Optatam Totius

Presenter: Ellema Dayrit

Christian Joshua
T. Day
THE PROGRAM OF PRIESTLY TRAINING TO BE UNDERTAKEN BY
EACH COUNTRY

Chapter 1. Since only general laws can be made where there exists a wide
variety of nations and regions, a special "program of priestly training" is to
be undertaken by each country or rite. It must be set up by the episcopal
conferences, revised from time to time and approved by the Apostolic See.
In this way will the universal laws be adapted to the particular
circumstances of the times and localities so that the priestly training will
always be in tune with the pastoral needs of those regions in which the
ministry is to be exercised.
 Chapter two is divided into three parts. One
dedicated to analyzing the role of priests, as
ministers of the word of God, of the sacraments, and
as rectors of the People of God. A second one deals
with the relationship of priests with other people:
bishops, lay people and even other priests. And a
Chapter threethird one dealing
is entirely with to
dedicated the distribution
the of priests and
life of priests,
and begins priestly
with vocations
a precise formulation on the
Christological basis and, at the same time, on the
ecclesiological dimension of the ministry: "Through the
Sacrament of Orders, priests are configured to Christ the
Priest, as members with the Head, for the structuring
and building up of their entire Body, which is the Church,
It is
as cooperators ofdivided into three
the episcopal parts:
order."
1) The vocation of priests to perfection, who also
receive all the faithful in Baptism, but to whom they
"especially obligated... since, consecrated in a new
way to God in the reception of the Order, they become
living instruments of the Eternal Priest in order to be
able to continue, throughout time, his admirable work,
which restored, with divine efficacy, the entire human
race"(93).
 2) The spiritual requirements characteristic of priestly life, among which
is humility, obedience, embracing celibacy and appreciating it as a grace,
and finally its position in relation to the world, and its voluntary poverty.

3 ) The resources for the life of priests, among which are

those intended to foster spiritual life, pastoral study and
science, as well as the right to receive just
remuneration, to establish common funds of goods and
to order a social welfare for priests.
The decree ends with an exhortation to encourage the priest to live to
the full his priestly vocation, bearing in mind "he is never alone, but
sustained by the almighty virtue of God, believing in Christ, who
called him to share in his priesthood"(94)
5. OPTATAM TOTIUS CONCERNING PRIESTLY FORMATION
It is composed of a proemium, seven chapters and one
conclusion. The project recalls that the renewal of the
Church depends in large part on the ministry of priests,
hence the importance of priestly formation. To this end, the
decree declares some of its fundamental principles, while
introducing some innovations with the aim of adapting to the
Chapter 1 decrees that in each country standards for
priestly formation should be established, which must
be promulgated by the Episcopal Conferences and
reviewed and approved by the Holy See, so that
priestly formation always responds to the the
particular needs of each region.
Chapter 2 is dedicated to vigorously remembering the
duty to promote priestly vocations; the family stands out
as the first seminary, alluding to the responsibility of
bishops and priests in promoting vocations and their
interest in all the people of God. To this end, it proposes
the appropriate means, including that of the Minor95
Seminars, or similar institutions, describing their
characteristics, since the seeds of vocation can arise from
Chapter 3 reconfirms at this time the need for the
very temp
Major Seminaries for Priestly Formation and describes
their organization; brings this fundamental novelty: the
ultimate goal of all his education is to form pastors on
an example and our Lord Jesus Christ, Teacher, Priest
and Shepherd. It also establishes the obligation to
establish regional or national seminars where each
diocese cannot have its own.
 Chapter 4 is dedicated to the cultivation of spiritual
formation, in which the Gospel is proposed as a model of
life; is imbued with the Christological and Mariological,
Pneumatological and Ecclesiological reference. The
decree focuses spiritual life on the Eucharist and the
divine Office, together with faithful meditation on the
word of God; underlines the ascesis necessary to
withstand the difficulties of ministry and priestly life, so
This chapter
thatemphasizes
they may that
live spiritual
with joyformation
and giveshould help
consecrated celibacy.
the decision that seminarians will have to make in the face of
their ordination and establishes the possibility for bishops to
delay the canonical age for ordination so that they reach
greater maturity.

