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Dogmatic Constitution on the Church in the Modern extension, and manner by which the principle is applied in the proposed text, DOGMATIC CONSTITUTION ON besides the modern authors: cf. St. Thomas, Summa Theologica II-II, q. 66, a. THE CHURCH IN THE MODERN WORLD 7. Obviously, for the correct application of the principle, all the conditions that are morally required must be met. GAUDIUM ET SPES 12. Cf. Gratiam, Decretum, C. 21, dist. LXXXVI (ed. Friedberg I, 302). This axiom Promulgated By His Holiness Pope Paul VI is also found already in PL 54, 591 A (cf. in Antonianum 27 (1952) 349-366) i. On December 7, 1965 13. Cf. Leo XIII, encyclical letter Rerum Novarum: AAS 23 (1890-91) pp. 643-646, Pius XI, encyclical letter Quadragesimo Anno: AAS 23 (1931) p. 191; Pius XII, PREFACE Radio message of June 1, 1941: AAS 33 (1941), p. 199; Pius XII, Radio 1. The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the men of this age, message on Christmas Eve 1942: AAS 35 (1943), p. 17; Pius XII, Radio especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the joys and hopes, message of Sept. 1, 1944: AAS 36 (1944) p. 253; John XXIII, encyclical letter the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ. Indeed, nothing genuinely human Mater et Magistra: AAS 53 (1961) pp. 428-429. fails to raise an echo in their hearts. For theirs is a community composed of men. 14. Cf. Pius XI, encyclical letter Quadragesimo Anno: AAS 23 (1931) p. 214; John United in Christ, they are led by the Holy Spirit in their journey to the Kingdom of XXIII, encyclical letter Mater et Magistra: AAS 53 (1961), p. 429. their Father and they have welcomed the news of salvation which is meant for every 15. Cf. Pius XII, Radio message of Pentecost 1941: AAS 44 (1941) p. 199, John man. That is why this community realizes that it is truly linked with mankind and its history by the deepest of bonds. XXIII, encyclical letter Mater et Magistra: AAS 53 (1961) p. 430. 16. For the right use of goods according to the doctrine of the New Testament, cf. 2. Hence this Second Vatican Council, having probed more profoundly into the Luke 3:11, 10:30 ff; 11:41; 1 Pet. 5:3, Mark 8:36; 12:39-41; Jas. 5:1-6; 1 Tim. mystery of the Church, now addresses itself without hesitation, not only to the sons 6:8; Eph. 1:28; a Cor. 8:13; 1 John 3:17 ff. of the Church and to all who invoke the name of Christ, but to the whole of Chapter 4 humanity. For the council yearns to explain to everyone how it conceives of the presence and activity of the Church in the world of today. 1. Cf. John XXIII, encyclical letter Mater et Magistra: AAS 53 (1961), p. 417. 2. Cf. John XXIII, ibid. Therefore, the council focuses its attention on the world of men, the whole human 3. Cf. Rom. 13:1-5. family along with the sum of those realities in the midst of which it lives; that world 4. Cf. Rom. 13:5. which is the theater of man's history, and the heir of his energies, his tragedies and 5. Cf. Pius XII, Radio message, Dec. 24, 1942: AAS 35 (1943) pp. 9-24; Dec. 24, his triumphs; that world which the Christian sees as created and sustained by its 1944: AAS 37 (1945), pp. 11-17; John XXIII encyclical letter Pacem in Terris: Maker's love, fallen indeed into the bondage of sin, yet emancipated now by Christ, AAS 55 (1963), pp. 263, 271 277 and 278. Who was crucified and rose again to break the strangle hold of personified evil, so 6. Cf. Pius XII, Radio message of June 7, 1941: AAS 33 (1941) p. 200: John XXIII, that the world might be fashioned anew according to God's design and reach its fulfillment. encyclical letter Pacem in Terris: 1.c., p. 273 and 274. 7. Cf. John XXIII, encyclical letter Mater et Magistra: AAS 53 (1961), p. 416. 3. Though mankind is stricken with wonder at its own discoveries and its power, it 8. Pius XI, Allocution "Ai dirigenti della Federazione Universitaria Cattolica". often raises anxious questions about the current trend of the world, about the place Discorsi di Pio XI (ed. Bertetto), Turin, vol. 1 (1960), p. 743. and role of man in the universe, about the meaning of its individual and collective 9. Cf. Second Vatican strivings, and about the ultimate destiny of reality and of humanity. Hence, giving witness and voice to the faith of the whole people of God gathered together by Christ, this council can provide no more eloquent proof of its solidarity with, as well as its respect and love for the entire human family with which it is bound up, than by engaging with it in conversation about these various