, 1957: A.A.S. 49 (1957) p. 843.
Chapter 1 Article 2:
1. cf. Pius XI, encyclical
"Rerum Ecclesiae:" A.A.S. 18 (1926) p. 65.
2. cf. Second Vatican Council,
Dogmatic Constitution on the Nature of the Church, no. 31: A.A.S. 57 (1965) p.
37. Article 3:
3. cf. ibid., no. 33, p. 39; cf.
also no. 10, ibid., p. 14.
4. cf. ibid., no. 12, p. 16. Article
4:
5. cf. Second Vatican Council,
Constitution on the Liturgy, Chap. 1, no. 11: A.A.S. 56 (1964) pp. 102-103.
6. cf. Second Vatican Council,
Dogmatic Constitution on the Nature of the Church, no. 32: A.A.S. 57 (1965) p.
38; cf. also nos. 40-41: ibid., pp. 45-47.
7. ibid., no. 62, p. 63; cf. also
no. 65. ibid., pp. 64-65. CHAPTER II Article 6:
1. cf. Pius XI, encyclical "Ubi
Arcano," Dec. 23, 1922: A.A.S. 14 (1922) p. 659; Pius XII, encyclical
"Summi Pontificatus," Oct. 20, 1939: A.A.S. 31 (1939) pp. 442-443.
Article 7:
2. cf. Leo XIII, encyclical
"Rerum Novarum:" A.A.S. 23 (1890-91) p. 47; Pius XI encyclical
"Quadragesimo anno:" A.A.S. 23 (1931) p 190; Pius XII, radio message
of June 1, 1941: A.A.S. 33 (1941) p. 207. Article 8:
3. cf. John XXIII, encyclical
"Mater et Magistra:" A.A.S. 53 (1961) p. 402.
4. cf. ibid., pp. 440-441.
5. cf. ibid., pp. 442-443.
6. cf. Pius XII, allocution to
"Pax Romana" April 25, 1957: A.A.S. 49 (1957) pp. 298-299; and
especially John XXIII, "Ad Conventum Consilii" Food and Agriculture
Organization Nov. 10, 1959: A.A.S. 51 (1959) pp. 856-866.
Chapter III Article 10:
1. cf. St. Pius X, apostolic letter
"Creationis Duarum Novarum Paroeciarum" June 1, 1905: A.A.S. 38
(1905) pp. 65-67; Pius XII, allocution to faithful of parish of St. Saba, Jan.
11, 1953: Discourses and radio messages of His Holiness Pius XII, 14 (1952-53)
pp. 449- 454; John XXIII allocution to clergy and faithful of suburbicarian
diocese of Albano, "Ad Arcem Gandulfi Habita," Aug. 26, 1962: A.A.S.
54 (1962) pp. 656-660.
2. cf. Leo XIII, allocution Jan. 28,
1894: Acts, 14 (1894) pp. 424- 425.
3. cf. Pius XII, allocution to
pastors, etc., Feb. 6, 1951: Discourses and Radio Messages of His Holiness Pius
XII, 12 (1950-51) pp. 437- 443; 852: ibid, 14 (1952-53) pp. 5-10; March 27,
1953: ibid., 15 (1953-54) pp. 27-35; Feb. 28, 1954: ibid., pp. 585-590. Article
11:
4. cf. Pius XI, encyclical
"Casti Connubii:" A.A.S. 22 (1930) p. 554; Pius XII, Radio Messages,
Jan. 1, 1941: A.A.S. 33 (1941) p. 203; idem., to delegates of the convention of
the members of the International Union to Protect the Rights of Families, Sept.
20, 1949; A.A.S. 41 (1949) p. 552; idem., to heads of families on pilgrimage
from France to Rome, Sept. 18, 1951: A.A.S. 43 (1951) p. 731, idem., Christmas
Radio Message of 1952: A.A.S. 45 (1953) p. 41; John XXIII, encyclical
"Mater et Magistra" May 15, 1961: A.A.S. (1961) pp. 429, 439.
5. cf. Pius XII, encyclical
"Evangelii Praecones," June 2, 1951: A.A.S. 43 (1951) p. 514.
6. cf. Pius XII, to delegates to the
convention of members of the International Union for the Defense of Family
Rights, Sept. 20, 1949: A.A.S. 41 (1949) p. 552. Article 12:
7. cf. St. Pius X, allocution to
Association of French Catholic Youth on piety, knowledge and action, Sept. 25,
1904: A.A.S. 37 (1904- 05) pp. 296-300.
8. cf. Pius XII, letter "Dans
Quelques Semaines" to Archbishop of Montreal, Canada, to be relayed to the
Assemblies of Canadian Young Christian Workers, May 24, 1947: A.A.S. 39 (1947)
p. 257; radio message to Young Christian Workers, Brussels, Sept. 3, 1950:
A.A.S. 42 (1950) pp. 640-641. Article 13:
9. cf. Pius XI, encyclical
"Quadragesimo Anno," May 15, 1931: A.A.S. 23 (1931) pp. 225-226.
