Lumen Gentium: Dogmatic Constitution on the Church

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Conservative bishops in the council were fearful that the idea of the College of Bishops would be interpreted as a new conciliarism, a fifteenth-century idea that an ecumenical council was the supreme authority under Christ in the Catholic Church. Of the members of the council, 322, a substantial minority, voted against any mention whatever in the document of a "college" of bishops), [5] and were now proposing 47 amendments to chapter III. [6] [7] Accordingly, a "Preliminary Note of Explanation" (in Latin, Nota explicativa praevia", often referred to as "the Nota praevia") intended to reconcile them with the text [7] was added on 16 November 1964. The Note reaffirmed that the college of bishops exercises its authority only with the assent of the pope, [7] thus safeguarding the primacy and pastoral independence of the pope. [8] a b Pronechen, Joseph. " 'Lumen Gentium' at 50: Vatican II's dogmatic constitution on the Church continues to shed light on the faith". ncregister.com. EWTN . Retrieved 27 May 2018.

Pope Paul VI, in a speech to the council fathers, called the document "a vast synthesis of the Catholic doctrine regarding the place which the Blessed Mary occupies in the mystery of Christ and of the Church." [15] The Note is introduced by the following words: "A preliminary note of explanation is being given to the Council Fathers from higher authority, regarding the Modi bearing on Chapter III of the Schema de Ecclesia; the doctrine set forth in Chapter III ought to be explained and understood in accordance with the meaning and intent of this explanatory note." "Higher authority" refers to the Pope, Paul VI, and "the Schema de Ecclesia" to the draft text for the dogmatic constitution Lumen gentium. By "the Modi" is meant the proposals for amendments of that draft text which some of the Council participants had presented. Linden, Ian (2009). Global Catholicism: diversity and change since Vatican II. 41 Great Russell St, London: Hurst and Co. p.337. ISBN 978-1-85065-957-0. {{ cite book}}: CS1 maint: location ( link)

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The Preliminary Note of Explanation did not in fact alter the value of the statement on collegiality in the text of Lumen gentium: it "strengthened the adherence to the doctrine of the First Vatican Council on the primacy, but it did not subsequently strike out anything from the direct divine origin of the episcopal office and its function, and the responsibility of the College of Bishops for the Universal Church." [7] The Note achieved its purpose: on the following day, 17 November, the No votes against chapter III dropped to 46, a number that may have included some who opposed it because they felt the Preliminary Note of Explanation had weakened the concept of collegiality. [7] In the final vote on 18 November only five of the 2200+ participants voted against the dogmatic constitution as a whole. [5] [7] Missio illa divina, a Christo Apostolis concredita, ad finem saeculi erit duratura (cf. Mt 28,20), cum Evangelium, ab eis tradendum, sit in omne tempus pro Ecclesia totius vitae principium. Quapropter Apostoli, in hac societate hierarchice ordinata, de instituendis successoribus curam egerunt. Ad tanta munera explenda, Apostoli speciali effusione supervenientis Spiritus Sancti a Christo ditati sunt (cf. Act 1,8; 2,4; Io 20,22-23), et ipsi adiutoribus suis per impositionem manuum donum spirituale tradiderunt (cf. 1Tim 4,14; 2Tim 1,6-7), quod usque ad nos in episcopali consecratione transmissum est(54). Docet autem Sancta Synodus episcopali consecratione plenitudinem conferri sacramenti Ordinis, quae nimirum et liturgica Ecclesiae consuetudine et voce Sanctorum Patrum summum sacerdotium, sacri ministerii summa nuncupatur(55). Episcopalis autem consecratio, cum munere sanctificandi, munera quoque confert docendi et regendi, quae tamen natura sua nonnisi in hierarchica communione cum Collegii Capite et membris exerceri possunt. Ex traditione enim, quae praesertim liturgicis ritibus et Ecclesiae tum Orientis tum Occidentis usu declaratur, perspicuum est manuum impositione et verbis consecrationis gratiam Spiritus Sancti ita conferri(56) et sacrum characterem ita imprimi(57), ut Episcopi, eminenti ac adspectabili modo, ipsius Christi Magistri, Pastoris et Pontificis partes sustineant et in Eius persona agant(58). Episcoporum est per Sacramentum Ordinis novos electos in corpus episcopale assumere. Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium)". www.ourladyswarriors.org . Retrieved 2019-11-24.

