XIV.

The Second Vatican Council It is impossible to understand the Church today without understanding the events and results of the Second Vatican Council. Although it concluded more than a quarter-century ago, its effects are still being felt throughout the Church. It brought about a period of renewal in the Catholic Church more dramatic than at any other time in history.

Background to the Council: The Election of John XXIII The Church had been in a defensive position for many of the 400 years following the reformation. In the 20th century it gradually started to come out of its cocoon again. There was much talk of reform in the Church and some small signs that it was on its way. However, when Pope Pius XII died in 1958, little did the Church know that it was about to embark on a new era of its history . The election of Angelo Roncalli as the new pope was seen as a choice of moderation. He was elderly with a reputation for holiness, but few imagined that he would bring about an extraordinary process of change in the Church. In fact, he may have been elected because it was thought that he would not rock the boat. Instead he sent the Spirit blowing through the Churchs sails. He chose the name John XXIII, and from the beginning he gave a new direction to the papacy. He described himself as a shepherd and a priest. He visited the sick, the elderly and those in prison. Perhaps most importantly, John XXIII believed in the goodness of the world and in the possibilities of progress. John XXII was an optimist. He saw in human progress the hand of God, and he believed that the Church must open itself up to the modern world. If the Church could not speak to real problems of men and women in the world, it would become increasingly irrelevant to their lives. He also believed that the divisions of the Church brought about in history by the schism of east and west and the reformation were a scandal. He believed that the Church is one and must work for reunification. With these ideas in mind, the pope called for an ecumenical council, a meeting of all bishops throughout the world to reflect on the meaning of the Church in the modern world. The purpose was, in itself, revolutionary. In the past, ecumenical councils were called in response to heresies. Vatican II was to be different. Its purposes were not to condemn, but to build up and renew and help the Church face the challenges of the 20th century. The council would not (could not) change the basic teaching of the Church, but as the pope in his opening address to the council:

The substance of the ancient doctrine of the deposit of faith is one thing, but the way in which it is presented is another. It is the latter that must be given much consideration. In other words, John XXIII was saying that the essential teaching of the Church must not change, but it must be communicated in such a way that it is helpful for real people living in the real world. It must adapt its style to the time and place.

The Council Meetings The Second Vatican Council met in 4 sessions from 1962 through 1965. The sessions generally went from October to the beginning of December. Those who came to the council included all bishops throughout the world and their advisors. In addition, observers were welcomed from the laity and from the Protestant and Eastern Orthodox Churches. At the opening session which attracted worldwide public attention, there were more than 2,500 participants. Pope John XXIII died in June 1963 between the first and second sessions. He was succeeded by Paul VI who continued the council, and under his leadership not only its work but also its spirit was maintained. One would like to think that the bishops would get together and the Holy Spirit would gently and swiftly guide them in the right direction. The Spirit, however, works through human beings, and human beings are not so easy to manage. At the council there were many different points of view, ranging from very conservative bishops who wanted little change, to the very liberal bishops who wanted drastic and sweeping changes. The largest group was in the middle. It was clear, however, that the council would be a defeat for the minority who wanted to maintain the status quo. Various commissions would meet and write statements concerning different issues. These would be debated (sometimes fiercely), rewritten, revised, until eventually a document would receive a two-thirds majority vote from the bishops. When this occurred, the document was officially accepted and became part of the highest teaching authority of the Church. In the course of the council, 16 documents were produced on a variety of topics. The single most important topic was clearly the Church itself. This was not a council debating the person of

Jesus or the meaning of salvation or the number of sacraments; rather the focus was on the meaning and role of the Church itself. The following are the key areas that have had the most dramatic effects on the Church. 1. The Church: Lumen Gentium The Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (also known as Lumen Gentium) is one of the most important documents of the Council. This document describes the very nature and meaning of the Church. Its main significance is found in its spirit as well as its words. Unlike previous teaching on the Church, this document does not define the Church primarily in terms of the hierarchy. Such a document was presented at the council and rejected. Instead, the Church is at first described as a mystery. It is a mystery because Gods grace is at work in it, and it is more than human words can adequately describe. Secondly, the Church is called the people of God, a biblical image which emphasizes the call of God and the responsibility of an entire people to respond to that call and be a light to the world. The Church, as the people of God, is a pilgrim people, a people on a journey who have not yet fully realized their goal and purpose. By saying this, the council wished to move away from the previous notion that the Church was a perfect society. It is only after these descriptions that the Church is described as a hierarchy. In other words, the hierarchy gains its meaning from the entire people of God and the mystery of Gods love. In addition, one of the chapters of this document is entitled The Call of the Whole Church to Holiness. The council clearly wished to break down the walls separating the laity from the clergy which often relegated the laity to second-class citizenship in the Church. It made it clear that holiness was not intended only for an elite group in the Church. Rather, holiness is the vocation of all Christians. Finally, the council recognized that the Church is broader than the Roman Catholic Church. It includes all the baptized. (This will be discussed later). 2. Authority in the Church The Second Vatican Council affirmed the role of the pope as the supreme head of the Church, but it did so in a new context. The authority of the pope is discussed in the context of the authority of the bishops:

