Includes bibliographical references.

The Second Vatican Council, a marvelous and generous gift / James H. Kroeger -- Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, a synthetic overview / R. Trisco and J. Komonchak -- Vatican II reform, the basic principles / Avery Dulles -- The struggle of Vatican II / an interview with Dennis E. Hurley -- Opening speech to the Council / Pope John XXIII -- Message to humanity / Council Fathers -- Closing speech to the Council / Pope Paul VI -- Closing messages to sectors of society / Council Fathers -- Apostolic brief closing the Council / Pope Paul VI -- The church in Asia, twenty and forty years after Vatican II, personal reflections, 1985 and 2005 / Francisco F. Claver -- Consecrated life in Asia forty years after Vatican II, reality and challenges / Julma C. Neo -- Reception of Vatican II in Asia, historical and theological analysis / Peter C. Phan -- Brief chronicle of Vatican II / James H. Kroeger.