Culture

by Fabio Marchese Ragona Council Notebooks It is only through culture that a person can attain the fullness of life. Culture is the means by which people can develop and refine their abilities and make their social life more “human,” both in public and private. For this reason, it was included among the major contemporary issues that the Council Fathers decided to examine in depth (“Gaudium et Spes,” 53-62). Fabio Marchese Ragona, a Vatican expert, reflects on what can be called the three key words capable of addressing the subject in a constructive spirit: dialogue, proclamation, and evangelization. These words run throughout the entire document, presenting believers and nonbelievers with the role that the Church intends to play in the world.