Enlightening the Mystery of Man: Gaudium et spes Fifty Years Later

The Second Vatican Council represents a decisive milestone in the relationship between the Church and the world. The pastoral constitution Gaudium et spes proclaims a new spirit of missionary dialogue, openness, and mutual enrichment. The Church endeavored to recognize the genuine "triumphs" of the modern age, and, bearing in mind also the serious "ambiguities" and "tragedies" that characterize our modern culture, sought to present anew the profound beauty of Christian existence.

What then d...