You and the ecumenical council


YOU

AND THE

ECUMENICAL

COUNCIL

No. 1

The Purpose—The Meaning



ON OCTOBER 11, IN THE YEAR OF
OUR LORD 1962, YOU WILL BE IN RONE

Yes. we said you!
You will take part in a momentous event in your life, in the
life of the world . . . the Second Vatican Council, generally

called the Ecumenical Council.

What is this Ecumenical Council? It is many things. One of them
is YOU . . . because YOU ARE THE CHURCH!

Through Baptism you have been made one with Christ. At Mass
you offer Christ sacrificed to God the Father and receive
Him in Holy Communion. You and the Church are one.

What happens to the church happens to you.



Now, we know you will not
attend the Council in person
but you will be there in every
other way. With every Catholic
the world over, you will be
represented there. The struc-
ture oi the Church, the result
of Divine Inspiration, makes it
possible for you to attend the
Council through your Bishop
who will be there as your
shepherd and representative.



It is important for you to understand
what the Ecumenical Council means,
why it was called, what it will try to do,
how it will work. This great gathering
will affect all people everywhere. Cath-
olic and non-Catholic, Christian and
non-Christian.

An Ecumenical Council is a meeting
of all the Bishops with certain other
leading figures of the Church. It dis-
cusses and issues decrees on problems
concerning the Church. It is directed by
the Pope, who must approve all its
decisions.

But this is like saying a great Cathe-
dral is a collection of stone and colored
glass; that tells but half the story. The
Ecumenical Council is not just a “meet-
ing of the board" to make rules and reg^
ulations.



Each Bishop there will strive to carry out Christ's
work. His Divine Plan for man.

The Ecumenical Council is like a new Pentecost
in the Church. At the first Pentecost, the Holy Spirit

descended upon the Apostles, giving them
strength and wisdom. Since then the Holy Spirit

has guided their successors . . . the Bishops

of the Church . . . YOUR Bishops.
The Council is really a time when, guided by the

Holy Spirit, the Church gathers new light
and new life.



WHY WAS THE COUNCIL CALLED?
The Council was called to enable the Church to

renew its internal and external life — the inner and
outer — life. With nearly 2,000 years of experience
and wisdom, the Church knows how important it

is to stand back and look at itself periodically,
to examine its policies in the light of the

changing world.
This self-examination is the first step in the

RENEWAL OF LIFE WITHIN the Church.



I

The second major aim of the
Council is the external or outer
work of the Church. Here the
Church looks out to the world, to
the problems it must solve in its
mission of salvation.
The Church knows it must find

new ways to bring the Gospel
principles into every activity of
modem life. Too many people have
lost sight of their eternal destiny.

They are wholly taken up chasing
material things.
The Church certainly respects

the great advances of science and
technology but she wants to bring
to this world a Christian and super-
natural view of life. She wants to
make the thoughts, lives and activ-
ities of modern man one and the
same with Gospel principles.



is of every Ecu-
cil has affected
spiritual and
s. So will the
is one.

icil of NICAEA.
;ar 325 at that
tear the Black
rds of Christian

' you:

the Counciloi



The Doctrine
of the Mother
of God,
defined by
the Council
of EPHESUS,
echoing
down cen-
turies into

your daily
lives.

Hard by the Aegean Sea lies
the city of EPHESUS. Here,
where Paul challenged the idol-
makers, (Acts 19:23-41), where
the temple of Artemis stands,
one of the world's seven won-
ders, another Council was held
in 431. From it, these holy
phrases were made yours:



THE CITY OF TRENT

, . . stands on the banks of the Adige
river in North Italy. From 1545 through
1565. the Council of Trent made clear the
truth that man is cleansed of sin by the
combination of faith in Christ AND his
own good works with God's grace.
Many of the marriage laws that you

use in your parish today, were estab-
lished then.



THE COUNCIL OF TRENT

. . . made clear the proper way to vener-
ate the Saints and relics as an AID to prayer;
a reminder of faith.

The Council also ordered the setting up
of seminaries for the training of priests in

every diocese and religious order.
The Council of Trent gave you much that

is now a part of your 20th century Catholic life.



The coming Ecu-
menical Council

will diiier from ALL
PREVIOUS Councils in

many important ways.
One vital difference will

be the attendance of Bish-
ops of EVERY RACE AND
COLOR.

Over 2,000 Bishops will come
from Africa, from Asia, from

Europe, from the Americas, from
Oceania.





Never before has so much work been done
to prepare for an Ecumenical Council.
Never has there been so large a one.
During the past year, your Bishop (and
all Bishops), the Roman Curia. Catholic
Universities, Theologians and scholars
(your teachers) were invited to send topics
for discussion to the Council.





PRAYER FOR THE
ECUMENICAL COUNCIL

Holy Spirit of God, pour forth your gifts
on the Ecumenical Council.

Renew the earth by granting a new Pente-
cost in our time.

Gently guide our Holy Father and the
Fathers of the Council so that the light and
power of the Gospel may spread throughout
the world and the Church may accomplish its
mission of bringing all men to Christ. Amen.

Imprimatur:
* FRANCIS CARDINAL SPELLMAN
Archbishop of New York
Nihil Obstat
ohn A. Goodwine, J.C.D.
uly 11, 1962