The Second Vatican Ecumenical Countil (Vatican II)

by Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D.

Introduction:
In 1959, to the surprise of almost everyone, Pope John XXIII announced his intention of
convoking an Ecumenical Council, the twenty-first such council in the history of the Church.
The Second Vatican Council met in four segments, from Fall 1962 to Fall 1965, under the
leadership of Popes John XXIII and Paul VI.
Pope John XXIII:

Life and Ecclesial Service

o Born Nov. 25, 1881, in Sotto il Monte, Bergamo, Lombardy, Italy
o Sharecropper family; 4th of 13 children; oldest boy
o Seminarian in Bergamo (1892-1900) and in Rome (1900-1904)
o Ordained Priest 1904; Bishop 1925; Cardinal 1953; Pope 1958
o Secretary to Bishop of Bergamo, and professor at seminary (1905-14)
o Italian Army service: first as medical orderly, then as chaplain (1915-19)
o President, Society for Propagation of Faith (1921-25)
o Apostolic Visitor to Bulgaria (1925-35)
o Apostolic Delegate to Turkey and Greece (Istanbul; 1935-44)
o Apostolic Nuncio to France (1944-53)
o Patriarch of Venice (1953-58)
o Pope, Bishop of Rome (Oct. 28, 1958, to June 3, 1963)
Personality:
o Convivium / Dialogue / Hospitality
o Warmth, Humor, Kindness, Gentleness
o Trust in the Holy Spirit
o PEACE
Writings:
o Journal of a Soul diary of spiritual reflections
o Eight Encyclicals
o Last one: Pacem in Terris (Peace on earth)

Five points of Pope John XXIII for achieving the pastoral renewal of the Church (from his
opening address on Oct. 11, 1962, as summarized by the United States Catholic Catechism for
Adults (pp. 21-22):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Be filled with hope and faith. Do not be prophets of gloom.

Discover ways of teaching the faith more effectively.
Deepen the understanding of doctrine.
Use the medicine of mercy (no anathemas)
Seek unity within the Church, with Christians separated from Catholicism, with those of
non-Christian religions, and with all men and women of goodwill

Timeline of Vatican II:

Preparing for the Council:

o Oct. 28, 1958 - Cardinal Angelo Roncalli is elected Pope, taking the name John
XIII
o Jan. 25, 1959 - Pope John XXIII announces to a group of 17 Cardinals gathered at
the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls his intention of calling an Ecumenical
Council (along with a Synod of the Diocese of Rome and the Reform of Canon
Law)
o June 18, 1959 - a letter is sent to Bishops and Catholic universities world-wide
asking for suggestions for agenda items to be discussed at the council
o June 5, 1960 - Pope John issues a motu proprio announcing the formation of
various preparatory commissions
o Dec. 25, 1961 - Pope John issues a papal bull formally convoking the Second
Vatican Council
o July 20, 1962 - invitations are sent to separated Christians inviting them to send
observers to the council
o Sept. 5, 1962 - Pope John issues a motu proprio announcing the heads of ten
council commissions, along with rules and procedures for the conduct of the
council
o Sept. 11, 1962 - Pope John asks the whole world to pray for the council
First Session of the Council: Fall 1962
o Oct. 11, 1962 - Formal Opening of the Council; Opening Address by Pope John
XXIII
o Dec. 8, 1962 - first session formally adjourns
Interim Period:
o June 3, 1963 - Pope John XXIII dies
o June 21, 1963 - Cardinal Giovanni Battista Montini is elected Pope, taking the
name Paul VI
o June 22, 1963 - Pope Paul declares his intention to continue the Second Vatican
Council
o Sept. 15, 1963 - Pope Paul announces the formation of a new steering committee
to direct the work of the second session
o Sept. 21, 1963 - Pope Paul addresses the Roman Curia, calling on their faithful
cooperation withy the spirit of aggiornamento and reform.
Second Session of the Council: Fall 1963
o Sept. 29, 1963 - second session formally opens
o Dec. 4, 1963 - second session formally adjourns
Third Session of the Council: Fall 1964
o Sept. 14, 1964 - third session formally opens
o Nov. 21, 1964 - third session formally adjourns
Fourth Session of the Council: Fall 1965
o Sept. 14, 1965 - fourth session opens, less formally
o Dec. 8, 1965 - the Second Vatican Council is officially closed with an open-air
Mass in St. Peter's Square
After the Council:

o
o
o
o
o

1969-70 - Revision of the Roman Missal: Sacramentary, Lectionary, other

Liturgical Books
1967-68 - "Year of Faith" proclaimed by Pope Paul VI
1985 - Synod of Bishops discusses the heritage of the Council
1992, 1997 - Catechism of the Catholic Church is published
2012-13 - "Year of Faith" proclaimed by Pope Benedict XVI to celebrate the 50th
Anniversary of the opening of Vatican II

The Sixteen Documents of the Second Vatican Council:

The bishops assembled at Vatican II debated, amended, voted on, and eventually approved and
published sixteen documents covering a wide variety of topics, some on internal ecclesial issues
and some on the relationship of the Church to various other people in our world. The four largest
and most important documents are called "Constitutions," while the shorter documents dealing
with more particular issues are either called "Decrees" or "Declarations." These documents are
foundational for a proper understanding of Catholic Christianity today, but are still in the process
of being implemented fully.
Final
Date
# Words
Vote Quotes
Promulgated (Main+Extra) (Pro / in CCC
Con)

Document Title in English

Official Title
(First Words in
Latin)

Constitution on the Sacred

Liturgy

Sacrosanctum
Concilium

12/4/1963

8,066 +182 2147 /

4

86

Dogmatic Constitution on the

Church

Lumen Gentium

11/21/1964

17,489 +912 2151 /

5

294

Dogmatic Constitution on
Divine Revelation

Dei Verbum

11/18/1965

Pastoral Constitution on the

Church in the Modern World

Gaudium et Spes

12/7/1965

Decree on the Media of Social

Communications

Inter Mirifica

12/4/1963

Decree on the Catholic

Churches of the Eastern Rite

Orientalium
Ecclesiarum

11/21/1964

Decree on Ecumenism

Unitatis
Redintegratio

11/21/1964

Decree on the Pastoral Office of

Christus Dominus
Bishops in the Church

10/28/1965

Decree on the Adaptation and

Renewal of Religious Life

Perfectae Caritatis

10/28/1965

Decree on Priestly Training

Optatam Totius

10/28/1965

3,420

2344 /
6

76

24,076

2307 /
75

167

2312

1960 /
164

1911 +912

2110 /
39

4932 +897

2137 /
11

42

6216

2319 /
2

14

3406

2321 /
4

3118

2318 /
3

Decree on the Apostolate of the Apostolicam

Laity
Actuositatem

11/18/1965

Decree on Mission Activity of the

Ad Gentes
Church

12/7/1965

Decree on the Ministry and Life

of Priests

Presbyterorum
Ordinis

12/7/1965

Declaration on Christian
Education

Gravissum
Educationis

10/28/1965

Declaration on the Relation of

the Church to Non-Christian
Religions

Nostra Aetate

10/28/1965

Declaration on Religious
Freedom

Dignitatis
Humanae

12/7/1965

7254

2340 /
2

14

9961

2394 /
5

39

8112

2390 /
4

24

2735

2290 /
35

1217

2221 /
88

3307

2308 /
70

22

See the Vatican Website for the full texts of the Documents of Vatican II
See also my Comparitive Outlines of Dei Verbum and the Catechism of the Catholic Church

The Interpretation of Vatican II:

In 1985, twenty years after the conclusion of Vatican II, the Second Extraordinary Synod of
Bishops met to reflect on the importance and the implementation of the teachings of the Council.
The Synod's "Final Report" includes several criteria for the proper interpretation of the
Documents of Vatican II:
1. The theological interpretation of the conciliar doctrine must show attention to all the
documents, in themselves and in their close inter-relationship, in such a way that the
integral meaning of the Council's affirmations--often very complex--might be understood
and expressed.
2. Special attention must be paid to the four major Constitutions of the Council, which
contain the interpretative key for the other Decrees and Declarations.
3. It is not licit to separate the pastoral character from the doctrinal vigor of the documents.
4. In the same way, it is not licit to separate the spirit and the letter of the Council.
5. Moreover, the Council must be understood in continuity with the great tradition of the
Church,
6. and at the same time we must receive light from the Council's own doctrine for today's
Church and the people of our time. The Church is one and the same throughout all the
councils.
(Source: "The Church, in the Word of God, Celebrates the Mysteries of Christ for the Salvation of the
World"; par. 5)

Bibliography:

Documents of Vatican II:

o Vatican Council II: The Basic Sixteen Documents. Edited by Austin Flannery,
O.P. Costello Publishing, 1996.
o The Documents of Vatican II. Edited by Walter M. Abbott, S.J. Guild Press &
America Press, 1966.
o Also available online from the Vatican website, in several translations:
http://vatican.va
Studies about Vatican II:
o Huebsch, Bill. Vatican II in Plain English. 3 vols. Thomas More Publishing,
1997.
o Hahnenberg , Edward P. A Concise Guide to the Documents of Vatican II. St.
Anthony Messenger, 2007.
o Rynne, Xavier. Vatican Council II. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1968. - a condensed
version of Rynne's 4-volume work.
o Faggioli, Massimo. Vatican II: The Battle for Meaning. Paulist Press, 2012. - with
extensive bibliography
Audio and Video Recordings:
o O'Malley, S.J., John. Vatican II. Now You Know Media, 2010. - 12-part audio
program
o Ciorra, Anthony. The Spirituality of Vatican II. Now You Know Media, 2012. 12-part audio program
o The Faithful Revolution: Vatican II. Thomas More Publishing, 1996. - 5-part
video program

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