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Documentation for EPM update and macro support.
===============================================
What is EPM?
------------
The EPM editor is actually a simple application built on top of a very
powerful editor toolkit. EPM is programmable at a number of levels.
The simplest way to configure EPM is from the Options menu; a number
of features are pre-configured with support for multiple ways of doing
things and to allow the specific method to be chosen dynamically and saved.
(E.g., advanced marking mode or the simple CUA-style; Enter keys can be
configured any one of 6 ways (in line mode), etc.) (Note: by default,
EPM 6 has a different menu layout than 5.51, and has no Options menu.
Most of the things configurable via the Options menu in 5.51 have been
moved into the Settings dialog in 6.0x.) The next level is writing
Rexx macros. This lets you do some fairly powerful things, but to
take complete advantage of the editor, you have to go to a lower level.
E macros are compiled into .ex files, which are interpreted at run time.
You can control the macros at two levels. One is by creating a MYCNF.E
and setting flags in it which controls which of the various features
we've already written are included in the .ex files; the second is to
actually write your own macros. The configuration flags are described in
the User's Guide - enter the command VIEW EPMUSERS to see the User's
Guide, or VIEW EPMUSERS SUMMARY to see a summary of the configuration
constants. You can also select these on EPM 6's Help menu. The macro
language is defined and described in the EPM Macro Programmer's Technical
Reference - enter VIEW EPMTECH to see it. Also, looking through the
existing macros is a good way to become familiar with the language -
particularly if you have any Rexx experience. (Starting with EPM 6,
macros can be written in C as well. See EPMCSAMP.ZIP.)
EPM can also be controlled via DDE (Dynamic Data Exchange); this is how
we interact with the Workframe/2 product. Finally, users can use the
E Toolkit to embed one or more E-MLE's (Enhanced Multi-line Edit Controls)
within their own application. See the package ETKBBS for sample E Toolkit
programs.
Historical note.
----------------
The EPMBBS package was first released when EPM 5.50 was the OS/2 Enhanced
Editor. Besides providing documentation and macro support to users, it
enabled OS/2 2.0 users to upgrade to EPM version 5.51. Later versions of
OS/2 shipped with 5.51, so there seems to no longer be a need to include
EPM 5.51 in this package. A previous version of this package also
included EPMWRP.ZIP, which was EPM 5.51 linked specially for OS/2 Warp;
it gave better performance on Warp, but would not run on earlier versions
of OS/2. Since that ships with Warp, there's no point in including it
here. (If you want it and don't have it, do a selective install from
your Warp distribution.) The only 5.51-specific piece of code included
here is the 5.51 macro compiler, for those who have not yet upgraded (or
for those using OS/2 1.3; EPM 6 requires OS/2 2.x).
We consider EPM 5.x to be "dead"; EPM 6 is very much superior. If you
start EPM, press F1, select "EPM Features", and page down to the bottom
half of the help text, you'll get a partial list of the new features in
EPM 6.
What is included here?
----------------------
This package consists of a number of sets of files. You have the option
of replacing your current Enhanced Editor (EPM 5.5x) with EPM 6, or
adding EPM 6 to your system so that you can use either version. If you
elect to replace the current EPM, then you can unpack EPMAPP.ZIP into
your \os2\apps directory, and you can erase the ETKE55?.DLL and
ETKR55?.DLL from your \os2\apps\dll directory. If you would rather keep
both versions, then you can unpack EPMAPP.ZIP into a new directory and
either run EPM 6 from there, or ensure that your PATH includes that
directory before \os2\apps when running EPM 6. Your EPMPATH should
have \os2\apps *before* the EPM 6 directory, since EPM 6 will skip over
5.51's *.ex files while attempting to find a usable .ex file, while 5.51
stops with the first *.ex file found.
The contents of the files in this package are as follows. You do not need
to download or unpack all of them.
EPMAPP.ZIP - Unpack into \os2\apps, or as described above
EPM.EXE - The 6.x version of the editor
ETPM.EXE - The 6.x version of the macro compiler
PMMORE.EXE - Useful for debugging Rexx macros; entering RXSHELL from
EPM will start PMMORE and redirect STDOUT to this window.
SAY and TRACE output will be displayed there.
*.EX - the 6.x version of the compiled macros
ACTIONS.LST - A list of toolbar "actions" files.
