A Closer Look At Vatican II
On October 28, 1965, the Vatican issued its “Decree on the Up-to-date Renewal of Religious Life,” commonly known as Perfectae caritatis. The decree is best understood in relationship with Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, which stated that each member of the church is called to holiness and to continue Christ’s work of salvation. Perfectae caritatis (PC) and the decrees on the Pastoral Office of Bishops, on the Ministry and Life of Priests, and on the Apostolate of Lay People provide further reflection on the specific nature of the variety of ways members of the church live out this baptismal call.
PC called religious institutes to renewal: to “return to the sources of Christian life in general and to the primitive inspiration of the institutes, and their adaptation to the changed conditions of our time.” (PC 2) The decree listed a set of principles to guide this renewal: the supreme rule of life is the Gospel; each institute has its own character and function; each institute shares in the life of the church; members need a proper understanding of people and the needs of the church and world; and a spiritual renewal is of the utmost importance. In practical matters, the decree called for religious to revise their constitutions, books of customs, and prayers. Religious were asked to suppress anything that was obsolete and to make sure that all their constitutions and practices were in line with the theology of the Vatican II documents. (PC 3)
Such calls to modernize religious life were not new to the Second Vatican Council. Already in the 1950s, Pope Pius XII had urged religious superiors to abolish outmoded customs, to modify religious habits, and to increase their attention to the professional education of members. PC furthered this call by asking religious institutes to cultivate a spirit and practice of prayer, to study scripture, and to attend the liturgy for spiritual nourishment. The decree called on religious institutes to revise their way of life so as to be more faithful to the charism of their founders and to better engage with the modern world.
Religious institutes took the call to renewal seriously. Most institutes set up committees to deal with constitutions and practices. They took seriously the call to consider the meaning of their lives and their purpose in the church and world today. They studied the documents of their founders and strove to be more faithful to that charism. Religious also took seriously the call to be better prepared for engaging with others. They attended to the needs for academic degrees, for counseling and spiritual direction, and many began to study scripture and theology at Catholic universities.
The decree also addressed the issue of religious dress, stating that it should be simple, modest, becoming, in keeping with requirements of health, and suited to the time, place, and needs of the apostolate. (PC 17) Because the changes made to religious dress were so visible, many people are unaware that the more profound changes after Vatican II occurred in the education of members and the renewed attention to the charism of the founder.
Renewal continues today. The call to be faithful to the Gospel message and to embrace the charism of one’s founder echoes in religious life. The decree ends with a desire to see religious institutes increase so that they may bear “abundant fruits of salvation.” (PC 25) In order for this to happen, the admonition in paragraph 24 deserves added attention: Priests, Christian educators, religious, and parents are encouraged “to nurture and protect religious vocations” by educating children in the Christian virtues.
