Introduction
Some general things to keep in mind:
The information presented here is based on the 17th edition of The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS).
Authors without a surname or commonly known only by a given name are listed by that name, e.g. Augustine, Francis, Benedict XVI. Titles such as "Pope" or "Saint," place identifiers or honorific titles such as "of Hippo" or "the Great" are omitted (Cf. CMOS 14.83).
Publications produced by councils or other organizations, with no personal author indicated, have the name of the corporate author listed as the author, even if it is repeated as the publisher (Cf. CMOS 14.84)
The names of councils, administrative bodies, or other corporate associations are capitalized (Cf. CMOS 8.102).
Titles in other languages, Latin and transliterated Greek titles for example, are capitalized sentence-style and italicized (Cf. CMOS 11.6 and 11.8).
Titles of classical works and collections, in full or abbreviated, are always italicized (Cf. CMOS 14.244 and 14.247).
For non-English titles, capitalize the first word of a title or subtitle and any word that would be capitalized in the original language. Seek expert help if you are unfamiliar with the language concerned (Cf. CMOS 8.158 & 14.98).
If an English translation of the title is provided you may include it in brackets after the original title. It should be written in sentence style. Do not italicize it or put it in quotation marks (Cf. CMOS 14.99).
When no date or year of publication can be ascertained, use the abbreviation n.d. for “no date," and if it is online content include an access date (Cf. CMOS 14.12-13, 14.145 and 15.44).
If referencing online content include the most durable electronic identifier, such as the DOI or URL. If the electronic content is only available by means of a proprietary database made accessible by a library subscription, give the name of the database (Cf. CMOS 14.6-11).
When citing a portion of a book give the specific pages or another indicator in the notes, and the full range for the chapter, etc. in the bibliography or reference list (Cf. CMOS 14.106).
Church documents often have an internal section numbering system. To distinguish section numbers from page numbers Chicago-style references use sec. instead of the section symbol (§) or the number sign (#). This is especially helpful when citing an online text which does not include page numbers. (Cf. CMOS 14.150).
When using the Author-Date system and you have more than one work by an author published in the same year, add a letter to the year (a, b, c, etc.) and list them alphabetically by title in your reference list (Cf. CMOS 15.20).
When documenting sources using CMOS, use the format required by your instructor or program, which is either notes and bibliography or author-date.
Notes and Bibliography: Sample Citations
Book
Notes:
1. United States Catholic Conference, Catechism of the Catholic Church with Modifications from the Editio Typica (CCC), sec. 414, (New York: Doubleday, 1997).
2. Francis, Evangelii gaudium [The joy of the gospel] (EG), sec. 50-51, (Washington, D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2013).
3. John Paul II, Veritatis splendor [The splendor of truth] (VS), sec. 108, Vatican trans., (Boston: Pauline Books & Media, 1993).
4. J. Michael Miller, ed., The Encyclicals of John Paul II (Huntingdon, IN: Our Sunday Visitor, 2001), 575-79.
5. NCCB (National Conference of Catholic Bishops), Making Marriage Work (Washington, D.C.: United States Catholic Conference, 1990), 16-21.
Shortened notes:
6. VS, sec. 35-4.
7. CCC, sec. 2415-18.
8. EG, sec. 180.
9. NCCB, Making Marriage Work, 5.
10. Miller, Encyclicals, 771.
Bibliography entries (in alphabetical order):
Francis. Evangelii gaudium [The joy of the gospel]. Apostolic exhortation, November 24, 2013. Washington, D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2013.
John Paul II. Veritatis splendor [The splendor of truth]. Encyclical letter, August 6, 1993. Vatican translation. Boston: Pauline Books & Media, 1993.
Miller, J. Michael, ed. The Encyclicals of John Paul II. Huntingdon, IN: Our Sunday Visitor, 2001.
