Since the official language of the Catholic Church is Latin, the documents issued by the Vatican are initially written in Latin. However, since Vatican II, 1962-1965, documents are translated into the vernacular soon after they are issued. Many retrospective Vatican documents have also been translated. CPLI indexes such periodicals as National Catholic Reporter, Origins , and L'Osservatore Romano , English edition, The Pope Speaks, and The Tablet which frequently print the texts of church documents and commentaries on them. Decisions regarding faith, morals, worship and church discipline are made at ecumenical councils.
Some reference works to be consulted when looking for a council document are the following titles.
Denzinger, Henry . The Sources of Catholic Dogma. Translated by Roy J. Deferrari. B. Herder, l957. Introductions and Commentaries by Catholic Bishops and Experts.