Centesimus annus

*Centesimus annus*
Latin for 'The Hundredth Year'
Encyclical of Pope John Paul II
Centesimus annus; Latin for 'The Hundredth Year'; Encyclical of Pope John Paul II
Signature date	1 May 1991
Subject	The centenary of the encyclical Rerum novarum
Number	9 of 14 of the pontificate
Text	In Latin; In English;
	← Redemptoris missio Veritatis splendor →

Centesimus annus (Latin for "the hundredth year") is an encyclical which was written by Pope John Paul II in 1991 on the hundredth anniversary of Rerum novarum, an encyclical issued by Pope Leo XIII in 1891. It is part of a larger body of writings, known as Catholic social teaching, which trace their origin to Rerum novarum and aim to relate the teachings of Jesus to the industrial age.

It was one of fourteen encyclicals issued by John Paul II. The theologian Cardinal Georges Cottier^[1]^[2] was influential in drafting the encyclical.^[3]

[1] Consistory of October 21, 2003, Office of Liturgical Celebrations, Accessed 17 February 2013

[2] "Cottier, Card. George Marie Martin O.P.", Holy See Press Office, Accessed 17 February 2013

[3] Valente, Gianni. In an interview in "30Days", 3-2004 Cottier remarked: "Going back to the early years, the first 'big' text I worked on was the social encyclical Centesimus annus. And then the Ut unum sint on ecumenicalism, the moral encyclical Veritatis splendor, and the Fides et ratio… also the Catechism of the Catholic Church." Accessed 17 February 2013

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