Documents of the Catholic Church on formation

Second Vatican Council

Perfectae caritatis
Decree on the adaptation and renewal of religious life [28.10.1965]

Optatam totius
Decree on priestly training [28.10.1965]

Code of Canon Law (1983)

Canon 641-661
The admission of candidates and the formation of members

Paul VI

Summi Dei Verbum
Apostolic letter on the Occasion of the Fourth Centenary of the Establishment of Seminaries by the Council of Trent [04.11.1963]

Sacerdotalis caelibatus
Encyclical letter on the celibacy of the priest [24.06.1967]

Evangelica Testificatio
Apostolic Exhortation on the renewal of the religious life according to the teaching of the second vatican council [1971]

John Paul II

Sapientia christiana
Apostolic constitution on ecclesiastical universities and faculties [15.04.1979]

Redemptionis Donum
Apostolic Exhortation to men and women religious on their consecration in the light of the mystery of the redemption [25.03.1984]

Pastores dabo vobis
Post-synodal apostolic Exhortation on the formation of priests in the circumstances of the present day [25.03.1992]

Vita consecrata
Post-synodal apostolic Exhortation on the consecrated life and its mission in the church and in the world [25.03.1996]

Ecclesia de Eucharistia
Enciclical Letter on the eucharist in its relationship to the Church [17.04.2003]

With Great joy
Letter to priests for holy thursday [28.03.2004]

Benedict XVI

Sacramentum caritatis
Post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation [22.02.2007]

Message for the 47th world day of prayer for vocations
[25.04.2010]

Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life

Religious and human promotion
Document [25.04.1978]

Mutuae relationes
Directives for the mutual relations between bishops and religious in the church [14.05.1978]

The contemplative dimension of religious life
[07.03.1980]

Eessential elements in the church’s teaching on religious life as applied to institutes dedicated to works of the apostolate
[31.05.1983]

Directives on formation in religious institutes
[02.02.1990]

Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor. Fraternal life in community
[02.02.1994]

New vocations for a new Europe
Final Document of the Congress on Vocations to the Priesthood and to Consecrated Life in Europe [08.12.1997]

Inter-institute collaboration for formation
[8.12.1998]

Starting afresh from Christ: a renewed commitment to consecrated life in the third millennium
[19.05.2002]

Congregation for Catholic Education

The Virgin Mary in the intellectual and spiritual formation
Letter [25.03.1988]

Among the various means
Directives concerning the preparation of seminary educators [4.11.1993]

Instruction concerning the criteria for the discernment of vocations with regard to persons with homosexual tendencies in view of their admission to the Seminary and to Holy Orders [04.11.2005]

Guidelines for the Use of Psychology in the Admission and Formation of Candidates for the Priesthood
[29.06.2008]

Congregation for the Clergy

Directory on the Ministry and Life of Priests
[31.01.1994]

The Priest and the Third Christian Millenium
 [19.03.1999]

Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity

The Ecumenical Dimension in the Formation of Those Engaged in Pastoral Work
[01.12.1997]