EPMHELP.QHL - the updated "quick help" file
EPMTECH.NDX - An index file for getting macro programmer help.
*.BMP - Extra bitmaps for the toolbar.
EPMKWDS.* - Keyword highlighting definitions for various programming
- and markup languages.
*.BAR - Sample toolbars that can be loaded.
EPM603.ICO - A much nicer icon than the one Boca provided.
README.EPM - Read me! News, change history, etc.
EPMBK.ZIP - Unpack into a directory in your BOOKSHELF setting
EPMUSERS.INF - The EPM User's Guide
EPMTECH.INF - The EPM Macro Programmer's Technical Reference
EPMDLL.ZIP - Unpack into \os2\apps\dll or a directory in your LIBPATH
ETK*6xx.DLL - The E Toolkit DLLs.
ETKUCMS.DLL - User Configurable Menu (toolbar) support.
EPMMAC.ZIP - Unpack into an E_MACROS directory and add to your EPMPATH.
- This contains the macros used to build the standard .ex files.
EPMMAC2.ZIP - Unpack into an E_MACROS or EXTRAMAC directory and add to your
- EPMPATH. This contains the EPM 6-only macros (mostly for
- Toolbar actions support).
EPMHLP.ZIP - Help for EPM, UCMENUS, and some toolbar actions files.
- Unpack into \os2\help
EPMSMP.ZIP - Unpack into a sampmacs directory and add to your EPMPATH.
*.e - Sample E macro code; includes both useful programs and building
blocks that you can use in writing your own code.
EBOOKE.ZIP - Unpack into an EBOOKIE directory.
EBookie is an EPM add-on that makes it much easier to create tagged
source files. Support is included for Bookmaster, Starter Set GML, and
IPF files (used to create OS/2 Help and View files).
LAMPDQ.ZIP - Unpack; contains a file to be uploaded to the host.
LAMPDQ lets you enter commands in EPM that will be executed on your
(logged on) VM host session and see the results in EPM. Requires
Communications Manager.
EPMREX.ZIP - Unpack into a directory in your path.
epmrexx.doc - documentation for writing EPM Rexx macros.
*.erx - contains some sample EPM / Rexx macros.
EPMASI.ZIP - Unpack into a myassist directory and add to your EPMPATH.
An alternative approach to syntax-assisted editing; makes it easy to
add your own expansions. Includes sample files for OS/2 and PM APIs,
C, and Bookmaster.
EPMATR.ZIP - Unpack into an epmattr directory and add to your EPMPATH.
Sample code for doing things with EPM's attribute support.
EPMSPCH.ZIP - Speech support (for IBM Personal Dictation System).
EPMCSAMP.ZIP - Sample code for writing EPM macros in C. Unpack so as to
preserve the directory structure (the default using UNZIP;
specify the -d option if using PKUNZIP2).
EPMDDE.ZIP - Sample code for controlling EPM via DDE.
EPMBMPS.ZIP - Copies of the built-in BMPs, for those who want to modify
them for whatever purpose.
ETPM551.ZIP - The 5.51 version of ETPM.EXE.
The minimum you need in order to get EPM 6 is EPMAPP and EPMDLL; add
EPMHELP for the new help file. If you want to recompile the macros,
you'll need E_MACROS, and probably EPMBOOK for the documentation. If you
want to write your own macros, or if you just want to try some of the
samples, get a copy of SAMPMACS. EBOOKIE, EPMSPCH and LAMPDQ are only
for those who require their somewhat specialized functions.
There are READ.ME files included in EPMMAC, EPMSMP, EBOOKE, EPMSPCH,
and LAMPDQ. The one in EPMMAC includes answers to a number of common
questions.
What about support?
-------------------
All the sample code is provided "as-is", with no warranty of any kind.
It was written by a number of different people, and some of the code is
more polished than other pieces.
The EPM authors monitor the E-EDITOR CFORUM on the IBM OS/2 BBS's, and
the Internet news groups comp.os.os2.misc, comp.os.os2.apps,
comp.os.os2.programmer.tools, and comp.os.os2.programmer.misc (please
use the appropriate group). We will try to answer questions asked in
either place.