Article 14:
10. cf. John XXIII, encyclical
"Mater et Magistra" May 15, 1961: A.A.S. 53 (1961) pp. 448-450.
Chapter IV Article 17:
1. cf. Pius XII, allocution to the
first convention of laymen representing all nations on the promotion of the
apostolate, Oct. 15, 1951: A.A.S. 43 (1951) p. 788. Article 18:
2. cf. Pius XII, allocution to the
first convention of laymen representing all nations on the promotion of the
apostolate Oct. 15, 1951: A.A.S. 43 (1951) pp. 787-788.
3. cf. Pius XII, encyclical "Le
Pelerinage de Lourdes," July 2, 1957: A.A.S. 49 (1957) p. 615. Article 19:
4. cf. Pius XII, allocution to the
assembly of the International Federation of Catholic Men, Dec. 8, 1956: A.A.S.
49 (1957) pp. 26- 27.
5. cf. in Chap. 5, no. 24.
6. cf. Sacred Congregation of the
Council, concerning the dissolution of the Corrientes diocese in Argentina,
Nov. 13, 1920: A.A.S. 13 (1921) p. 139.
7. cf. John XXIII, encyclical
"Princeps Pastorum," Dec. 10, 1959: A.A.S. 51 (1959) p. 856. Article
20:
8. cf. Pius XI, letter "Quae
Nobis" to Cardinal Bertram, Nov. 13, 1928: A.A.S. 20 (1928) p. 385. cf.
also Pius XII, allocution to Italian Catholic Action, Sept. 4, 1940: A.A.S. 32
(1940) p. 362.
Chapter V Article 23:
1. cf. Pius XI, encyclical
"Quamvis Nostra," April 30, 1936: A.A.S., 28 (1936) pp. 160-161.
Article 24:
2. cf. Sacred Congregation of the
Council on the dissolution of the diocese of Corrientes, Argentina, Nov. 13,
1920; A.A.S. 13 (1921) pp. 137-140. Article 25:
3. cf. Pius XII, allocution to the
second convention of laymen representing all nations on the promotion of the
apostolate, Oct. 5 1957: A.A.S. 49 (1957) p. 927.
4. cf. Second Vatican Council,
Dogmatic Constitution on the Nature of the Church, no. 37. A.A.S. 57 (1965) pp.
442-443.
5. cf. Pius XII, apostolic
exhortation "Menti Nostrae," Sept. 23 1950: A.A.S. 42 (1950) p. 660.
6. cf. Second Vatican Council,
Decree on the Renovation of Religious Life, no. 8. Article 26:
7. cf. Benedict XIV, On the Diocesan
Synod, I, 3, Chap. 9, no. 7.
8. cf. Pius XI, encyclical
"Quamvis Nostra," April 30, l936: A.A.S. 28 (1936) pp. 160-161.
Article 27:
9. cf. John XXIII, encyclical
"Mater et Magistra," May 15, 1961: A.A.S. 53 (1961) pp. 456-457. cf.
Second Vatican Council, Decree on Ecumenism, no. 12: A.A.S. 57 (1965) pp.
99-100.
10. cf. Second Vatican Council,
Decree on Ecumenism, no. 12: A.A.S. 57 (1965) p. 100. Also cf. Dogmatic
Constitution on the Nature of the Church, no. 15: A.A.S. 57 (1965) pp. 19-20.
CHAPTER VI Article 28:
1. cf. Second Vatican Council,
Dogmatic Constitution on the Nature of the Church, Chaps. 2, 4 and 5: A.A.S. 57
(1965) pp. 12- 21, 37-49; also cf. Decree on Ecumenism, nos. 4, 6, 7 and 12:
A.A.S. 57 (1965) pp. 94, 96, 97, 99, 100; cf. also above, no. 4. Article 29:
2. cf. Pius XII, allocution to the
first international Boy Scouts congress, June 6, 1952: A.A.S. 44 (1952) pp.
579-580; John XXIII, encyclical, "Mater et Magistra," May 15, 1961:
A.A.S. 53 (1961) p. 456.
3. cf. Second Vatican Council,
Dogmatic Constitution on the Nature of the Church, p. 33: A.A.S. 57 (1965) p.
39. Article. 30:
4. cf. John XXIII, encyclical
"Mater et Magistra," May 15, 1961: A.A.S. 53 (1961) p. 455. Article
31:
5. cf. Pius XII, encyclical
"Sertum Laetitiae," Nov. 1, 1939: A.A.S. 31 (1939) pp. 653-654; cf.
idem., to graduates of Italian Catholic Action, May 24, 1953.
6. cf. Pius XII, allocution to the
universal congress of the World Federation of Young Catholic Women, April 18,
1952: A.A.S. 42 (1952) pp. 414-419. cf. idem., allocution to the Christian
Association of Italian Workers, May 1, 1955: A.A.S. 47 (1955) pp. 403-404.
7. cf. Pius XII, to delegates of the
Assembly of Charity Associations, April 27,1952: pp.470-471.
Article 32:
8 cf. John XXIII, encyclical
"Mater et Magistra," May 15 1961: A.A.S. 53 (1961) p. 454.
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