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APOSTOLIC LETTER

Issued MOTU PROPRIO

SETTING UP THE COUNCIL

ON THE LAITY

AND THE

PONTIFICAL COMMISSION

FOR STUDIES

ON JUSTICE AND PEACE

January 6, 1967

POPE PAUL VI

UNITED STATES CATHOLIC CONFERENCE





APOSTOLIC LETTER

SETTING UP THE COUNCIL

ON THE LAITY

AND THE

PONTIFICAL COMMISSION

FOR STUDIES

ON JUSTICE AND PEACE

The Catholic Church, in her continuous effort of internal re-

newal and “aggiornamento” of her structures, in conformity with

the times in which she lives, realizes “how much she should con-

tinually mature in the light of experience, in her relations with

the world” (Gaudium et Spes, n. 43), for whose salvation she is

founded by Christ.

According to the teaching of the Second Vatican Council, every

Christian, in the measure of his own strength, inasmuch as be-

longing to the people of God, must fulfill this mission of salvation

(Lumen Gentium, nn. 17 and 31). The Council, after examining

in several documents the particular position of the layman with-

in the people of God — such considerations being one of its spe-
cial features — finally dedicated to the activity of the layman in
the Church a special decree, which provided for the institution

of an organism “for the service and promotion of the lay aposto-

late” (Apostolicam Actuositatem, n. 26).

At the same time, the Council, wanting to establish a dialogue

with the modern world, gave due attention to some of the major

aspirations of the contemporary world, such as the problems of

development, promotion of justice among nations and the cause

of peace, proposing the institution of an organism in the Church,

whose purpose should be to make the Catholic world more aware

of those problems (Gaudium et Spes, n. 90).

After the Council, a post-conciliar commission, with our man-

date, studied the best way to implement the conciliar decisions

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concerning n. 26 of Apostolicam Actuositatem, while a special

group, similarly mandated by us, undertook study of the organism

proposed in n. 90 of Gaudium et Spes.

The conclusions of these groups provided the basis for the work

of the Provisional Committee, erected by us on July 7, 1966, in

order to implement the decisions and proposals of the conciliar

documents.

The fact that the two questions were studied together, made it

possible to see both the specific and common aspects. Thus it

became clear that there should be two different organisms, united

however at the summit by the same leadership: the Consilium de

Laicis and the Pontifical Commission of Studies Iustitia et Pax.

I. AIMS OF THE CONSILIUM DE LAICIS

(Council on the Laity)

Its aim shall be the work for the service and promoting of the

lay apostolate.

In particular it shall:

1) Promote the lay apostolate at the international level and

provide for its coordination and increasing integration in the gen-

eral apostolate of the Church; maintain contact with the apostolate

at the national level; act as a place of meeting and dialogue in the

Church between the hierarchy and the laity, and between the dif-

ferent forms of lay activity, in the spirit of the last pages of the

Encyclical Ecclesiam Suam; promote international congresses for

the lay apostolate; foster the faithful observance of the ecclesiastical

laws concerning the laity;

2) Assist with its advice the hierarchy and the laity in their

apostolic work (Apostolicam Actuositatem , n. 26);

3) Promote studies for the further doctrinal clarification of

questions concerning the laity, in particular as regards problems

of the apostolate with special reference to the sharing of the laity

in overall pastoral activity. Studies may be published on these

matters;

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4) In addition to receiving and giving information on problems

of the lay apostolate, establish a documentation center, to provide

material for guidance in the formation of the laity and render

an important service to the Church.

II. AIMS OF THE PONTIFICAL COMMISSION

OF STUDIES IUSTITIA ET PAX

Its aim shall be to arouse the people of God to full awareness

of its mission at the present time, in order on the one hand, to

promote the progress of poor nations and encourage international

social justice, and on the other, to help underdeveloped nations

to work for their own development.

In particular the Pontifical Commission shall:

1)

Gather and synthesize documentation on the major scien-

tific and technical studies in the field of development in all its

aspects: educational and cultural, economic and social, etc., and

also concerning peace, insofar as it raises problems which go

beyond those of development;

2) Contribute to the study of problems relative to develop-

ment and peace, particularly under their doctrinal, pastoral and

apostolic aspect;

3) Communicate the results of this study to all organisms of

the Church interested in these problems;

4) Establish contact between all the organisms of the Church,

working for similar purposes, in order to facilitate a coordination

of efforts, give support to more important endeavors and avoid

overlapping.

III. STRUCTURE OF THE TWO ORGANISMS

1) The Consilium de Laicis and the Pontifical Commission of

Studies Iustitia et Pax shall have the same president, a cardinal

of the Roman Catholic Church.

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2) Similarly they shall have in common the vice president, who

shall be a bishop.

3) The Consilium de Laicis and the Pontifical Commission of

Studies Iustitia et Pax shall have each its own secretary.

4) The Secretary of the Consilium de Laicis shall be assisted

by two assistant secretaries.

5) Both organisms shall be further composed of members and

consultors selected on appropriate criteria. The appointments

shall be made by the Holy See.

6) The term of office of the president, vice president, secre-

taries and assistant secretaries shall last five years. At the end

of the five-year period the Holy See shall however be able to

renew the appointment of any officer.

7) The Consilium de Laicis and the Pontifical Commission of

Studies Iustitia et Pax are erected “ad experimentum” for five

years. Practical experience may suggest suitable changes in their

aims and final structure.

8) The two organisms shall have their headquarters in Rome.

9) We hereby declare ended, as from today, the vacatio legis
concerning the conciliar decree Apostolicam Actuositatem. The

bishops and episcopal conferences shall provide for the implemen-

tation of the decree in their dioceses and nations.

We have confidently established the two organisms in the firm

hope that the lay members of the people of God, to whom we

are giving a token of our esteem and benevolence by this official

organization, may feel themselves more closely associated with

the action of this Apostolic See, and, in future, dedicate to Holy

Church with ever greater generosity their efforts, their energies

and their activity.

Everything established by us in this letter issued on our own

initiative we command to be firm and valid, everything to the

contrary notwithstanding.

Given in Rome, at St. Peter’s, Jan. 6, 1967, the fourth year of

our pontificate.

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