(signed)
The OS/2 Applications and Tools Group
IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center
Updates (to EPMBBS package; see README.EPM in EPMAPP.ZIP for changes to EPM)
=======
1992/09/23 EPMBBS.TXT - Mention the 4 included READ.ME files
EPMMAC.ZIP - Don't allow SAVEAS if a file is locked.
EPMBK.ZIP - Added description of all configuration constants.
LAMPDQ.ZIP - Updated old syntax.
1992/10/16 EPMAPP.ZIP, EPMDLL.ZIP - Various fixes, including:
- Top of file markers were invisible in DBCS countries if DB code page
was in use.
- Problems with long lists of files from the file dialog.
- Dropping filespecs containing spaces on the EPM icon.
EPMMAC.ZIP - Fixes and enhancements, including:
- DRAG_ALWAYS_MARKS constant
- BACKUP_PATH supports '=' to back up to same directory as source file
- Error checking for BACKUP_PATH if HOST_SUPPORT = 'EMUL'
EPMBK.ZIP - Various updates.
EPMSMP.ZIP - DOSCALLS and EA updated; new SAVEALL.E.
LAMPDQ.ZIP - Use HOSTCOPYDRIVE instead of Hostdrive.
1993/03/29 EPMDLL.ZIP, EPMAPP.ZIP, EPMBK.ZIP, EPMHLP.ZIP, EPMMAC.ZIP
- Various updates. Biggest change is new print support.
Also a number of new configuration constants.
EPMSMP.ZIP - New EPMPRT.E to add a Printer Codes menu, and
additions to DOSCALLS.E.
EPMASI.ZIP, EPMATR.ZIP
- New additions to package; see descriptions above.
1993/07/19 EPMDLL.ZIP, EPMAPP.ZIP, EPMBK.ZIP, EPMHLP.ZIP, EPMMAC.ZIP
- Various updates. Includes fix for trap when pasting tabs,
and for "Raw ASCII Dump" print of marked area printing
entire file.
1993/08/05 EPMDLL.ZIP, EPMAPP.ZIP, EPMMAC.ZIP
- Ensure we get a pure pallette, so circles aren't fuzzy.
- Added a workaround for when OS/2 2.1 leaves the EPM.INI file
read-only.
- Various other small fixes.
1993/10/19 Various updates.
1994/04/04 Various updates.
1994/11/10 Various updates, including DBCS fixes. Added EPMWRP.ZIP.
1995/03/03 Mostly macro enhancements for EPM 6. Added EPMSPCH.ZIP.
1995/11/10 Dropped 5.51, added EPM 6.03a.
1996/05/21 EPM 6.03b. Updated files:
epmapp.zip EPM 6.03b.
epmbk.zip Updated documentation.
epmdll.zip EPM 6.03b.
epmmac.zip EPM 6.03b.
epmmac2.zip EPM 6.03b.
epmhlp.zip Updated help file.
epmsmp.zip A few new samples.
epmrex.zip Added EPMREXX.DOC (documentation on writing EPM Rexx macros)
epmbmps.zip Added BMPs for LoadGroup & SaveGroup.
Enable Javascript to download files
EPM_HKeysEPM_1-0.zip
(62 KB)
EPM_JavaBar_1996-08-14.zip
(2.4 KB)
EPM_NetRexx_1996-11-14.zip
(5.4 KB)
nepmd_oldbins.wpi
(620 KB)
I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
With firm faith, I also believe everything contained in the word of God, whether written or handed down in Tradition, which the Church, either by a solemn judgment or by the ordinary and universal Magisterium, sets forth to be believed as divinely revealed.
I also firmly accept and hold each and everything definitively proposed by the Church regarding teaching on faith and morals.
Moreover, I adhere with religious submission of will and intellect to the teachings which either the Roman Pontiff or the College of Bishops enunciate when they exercise their authentic Magisterium, even if they do not intend to proclaim these teachings by a definitive act.
