So You Want to Cite Like a Holy Roller: A Tongue-in-Cheek Guide to Chicago & the Vatican
Ah, Chicago. City of wind, deep dish pizza, and...confusing citation styles? Yes, even venturing into the realm of the divine requires proper referencing, and when it comes to Vatican documents, things can get a little...Byzantine. But fear not, intrepid researcher! With this guide, you'll be navigating the footnotes of faith like a saint on rollerskates (because, really, why not?).
The Papal Primer: Popes, Encyclicals, and You
First things first: who wrote the document? If it's an encyclical (basically, a papal open letter on important stuff), you're dealing with a Pope. Here's the golden rule: use their first name, not "Pope". So, for example, it'd be Francis, not Pope Francis (unless you're on a first-name basis with the Holy Father, in which case, kudos!).
Now, for the document itself. Encyclicals are rockstars, so they get a fancy title intro. Slap an "[Encyclical Letter]" after the title, just to make sure everyone knows it's a papal deep dive. Easy peasy.
Subheading Hijinks: Papal Speeches and Apostolic Exhortations
But what if it's not an encyclical? Maybe it's a speech the Pope gave, or an apostolic exhortation (think papal pep talk). No worries! Just treat it like you would any other speech or article. Include the title, publication date (or access date if online), and source (like the Vatican website).
Here's the tricky bit: Unlike, say, a research paper, Vatican documents often use paragraph numbers instead of page numbers. So, when citing something specific, you'll need to include the paragraph number after the title. For instance:
Francis, Laudato Si' [Encyclical Letter], The Holy See, March 25, 1995, par. 61.
See? Not so scary, right?
The Vatican II Shuffle: Council Documents with a Twist
Now, things get interesting with documents from the Second Vatican Council (aka Vatican II). These are basically the greatest hits of Catholic Church teachings from the 1960s. Here, you can ditch the author part altogether. Just use the title of the document, with quotation marks, and the publication date.
For example:
"Gaudium et Spes" (Vatican City: Vatican Press, 1965), par. 1.
Bonus Round: The Catechism Caper
The Catechism of the Catholic Church? That one's a whole different beast. It's kind of like the official rulebook of Catholicism. Here, you just use the title, edition number (if applicable), publication information, and then the paragraph number.
For instance:
Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2nd ed. (Vatican City: Vatican Press, 1997), par. 2184.
Hallelujah! You've Done It!
There you have it, folks! With a little humor and these handy tips, you'll be citing Vatican documents like a pro in no time. Now, go forth and spread the knowledge (and maybe grab a slice of deep dish while you're at it). Remember, referencing the divine shouldn't be a divine pain.