problems. The council brings to mankind light kindled from the Gospel, and puts at its disposal those saving resources which the Church herself, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, receives from her Founder. For the human person deserves to be preserved; human society deserves to be renewed. Hence the focal point of our total presentation will be man himself, whole and entire, body and soul, heart and conscience, mind and will. Therefore, this sacred synod, proclaiming the noble destiny of man and championing the Godlike seed which has been sown in him, offers to mankind the honest assistance of the Church in fostering that brotherhood of all men which corresponds to this destiny of theirs. Inspired by no earthly ambition, the Church 64 1 14. Cf. Pius XI, encyclical letter Casti Connubii: AAS 22 (1930): Denz.-Schoen. 5. Today's spiritual agitation and the changing conditions of life are part of a 3716-3718, Pius XII, Allocutio Conventui Unionis Italicae inter Obstetrices, broader and deeper revolution. As a result of the latter, intellectual formation is ever Oct. 29, 1951: AAS 43 (1951), pp. 835-854, Paul VI, Address to a group of increasingly based on the mathematical and natural sciences and on those dealing cardinals, June 23 1964: AAS 56 (1964), pp. 581-589. Certain questions which with man himself, while in the practical order the technology which stems from need further and more careful investigation have been handed over, at the these sciences takes on mounting importance. command of the Supreme Pontiff, to a commission for the study of population, This scientific spirit has a new kind of impact on the cultural sphere and on modes family, and births, in order that, after it fulfills its function, the Supreme Pontiff of thought. Technology is now transforming the face of the earth, and is already may pass judgment. With the doctrine of the magisterium in this state, this holy trying to master outer space. To a certain extent, the human intellect is also synod does not intend to propose immediately concrete solutions. broadening its dominion over time: over the past by means of historical knowledge; 15. Cf. Eph. 5:16; Col. 4:5. over the future, by the art of projecting and by planning. 16. Cf. Sacramentarium Gregorianum: PL 78, 262. Advances in biology, psychology, and the social sciences not only bring men hope 17. Cf. Rom. 5:15 and 18; 6:5-11; Gal. 2:20. of improved self-knowledge; in conjunction with technical methods, they are 18. Cf. Eph. 5:25-27. helping men exert direct influence on the life of social groups. Chapter 2 At the same time, the human race is giving steadily-increasing thought to 1. Cf. Introductory statement of this constitution, n. 4 ff. forecasting and regulating its own population growth. History itself speeds along on 2. Cf. Col. 3:2. so rapid a course that an individual person can scarcely keep abreast of it. The 3. Cf. Gen. 1:28. destiny of the human community has become all of a piece, where once the various 4. Cf. Prov. 8:30-31. groups of men had a kind of private history of their own. 5. Cf. St. Irenaeus, Adversus haereses, III, 11, 8 (ed. Sagnard p. 200; cf. ibid., 16, 6: Thus, the human race has passed from a rather static concept of reality to a more pp. 290- 292; 21, 10-22: pp. 370-372; 22 3: p. 378; etc.) dynamic, evolutionary one. In consequence there has arisen a new series of 6. Cf. Eph. 1:10. problems, a series as numerous as can be, calling for efforts of analysis and 7. Cf. the words of Pius XI to Father M. D. Roland-Gosselin "It is necessary never synthesis. to lose sight of the fact that the objective of the Church is to evangelize, not to 6. By this very circumstance, the traditional local communities such as families, civilize. If it civilizes, it is for the sake of evangelization." (Semaines sociales clans, tribes, villages, various groups and associations stemming from social de France, Versailles, 1936, pp. 461- 462). contacts, experience more thorough changes every day. 8. First Vatican Council, Constitution on the Catholic Faith: Denzinger 1795, 1799 The industrial type of society is gradually being spread, leading some nations to (3015, 3019). Cf. Pius XI, encyclical letter Quadragesimo Anno: AAS 23 economic affluence, and radically transforming ideas and social conditions (1931), p. 190. established for centuries. 9. Cf. John XXIII, encyclical letter Pacem in Terris: AAS 55 (1963), p. 260. 10. Cf. John XXIII, encyclical letter Pacem in Terris: AAS 55 (1963), p.
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