Summary of Perfectae Caritatis

Summary prepared by Sister Elizabeth McDonough, OP

PERFECTAE CARITATIS (December 1965) presented immense challenges (with unforeseen results)

A - TITLE = Accommodata Renovatio de Religiosis is often mistranslated as “Adaptation and Renewal of Religious Life” with “adaptation” referring to externals & “renewal” to internals

B – THE SWEEPING CHALLENGE of Perfectae caritatis 2
= mandated return to the sources/spirit of the religious institute by accommodata renovatio
= used multiple participles…following-preserving-participating-promoting-emphasizing
= asked religious to initiate continuous return (continuum reditum) to two realities
= and explicitly called for adjustment (aptationem ipsorum) re: these two specific realities

REDITUM to the 1ST REALITY encompassed all the sources of Christian Life AND
REDITUM to the 2ND REALITY encompassed the original inspiration of the institute (leading to)
APTATIONEM IPSORUM (↑↑) to changed conditions of times (mutates conditions temporum) with a continuum reditum = not limited to “right here, right now” (accomplished) ?HOW? = under the impulse of the HOLY SPIRIT & guidance of the CHURCH

C - FIVE PRINCIPLES for the HOW are articulated in PC 2 (using six participles) as…

1- following PX in Gospels as the supreme rule of life

2- recognizing & preserving the spirit of founders/foundress & particular goals & sound traditions = the entire “PATRIMONY” of an institute (“charism” is not used in PC or in 1983 Code)

3- participating in the life of Church =liturgy, teaching, pastoral, ecumenism, missionary, social-- according to “patrimony”

4- promoting suitable awareness of contemporary human conditions & needs of the Church =in order to assist and to respond to these with zeal

5- emphasizing the primacy of spiritual renewal = since without it even optimas accommodationes to necessities of times will simply fail

E - APPLICATION was extremely comprehensive (especially) in PC 3 (and somewhat in PC 4)suitably combine (ratio…apte conveniat = bring together, unite, join)the manner/plan of living, of praying, of working, of governing and all documents including whatever concerns the nature of the institute, apostolic needs, cultural demands, social and economic circumstances, so that
(A) the living-praying-working-governing will be more in keeping with
(B) the needs of apostolate-culture-economics & THEREFORE, chapters are
***(C) to bring all documents into accord with the documents of Vatican II
***(D) by suppressing what is obsolete (suppressis quae obsoleta sint) AND
***(E) by prudently renewing all legislation under direction competent authority (= general chapters with approval or Bishop or of Apostolic See) AND
***(F) superiors are to listen to all members with all members participating while placing hope of renewal more on diligent observance than multiplication of norms

NOTE: Many religious were simply unprepared (in philosophy-theology-canon law) to alter so many aspects of their life in the timeline for holding renewal chapters (within 2 or 3 years, with 2 sessions possible a year apart). The Curia was equally unprepared to assess the multiple, ongoing constitution revisions. Legal underpinnings provided by constitutions were gradually undermined. Vigilance/oversight by bishops & Curia were often overbearing or lacking. And unexpected events here & abroad greatly influenced renewal. [See Ann Carey, Sisters in Crisis (OSV, Huntington, IN, 1997); Sr. Elizabeth McDonough, OP, “Juridical Deconstruction of Religious Institutes,” Studia Canonica 26 (1992) 307-341.]