. From her very beginning, the Church has professed faith in the Lord, crucified and risen, and has gathered the fundamental contents of her belief into certain formulas. The central event of the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, expressed first in simple formulas and subsequently in formulas that were more developed,1 made it possible to give life to that uninterrupted proclamation of faith, in which the Church has handed on both what had been received from the lips of Christ and from his works, as well as what had been learned "at the prompting of the Holy Spirit".2
The same New Testament is the singular witness of the first profession proclaimed by the disciples immediately after the events of Easter: "For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures; that he was buried; that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures; that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve".3
2. In the course of the centuries, from this unchangeable nucleus testifying to Jesus as Son of God and as Lord, symbols witnessing to the unity of the faith and to the communion of the churches came to be developed. In these, the fundamental truths which every believer is required to know and to profess were gathered together. Thus, before receiving Baptism, the catechumen must make his profession of faith. The Fathers too, coming together in Councils to respond to historical challenges that required a more complete presentation of the truths of the faith or a defense of the orthodoxy of those truths, formulated new creeds which occupy "a special place in the Church's life"4 up to the present day. The diversity of these symbols expresses the richness of the one faith; none of them is superseded or nullified by subsequent professions of faith formulated in response to later historical circumstances.
3. Christ's promise to bestow the Holy Spirit, who "will guide you into all truth", constantly sustains the Church on her way.5 Thus, in the course of her history, certain truths have been defined as having been acquired though the Holy Spirit's assistance and are therefore perceptible stages in the realization of the original promise. Other truths, however, have to be understood still more deeply before full possession can be attained of what God, in his mystery of love, wished to reveal to men for their salvation.6
In recent times too, in her pastoral care for souls, the Church has thought it opportune to express in a more explicit way the faith of all time. In addition, the obligation has been established for some members of the Christian faithful, called to assume particular offices in the community in the name of the Church, to publicly make a profession of faith according to the formula approved by the Apostolic See.7
4. This new formula of the Professio fidei restates the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed and concludes with the addition of three propositions or paragraphs intended to better distinguish the order of the truths to which the believer adheres. The correct explanation of these paragraphs deserves a clear presentation, so that their authentic meaning, as given by the Church's Magisterium, will be well understood, received and integrally preserved.
In contemporary usage, the term 'Church' has come to include a variety of meanings, which, while true and consistent, require greater precision when one refers to the specific and proper functions of persons who act within the Church. In this area, it is clear that, on questions of faith and morals, the only subject qualified to fulfil the office of teaching with binding authority for the faithful is the Supreme Pontiff and the College of Bishops in communion with him.8 The Bishops are the "authentic teachers" of the faith, "endowed with the authority of Christ",9 because by divine institution they are the successors of the Apostles "in teaching and in pastoral governance": together with the Roman Pontiff they exercise supreme and full power over all the Church, although this power cannot be exercised without the consent of the Roman Pontiff.10
5. The first paragraph states: "With firm faith, I also believe everything contained in the word of God, whether written or handed down in Tradition, which the Church, either by a solemn judgement or by the ordinary and universal Magisterium, sets forth to be believed as divinely revealed". The object taught in this paragraph is constituted by all those doctrines of divine and catholic faith which the Church proposes as divinely and formally revealed and, as such, as irreformable.11
These doctrines are contained in the word of God, written or handed down, and defined with a solemn judgement as divinely revealed truths either by the Roman Pontiff when he speaks 'ex cathedra,' or by the College of Bishops gathered in council, or infallibly proposed for belief by the ordinary and universal Magisterium.
These doctrines require the assent of theological faith by all members of the faithful. Thus, whoever obstinately places them in doubt or denies them falls under the censure of heresy, as indicated by the respective canons of the Codes of Canon Law.12
6. The second proposition of the Professio fidei states: "I also firmly accept and hold each and everything definitively proposed by the Church regarding teaching on faith and morals". The object taught by this formula includes all those teachings belonging to the dogmatic or moral area,13 which are necessary for faithfully keeping and expounding the deposit of faith, even if they have not been proposed by the Magisterium of the Church as formally revealed.
Such doctrines can be defined solemnly by the Roman Pontiff when he speaks 'ex cathedra' or by the College of Bishops gathered in council, or they can be taught infallibly by the ordinary and universal Magisterium of the Church as a 'sententia definitive tenenda'.14 Every believer, therefore, is required to give firm and definitive assent to these truths, based on faith in the Holy Spirit's assistance to the Church's Magisterium, and on the Catholic doctrine of the infallibility of the Magisterium in these matters.15 Whoever denies these truths would be in a position of rejecting a truth of Catholic doctrine16 and would therefore no longer be in full communion with the Catholic Church.
