Papal Encyclicals & Church Documents
Provided below are the names and brief descriptions for the papal encyclicals and documents from the past 150 years that are most frequently referenced in discussions on the authentic teaching of the Catholic Church in the areas of sanctity of human life and the dignity of the person. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list, but rather a convenient source of the most fundamental resources on these topics.
Also included are links to the full text of each document located on the Vatican’s website (http://www.va/phome_en.htm).
Papal Encyclicals on Contemporary Social Issues
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Pope Leo XIII
Quod Apostolici Muneris: "The Apostolic Office" -- On Socialism (Dec. 28, 1878) Rerum Novarum : "Of New Things" -- On Capital and Labor (May 15, 1891) |
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Pope Pius XI
Quadragesimo Anno : "The Fortieth Year" -- On the Reconstruction of the Social Order (May 15, 1931) |
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Pope John XXIII
Mater et Magistra : "Mother and Teacher" -- On Christianity and Social Progress (May 15, 1961) Pacem in Terris : "Peace on Earth" -- On Establishing Universal Peace in Truth, Justice, and Liberty (Apr. 11, 1963) |
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Pope Paul VI
Populorum Progressio : "Development of People" -- On the Development of People (Mar. 26, 1967) Humanae Vitae : "Of Human Life" -- On the Regulation of Human Birth (Jul. 25, 1968) |
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Pope John Paul II
Laborem Exercens : "Working/Labor" -- On Human Work (Sep. 14, 1981) Sollicitudo Rei Socialis : "The Social Concern" -- On the 20th Anniversary of Populorum Progressio (Dec. 30, 1987) Centesimus Annus : "The Hundredth Year" -- On the One 100th Anniversary of Rerum Novarum (May 1, 1991) Veritatis Splendor : "The Splendor of Truth" -- On the Spendor of Truth (Aug. 6, 1993) Evangelium Vitae : "The Gospel of Life" -- On the Value and Inviolability of Human Life (Mar. 25, 1995) Fides et Ratio : "Faith and Reason" -- On the Relationship of Faith and Reason (Sep. 14, 1998) |
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Pope Benedict XVI
Deus Caritas Est : "God Is Love" -- On Christian Love (Dec. 25, 2005) Spe Salvi : "Saved by Hope" -- On Christian Hope (Nov. 30, 2007) Caritas in Veritate : "Charity in Truth" -- On Integral Human Development in Charity and Truth (Jun. 29, 2009) |
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Pope Francis
Lumen Fidei : "The Light of Faith" -- On Faith (Jun. 29, 2013) Evangelii Gaudium : "Joy of the Gospel" -- On the Gospel in Today's World (Nov. 24, 2013) Laudato Si' : "Praised Be" -- On Care for Our Common Home (May 24, 2015) |
Additional Church Documents
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Lumen Gentium: "Light of the Nations" Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Vatican Council II, Promulgated by His Holiness Pope Paul VI (Nov. 21, 1964) Gaudium et Spes : "Joy and Hope " Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World. Vatican Council II, Promulgated by His Holiness Pope Paul VI (Dec. 7, 1965) Dignitatis Humanae : " The Dignity of the Human Person" On the Rights of the Person and of Communities to Social and Civil Freedom in Matters Religious. Vatican Council II, Promulgated by His Holiness Pope Paul VI (Dec. 7, 1965) Evangelii Nuntiandi : "Evangelization in the Modern World" Apostolic Exhortation of His Holiness Pope Paul VI to the Episcopate, to the Clergy, and to all the Faithful of the Entire World (Dec. 8, 1975) Dignitas Personae : "The Dignity of the Person" Instruction on Certain Bio-ethical Questions Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (Sep. 8, 2008) |
