Duty of the Council to the Whole Man: Body and Soul Together

Principle Duty of the Council: The Defense and Advancement of Doctrine

5. The greatest concern of the Ecumenical Council is this: that the sacred deposit of Christian doctrine should be guarded and taught more efficaciously. That doctrine embraces the whole of man, composed as he is of body and soul. And, since he is a pilgrim on this earth, it commands him to tend always toward heaven.

This demonstrates how our mortal life is to be ordered in such a way as to fulfill our duties as citizens of earth and of heaven, and thus to attain the aim of life as established by God. That is, all men, whether taken singly or as united in society, today have the duty of tending ceaselessly during their lifetime toward the attainment of heavenly things and to use, for this purpose only, the earthly goods, the employment of which must not prejudice their eternal happiness...

6. ...[F]rom the renewed, serene, and tranquil adherence to all the teaching of the Church in its entirety and preciseness, as it still shines forth in the Acts of the Council of Trent and First Vatican Council, the Christian, Catholic, and apostolic spirit of the whole world expects a step forward toward a doctrinal penetration and a formation of consciousness in faithful and perfect conformity to the authentic doctrine, which, however, should be studied and expounded through the methods of research and through the literary forms of modern thought. The substance of the ancient doctrine of the deposit of faith is one thing, and the way in which it is presented is another. And it is the latter that must be taken into great consideration with patience if necessary, everything being measured in the forms and proportions of a Magisterium which is predominantly pastoral in character...

7. ...Nowadays...the Spouse of Christ prefers to make use of the medicine of mercy rather than that of severity. She considers that she meets the needs of the present day by demonstrating the validity of her teaching rather than by condemnations...[Men] are ever more deeply convinced of the paramount dignity of the human person and of his perfection as well as of the duties which that implies. Even more important, experience has taught men that violence inflicted on others, the might of arms, and political domination, are of no help at all in finding a happy solution to the grave problems which afflict them...

That being so...[the Church] distributes [to men of today] the goods of divine grace which , raising men to the dignity of sons of God, are the most efficacious safeguards and aids toward a more human life. She opens the fountain of her life-giving doctrine which allows men, enlightened by the light of Christ, to understand well what they really are, what their lofty dignity and their purpose are, and, finally, through her children, she spreads everywhere the fullness of Christian charity, than which nothing is more effective in eradicating the seeds of discord, nothing more efficacious in promoting concord, just peace, and the brotherly unity of all.

Quotes from Pope Saint John XXIII, "Opening Speech for Council of Vatican II", October 11, 1962.

[Emphasis in the title is Plinthos']

P.S. What I find important in this text is the service to the whole man, body and soul, the hylomorphism of man, and the defense and advancement of doctrine which is ever ancient and ever new which that entails.

The truth as man experiences it is always one and many. It has many manifestations but itself remains the same.

The new emphasis of Vatican II is the historical element and how the truth of the faith is for all men of every language. The truth in all its integrity is to be presented to and received and appropriated by men of every place and age according to their varying perspective and capacity and it is to be given new life and expression in them. The Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us! This is a central element of the Incarnation, the incarnational reality of the truth of the faith which includes dogmas but ultimately is the very Person of the living God made Man, Jesus Christ and His Body, the Church.