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The article starts with some references to the predecessors of John Paul II. One note lists the topics dealt with by John Paul II as well as that of the Catholic doctrine on sexuality. There follows a list of the Pope's interventions and the documents of the various pontifical dicasteries (Congregations and Councils). It continues by means of an indication regarding the foundations of the doctrine on sexuality reaffirmed by the Pontiff, including clarifications towards the proposals of theologians, which emerged in the renowned debate on the renewal of Catholic sexual morality. Hence the overall representation of the doctrinal orientations reaffirmed by John Paul II. His doctrine on the spousal character of the body, a complete innovation in the doctrinal context on human sexuality, must be highlighted. The general perspective of pontifical teaching consists in placing everything within the sphere of the new man redeemed by Christ. The Pope addresses this man, not the historical man already described by human sciences. Probably from this point, numerous misunderstandings arose between the Pope and various commentators of his teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article treats the so-called "Penitential Books" produced in the British Isles, especially in the Benedictine abbeys, in the high middle ages and intended for the use of confessors to assign penances to penitents. These books were the product of an insulated praxis of penance which was unfamiliar with public penitence, and which became widespread in Europe as the result of monastic missionary activity and the disuse of the ancient form of "canonical" or public penance. The article presents a comprehensive and synthetic overview of these penitential books including their origin, character, diffusion, merits and deficiencies. Extracts of several penitential books are also provided. The notes offer crossreferences to collections of the penitential books. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

These reflections do not intend to treat the sacrament of Penance in all of its constituent parts, but they do aim to stress two perspectives in which the sacrament can be understood and celebrated, namely the juridical and the medicinal or psycho-therapeutic. These two perspectives were introduced into the doctrine of the sacrament in particular by John Paul II. They neither exclude nor oppose one another. Rather, they are intimately complementary and when treated as such they offer an integral vision and praxis of the sacrament. This integral perspective of Penance prevents the sacrament from being celebrated as merely a confession of sins, since it extends to the totality of the life of the penitent. Sins do not fall from the clouds, but they arise from the existential situation of the penitent. One must know this anthropological context in order to assess correctly and fairly how someone may have broken a divine commandment. In this setting the role of the confessor is important and fatiguing. He certainly knows the doctrine of the sacrament, but he may not always know the real existential conditions and the conditionings to which the penitent is often exposed. It is not enough to know the principles to resolve every problem; one must be an "expert in humanity", as Paul VI wrote in reference to the Church. To this end, at least in situations than happen regularly, communication with the penitent is indispensable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this reflection is to see what social message (not necessarily political) we might be able to draw out of the Sacred Scriptures. Against the backdrop of the biblical social framework, we can extract a vision of society that is rather different from the vision operative in the Church today, and we are prompted to make once again our own the creative power and possibility of describing that world that has been lost over the centuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the data published by the Pontifical Biblical Commission on May 11, 2008 regarding Pentecost solemnity. It states that morality is a secondary reality and the Scriptures must not be approached in a moralistic way. It also draws the consequences of moral order, the newness of God and the gift that cannot be understood if it is approached as a contract or codex.