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The 267th leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, Pope Leo XIV, has one significant quality: his “missionary heart.” Leo himself has extensive mission experience, working in Peru for over twenty years. He will imprint a missionary dynamism into his papacy.
Pope Francis embodied the spirit of Vatican II, translating its vision into action. His papacy championed several core Council themes: collegiality, synodality, local church, dialogue and servant leadership. His reforms reflected the Council’s call for aggiornamento (renewal).
The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (Sacrosanctum Concilium) [SC] was the first of sixteen documents that Vatican II promulgated. It asserts that a very close, organic bond exists between the renewal of the liturgy and the renewal of the whole life of the Church.
Dei Verbum (Word of God), formally titled the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, holds a unique place among the 16 documents of Vatican II (1962–1965). It is a profound exploration of how God reveals Himself and communicates with humanity.
The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) has accurately been described as a “Council of the Church about the Church.” For four years, the Church reflected on her self-identity as the community of Christ’s disciples. This reflection seeks to capture a “Vatican II Ecclesiology” in eight “snapshot” images.
From pioneering papal travels to advancing interreligious dialogue, Paul VI modeled a Church reaching out to the world, inspired by the Gospel’s transformative power. His missionary zeal and the Vatican II spirit he embodied are his enduring legacy.
A comprehensive list of Vatican Council II documents provides a brief overview of each document, shedding light on how Vatican II reshaped the Church’s mission, structure and relationship with contemporary society.
This chronology of the Second Vatican Council traces key events, from its inception to its legacy, highlighting pivotal moments, papal actions, and significant theological developments that shaped modern Catholicism.
Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, better known as Pope John XXIII, earned the nickname “Good Pope John.” His enduring legacy is his role as the architect of the Second Vatican Council aimed at modernizing the Church and engaging it more deeply with the contemporary world.
