Ad gentes

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Second Vatican Ecumenical Council

Concilium Oecumenicum Vaticanum
Secundum  (Latin)

Saint Peter's Basilica

Venue of the Second Vatican Council

Date 11 October 1962 – 8 December 1965

Accepted by Catholic Church

Previous council First Vatican Council

Convoked by Pope John XXIII

President Pope John XXIII

Pope Paul VI

Attendance up to 2,625[1]

Topics The Church in itself, its sole salvific role as the one,

true and complete Christian faith, also in relation

to ecumenism among other religions, in relation to

the modern world, renewal of consecrated life,

liturgical disciplines, etc.

Documents and Four Constitutions:
statements

 Sacrosanctum

Concilium (Constitution on the

Sacred Liturgy)

 Lumen gentium (Dogmatic

Constitution on the Church)

 Dei verbum (Dogmatic Constitution

on Divine Revelation)

 Gaudium et spes (Pastoral

Constitution on the Church in the

Modern World)

Three Declarations:

 Gravissimum

educationis (Declaration on

Christian Education)

 Nostra aetate (Declaration on the

Relation of the Church to Non-

Christian Religions)

 Dignitatis humanae (Declaration on

Religious Freedom)

Nine Decrees:

 Inter mirifica (Decree on the Media

of Social Communication)

 Orientalium Ecclesiarum (Decree on

the Catholic Churches of the Eastern

Rite)

 Unitatis redintegratio (Decree on

Ecumenism)

 Christus Dominus (Decree on the

Pastoral Office of Bishops in the

Church)
  Perfectae caritatis (Decree on the

Adaptation and Renewal of

Religious Life)

 Optatam totius (Decree on Priestly

Training)

 Apostolicam Actuositatem (Decree

on the Apostolate of the Laity)

 Ad gentes (Decree on the Mission

Activity of the Church)

 Presbyterorum ordinis (Decree on

the Ministry and Life of Priests)

Chronological list of ecumenical councils

Ad gentes (To the Nations) is the Second Vatican Council's decree on missionary

activity.
The document establishes evangelization as one of the fundamental missions of
the Catholic Church and reaffirms the tie between evangelization and charity for
the poor. Ad gentes also calls for the formation of strong Christian communities as
well as strong relations with other Christians. Finally, it lays out guidelines for the
training and actions of the missionaries.[2]

See also[edit]
 Catholic charities
 Evangelii gaudium
 Lumen gentium
 Redemptoris missio

References[edit]
1. ^ Cheney, David M. "Second Vatican Council". Catholic Hierarchy. Retrieved 18
May  2011.[self-published source]
2. ^ "Ad Gentes (Decree on the Mission Activity of the Church)". Berkley Center for
Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University. Archived from the original  on
2018-04-13. Retrieved  2018-04-13.