7. The truths belonging to this second paragraph can be of various natures, thus giving different qualities to their relationship with revelation. There are truths which are necessarily connected with revelation by virtue of an historical relationship, while other truths evince a logical connection that expresses a stage in the maturation of understanding of revelation which the Church is called to undertake. The fact that these doctrines may not be proposed as formally revealed, insofar as they add to the data of faith elements that are not revealed or which are not yet expressly recognized as such, in no way diminishes their definitive character, which is required at least by their intrinsic connection with revealed truth. Moreover, it cannot be excluded that at a certain point in dogmatic development, the understanding of the realities and the words of the deposit of faith can progress in the life of the Church, and the Magisterium may proclaim some of these doctrines as also dogmas of divine and catholic faith.
8. With regard to the nature of the assent owed to the truths set forth by the Church as divinely revealed (those of the first paragraph) or to be held definitively (those of the second paragraph), it is important to emphasize that there is no difference with respect to the full and irrevocable character of the assent which is owed to these teachings. The difference concerns the supernatural virtue of faith: in the case of truths of the first paragraph, the assent is based directly on faith in the authority of the word of God (doctrines de fide credenda); in the case of the truths of the second paragraph, the assent is based on faith in the Holy Spirit's assistance to the Magisterium and on the Catholic doctrine of the infallibility of the Magisterium (doctrines de fide tenenda).
9. The Magisterium of the Church, however, teaches a doctrine to be believed as divinely revealed (first paragraph) or to be held definitively (second paragraph) with an act which is either defining or non-defining. In the case of a defining act, a truth is solemnly defined by an 'ex cathedra' pronouncement by the Roman Pontiff or by the action of an ecumenical council. In the case of a non-defining act, a doctrine is taught infallibly by the ordinary and universal Magisterium of the Bishops dispersed throughout the world who are in communion with the Successor of Peter. Such a doctrine can be confirmed or reaffirmed by the Roman Pontiff, even without recourse to a solemn definition, by declaring explicitly that it belongs to the teaching of the ordinary and universal Magisterium as a truth that is divinely revealed (first paragraph) or as a truth of Catholic doctrine (second paragraph). Consequently, when there has not been a judgement on a doctrine in the solemn form of a definition, but this doctrine, belonging to the inheritance of the depositum fidei, is taught by the ordinary and universal Magisterium, which necessarily includes the Pope, such a doctrine is to be understood as having been set forth infallibly.17 The declaration of confirmation or reaffirmation by the Roman Pontiff in this case is not a new dogmatic definition, but a formal attestation of a truth already possessed and infallibly transmitted by the Church.
10. The third proposition of the Professio fidei states: "Moreover, I adhere with religious submission of will and intellect to the teachings which either the Roman Pontiff or the College of Bishops enunciate when they exercise their authentic Magisterium, even if they do not intend to proclaim these teachings by a definitive act".
To this paragraph belong all those teachings – on faith and morals – presented as true or at least as sure, even if they have not been defined with a solemn judgement or proposed as definitive by the ordinary and universal Magisterium. Such teachings are, however, an authentic expression of the ordinary Magisterium of the Roman Pontiff or of the College of Bishops and therefore require religious submission of will and intellect.18 They are set forth in order to arrive at a deeper understanding of revelation, or to recall the conformity of a teaching with the truths of faith, or lastly to warn against ideas incompatible with those truths or against dangerous opinions that can lead to error.19
A proposition contrary to these doctrines can be qualified as erroneous or, in the case of teachings of the prudential order, as rash or dangerous and therefore 'tuto doceri non potest'.20
11. Examples. Without any intention of completeness or exhaustiveness, some examples of doctrines relative to the three paragraphs described above can be recalled.
