The Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), a gathering of Catholic bishops from around the world, was one of the most significant cultural and religious events of the twentieth century. Though practically everyone acknowledges its importance, Catholics have been debating its precise meaning and application for the past sixty years. On the one hand are “radical traditionalists” who claim that Vatican II betrayed authentic Catholicism and produced disastrous consequences in the life of the Church; on the other, “progressives” who saw the council documents as a first step toward more substantial changes in the Church.

But even as debate over the council rages on, not enough Catholics have actually read or properly understood its texts. This groundbreaking new book from Word on Fire is designed to address that problem.

The Word on Fire Vatican II Collection, an elegant hardcover volume with beautifully carved linocut art, features the four central documents that most fully articulate the vision of the council—Dei Verbum, Lumen Gentium, Sacrosanctum Concilium, and Gaudium et Spes. In the style of The Word on Fire Bible, it also includes illuminating commentary from the postconciliar popes and Bishop Robert Barron interspersed throughout, so that readers will understand how the Church authoritatively interprets different passages.

The collection also includes the opening address of Pope St. John XXIII, the closing address of Pope St. Paul VI, a foreword from Bishop Barron, an afterword from theologian Matthew Levering, and helpful appendices listing key terms, figures, and answers to frequently asked questions. The Word on Fire Vatican II Collection is a robust and readable journey into the true history and purpose of the Second Vatican Council, and a compelling call for an enthusiastic return to its texts today.