Introduction - Church Documents

This first blog post on Church documents contains a list of documents relevant to consecrated life. Blog entries that follow will contain summaries of some of these documents (those that have an asterix next to them in the below list). The document name will be the blog title. All of this information was prepared by Sister Elizabeth McDonough, OP, JCD, STL, a Dominican Sister of Our Lady of the Springs of Bridgeport (CT) and is used with her permission. Most of these documents (to 1978) can be found at www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/csscrlife/index.htm

(Note from Ann: Sister Elizabeth suggests that sisters read the entries on Contemplative Dimension, Community Life and Vita Consecrata before reading the more technical entries on Lumen Gentium, Perfectae Caritatis and Ecclesiae Sanctae II. The entries are indexed on the right side of the blog page for easy navigation.)

Many different types of documents are issued by the Apostolic See. The title (also known as the incipit) is the first few words of the Latin text (or English, etc.). The importance of a document is identified, in part, by the type of document used and is also identified by the actual content. When the 1st listing of a type of document occurs below, a brief explanation is given.

*Lumen gentium, 21 November 1964, dogmatic constitution of Vatican II. Treated consecrated life in ##43-47 in the context of the Church as People of God and the universal call to holiness.

[A dogmatic constitution of an ecumenical council is directed to the entire Church. It has significant theological import and often has legislative consequences because of its content.]

*Perfectae caritatis, 28 October 1965, decree of Vatican II which mandated renewal and adaptation, while urging fidelity to fundamentals, for all aspects of consecrated life.

[A decree of an ecumenical council presents directives and theological background in relation to some segment of the Church, such as bishops or religious or priests or laity.]

*Ecclesiae sanctae, 6 August 1966, motu proprio by Paul VI: Part I, 22-44, new norms for exemption (altered by Christus Dominus); Part II, directives to implement Perfectae caritatis; Part III, 10-12,15-17, 21-22, norms for apostolic activities re: consecrated life.

[A motu proprio is a legislative document issued by the Pope on his own initiative.]

*Evangeligca testificatio, 29 June 1971, apostolic exhortation of Paul VI reflecting on the process-progress-pitfalls of renewal in religious institutes since the close of Vatican II.

[An apostolic exhortation is usually addressed by the Pope to some segment of the Church and (as the title indicates) exhorts or urges readers to consider the matter treated.]

*Religious and Human Promotion, came from the April 1978 plenaria of Sacred Congregation for Religious and Secular Institutes (SCRIS) and was published March 1980 (along with the document below), contained guidelines and comments for religious in relation to the four major concerns of poverty, social action, work and politics.

[A plenaria occurs when all members of a curial congregation meet in Rome. Some pertinent document often follows.]

*Contemplative Dimension of Religious Life, came from the March 1980 plenaria of SCRIS, and emphasized integration of contemplation for all members of institutes of consecrated life.

Essential Elements, 31 May 1983, was a summary by SCRIS of canons from the Code of Canon Law (promulgated 25 January 1983) which was sent to bishops in the USA along with the papal letter of 3 April 1983 which initiated a study of religious life in the United States.

[This is simple a summary of multiple canons on religious life from the 1983 Code.]

*Redemptionis donum, 25 March 1984, is apostolic exhortation of John Paul II expressing the theology of religious consecration in relation to the mystery of redemption.

*Potissimum institutioni, 2 February 1990, are directives of Congregation for institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life (CICLSAL) presenting the theory, principles and norms for various levels and types of formation in religious institutes.

[Directives function, as noted, by giving theory, principles and norms in a particular matter.]

*Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor (On Community Life), 2 February 1994, is an instruction of CICLSAL emphasizing the spiritual bond of hearts united in Christ along with the visible fidelity to life together in religious houses as fostering both communal action and generous service while also witnessing to the importance, blessings, and challenges of community.

[An instruction is directed to those responsible for implementing established norms. They encourage observance and specify in more detail what and how something should be done.]

*Vita Consecrata, 25 March 1996, apostolic exhortation of John Paul II, issued as a result of the Synod on Consecrated Life which was held in 1984.

Inter-Institute Collaboration in Formation, 8 December 1999, instruction of CICLSAL on requirements for formal, cooperative programs among multiple religious institutes.

Starting Afresh from Christ, 14 June 2002, instruction of CICLSAL concerning a renewed commitment to consecrated life in the Church at the beginning of the new millennium.

The Service of Authority and Obedience, 11 May 2008, instruction concerning the integration of responsible obedience and the genuine exercise of authority in religious institutes today.

PostScript – The formal title of the Congregation in the Roman Curia responsible for matters related to religious and other forms of consecrated life has change THREE times since Vatican Council II from the Sacred Congregation for Religious [SCR] to Congregation for Religious and Secular Institutes [SCRIS]to Congregation for Institute of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life [CICLSAL]