Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World: Gaudium Et Spes [Paperback]

Pope Paul VI (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0819858544 | ISBN-13: 978-0819858542 | Publication Date: February 1, 1966

Gaudium et Spes, the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, was one of the chief accomplishments of the Second Vatican Council. The document was approved by a vote of 2,307 to 75 of the bishops assembled at the council, and was promulgated by Pope Paul VI on December 7, 1965, the day the council ended. As is customary with Catholic documents, the title is from the first sentence and means "Joy and Hope" in Latin. The document was not drafted before the council met, but arose from the floor of the council and was one of the last to be promulgated. This document alone embodies the spirit that arose from the bishops, who for the first time saw people at the heart of the church. The previous Vatican Council in 1869-1870 had tried to defend the role of the church in an increasingly secular world. This council sought the church to embrace this world and praised many of the good things in the world outside. One of the cardinals, Leo Joseph Suenens of Belgium urged the council to take on social responsibility for Third World suffering, International peace and war, and the poor. Pope John XXIII, who was deathly ill at the time, was forced to watch the proceedings on closed circuit television. He was too sick to attend, and died within months. He is said to have accepted that finally the fathers understood what this council was for. Contents - The numbers given correspond to section numbers within the text. Gaudium et Spes was promulgated by Pope Paul VI Preface (1-3) Introduction: The Situation of Men in the Modern World (4-10) Part 1: The Church and Man's Calling (11-45) The Dignity of the Human Person (12-22) The Community of Mankind (23-32) Man's Activity Throughout the World (33-39) The Role of the Church in the Modern World (40-45) Part 2: Some Problems of Special Urgency (46-93) Fostering the Nobility of Marriage and the Family (47-52) The Proper Development of Culture (53-62) The Circumstan

Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: Pauline Books & Media (February 1, 1966)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0819858544
• ISBN-13: 978-0819858542
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #531,240 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Penetrating Insights into Modern Life. . . and a start at solutions, November 23, 2011

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Siwash (Illinois) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World: Gaudium Et Spes (Paperback)

Popular/media opinion is that the Catholic Church is archaic, irrational and irrelevant.

But the talking heads---both right and left jabberers---just don't know very much about what they are talking about. There is a dearth of knowledge about the Catholic Church among media writers, movie makers, politicians and lobby group leaders.

THIS title is a penetrating analysis of our modern condition. On this planet, we live in an increasingly global community. What are the conditions that led us here? How should we now act toward each other?

We live in an era of great scientific discovery, but lack the means to truly fit this to our lives. There is an elusive dream of doing away with God, and simply counting molecules and electrical forces.

The Catholic Church is more relevant than ever, and you should read this little book to learn why. This encyclical is widely available. The value of the Paulist edition is its relatively high quality print production combined with a very affordable/accessible price. They do a good job with it.

3 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WHY NO CATHOLIC CAN GO TO WAR WITH IRAQ IN ANY WAY DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, November 18, 2006

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C. Scanlon "least helpful reviewer" (among us humans) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World: Gaudium Et Spes (Paperback)

Gaudium et spes gives the specific admonition:
"Every act of war directed to the indiscriminate destruction of whole cities or vast areas with their inhabitants is a crime against God and humanity, which merits firm and unequivocal condemnation."

Thus must we Catholics condemn absolutely our war against Iraq which goes back though the long war of attrition to papa Bush in 1990, which has caused over a million Iraqi deaths, women and children in their bloodied beds, and carpet bombing wiping out the ancient city of Fallujah, etc. all for profiteering privateering petroleum piracy.

Further Gaudium et spes states unequivocally:
"If civil authorities legislate or allow anything that is contrary to the will of God, neither the law made nor the authorization granted can be binding on the conscience of the citizens since God has more right to be obeyed than man."

God commands: Thou shalt not kill.

We cannot kill a million Iraqi citizens, women and children in their beds, for the sake of privateering petroleum piracy. We cannot be involved in this genocide in any way shape or form. We in fact are obligated to work and speak strongly against it. Pope John PAul II was first in condemning the aggressive invasion of Iraq.

See also PACEM IN TERRIS in this Christmas season, and The Challenge of Peace. For our advent reading let us read the Reverend Father John Dear's MARY OF NAZARETH: PROPHET OF PEACE

Remember ever our faith. Read Merton's prophetic Peace in a Post-CHristian Era