To the truths of the first paragraph belong the articles of faith of the Creed, the various christological dogmas21 and marian dogmas;22the doctrine of the institution of the sacraments by Christ and their efficacy with regard to grace;23the doctrine of the real and substantial presence of Christ in the Eucharist24and the sacrificial nature of the eucharistic celebration;25the foundation of the Church by the will of Christ;26the doctrine on the primacy and infallibility of the Roman Pontiff;27 the doctrine on the existence of original sin;28the doctrine on the immortality of the spiritual soul and on the immediate recompense after death;29the absence of error in the inspired sacred texts;30the doctrine on the grave immorality of direct and voluntary killing of an innocent human being.31
With respect to the truths of the second paragraph, with reference to those connected with revelation by a logical necessity, one can consider, for example, the development in the understanding of the doctrine connected with the definition of papal infallibility, prior to the dogmatic definition of the First Vatican Council. The primacy of the Successor of Peter was always believed as a revealed fact, although until Vatican I the discussion remained open as to whether the conceptual elaboration of what is understood by the terms 'jurisdiction' and 'infallibility' was to be considered an intrinsic part of revelation or only a logical consequence. On the other hand, although its character as a divinely revealed truth was defined in the First Vatican Council, the doctrine on the infallibility and primacy of jurisdiction of the Roman Pontiff was already recognized as definitive in the period before the council. History clearly shows, therefore, that what was accepted into the consciousness of the Church was considered a true doctrine from the beginning, and was subsequently held to be definitive; however, only in the final stage – the definition of Vatican I – was it also accepted as a divinely revealed truth.
A similar process can be observed in the more recent teaching regarding the doctrine that priestly ordination is reserved only to men. The Supreme Pontiff, while not wishing to proceed to a dogmatic definition, intended to reaffirm that this doctrine is to be held definitively,32 since, founded on the written word of God, constantly preserved and applied in the Tradition of the Church, it has been set forth infallibly by the ordinary and universal Magisterium.33 As the prior example illustrates, this does not foreclose the possibility that, in the future, the consciousness of the Church might progress to the point where this teaching could be defined as a doctrine to be believed as divinely revealed.
The doctrine on the illicitness of euthanasia, taught in the Encyclical Letter Evangelium Vitae, can also be recalled. Confirming that euthanasia is "a grave violation of the law of God", the Pope declares that "this doctrine is based upon the natural law and upon the written word of God, is transmitted by the Church's Tradition and taught by the ordinary and universal Magisterium".34 It could seem that there is only a logical element in the doctrine on euthanasia, since Scripture does not seem to be aware of the concept. In this case, however, the interrelationship between the orders of faith and reason becomes apparent: Scripture, in fact, clearly excludes every form of the kind of self-determination of human existence that is presupposed in the theory and practice of euthanasia.
Other examples of moral doctrines which are taught as definitive by the universal and ordinary Magisterium of the Church are: the teaching on the illicitness of prostitution35and of fornication.36
With regard to those truths connected to revelation by historical necessity and which are to be held definitively, but are not able to be declared as divinely revealed, the following examples can be given: the legitimacy of the election of the Supreme Pontiff or of the celebration of an ecumenical council, the canonizations of saints (dogmatic facts), the declaration of Pope Leo XIII in the Apostolic Letter Apostolicae Curae on the invalidity of Anglican ordinations.37...
As examples of doctrines belonging to the third paragraph, one can point in general to teachings set forth by the authentic ordinary Magisterium in a non-definitive way, which require degrees of adherence differentiated according to the mind and the will manifested; this is shown especially by the nature of the documents, by the frequent repetition of the same doctrine, or by the tenor of the verbal expression.38
12. With the different symbols of faith, the believer recognizes and attests that he professes the faith of the entire Church. It is for this reason that, above all in the earliest symbols of faith, this consciousness is expressed in the formula 'We believe'. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches: "'I believe' (Apostles' Creed) is the faith of the Church professed personally by each believer, principally during Baptism. 'We believe' (Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed) is the faith of the Church confessed by the Bishops assembled in council or more generally by the liturgical assembly of believers. 'I believe' is also the Church, our mother, responding to God by faith as she teaches us to say both 'I believe' and 'We believe'".39
In every profession of faith, the Church verifies different stages she has reached on her path toward the definitive meeting with the Lord. No content is abrogated with the passage of time; instead, all of it becomes an irreplaceable inheritance through which the faith of all time, of all believers, and lived out in every place, contemplates the constant action of the Spirit of the risen Christ, the Spirit who accompanies and gives life to his Church and leads her into the fullness of the truth.
Rome, from the offices of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, June 29, 1998, the Solemnity of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul.
Joseph Card. Ratzinger
Prefect
Tarcisio Bertone, S.D.B.
Archbishop Emeritus of Vercelli
Secretary
