CNS STORY: During his papacy, Pope John Paul II published 14 encyclical letters

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CNS Story:

During his papacy, Pope John Paul II published 14 encyclical letters

By Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- During his more than 26-year tenure, Pope John Paul II published 14 encyclical letters.

Here is a chronological list of all his encyclicals:

1. "Redemptor Hominis" ("The Redeemer of Man"), 1979: On Jesus Christ and the dignity his redemption brings to the human race.

2. "Dives in Misericordia" ("Rich in Mercy"), 1980: On God the Father and the meaning of God's mercy.

3. "Laborem Exercens" ("On Human Work"), 1981: Social encyclical on workers' rights and dignity marking the 90th anniversary of Pope Leo XIII's encyclical "Rerum Novarum."

4. "Slavorum Apostoli" ("The Apostles of the Slavs"), 1985: Affirming Eastern Europe's Christian culture in a commemoration of Sts. Cyril and Methodius on the 1,100th anniversary of St. Methodius' death.

5. "Dominum et Vivificantem" ("Lord and Giver of Life"), 1986: On the living presence of the Holy Spirit in the church and the world.

6. "Redemptoris Mater" ("Mother of the Redeemer"), 1987: On Mary's role in the mystery of Christ and in the church.

7. "Sollicitudo Rei Socialis" ("On Social Concerns"), 1987: Second social encyclical, marking 20th anniversary of Pope Paul VI's social encyclical "Populorum Progressio."

8. "Redemptoris Missio" ("The Mission of the Redeemer"), 1991: On spreading the Gospel as the central and permanent mandate of the church.

9. "Centesimus Annus" ("The Hundredth Year"), 1991: Third social encyclical, analyzing the social situation in the light of communism's collapse on the 100th anniversary of "Rerum Novarum."

10. "Veritatis Splendor" ("The Splendor of Truth"), 1993: First papal encyclical in history on the foundations of moral theology.

11. "Evangelium Vitae" ("The Gospel of Life"), 1995: On abortion, euthanasia, embryonic experiments and other threats to human life, its sacredness and dignity.

12. "Ut Unum Sint" ("That All May Be One"), 1995: On the importance of striving for Christian unity.

13. "Fides et Ratio" ("Faith and Reason"), 1998: On philosophy.

14. "Ecclesia de Eucharistia," 2003: On the Eucharist in its relationship to the church.

END

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