Est Ecclesia agricultura seu ager Dei (cf. 1Cor 3,9). In illo agro crescit antiqua oliva, cuius radix sancta fuerunt Patriarchae, et in qua Iudaeorum et Gentium reconciliatio facta est et fiet (cf. Rom 11,13-26). Ipsa plantata est a caelesti Agricola tamquam vinea electa (cf. Mt 21,33-43 par.; Is 5,1ss.). Vitis vera Christus est, vitam et fecunditatem tribuens palmitibus, scilicet nobis, qui per Ecclesiam in ipso manemus, et sine quo nihil possumus facere (cf. Io 15,1-5). Christus Dominus, Pontifex ex hominibus assumptus (cf. Hebr 5,1-5) novum populum "fecit... regnum, et sacerdotes Deo et Patri suo" (Apoc 1,6; cf. 5,9-10). Baptizati enim, per regenerationem et Spiritus Sancti unctionem consecrantur in domum spiritualem et sacerdotium sanctum, ut per omnia opera hominis christiani spirituales offerant hostias, et virtutes annuntient Eius qui de tenebris eos vocavit in admirabile lumen suum (cf. 1Pt 2,4-10). Ideo universi discipuli Christi, in oratione perseverantes et collaudantes Deum (cf. Act 2,42-47), seipsos hostiam viventem, sanctam, Deo placentem exhibeant (cf. Rom 12,1), ubique terrarum de Christo testimonium perhibeant, atque poscentibus rationem reddant de ea, quae in eis est, spe vitae aeternae (cf. 1Pt 3,15). Sicut vero Israel secundum carnem, qui in deserto peregrinabatur, Dei Ecclesia iam appellatur (cf. Ne 13,1; Num 20,4; Deut 23,1ss.), ita novus Israel qui in praesenti saeculo incedens, futuram eamque manentem civitatem inquirit (cf. Hebr 13,14), etiam Ecclesia Christi nuncupatur (cf. Mt 16,18), quippe quam Ipse sanguine suo acquisivit (cf. Act 20,28), suo Spiritu replevit, aptisque mediis unionis visibilis et socialis instruxit. Deus congregationem eorum qui in Iesum, salutis auctorem et unitatis pacisque principium, credentes aspiciunt, convocavit et constituit Ecclesiam, ut sit universis et singulis sacramentum visibile huius salutiferae unitatis(15). Ad universas regiones extendenda, in historiam hominum intrat, dum tamen simul tempora et fines populorum transcendit. Per tentationes vero et tribulationes procedens Ecclesia virtute gratiae Dei sibi a Domino promissae confortatur, ut in infirmitate carnis a perfecta fidelitate non deficiat, sed Domini sui digna sponsa remaneat, et sub actione Spiritus Sancti, seipsam renovare non desinat, donec per crucem perveniat ad lucem, quae nescit occasum.

Ecclesiae sanctae mysterium in eiusdem fundatione manifestatur. Dominus enim Iesus Ecclesiae suae initium fecit praedicando faustum nuntium, adventum scilicet Regni Dei a saeculis in Scripturis promissi: "Quoniam impletum est tempus, et appropinquavit regnum Dei" (Mc 1,15; cf. Mt 4,17). Hoc vero regnum in verbo, operibus et praesentia Christi hominibus elucescit. Verbum nempe Domini comparatur semini, quod in agro seminatur (cf. Mc 4,14): qui illud cum fide audiunt et Christi pusillo gregi (cf. Lc 12,32) adnumerantur, regnum ipsum susceperunt; propria dein virtute semen germinat et increscit usque ad tempus messis (cf. Mc 4,26-29). Miracula etiam Iesu Regnum iam in terris pervenisse comprobant: "Si in digito Dei eicio daemonia, profecto pervenit in vos Regnum Dei" (Lc 11,20; cf. Mt 12,28). Ante omnia tamen Regnum manifestatur in ipsa Persona Christi, Filii Dei et Filii hominis, qui venit "ut ministraret et daret animam suam redemptionem pro multis" (Mc 10,45).