NCCB (National Conference of Catholic Bishops). Making Marriage Work. Bishops’ Committee for Pastoral Research and Practices. Washington, D.C.: United States Catholic Conference, 1990.
United States Catholic Conference. Catechism of the Catholic Church with Modifications from the Editio Typica. New York: Doubleday, 1997.
Chapter or other part of an edited book
Notes:
11. Pius XI, “Christian Education of Youth,” in Seven Great Encyclicals, ed. William J. Gibbons (Glen Rock, NJ: Paulist Press, 1963), 66.
12. USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops), “Baptism: Becoming a Christian,” in United States Catholic Catechism for Adults (Washington, D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2006), 183.
13. John XXIII, “Mater et Magistra: An Encyclical of Pope John XXIII on Christianity and Social Progress” (MM), sec. 20-21, in The Encyclicals and Other Messages of John XXIII, ed. The Staff of The Pope Speaks Magazine (Washington, D.C.: TPS Press, 1964).
14. Synod of Bishops, “Celibacy,” in The Ministerial Priesthood; Justice in the World (Washington, D.C.: National Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1972), 24.
15. Second Vatican Council, Gaudium et spes [Pastoral constitution on the church in the modern world] (GS), sec. 30-2, in Vatican Council II: The Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents, new rev. ed., vol. 1, ed. by Austin Flannery (Northport, NY: Costello, 1996).
Shortened notes:
16. USCCB, “Baptism,” 189-92.
17. MM, sec. 98.
18. Synod of Bishops, “Celibacy,” 25n2.
19. GS, sec. 41-2.
20. Pius XI, “Christian Education,” 50-52.
Bibliography entries (in alphabetical order):
John XXIII. “Mater et Magistra: An Encyclical of Pope John XXIII on Christianity and Social Progress.” Encyclical letter, May 15, 1961. In The Encyclicals and Other Messages of John XXIII, edited by The Staff of The Pope Speaks Magazine, 250-315. Washington, D.C.: TPS Press, 1964.
Pius XI. “Christian Education of Youth.” Encyclical letter, December 31, 1929. In Seven Great Encyclicals, edited by William J. Gibbons, 37-75. Glen Rock, NJ: Paulist Press, 1963.
Second Vatican Council. Gaudium et spes [Pastoral constitution on the church in the modern world]. December 7, 1965. In Vatican Council II: The Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents, new rev. ed., vol. 1, edited by Austin Flannery, 903-1001. Northport, NY: Costello, 1996.
Synod of Bishops. “Celibacy.” In The Ministerial Priesthood; Justice in the World, 22-25. Washington, D.C.: National Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1972.
USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops). “Baptism: Becoming a Christian.” In United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, 181-199. Washington, D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2006.
E-book
Notes:
21. PCJP (Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace), Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, sec. 49-51 (London: Burns & Oates, 2004), https://doi.org/10.5040/9781472985194.
22. Council of Trent, The Council of Trent: The canons and decrees of the sacred and oecumenical Council of Trent, trans. and ed. J. Waterworth (London: Dolman, 1848), 9. https://history.hanover.edu/texts/trent/trentall.html.
23. Vatican, Catechism of the Catholic Church: Popular and Definitive Edition (CCCpde), sec. 2705-08 (London: Bloomsbury Continuum, 2000), https://doi.org/10.5040/9781472984913.
24. Francis, Lumen fidei [in Spanish] (LF), sec 9 (Santiago, Chile: Ediciones UC, 2013), https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1djmds6.3.
Shortened notes:
25. CCCpde, sec. 1703.
26. LF, sec 51-52.
27. PCJP, Compendium, sec. 176-81.
28. Council of Trent, 167-68.
Bibliography entries (in alphabetical order):
Council of Trent. The Council of Trent: The canons and decrees of the sacred and oecumenical Council of Trent. Translated and edited by J. Waterworth. London: Dolman, 1848. https://history.hanover.edu/texts/trent/trentall.html.
