Dialog Teologic VIII/16 (2005)

Dialog Teologic VIII/16 (2005),
Moștenirea Conciliului al II-lea din Vatican. I. Liturgia și Biserica, 250 p., 17×24, 9 RON.

Sacrosanctum Concilium, în dialog cu pr. Anscar J. CHUPUNGCO, o.s.b
The first discussed and sanctioned by the 2nd Council of Vatican document was the Constitution about Sacra Liturgia or Sacrosanctum Concilium. Following the promulgation of this constitution there were registered various reactions. The counciliar reform in some people aroused sentiments of gratitude or an exaggerated euphoria, in the others, unable to distinguish between the counciliar principles and their concretization, gave birth to a deep deception. However, a lot of local Churches rejoiced thanks to the fruits of the reform. Using the people’s language, the splendour of the rites, the active interest and involving the lays are gifts of the Council which are gladdening for us, today, and which interpellate every person, clergyman or lay.

P.S. Petru Gherghel
Decretul privind misiunea pastorală a episcopilor în Biserică Christus Dominus
The image of the bishop, like the legitimate successor of the apostles and the shepherd of the Christ’s herd, was the center of the discussions of the 2nd Council of Vatican. These discussions materialized at 28 October 1965 when the counciliar Fathers voted the text of the decree about the pastoral mission of the bishop Christus Dominus. The article presents the premises that led to the elaboration of this document and offers a practical view about it.

Cristus Dominus, în dialog cu P.S. Jorge M. MEJIA
The decree Christus Dominus forms a decisive stage in establishing the bishops’ mission, in outlining the true identity of the dioceses and of their shepherds. On the one hand it is presented the way that the bishop have to respect in practicing their service, and on the other hand it is expressed a clear legislative will, without omitting the indication of the way that has to be observed in revising the Code. This article underlines the double size, involved by the relationship between the bishop and the Church: with the universal Church and with the local Church that he leads. In this world, dominated by secularization, the bishop has to remain the principle of unity, who announce with authority God’s word, who celebrate the sacraments, assisted by the Holy Spirit. The decree, which has theological-pastoral content, wants to make aware the bishops about their mission and the dioceses about the dignity they are called to reach: to be part in the Church of the Christ.

P.S. Aurel PERCĂ
Decretul privind formarea preoţească Optatam totius
Starting with the Council of Trent (1545-1563), the Church showed a great attention to the formation of the future priests. During the years, the popes gave a lot of indications to improve the modalities of formation, conforming to the pastoral milieu and the social conditions of the candidates. In 1965, at 28 October, the counciliar Fathers voted the decree Optatam totius. This document continues harmoniously the traditional principles of the seminarian formation, through the natural opening toward the legitimate exigency of this new time. In this article is presented the content of this decree which renovated the life in the seminaries and all the formation’s areas.

Optatam totius, în dialog cu P.S. José SARAIVA MARTINS
The decree Optatam totius occupies a special place between the documents of the 2nd Council of Vatican. This document, whose purpose is the priestly formation’s renovation conforming to the renovated image of the priest, is very close to Presbyterorum Ordinis, Lumen Gentium and to other documents, which discuss about the human, intellectual and pastoral formation of the future priests. The apostolic exhortation Pastores dabo vobis constitutes a survey of the fruits of Optatam totius and the reassertation of the programme which was suggested by the Council concerning the priestly formation.

P.S. Aurel PERCĂ
Decretul privind slujirea şi viaţa preoţească Presbyterorum ordinis
One of the most important documents of the 2nd Council of Vatican was the decree about the priestly ministry and life Presbyterorum ordinis, promulgated at 7 December 1965. This text is the result of four schemes and even from the beginning shows the christological structure of the priestly figure. The priest is sent to the people of his time to speak about the Christ, co-operating with the bishop of the diocese; the aim of his life is to extol the Father in the Christ. The document insists on the importance that has to have the sacraments in the priestly life; without the sacraments his mission is bankrupt and harms to the Mystical Body. This article develops, in three parts, the radiography of the „counciliar” priest, and the author tries to show the applicability of the document in the daily priestly life.

Presbyterorum ordinis, în dialog cu Eminenţa Sa, Cardinalul Dario CASTRILLON HOYOS
Desired by the 2nd Vatican Council, the renewal work in the Church is in a peculiar way the outcome of priests’ efforts. This is why the Synod Fathers have considered that is more convenient to treat about the priesthood in a separate document. After presenting the nature of priesthood, the decree speaks about the priest’s role in the Church, about the priest’s ministry and about the life of priests. This dialogue wishes to offer a general view upon the Presbyterorum ordinis decree and the way in which the document must be read and interpreted.

P.S. Aurel PERCĂ
Episcopul – păstor al Bisericii locale şi păstrător al credinţei universale: tradiţie şi reînnoire a unei carisme fundamentale
In this article it is built a portrait of the attributions that a bishop has in the virtue of his ministry as shepherd of Christ’s flock. The bishop receives the sacrament of Priesthood in its plenitude and that is why he is called to exercise his ministry mission with a greater abnegation. The bishop has to be for his diocese a centre of communion, a criterion for brotherhood: the image of Jesus the Good Shepherd must be reflected in him. This is why, along with the people entrusted to him, he must continue the calling of Christ to be the salt of the land and the light of the world.

