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                               VIS-Press releases

DOCUMENT REGARDING CERTAIN ASPECTS OF CHURCH DOCTRINE

VATICAN CITY, JUL 10, 2007 (VIS) - Made public today was a document from the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith: "Responses to some Questions
Regarding Certain Aspects of the Doctrine on the Church." It is dated June 29,
Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles, and bears the signatures of
Cardinal William Joseph Levada and Archbishop Angelo Amato S.D.B., respectively
prefect and secretary of the congregation.

The document has been published in Latin, Italian, French, English, German,
Spanish, Portuguese and Polish. The complete English-language version is given
below:

"Introduction

"The Second Vatican Council, with its Dogmatic Constitution 'Lumen gentium,'
and its Decrees on ecumenism ('Unitatis redintegratio') and the Oriental
Churches ('Orientalium Ecclesiarum'), has contributed in a decisive way to the
renewal of Catholic ecclesiology. The Supreme Pontiffs have also contributed to
this renewal by offering their own insights and orientations for praxis: Paul
VI in his Encyclical Letter 'Ecclesiam suam' (1964) and John Paul II in his
Encyclical Letter 'Ut unum sint' (1995).

"The consequent duty of theologians to expound with greater clarity the diverse
aspects of ecclesiology has resulted in a flowering of writing in this field.
In fact it has become evident that this theme is a most fruitful one which,
however, has also at times required clarification by way of precise definition
and correction, for instance in the declaration 'Mysterium Ecclesiae' (1973),
the Letter addressed to the Bishops of the Catholic Church 'Communionis notio'
(1992), and the declaration 'Dominus Iesus' (2000), all published by the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

"The vastness of the subject matter and the novelty of many of the themes
involved continue to provoke theological reflection. Among the many new
contributions to the field, some are not immune from erroneous interpretation
which in turn give rise to confusion and doubt. A number of these
interpretations have been referred to the attention of the Congregation for the
Doctrine of the Faith. Given the universality of Catholic doctrine on the
Church, the Congregation wishes to respond to these questions by clarifying the
authentic meaning of some ecclesiological expressions used by the Magisterium
which are open to misunderstanding in the theological debate.

"Responses to the Questions

"First Question: Did the Second Vatican Council change the Catholic doctrine on
the Church?

"Response: The Second Vatican Council neither changed nor intended to change
this doctrine, rather it developed, deepened and more fully explained it.

"This was exactly what John XXIII said at the beginning of the Council. Paul VI
affirmed it and commented in the act of promulgating the Constitution Lumen
gentium: 'There is no better comment to make than to say that this promulgation
really changes nothing of the traditional doctrine. What Christ willed, we also
will. What was, still is. What the Church has taught down through the
centuries, we also teach. In simple terms that which was assumed, is now
explicit; that which was uncertain, is now clarified; that which was meditated
upon, discussed and sometimes argued over, is now put together in one clear
formulation.' The Bishops repeatedly expressed and fulfilled this intention.

"Second Question: What is the meaning of the affirmation that the Church of
Christ subsists in the Catholic Church?

"Response: Christ 'established here on earth' only one Church and instituted it
as a 'visible and spiritual community', that from its beginning and throughout
the centuries has always existed and will always exist, and in which alone are
found all the elements that Christ himself instituted. 'This one Church of
Christ, which we confess in the Creed as one, holy, catholic and apostolic. ...
This Church, constituted and organized in this world as a society, subsists in
the Catholic Church, governed by the successor of Peter and the Bishops in
communion with him'.

"In number 8 of the Dogmatic Constitution 'Lumen Gentium' 'subsistence' means
this perduring, historical continuity and the permanence of all the elements
instituted by Christ in the Catholic Church, in which the Church of Christ is
concretely found on this earth.

"It is possible, according to Catholic doctrine, to affirm correctly that the
Church of Christ is present and operative in the churches and ecclesial
Communities not yet fully in communion with the Catholic Church, on account of
the elements of sanctification and truth that are present in them.
Nevertheless, the word 'subsists' can only be attributed to the Catholic Church
alone precisely because it refers to the mark of unity that we profess in the
symbols of the faith (I believe... in the 'one' Church); and this 'one' Church
subsists in the Catholic Church.

