Church Documents

"I wrote Verbum Domini because I would like the work of the synod to have a real effect on the life of the Church: on our personal relationship with the sacred Scriptures, on their interpreptation in the liturgy and catechesis, and in scientific research so that the Bible may not be simply a word from the past, but a living and timely word." This papal document perhaps is the most comprehensive official synthesis ever on the subject of the Scripture and divine revelation. It is masterfully written and presented with a depth which only a skilled theologian and seasoned teacher and pastor could achieve...

YOUCAT is short for Youth Catechism of the Catholic Church. Developed with the help of young Catholics and written for high-school age people and young adults, YOUCAT is an accessible, contemporary expression of the Catholic Faith. The appealing graphic format includes Questions-and-Answers, highly-readable commentary, summary definitions of key terms, Bible citations and inspiring and thought-provoking quotes from Saints and others in the margins. What's more, YOUCAT is keyed to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, so people can go deeper. It explains: What Catholics believe and why (doctrine) How Catholics celebrate the mysteries of the faith (sacraments) How Catholics are to live (moral life) How they should pray (prayer and spirituality) The questions are direct and honest, even at times tough; the answers straightforward, relevant, and compelling. YOUCAT will likely become the "go-to" place for young people to learn the truth about the Catholic faith...

This collection of his writings, old and new, tells the story of Liverpool priest Kevin Kelly's struggle to be faithful to the teachings of Vatican II, learning from experience and discerning the call of God's Spirit in people's lives. Many today are concerned that the Church is losing touch with the Vatican II agenda. This book reminds us that the task of receiving Vatican II is far from complete...

I Believe in One God, The Creed Explained with a foreword By the late George Cardinal Pell. Drawing on the rich heritage of homilies, catechesis and speeches of Benedict XVI, this book covers the basic contents of the Christian Faith. In the perspective of the Year of Faith, the Pope leads us to revive and deepen the Christian truths, offering a good opportunity to begin that journey of knowledge, conversion and prayer to which the Church calls us in this year of grace. A book dedicated to all Christians, written in a clear and direct language and designed to help them better live their faith...

This historico-theological research document traces the history of the diaconate from the time of Christ through the post-Vatican II period. It highlights seven major areas for consideration. - From the Diakonia of Christ to the Diakonia of the Apostles - The Diaconate in the New Testament and in the Writings of the Fathers - The Disappearance of the Permanent Diaconate - The Sacramentality of the Diaconate from the Twelfth to the Twentieth Centuries - The Restoration of the Permanent Diaconate at Vatican II - The Reality of the Permanent Diaconate Today - Theological Approach to the Diaconate in the Wake of Vatican II The International Theological Commission is a pontifical commission of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The commission advises the Congregation regarding important doctrinal matters. The commission is composed of theologians from various schools and nations, known for their scholarship and fidelity to the Magisterium of the Church. The commission devote..

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Lumen Fidei (Light of Faith) Encyclical Letter seeks to recover the luminous character of faith, which is built into the human being and helps one distinguish the good from the bad, especially today, a time in which the faith is like a light illusory that prevents man go in search of knowledge and restricts their freedom. This encyclical, begun by Pope Benedict XVI and completed by Pope Francis, concludes the trilogy of letters on the three theological virtues begun by Pope Benedict with Deus Caritas Est on Love and Spe Salvi on hope...

Seventeen of the 33 men and women who have been declared Doctors of the Church lived in the first millennium. John Fink has provided here brief profiles of the life of each Doctor followed by one or more writings characteristic of his work. The excerpts chosen are representative of the particular Doctor’s writings but they were also selected in such a way as to give an overview of Christian doctrine and practice through the centuries. The Doctors included in Volume One are: Saints Athanasius, Ephrem, Hilary of Poitiers, Cyril of Jerusalem, Basil the Great, Gregory Nazianzen, John Chrysostom, Ambrose, Jerome, Augus¬tine, Cyril of Alexandria, Peter Chrysologus, Leo the Great, Gregory the Great, Isidore of Seville, Bede, and John Damascene...

Sixteen of the 33 men and women who have been declared Doctors of the Church lived in the second millennium. As in Volume One of this work, John Fink has provided here brief profiles of the life of each Doctor followed by one or more writings characteristic of his or her work. The excerpts chosen are representative of the particular Doctor’s writings but they were also selected in such a way as to give a fairly thorough overview of Christian doctrine and practice through the centuries. The Doctors included in Volume Two are: Saints Peter Damian, Anselm, Bernard of Clairvaux, Anthony of Padua, Albert the Great, Thomas Aquinas, Bonaventure, Catherine of Siena, Teresa of Jesus (Avila), John of the Cross, Peter Canisius, Robert Bellarmine, Lawrence of Brindisi, Francis de Sales, Alphonsus Liguori and Thérèse of Lisieux...