Chapter 5 addresses the renewal of ecclesiastical

studies, in content and methods. Training in humanistic
and scientific studies is required for the initiation of
ecclesiastical studies, particularly a sufficient
knowledge of the Latin language to approach sources.
As a novelty is the establishment of an introductory
course to prepare those students who are not yet in a
position to start these studies. More coordination is
called for among the sharp studies
Chapter 6 is dedicated to pastoral formation that should
encompass training for the functions they will carry out in
catechesis and preaching, in the liturgy and in the
sacraments, in the charity and evangelization of non-
believers; instruction also to become good spiritual
teachers and to respond to the needs of the Church.

Chapter 7 addresses the issue of the improvement of

training after completion of the studies, decreing that it
must continue and be completed by means of the most
apt means made available to them by the Episcopal
Conferences in cooperation with the parishes.

At the conclusion, the Decree expresses the

Council's confidence in the mission of the
formators and urges seminarians to be aware
of the hope that the Church places in them and
in their future ministry for the good of souls.
 6. PERFECTAE CARITATIS ON CONSAGRATED LIFE.
characteristic
Among the features presented in the document we can
mention:
• It is not merely a disciplinary document; but has a
profound biblical, Christological, ecclesiological and
apostolic
It must be inspiration.
interpreted in the light of the sixth chapter of the
Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, whose theological
perspective underpins the criteria of the general principles of
renewal of the Perfectae Caritatis in number 2.
• The key to understanding religious life is no longer the
perspective of holiness, but the perfect charity towards
which the practice of evangelical counsels tends, a
perspective that develops in number 6.
The symbolic dimension of religious life, which was
spoken of in the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, is
reaffirmed: the life professed by the evangelical counsels
is a sign of the Kingdom, and it is also concrete aspects of
it such as chastity, poverty and the life of Community.
• It recognizes the value and borrowing of consecrated
life by the profession of evangelical councils and calls
Emphasizes the anthropological dimension of religious
life and promotes its adaptation to different cultures.
This dimension stands out when talking about each of
the vows,• chastity97,
Renewal andpoverty98 and
updating obedience99.
require a constant return to the
sources of all Christian life, to the original inspiration of
the institutes, and to adapt them to the current conditions,
but to be promoted under the impulse of the Holy Spirit
under the guidance of the Church and the Primacy of
Spiritual Renewal100.
• All members of the institute are active subjects of
effective renewal and adaptation and it must affect all
dimensions of religious life.

• The decree exceeds the distinction between the main

purpose101 and the specific purpose and is not intended
to define and classify the different forms of religious life.
• It manifests the dimension of grace of religious life as a
constituent element. Religious life has its origin in the
impulse of the Holy Spirit102, manifests the multiplicity of
gifts of God103; renewal must be carried out under the
guidance of the Holy Ghost104; vocation has its origin in
the call of God105. Chastity is a special gift of grace106
 7. UNITATIS REDINTEGRATIO ON ECUMENISM
it consists of a proemio, three chapters and a
. conclusion.