Catechumeni qui, Spiritu Sancto movente, explicita voluntate ut Ecclesiae incorporentur expetunt, hoc ipso voto cum ea coniunguntur; quos iam ut suos dilectione curaque complectitur Mater Ecclesia. Bishop Christopher Butler mentions that prior to Vatican II the one area where Catholic theology was allowed to develop uncritically, apart from the total life of theology, was in devotion to Mary, so that "it began to seem that the Catholicism of the future would approximate more and more to the condition of an Italian tribal cult." [16] This century-long drift was brought to an end by the Council on October 29, 1963, "a fixed point of the Marian paradigm shift," the date on which the Council decided, in a very close vote, to not give Mary a separate document but to situate her properly within the larger Church. [17] Richard Gaillardetz, 2006, The Church in the Making: Lumen Gentium, Christus Dominus, Orientalium Ecclesiarum, Paulist Press, ISBN 0-8091-4276-7 Marie Rosaire Gagnebet O.P. (1904-1983) professor of theology at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, Angelicum from 1938 to 1976 [18] and peritus during Vatican II, was influential in the redaction of the Lumen gentium. [19] Traditionalist reaction [ edit ]Chapter 7: The Eschatological Nature of the Pilgrim Church and Its Union with the Church in Heaven (48-51) [ edit ] Vi huius catholicitatis, singulae partes propria dona ceteris partibus et toti Ecclesiae afferunt, ita ut totum et singulae partes augeantur ex omnibus invicem communicantibus et ad plenitudinem in unitate conspirantibus. Inde fit ut Populus Dei non tantum ex diversis populis congregetur, sed etiam in seipso ex variis ordinibus confletur. Adest enim inter membra eius diversitas, sive secundum officia, dum aliqui sacro ministerio in bonum fratrum suorum funguntur, sive secundum condicionem et vitae ordinationem, dum plures in statu religioso, arctiore via ad sanctitatem tendentes, fratres exemplo suo stimulant. Inde etiam in ecclesiastica communione legitime adsunt Ecclesiae particulares, propriis traditionibus fruentes, integro manente primatu Petri Cathedrae, quae universo caritatis coetui praesidet(25), legitimas varietates tuetur et simul invigilat ut particularia, nedum unitati noceant, ei potius inserviant. Inde denique inter diversas Ecclesiae partes vincula intimae communionis quoad divitias spirituales, operarios apostolicos et temporalia subsidia. Ad communicandum enim bona vocantur membra Populi Dei, et de singulis etiam Ecclesiis valent verba Apostoli: "Unusquisque sicut accepit gratiam, in alterutrum illam administrantes, sicut boni dispensatores multiformis gratiae Dei" (1Pt 4,10). The chapter on Mary was the subject of debate. Original plans had called for a separate document about the role of Mary, keeping the document on the Church " ecumenical," in the sense of "non-offensive" to Protestant Christians, who viewed special veneration of Mary with suspicion. However, the Council Fathers insisted, with the support of the Pope, that, as Mary's place is within the Church, treatment of her should appear within the Constitution on the Church. [15] Sicut enim Filius missus est a Patre, et Ipse Apostolos misit (cf. Io 20,21), dicens: "Euntes ergo docete omnes gentes baptizantes eos in nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti, docentes eos servare omnia quaecumque mandavi vobis. Et ecc† Ego vobiscum sum omnibus diebus usque ad consummationem saeculi" (Mt 28,19-20). Quod solemne Christi mandatum annuntiandi veritatem salutarem Ecclesia ab Apostolis recepit adimplendum usque ad ultimum terrae (cf. Act 1,8). Unde sua facit verba Apostoli: "Vae... mihi est, si non evangelizavero!" (1Cor 9,16), ideoque in mittendis praeconibus indesinenter pergit, usquedum novellae Ecclesiae plene constituantur atque opus evangelizandi et ipsae continuent. A Spiritu Sancto enim ad cooperandum compellitur, ut propositum Dei, qui Christum principium salutis pro universo mundo constituit, effectu compleatur. Praedicando Evangelium, Ecclesia audientes ad fidem confessionemque fidei allicit, ad baptismum disponit, a servitute erroris eripit, eosque Christo incorporat, ut per caritatem in Illum usque ad plenitudinem crescant. Opera autem sua efficit ut quidquid boni in corde menteque hominum vel in propriis ritibus et culturis populorum seminatum invenitur, non tantum non pereat, sed sanetur, elevetur et consummetur ad gloriam Dei, confusionem daemonis et beatitudinem hominis. Cuilibet discipulo Christi onus fidei disseminandae pro parte sua incumbit(35). Sed si quilibet credentes baptizare potest, sacerdotis tamen est aedificationem Corporis sacrificio eucharistico perficere, adimplendo verba Dei per prophetam: "Ab ortu... solis usque ad occasum magnum est nomen meum in gentibus, et in omni loco sacrificatur et offertur nomini meo oblatio munda" (Mal 1, 11)(36). Ita autem simul orat et laborat Ecclesia, ut in Populum Dei, Corpus Domini et Templum Spiritus Sancti, totius mundi transeat plenitudo, et in Christo, omnium Capite, reddatur universorum Creatori ac Patri omnis honor et gloria.