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