Bernardo F. Agbunag, Jr.

Tahanan ng Mabuting Pastol

Rev. Fr. Jerome Marquez, SVD Canon Law

The Dogmatic Constitution on The Church, Vatican II particularly addresses the Lumen Gentium (Light of the Nation).1The focus of this document is particularly on Jesus Christ. The document of the Lumen Gentium has its eight chapters with respective topics. Chapter I talks on The Mystery of the Church states Jesus is the light of humanity. Jesus Christ our Pasch is sacrificed (1 Cor. 5:7). And in baptism we became image of Jesus Christ in communion with God and in the unity of the all humanity.(Vat II, LG. 350). It is the universal Churh as the people of God uniting with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. (Vat II, LG.357) Its mission through Christ is to bring Good News to the poor, heal the contrite heart, to seek and to save what was lost. (Vat II, LG.358) In Chapter II People of God is about the Church who accepts and serves the Lord in Holiness. (Vat II, LG.359)It states that People of God as universal Church is a gift from the Lord. As part of the Universal Church, each part contributes to the whole Church, proclaiming the Good News and called to Gods salvation. (Vat II, LG.364-368) Chapter III The Church is Hierarchical talks on the Shepherding of Christ to People of God for the good of the whole body towards salvation. (Vat II, LG.369) The bishop is invested the fullness of the sacrament of Orders as the steward of grace with the priests connected in sacerdotal dignity and deacons dedicated for the People of God.2 Chapter IV The Laity talks on the faithful who were baptized as part of the People of God. They are not belonging to the Orders but they are part of the Church mission towards salvation. (Vat II, LG.388) Chapter V The Call to Holiness states as Jesus loving the Church as his Bride and we as part of the People of God calls to love each other as what Jesus love his bride. (Vat II, LG.396). Chapter VI Religious is a called in holiness through life journey of the People of God called in commitment to God in the way of life in poverty and obedience as what Jesus did. (Vat II, LG.402) It is a call to holiness that the end of Christian communion is to build the Body of Christ in holiness.3 Chapter VII The Pilgrim Church talks on the life and structure of the Church from the perspective of the Church as whole. It includes the teaching on communion of the Church on earth in glory of the Church in Heaven. Lastly Chapter VIII Our Lady talks on Mary the Blessed Virgin in the Mystery of Christ and in the Church (People of God)4
1

Vatican II, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World GadiumetSpes. In Austin Flannery, ed. Vatican Council II.: The Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents.New Revised Edition.Vol. 1. (Pasay City: Paulines 1984) 350. http://www.therealpresence.org/eucharst/vat/constit.html

J. Neuner- J. Dupuis, The Christian Faith: In The Doctrinal Documents of The Catholic Church, ed. Jacques Dupus (Bangalore: Theological Publications in India, 2001) 335.
4

Ibid.