Wilhelm DANCĂ
Constituţia dogmatică despre Biserică Lumen gentium
The Church is an institution desired and created by Jesus Christ, who is the Word of God the Father embodied for the salvation of man. It is an alive and extensive reality that has its own structure and a history which interpenetrates with the history of humanity. The 2nd Vatican Council tried to propose to the contemporary world different images of the Church, which remains the mystical body of Christ. The Church, being a creation of Christ and being permanently animated by the Holy Ghost, cannot be destroyed neither by the humans, nor by the powers of darkness. The dogmatic constitution about the Church Lumen gentium is the outcome of many discussions that took place many years before the Council, discussions that were perpetuated until the emergence of this extensive document. This article is a detailed presentation of this document that represents the identity card of the Church, summoned to come upon the real needs of today man.

Lumen Gentium, în dialog cu mons. Marcello SEMERARO
Among the Council’s documents the Constitution Lumen gentium takes a central place. It represents the best key to read the Council’s documents and it is also the main axis that stood at the base of those documents foundation. The Constitution reveals a new image of the Church: the Church is presented as the people of God and those who are a part of the hierarchical structure are considered as the ministers of Church. The Church is seen as a communion in whom all the members of God’s people participate at the triple minister of Christ: priestly, prophetical and royal.

Wilhelm DANCĂ
Decretul despre Bisericile Orientale catolice Orientalium ecclesiarum
The Council Fathers proposed to discuss about the role and the place that the Church has in today’s world and it was natural also to talk about the different utterances of the Church’s Catholicism. One of these form of utterance is represented by the Oriental Catholic Churches, of which reminds us the decree Orientalium ecclesiarum. There is one such Oriental Church in Romania: the Greek-Catholic Church. What role has this decree in the Church’s life? Did it bring something new in the tradition of the Catholic Churches with Oriental rites? This article wishes to answer to these questions.

Orientalium ecclesiarum, în dialog cu pr. Edward G. FARRUGIA, s.j.
The decree, structured in six chapters, underlines the dignity of the Oriental Churches. The Christian Orient holds many authentic riches that must be preserved. The existence of these Oriental Churches, different from the Latin Catholic Church does not endanger the Church’s unity. The maintenance in the Orient of the Patriarchate structure doesn’t affect the hierarchical structure’s functioning of the Church. The promotion of these Churches has shed a better light upon the non-Catholic Oriental Churches. In the same time, this document brings a novelty: the Catholic Church is not just the Latin Church; Orient and Occident (East and West) are like the two lungs through which the Church breathes.

Wilhelm DANCĂ
Decretul despre ecumenism Unitatis redintegratio
The ecumenism represents the sum of all ways, initiatives and instruments that took place for the accomplishment of Church’s unity. The scissions of the unity of the Church, apparently irredeemable, have been discussed by the Council Fathers who have elaborated the decree about ecumenism Unitatis redintegratio. This article presents the structure of the document and its application in the ecclesial context of Iassy Diocese and of Romania.

Unitatis redintegratio, în dialog cu mons. Eleuterio F. FORTINO
Rebuilding Christian unity has been one of the main purposes of the 2nd Vatican Council. This document has been the official adhesion of the Catholic Church to the ecumenical movement. The accomplishment of Church’s unity is a commitment of the whole Church and not a private initiative of one person. After it speaks about ecumenism and the relations between the Catholic Church and the separated brothers, the Council wishes to offer to all the members of the Catholic Church all the help, the ways and the means to re-establish unity. The practical methods which this document offers are the prayer and the direct dialogue with the other Christians. The approval of this document has lead to the apparition of the Secretariat for the Unity of Christians and to elaboration of some documents that refer to the remaking of the Church’s unity.

Wilhelm DANCĂ
Declaraţia despre relaţiile Bisericii cu religiile necreştine Nostra aetate
The non-Christian religions have always been a trial mark for Christ’s Church. History is impregnated with numerous conflicts between the Church and the other religions. The 2nd Vatican Council affirms the liberty of a person to adhere to a religion and the fact that this liberty has to be respected and guaranteed. Also, religions must work together to the common good and to the progress of the society. The present article underlines these features of the Council’s document and brings them up-to-date through the exemplification of concrete actions made in the favor of inter-religious dialogue.

Nostrae aetate, în dialog cu Eminenţa Sa, cardinalul Francis ARINZE
The non-Christian religions become more and more present in our daily life. The expansions of non-Christian religions and of religious movements that come from these religions represent a real challenge for the Catholic Christians. The Christians from every country and region need to be well informed about the religions that exist in their territory. The fact that we live in a time in which have flourished very much the partnerships between nations has determined the Catholic Church to re-examine its relations with the non-Christian Churches and to propose a new way of dialogue.