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 .
Also included are links to the full text of each document located on the Vatican’s website .
Papal Encyclicals
Pope Pius XI
Quadragesimo Anno (The Fortieth Year): On the Reconstruction of the Social Order (May 15, 1931)
Quadragesimo Anno (The Fortieth Year): On the Reconstruction of the Social Order (May 15, 1931)
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 (April 11, 1963)
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 (April 11, 1963)
Pope Paul VI
Populorum Progressio (Development of People): On the Development of People (March 26, 1967)
Humanae Vitae (Of Human Life): On the Regulation of Human Birth (July 25, 1968)
Populorum Progressio (Development of People): On the Development of People (March 26, 1967)
Humanae Vitae (Of Human Life): On the Regulation of Human Birth (July 25, 1968)
Pope John Paul II
Laborem Exercens (Working/Labor): On Human Work (September 14, 1981)
Sollicitudo Rei Socialis (The Social Concern): On the Twentieth Anniversary of Populorum Progressio (December 30, 1987)
Centesimus Annus (The Hundredth Year): On the One Hundredth Anniversary of Rerum Novarum (May 1, 1991)
Veritatis Splendor (The Splendor of Truth): On the Spendor of Truth (August 6, 1993)
Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life): On the Value and Inviolability of Human Life (March 25, 1995)
Fides et Ratio (Faith and Reason): On the Relationship of Faith and Reason (September 14, 1998)
Laborem Exercens (Working/Labor): On Human Work (September 14, 1981)
Sollicitudo Rei Socialis (The Social Concern): On the Twentieth Anniversary of Populorum Progressio (December 30, 1987)
Centesimus Annus (The Hundredth Year): On the One Hundredth Anniversary of Rerum Novarum (May 1, 1991)
Veritatis Splendor (The Splendor of Truth): On the Spendor of Truth (August 6, 1993)
Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life): On the Value and Inviolability of Human Life (March 25, 1995)
Fides et Ratio (Faith and Reason): On the Relationship of Faith and Reason (September 14, 1998)
Pope Benedict XVI
Deus Caritas Est (God Is Love): On Christian Love (December 25, 2005)
Spe Salvi (Saved by Hope): On Christian Hope (November 30, 2007)
Caritas in Veritate (Charity in Truth): On Integral Human Development in Charity and Truth (June 29, 2009)
Deus Caritas Est (God Is Love): On Christian Love (December 25, 2005)
Spe Salvi (Saved by Hope): On Christian Hope (November 30, 2007)
Caritas in Veritate (Charity in Truth): On Integral Human Development in Charity and Truth (June 29, 2009)
Pope Francis
Lumen Fidei (The Light of Faith): On Faith (June 29, 2013) En Español
Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel): On the Gospel in Today's World (November 24, 2013) En Español
Laudauto Si (Praise Be to You): On Care for Our Common Home (May 24, 2015) En Español
Lumen Fidei (The Light of Faith): On Faith (June 29, 2013) En Español
Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel): On the Gospel in Today's World (November 24, 2013) En Español
Laudauto Si (Praise Be to You): On Care for Our Common Home (May 24, 2015) En Español
Additional Church Documents
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, December 7, 1965)
Dignitatis Humanae (Of 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, December 7, 1965)
Octogesima Adveniens (The Eightieth Anniversary): Apostolic Letter of Pope Paul VI to Cardinal Maurice Roy, President of
the Council of the Laity and of the Pontifical Commission Justice and Peace (May 14, 1971
Evangelii Nuntiandi (On 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 (December 8, 1975)
Dignitas Personae (The Dignity of the Person): Instruction on Certain Bioethical Questions (Congregation for the Doctrine of
the Faith, September 8, 2008)
Promulgated by His Holiness Pope Paul VI, December 7, 1965)
Dignitatis Humanae (Of 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, December 7, 1965)
Octogesima Adveniens (The Eightieth Anniversary): Apostolic Letter of Pope Paul VI to Cardinal Maurice Roy, President of
the Council of the Laity and of the Pontifical Commission Justice and Peace (May 14, 1971
Evangelii Nuntiandi (On 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 (December 8, 1975)
Dignitas Personae (The Dignity of the Person): Instruction on Certain Bioethical Questions (Congregation for the Doctrine of
the Faith, September 8, 2008)
Compendium for the Social Doctrine of the Church
The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church was published in 2004 by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace at the request of John Paul II. Catholic social teaching deals with "questions concerning life in society" of which the Compendium aspires to present "a precise but complete overview". In its English translation, the volume is 315 pages long, not counting the extensive Table of Contents, a foreword in the shape of a Letter from Cardinal Sodano, the then Cardinal Secretary of State to the President of the Pontifical Council, a brief Presentation by that President, a 24-page Index of References, and a comprehensive Analytical Index of 141 pages organized alphabetically from "abortion" to "youth".