This council has decided to declare and proclaim before all men its teaching concerning bishops, the successors of the apostles who, together with the successor of Peter, the Vicar of Christ and the visible head of the whole Church, govern the house of the living God (LG #18). Although the unique authority of the pope is affirmed, he is seen as the head of the body of bishops. This mentality is called collegiality, in which the pope is joined with all bishops as those called to authority in the Church. This does not in any way take away from the authority of the pope. It does, however, return that authority to its original setting. Peter was one of the apostles, even though the head one. The pope is one of the bishops, although first among equals. We saw before that this authority of the pope and bishops is primarily to teach on behalf of the Church and to govern the Church in practical affairs. The council also reaffirmed the infallibility of the pope, the bishops in union with the pope, and the whole Church in essential matters of faith.

3. Ecumenism The divisions that existed among Christians were a scandal to the faith. Throughout the 20th century, many of the Protestant Churches had begun a process of dialogue aimed at uniting the Churches (known as the ecumenical movement). The Anglican and Orthodox Churches became part of this dialogue, but the Catholic Church remained an outsider, praying for unity, but uninvolved in the dialogue. The Catholic Church was waiting for the other Churches to come back. They were seen as fallen away and in error. Unity would be achieved only when they returned to the true Church, the Catholic Church. This attitude died at the Second Vatican Council. Pope John XXIII made it one of the councils chief objectives to enter into the process of attaining Christian unity. Observers were invited from other Christian Churches, and they were able to share their thoughts and observations with a special papal representative. In the end, the council issued a Decree on Ecumenism. This decree was in some ways revolutionary, for it admitted that the Church was not limited to the Catholic Church and that the reasons for the divisions between Christians came from both sides of the division. In other words, unity would be restored through an effort on the part of both sides, not a unilateral demand that the other Churches rejoin the Catholic Church. This was a major breakthrough which has dramatically changed the nature of the relationship between the Catholic

Church and all other Christians. Christian leaders are now likely to work with one another and pray with one another, rather than condemn each other.

4. Non-Christian Religions Originally, the Decree on Ecumenism was intended to deal with nonChristian religions as well, but the council decided to develop a separate decree for this, The Decree on the Relationship Between the Church and Non-Christian Religions. It is a small document which is important as a starting point and for its spirit. In it the Church recognizes the genuine contributions of all religions as they seek to bring men and women closer to God. Although the document says little in detail about the religions, it encourages dialogue with them and respect for their religious and cultural values. This is a far cry from a previous mentality which would have simply dismissed them as false religions. The Church is also clear in maintaining the uniqueness and validity of Christian faith while admitting that other religions may share in the truth. This document is best known for its section on the Churchs relationship with Judaism. Throughout the history of the Church, the Jews had often been portrayed as a people cursed by God and responsible for the death of Jesus. This sad legacy had contributed to the feelings of anti-Semitism which were at the heart of the holocaust by the Nazis. In this decree the Church recognized the many common elements of faith shared by Christians and Jews. More importantly, it sought to eliminate any mentality among Christians which perpetuated antiSemitism. Although the decree did not explicitly admit and apologize for previous attitudes, it certainly condemned them, and this marked the beginning of a new era in Jewish-Christian relations. 5. The Church and the World For many years the Catholic Church had perpetuated something of a fortress mentality: the Church is the fortress guarding its people against the evils of the world. Its attitude toward the world was one of profound mistrust. John XXIII did not share that attitude. He used an Italian word to describe one of the main goals of the council: aggiornamento. This means something like updating, or modernizing, getting in touch with the times.

Since this was such an important theme, the council produced a separate document related to it. It had already done one on the Church. The new one would be more practical, less theological. It was called the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, also known by its Latin name, Gaudium et Spes. Its opening sentence has become famous for establishing a new relationship between the Church and the world: The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the men and women of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these too are the joys and the hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ (GS #1). The Church immediately sought to unite itself with the human race rather than separate itself from them. It was also made clear that the Church is a servant Church that identifies in a special way with the poor and the afflicted. We find in this document much of the basis for the model of the Church as servant and for the preferential option for the poor. The document emphasizes that the Church must exist in the world, scrutinizing the signs of the times and interpreting them in light of the gospel (GS # 4). The mission of the Church then is not to simply continue to repeat the formulas of faith, but to show how that faith should affect the way that Christians live in the world and respond to the various situations in the world. It recognized the genuine advances made by society in culture, the arts and science and taught that the Church need not be threatened by such advances. It also recognized the importance and dignity of individual conscience. It encouraged a common human solidarity in the search for justice and peace on earth, and recognized that the Church must listen to and learn from the world.