"Third Question: Why was the expression 'subsists in' adopted instead of the
simple word 'is'?

"Response: The use of this expression, which indicates the full identity of the
Church of Christ with the Catholic Church, does not change the doctrine on the
Church. Rather, it comes from and brings out more clearly the fact that there
are 'numerous elements of sanctification and of truth' which are found outside
her structure, but which 'as gifts properly belonging to the Church of Christ,
impel towards Catholic Unity.'

"'It follows that these separated churches and Communities, though we believe
they suffer from defects, are deprived neither of significance nor importance
in the mystery of salvation. In fact the Spirit of Christ has not refrained
from using them as instruments of salvation, whose value derives from that
fullness of grace and of truth which has been entrusted to the Catholic
Church.'

"Fourth Question: Why does the Second Vatican Council use the term 'Church' in
reference to the oriental Churches separated from full communion with the
Catholic Church?

"Response: The Council wanted to adopt the traditional use of the term.
'Because these Churches, although separated, have true sacraments and above all
- because of the apostolic succession - the priesthood and the Eucharist, by
means of which they remain linked to us by very close bonds,' they merit the
title of 'particular or local Churches,' and are called sister Churches of the
particular Catholic Churches.

'It is through the celebration of the Eucharist of the Lord in each of these
Churches that the Church of God is built up and grows in stature.' However,
since communion with the Catholic Church, the visible head of which is the
Bishop of Rome and the Successor of Peter, is not some external complement to a
particular Church but rather one of its internal constitutive principles, these
venerable Christian communities lack something in their condition as particular
churches.

"On the other hand, because of the division between Christians, the fullness of
universality, which is proper to the Church governed by the Successor of Peter
and the Bishops in communion with him, is not fully realized in history.

"Fifth Question: Why do the texts of the Council and those of the Magisterium
since the Council not use the title of 'Church' with regard to those Christian
Communities born out of the Reformation of the sixteenth century?

"Response: According to Catholic doctrine, these Communities do not enjoy
apostolic succession in the sacrament of Orders, and are, therefore, deprived
of a constitutive element of the Church. These ecclesial Communities which,
specifically because of the absence of the sacramental priesthood, have not
preserved the genuine and integral substance of the Eucharistic Mystery cannot,
according to Catholic doctrine, be called 'Churches' in the proper sense.

"The Supreme Pontiff Benedict XVI, at the Audience granted to the undersigned
Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, ratified
and confirmed these Responses, adopted in the Plenary Session of the
Congregation, and ordered their publication."

The Responses are accompanied by a commentary which explains: "In this document
the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is responding to a number of
questions concerning the overall vision of the Church which emerged from the
dogmatic and ecumenical teachings of the Second Vatican Council. ... The
Council 'of the Church on the Church'."

"This new document of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which
essentially summarizes the teaching of the Council and the post-conciliar
Magisterium, constitutes a clear reaffirmation of Catholic doctrine on the
Church. Apart from dealing with certain unacceptable ideas which have
unfortunately spread around the Catholic world, it offers valuable indications
for the future of ecumenical dialogue. This dialogue remains one of the
priorities of the Catholic Church. ... However, if such dialogue is to be truly
constructive it must involve not just the mutual openness of the participants
but also fidelity to the identity of the Catholic faith."

"Catholic ecumenism might seem, at first sight, somewhat paradoxical. The
Second Vatican Council II used the phrase 'subsistit in' in order to try to
harmonize two doctrinal affirmations: on the one hand, that despite all the
divisions between Christians the Church of Christ continues to exist fully only
in the Catholic Church, and on the other hand that numerous elements of
sanctification and truth do exist outwith the visible boundaries of the
Catholic Church whether in the particular Churches or in the ecclesial
Communities that are not fully in communion with the Catholic Church."

"Although the Catholic Church has the fullness of the means of salvation,
'nevertheless, the divisions among Christians prevent the Church from effecting
the fullness of catholicity proper to her in those of her children who, though
joined to her by baptism, are yet separated from full communion with her.' The
fullness of the Catholic Church, therefore, already exists, but still has to
grow in the brethren who are not yet in full communion with it and also in its
own members who are sinners."
CDF/CHURCH DOCTRINE/AMATO:LEVADAVIS 070710 (1600)

SUMMARY

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