Pope Francis encourages every Christian to rediscover the joy of a personal encounter with Jesus and to engage with renewed vigour in the mission of spreading that joy of the Gospel and becoming spirit-filled evangelizers. “I have chosen to present some guidelines which can encourage and guide the whole Church in a new phase of evangelization, one marked by enthusiasm and vitality… I have decided, among other themes, to discuss at length the following questions: -the reform of the Church in her missionary outreach; -the temptations faced by pastoral workers -the Church, understood as the entire People of God which evangelizes; -the homily and its preparation; -the inclusion of the poor in society; -peace and dialogue within society; -the spiritual motivations for mission.”(Evanglii Gaudium 17) The Holy Father puts his vast pastoral experience and the outcome of the Synod on the New Evangelization in 2012 at the service of the whole Church and encourages every member to act on this rene..

Apostolic Exhortation on the Proclamation of the Gospel in Today's World. At a critical time in history, Pope Francis draws on his life experiences and passion for evangelisation to appeal to all communities...

The Second Vatican Council (Vatican II) was one of the most significant events in the life of the modern Church. Between October 1962 and December 1965 the largest ever gathering of Catholic bishops answered the call of Pope John XXIII to let some fresh air into the Church. Completing the work of an earlier Vatican Council that had been cut short, and in a tradition of ecumenical councils dating back to the time of the Apostles, Vatican II laid the foundations for a renewal process that still continues. For this reason CTS have decided to republish the four major documents of the Council (known as Constitutions and named after their opening words in Latin), with new Introductions by leading churchmen, to encourage continued study of the Council in parishes and elsewhere. Lumen Gentium, promulgated in 1964, is the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church. It reflects the Church's own modern self-understanding - in fact it brought that understanding into focus for the first time. We live in a..

A concise dynamic reference book for communicating the Catholic faith and the Gospel message, with colour illustrations. A valuable additional resource for satisfying the hunger for truth among the Christian faithful. Now, the ever popular Compendium comes in a handy and portable pocket size format measuring 13cm x 18cm. "The 'Compendium', which I now present to the Universal Church, is a faithful and sure synthesis of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. It contains, in concise form, all the essential and fundamental elements of the Church's faith, thus constituting, as my Predecessor had wished, a kind of 'vademecum' which allows believers and non-believers alike to behold the entire panorama of the Catholic faith." Pope Benedict XVI..

Explore what we believe with this beautiful explanation of the Apolstles' Creed. Discover God as Father, his son Jesus and the Holy Spirit through stories from the Bible. Get to know the church and the gift of baptism and the promise of the resurrection and eternal life...

Dies Domini - On keeping the Lord's Day Holy Ad Tuendam Fidem - On Protecting the Faith John Paul II..

The prophetic role of consecrated people in the Church and the world is explored in this letter throught the teachings of Pope Francis. Like watchmen, working constantly at the junction between the Church and the world, consecrated people have a unique role in reading and interpreting the signs of the times. ..

Pope Francis has exhorted all Christians to announce the Gospel with joy, and has asked Consecrated people to ensure that wherever they are present, joy is present also. This letter from the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, based on the magisterium of Pope Francis, is an ideal preparatory text for the Year of Consecrated Life 2014-2015. Themes include evangelisaiton and a faithful, joyful and fertile love for those most in need. The text also contains questions for all Consecrated people to ponder for the forthcoming year promted by the teaching of Pope Francis...

On the world stage and in the life of the Catholic Church, John Paul II became known as the Great Mercy Pope — devoting his second encyclical to God’s mercy, forgiving his would-be assassin, making Sr. Faustina, the great apostle of Divine Mercy, a saint and establishing Divine Mercy Sunday as a universal feast day in the Church. Now, more than three years into his own papacy, his successor, Benedict XVI, has become known as a Pope of Mercy in his own right. He opened the first ever World Apostolic Congress on Mercy in Rome last April and at its conclusion called the participants to “go forth and be witnesses of God’s mercy.” Further, during a pastoral visit to Poland in 2006, this Pope of Mercy called the sick to be “eloquent witnesses God’s mercy” and said he was passing on the “Flame of Mercy” to the youth he met. Discover in Pope Benedict’s Divine Mercy Mandate, how the Holy Father spoke of receiving a gift of Divine Mercy when he was elected Pope in 2005 and how he then stresse..

Pope Francis inaugurates the Year of Consecrated Life (30th November 2014 to 2nd February 2016) with this letter addressed to all consecrated people. Pope Francis writes not only as successor of Peter but also as a brother “who like yourselves is consecrated to God.”..

In a conversation with Vatican expert Andrea Tornielli, Pope Francis discloses the core of his papacy and, in his own words, conveys the great message of the Holy Year of Mercy.  For the first time, Pope Francis addresses each woman and each man on Earth in a deep, simple and intimate dialogue. Through his own experience as a priest and shepherd, the pope talks about Mercy, a subject of central importance in his teaching and testimony. He explains the reasons for this extraordinary Holy Year, and in doing so he speaks to all the souls - inside and outside the Church - who are looking for a meaning in life, for a road to peace and reconciliation, for a healing to their physical and spiritual wounds. It is the summing up of his teachings and papacy. AUTHOR INFORMATION  Born in Buenos Aires in December 1936, Jorge Mario Bergoglio has been the Bishop of Rome and 266th Pope of the Catholic Church since the 13th of March 2013. On the 13th of March 2015 he decided to give a decisive turn to h..