6. The Church and the Bible In the Church before the Second Vatican Council, the Protestants were known as the Church of the Bible and the Catholics were known as the Church of sacraments and law. Catholics were rarely encouraged to read the Bible on their own for fear that they would misinterpret it. Once again the council changed all this. One of the most important documents of the council was the Constitution on Divine Revelation (Dei Verbum). It recognized the word of God as the source of Church teaching and theology, stating that the teaching office of the Church is not

above the word of God but serves it, listening to it devoutly (# 10). In addition, the council taught that the Bible should not just be in the hands of Church authorities, but that easy access to sacred scripture should be provided for all the Christian faithful(#22). It encouraged greater freedom for scripture scholars and accepted the new methods of scholarship. It also recognized the need for the scholars to present their findings to the authority of the Church for guidance and approval, for revelation in Christ is not based solely on the scriptures but on the judgment of the believing community as well. In this way, the scriptures are a living word speaking to men and women of various ages and cultures. The effects of this are just being felt in the Catholic Church. It has done wonders to renew the spirituality of the Church and to give it deeper basis in the teaching and message of Jesus. It has opened the riches of the Bible to millions of Catholics and helped them to interpret their faith more fully and deeply. St. Jerome said, Ignorance of the Bible is ignorance of Christ, and the council has helped to bring the Church more fully in touch with its Lord.

7. The Liturgy The council restored the primacy of the word of God in the life of the Church, but it did not eliminate the importance of the sacraments. To the contrary, the faith of the Church is nourished in both word and sacrament. The council emphasized the importance of the Eucharist in the life of faith, describing it as the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; at the same time it is the fountain from which all her power flows (Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy # 10). In order to help the Church understand and celebrate the sacraments more deeply, the council brought about a renewal in this area as well . For hundreds of years the Mass had been said in Latin with exactly the same words and gestures repeated everywhere throughout the world. It was a sign of the universal faith of the Church. One could attend Mass anywhere in the world and it would be the same experience. The priest said the words alone (aided by altar boys) with his back to the congregation. He was separated from the congregation in the sanctuary surrounded by the altar rail. The Mass was clearly the work of the priest, and the people were passive recipients. Although elements of the Mass were very beautiful, the council insisted that it involves the entire people of God more fully. It has been in this spirit that the Mass has changed in the years following the council (although the essential elements cannot change). It is now

celebrated in the language of the people (the vernacular). The laity have a more, lectors (readers of scriptures), and ministers of the Eucharist. In addition, the Mass is more flexible in meeting the needs of individual groups. Today the effects of the council are taken for granted as people celebrate the liturgy with the priest, rather than watch the priest celebrate the liturgy.

8. Religious Freedom As we have seen earlier. Much of the Churchs history involved an inseparable relationship between the Church and the state. Christian faith was not only a religious force, it was a social and political one as well. The Church was given special status and privileges. Western Europe was indeed Christendom. Heretics were not only a threat to the faith, they were a threat to social stability as well, and they were dealt with harshly. For many, this was the ideal relationship between the Church and nations. This status of the Church, however, collapsed after the reformation and many longed for its return. There was another way of understanding the relationship between Church and state where there is no privileged religion. Some Catholics strongly believed that this was the ideal situation, not for practical reasons, but because every person should have the right to follow his or her conscience in matters of faith. Other Catholics saw these other religions as false religions and believed that error has no rights. Ideally, they believed, the Catholic Church should enjoy a privileged position. The Second Vatican Council ratified the right to religious freedom, with everyone free in this regard from the coercion of governments. No one should ever be compelled to accept Christian faith, nor should anyone be punished for rejecting it. For those who are born and bred on the notion of freedom, this may seem like an incredibly obvious notion. For the Church, however, it was a big step because it abandoned the notion of Christendom as the ideal, and, even more importantly, it revealed that the teaching of the Church can indeed grow and develop. The ideas of the council on religious freedom had come a long distance from the Syllabus of Errors issued by Pope Pius IX 100 years before.

9. The Laity The council was a call to freedom and responsibility for those in the Church who were not priests or nuns or brothers. The laity were invited to partake in the mission of the Church in a deeper way than ever before. In the earlier documents on the Church, it was revealed that the Church is the entire people of God and that therefore the laity have a responsibility as the Church to do the work of the Church. This responsibility is not something to help the priests but rather belongs to all Christians by virtue of their baptism. All are called to ministry and service. This ministry and service depends on the individual gifts and talents of persons which are to be used for the good of mankind and the up -building of the Church. (Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity #3). The first area of service is in the world where the laity are to bring the values of Christ to all that they do and help to be a leaven to society. It is to be hoped that corporations, communications, the arts and sciences will all be influenced by the spirit of the faith of those Christians who are part of their work. Likewise, families will become mini-Churches, small communities of faith where the virtues of love, forgiveness, peace, patience and generosity take root and grow. The second area is the Church itself where there is greater need than ever for the ministry of the laity. Today we can find lay men and women involved intimately in Christian education, and in ministry to the poor, the sick, the elderly, and all those in need. They are also involved more fully in taking part in the liturgy and bringing communion to the sick and homebound. It appears that the Church of the future will become increasingly dependent on the ministry and service of the laity.