Francis. Lumen fidei [in Spanish]. Encyclical letter, June 29, 2013. Santiago, Chile: Ediciones UC, 2013. https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1djmds6.3.
PCJP (Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace). Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church. London: Burns & Oates, 2004. https://doi.org/10.5040/9781472985194.
Vatican. Catechism of the Catholic Church: Popular and Definitive Edition. London: Bloomsbury Continuum, 2000. https://doi.org/10.5040/9781472984913.
Journal Article
Notes:
29. Francis, Fidelis dispensator et prudens [in Spanish] (FDP), included in “Disposiciones de la Santa Sede en materia de organización económica. 2013-2014,” Ius Canonicum 54, no 107 (June 2014): 293-295, https://revistas.unav.edu/index.php/ius-canonicum/article/view/278/89.
30. CIVCSVA (Congregatio pro Institutis Vitae Consecratae et Societatibus Vitae Apostolicae), “The Service of Authority and Obedience,” Origins 38, no. 5 (June 12, 2008): 65–83.
31. Francis, “Humana Communitas” (HC), The National Catholic Bioethics Quarterly 20, no. 1 (Spring 2020): 137–42, Atla Religion Database.
Shortened notes:
32. FDP, 294.
33. CIVCSVA, “Service,” sec. 4.
34. HC, sec. 6-7.
Bibliography entries (in alphabetical order):
CIVCSVA (Congregatio pro Institutis Vitae Consecratae et Societatibus Vitae Apostolicae [Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life]). “The Service of Authority and Obedience.” Origins 38, no. 5 (June 12, 2008): 65–83.
Francis. Fidelis dispensator et prudens [in Spanish]. Apostolic letter issued motu proprio, February 24, 2014. Included in “Disposiciones de la Santa Sede en materia de organización económica. 2013-2014” Ius Canonicum 54, no 107 (June 2014): 293-295. https://revistas.unav.edu/index.php/ius-canonicum/article/view/278/89.
---. “Humana Communitas.” The National Catholic Bioethics Quarterly 20, no. 1 (Spring 2020): 137–42. Atla Religion Database.
Website content
Notes:
35. Francis, “Sixth World Day of the Poor, 2022,” sec. 8, General Papal Documents, Eternal Word Television Network, accessed November 3, 2022, https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/sixth-world-day-of-the-poor-2022-24043.
36. Synod of Bishops, Instrumentum laboris [The new evangelization for the transmission of the Christian faith] (Il), sec. 118-21, XIII Ordinary General Assembly (2012), https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/synod/documents/rc_synod_doc_20120619_instrumentum-xiii_en.html.
37. Benedict XVI, Address of His Holiness Benedict XVI to the Community of the Pontifical Ethiopian College in the Vatican, Congregation for the Eastern Churches, The Holy See, https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2011/january/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20110129_collegio-etiopico.html.
38. Francis, Authenticum charismatis [Amending canon 579 of the Code of Canon Law] (AC), The Holy See, https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/motu_proprio/documents/papa-francesco-motu-proprio-20201101_authenticum-charismatis.html.
39. USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops), Letters to Congress Regarding FY 2023 Agriculture Appropriations Legislation, June 8, 2022, https://www.usccb.org/resources/letters-congress-regarding-fy-2023-agriculture-appropriations-legislation-june-8-2022.
40. Alexander VI, Inter caetera [Division of the undiscovered world between Spain and Portugal] (IC), Papal Encyclicals Online, accessed October 12, 2022, https://www.papalencyclicals.net/alex06/alex06inter.htm.
Shortened notes:
41. Il, sec. 147.
42. Benedict XVI, Address.
43. AC.
44. USCCB, Letters.
45. IC.
46. Francis. “Sixth World Day,” sec. 2-4.
Bibliography entries (in alphabetical order):
Alexander VI. Inter caetera [Division of the undiscovered world between Spain and Portugal]. Bull, May 4, 1493. Papal Encyclicals Online. Accessed October 12, 2022. https://www.papalencyclicals.net/alex06/alex06inter.htm.
