Vatican City (AsiaNews) - The
main documents of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (pictured, Vatican headquarters) are now
available online. The Congregation is tasked with safeguarding Catholic
doctrine.
A press released on the
Congregation's website (www.doctrinafidei.va) notes that major documents of the
Congregation are available in eight languages: Latin, French, English, Italian,
Portuguese, Spanish, German and Polish. Certain documents are also available in
Hungarian, Slovak, Czech and Dutch, but the work of adding other translations
continues. At the present, each document is available in its original language
as well as in some translations.
The collection includes a general
list of all the texts organised chronologically, and three subgroups of these
texts, divided into doctrinal, disciplinary and sacramental documents.
The website also presents
information on the Congregation's series Documenti
e Studi, which are individual printed volumes presenting a major document
of the Congregation together with commentaries by noted theologians.
There is also a description of
the volumes containing the proceedings of various symposia organised by the
Congregation in recent years.
Equally, the website includes
various speeches and other contributions by the cardinal prefects.
The Congregation's documents have
the express approbation of the Holy Father in his ordinary Magisterium as the
Successor of Peter (cf Instruction Donum
veritatis on the ecclesial vocation of the theologian, 24 May 1990, n. 18).
For this reason, attentive
reception of these texts is important for all members of the faithful; in
particular, for those who are engaged in theological and pastoral work in the
name of the Church.
For the Congregation, a wider
distribution of its teachings "is necessary in today's world", especially those
that were published since the time of the Second Vatican Council, CONGREGATIO PRO DOCTRINA FIDEI, Documenta
inde a Concilio Vaticano Secundo expleto edita (1966-2005): LEV, Vatican
City, 2006.
"These texts," the press release says,
"treat significant questions for the life and mission of the Church and give
important doctrinal responses to the challenges of our times."