the proemio recalls the purpose of the ecumenical

movement: to promote the restoration of unity among
Christians (110), and as this objective is one of the main
purposes proposed by the Council. He also points out
how this division is a cause of scandal to the world and
obstacle to the spread of the gospel (111), recognizes
that the ecumenical movement is produced by the
presuit of the Holy
The following Spirit,
three and those
chapters who recognize
address Jesus
the Catholic principles of
Christ as Lord its
ecumenism, andpractice,
Savior andandPro
the relationship between the Church
and the separate communities.
Among the most important points contained in the three
chapters of the decree that could be mentioned:
1. The Church of Christ is the Catholic4.Church
Ecumenical dialogue and
2.- The Catholic Church and non- individual conversions
Catholic Christians
5. The firm presentation of
3. The full incorporation of non- truth in ecumenical
Catholic Christians into the dialogue
 8. ORIENTALIUM ECCLESIARUM
ON CATHOLIC ORIENTAL CHURCHES
The decree consists of a proemio, six sections and a
conclusion
The proemio begins by recalling the Church's
appreciation for the institutions, rites, traditions and
.
discipline of the Eastern Churches, not forgetting
that they are not distinct entities and therefore their
heritage is the heritage of the whole Church.
The first section deals with the particular Churches
(128) or rites. These churches are ecclesial
communities with their own hierarchy that comprise
several local churches and are distinguished from
similar groups by their liturgy, legal order and
spiritual heritage. The essential element of it is its
hierarchical autonomy. The decree therefore
presents the Catholic Church as a communion of
Churches with the same dignity, identical rights and
The second section
duties, deals with theequally
and entrusted safeguarding
to the of the
spiritual heritage of the Eastern Churches. The right and
duty of Eastern Catholic churches to govern themselves
by their own discipline and to maintain fidelity to their
 The third section deals with Eastern patriarchies. He
began by giving the notion of eastern patriarch (129),
and later indicated the extent of his authority. He
affirms that all patriarchs have the same dignity and
commands the restoration of their duties and
privileges. Patriarchs, with their respective synods, are
the highest instance in the affairs of patriarchy, except
The fourthforsection deals
the Pope's with the
inalienable disciplines of the
right.
sacraments. It confirms and approves the discipline in force
in the Eastern Churches. He recognizes priests as ministers
of confirmation. It sets the obligation to attend on Sundays
and holidays to the Eucharist or, as prescribed, to some
rites, and to the celebration of divine praises. Another
important point is the restoration of the permanent
diaconate.The fifth section is dedicated to divine worship. It
determines the competent authority for the institution,
transfer or suppression of the festivities, establishing
that the creation of them, translation or suppression is
reserved exclusively to the Ecumenical Council or the
Apostolic See, the creation, translation and suppression
of festivals in the particular Churches is under
competition, in addition to the Apostolic See, to
The last and sixth sections are devoted to dealing with the brothers
of the separate Churches. It highlights the special role of the
Eastern Catholic churches in the ecumenical task, and the attitude
to be taken with the separated brothers who return to Catholic
unity, especially the clerics. They also set out the general
principles on the communicatius in sacris(130), and specify the
sacraments in which such intercommunication is permitted, which
are the Eucharist, Penance and and the Anointation of the Sick

.
The conclusion decrees the provisional
nature of the legal provisions of the decree,
until full communion between the Catholic
Church and the separate Eastern Churches
is reached. Finally, he invites all Christians
to pray for the restoration of unity.
9. INTER MIRIFICA
ON SOCIAL COMMUNICATION MEDIA
It is also one of the shortest documents of the
Council, consisting only of an introduction, two
chapters and a conclusion.
In its brief introduction, the decree makes a brief
but solemn assessment of the importance of the
media and justifies the attention paid to it by the
Council, aware of its influence on the salvation of
souls and on the progress of humanity.
The first chapter is dedicated to establishing the rules
governing the right use of the media. An analysis of the
rights and duties arising from the existence of the media and
its technical and universalizing nature is made here. It makes
very valuable reflections for a first ethic of communication,
and means a first step before other magisterial documents
that would delve into the subject over time. The right to
information remains sound and solemnly accepted, and from
this right the duties that affect each of the protagonists of
communication are unearthed: companies, professionals,
states, and viewers as recipients of the communication
The second chapter entitled "The Media
process.
and the Catholic Apostolate" address the
communicative phenomenon and the
responsibilities it poses to the pastoral
action of the Church.