Benedict XVI. Address of His Holiness Benedict XVI to the Community of the Pontifical Ethiopian College in the Vatican, speech, Hall of the Popes, January 29, 2011. Congregation for the Eastern Churches, The Holy See. https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2011/january/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20110129_collegio-etiopico.html.
Francis. Authenticum charismatis [Amending canon 579 of the Code of Canon Law], apostolic letter issued motu proprio, November 1, 2020. The Holy See. https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/motu_proprio/documents/papa
-francesco-motu-proprio-20201101_authenticum-charismatis.html.
---. “Sixth World Day of the Poor, 2022.” Message, June 13, 2022. General Papal Documents, Eternal Word Television Network. https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/sixth-world-day-of-the-poor-2022-24043.
Synod of Bishops. Instrumentum laboris [The new evangelization for the transmission of the Christian faith]. June 19, 2012. XIII Ordinary General Assembly (2012). https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/synod/documents/rc_synod_doc_20120619_instrumentum-xiii_en.html.
USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops). Letters to Congress Regarding FY 2023 Agriculture Appropriations Legislation, June 8, 2022. https://www.usccb.org/resources/letters-congress-regarding-fy-2023-agriculture-appropriations-legislation-june-8-2022.
Author-Date: Sample Citations
Book
In-text citations:
1. (USCC 1997, sec. 414)
2. (Francis 2013, sec. 50-51)
3. (John Paul II 1993, sec. 108)
4. (Miller 2001, 575-79)
5. (NCCB 1990, 16-21)
Reference list entries (in alphabetical order):
Francis. 2013. Evangelii gaudium [The joy of the gospel]. Apostolic exhortation, November 24, 2013. Washington, D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
John Paul II. 1993. Veritatis splendor [The splendor of truth]. Encyclical letter, August 6, 1993. Vatican translation. Boston: Pauline Books & Media.
Miller, J. Michael, ed. 2001. The Encyclicals of John Paul II. Huntingdon, IN: Our Sunday Visitor.
NCCB (National Conference of Catholic Bishops). 1990. Making Marriage Work. Bishops’ Committee for Pastoral Research and Practices Washington, D.C.: United States Catholic Conference.
USCC (United States Catholic Conference). 1997. Catechism of the Catholic Church with Modifications from the Editio Typica. New York: Doubleday.
Chapter or other part of an edited book
In-text citations:
6. (Pius XI [1929] 1963, 66)
7. (USCCB 2006, 189-92)
8. (John XXIII [1961] 1964, sec. 20-21)
9. (Synod of Bishops 1972, 25n2)
10. (Second Vatican Council [1965] 1996, sec. 30-2)
Reference list entries (in alphabetical order):
John XXIII. (1961) 1964. “Mater et Magistra: An Encyclical of Pope John XXIII on Christianity and Social Progress.” Encyclical letter, May 15, 1961. In The Encyclicals and Other Messages of John XXIII, edited by The Staff of The Pope Speaks Magazine, 250-315. Washington, D.C.: TPS Press.
Pius XI. (1929) 1963. “Christian Education of Youth.” Encyclical letter, December 31, 1929. In Seven Great Encyclicals, edited by William J. Gibbons, 37-75. Glen Rock, NJ: Paulist Press.
Second Vatican Council. (1965) 1996. Gaudium et spes [Pastoral constitution on the church in the modern world]. December 7, 1965. In Vatican Council II: The Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents, new rev. ed., vol. 1, edited by Austin Flannery, 903-1001. Northport, NY: Costello.
Synod of Bishops. 1972. “Celibacy.” In The Ministerial Priesthood; Justice in the World, 22-25. Washington, D.C.: National Conference of Catholic Bishops.
USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops). 2006. “Baptism: Becoming a Christian.” In United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, 181-199. Washington, D.C.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
E-book
In-text citations:
11. (PCJP 2004, sec. 49-51)
12. (Council of Trent [1542-64] 1848)
13. (Vatican 2000, sec. 2705-08)
14. (Francis 2013, sec 9)
Reference list entries (in alphabetical order):
Council of Trent. (1542-64) 1848. The Council of Trent: The canons and decrees of the sacred and oecumenical Council of Trent. Translated and edited by J. Waterworth. London: Dolman. https://history.hanover.edu/texts/trent/trentall.html.
Francis. 2013 Lumen fidei [in Spanish]. Encyclical letter, June 29, 2013. Santiago, Chile: Ediciones UC, 2013. https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1djmds6.3.
PCJP (Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace). 2004. Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church. London: Burns & Oates. https://doi.org/10.5040/9781472985194.
Vatican. 2000. Catechism of the Catholic Church: Popular and Definitive Edition. London: Bloomsbury Continuum. https://doi.org/10.5040/9781472984913.
Journal Article
In-text citations:
15. (Francis 2014, 294)
16. (CIVCSVA 2008, sec. 7-10)
17. (Francis 2020b, sec. 6-7)
Reference list entries (in alphabetical order):
CIVCSVA (Congregatio pro Institutis Vitae Consecratae et Societatibus Vitae Apostolicae [Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life]). 2008. “The Service of Authority and Obedience.” Origins 38, no. 5 (June 12, 2008): 65–83.
Francis. 2014. Fidelis dispensator et prudens [in Spanish]. Apostolic letter issued motu proprio, February 24, 2014. Included in “Disposiciones de la Santa Sede en materia de organización económica. 2013-2014” Ius Canonicum 54, no 107 (June 2014): 293-295. https://revistas.unav.edu/index.php/ius-canonicum/article/view/278/89.
---. 2020b. “Humana Communitas.” The National Catholic Bioethics Quarterly 20, no. 1 (Spring 2020): 137–42. Atla Religion Database.
Website content
In-text citations:
18. (Francis 2022)
19. (Synod of Bishops 2012)
20. (Benedict XVI 2011)
21. (Francis 2020a)
22. (USCCB 2022)
23. (Alexander VI [1493], n.d.)
Reference list entries (in alphabetical order):
Alexander VI. (1493) n.d. Inter caetera [Division of the undiscovered world between Spain and Portugal]. Bull, May 4, 1493. Papal Encyclicals Online. Accessed October 12, 2022. https://www.papalencyclicals.net/alex06/alex06inter.htm.
Benedict XVI. 2011. Address of His Holiness Benedict XVI to the Community of the Pontifical Ethiopian College in the Vatican, speech, Hall of the Popes, January 29, 2011. Congregation for the Eastern Churches, The Holy See. https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2011/january/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20110129_collegio-etiopico.html.
Francis. 2020a. Authenticum charismatis [Amending canon 579 of the Code of Canon Law], apostolic letter issued motu proprio, November 1, 2020. The Holy See. https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/motu_proprio/documents/papa-francesco-motu-proprio-20201101_authenticum-charismatis.html.
---. 2022. “Sixth World Day of the Poor, 2022.” Message, June 13, 2022. General Papal Documents, Eternal Word Television Network. https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/sixth-world-day-of-the-poor-2022
-24043.
Synod of Bishops. 2012. Instrumentum laboris [The new evangelization for the transmission of the Christian faith]. June 19, 2012. XIII Ordinary General Assembly (2012). https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/synod/documents/rc_synod_doc_20120619_instrumentum-xiii_en.html.
USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops). 2022. Letters to Congress Regarding FY 2023 Agriculture Appropriations Legislation, June 8, 2022. https://www.usccb.org/resources/letters-congress-regarding-fy-2023
-agriculture-appropriations-legislation-june-8-2022.