Slide 1

The Outcomes of Vatican II

• Have this slide up on the screen when people arrive. Before you begin, you may wish to point out that this is the Council in session.

• 2500 bishops crowded into St Peter’s along with many others. • Each bishop was provided a small space in which to sit and work. But the spaces

were generally uncomfortable, especially for any bishop of wider girth. • Also in the room: all the non-Catholic observers, who had the closest seats and auto-

translation equipment. (The bishops had to listen to the Latin and translate the best they could.)

Slide 2

The Church

Dogmatic Constitution

Lumen Gentium

Vote: 2151-5

The Church is in Christ; it is a sacrament of Christ, a mystery of depth… (#1)

It is the Body of Christ (#3,7)

It is the People of God, among whom the baptized are called as ministers (Ch 2)

• Review each document in turn. The notes on the slides are pretty self explanatory. We’ve added a few additional notes on these pages

• The notion of the Church as Mystery replaces the pre-Vatican II idea that the Church was God’s kingdom on earth. If indeed the Church were God’s kingdom, it would not be in need of reform. It would be perfect, which it was considered by some.

• The Church was seen before the Council as the means of salvation. We came out of the Council understanding that the Church is first and foremost a Mystery imbued with the hidden presence of God.

• In the second chapter we came to understand the Church as the People of God, the Body of Christ, which replaces an understanding of the Church as primarily a hierarchical institution.

Slide 3

The Church

It is led by the bishops, bound as a college, in unity with the pope, in a bond of charity and peace (Ch 3)

Priests seen as helpers to bishops in #28

Deaconate restored in # 29

The role of the lay people is to be church in the world, without dualism

The call to holiness is universal, and the way to holiness is love

• The whole people of God is also called to ministry, to take a part of the mission of Christ in the world as priest, prophet and king (returning to Newman’s schema which you just showed everyone.)

• Prior to the Council, the laity were seen as participating in the mission of the hierarchy, but not in having a mission themselves. This is connected to the work done in the Decree on the Laity.

Slide 4

The Church

Religious live as dedicated members

We are part of the great “communion of saints” bound together in God’s love

The Blessed Virgin Mary takes her place, too, among God’s people and all devotion to her must ultimately lead to Christ the Lord

• There was a move to give Mary her own document, and even to announce a new title for her at the Council. But in the end, she took her place within the Church and has this chapter here.

• In the chapter, we are reminded that all devotion to Mary must in the end, lead us only to Christ.

Slide 5

Divine Revelation

Dogmatic Constitution

Dei Verbum

Vote: 2344-6

God wants us to know God fully!

God reveals the inner life of the divine to us, communicating to us God’s own self

This revelation is complete in Christ

But what the Gospel demands of us…

• God communicating God’s own self to us = grace. • The whole Church has the mission of preaching and teaching, not merely the

hierarchy.

Slide 6

Divine Revelation

Over time, there is growth in our understanding of what God desires (#8)

This growth in understanding is expressed in our Sacred Tradition

So Tradition and Scripture have a very close connection and flow from the same divine well

Our response to God’s revelation is Faith expressed in everyday life

• God is still speaking. While revelation is complete in Christ, what the Scriptures demand of us today, that is still being revealed to us constantly.

• We come to understand this through the Church, understood not as hierarchy alone, but also as People of God. In other words, the very people to whom you are talking help all of us understand God’s will when they examine their conscience and bring that to the community.

Slide 7

Revelation for CatholicsAnother key turning point

It is complete in Christ

And it is found in the Scriptures

Which are authored by humans but inspired by God

But all that the Gospel demands of us is still being revealed

God is still speaking

This is on-going and developing Tradition

It is expressed in church teachings and the sensus fidelium

• This slide helps clarify what we just said.

Slide 8

Sacred Liturgy

Constitution

Sacrosanctum Concilium

Vote: 2147-4

First major document debated & passed

Restored the liturgy to 1st Century rites

Established baptism and Eucharist with primacy among the sacraments (#6)

Says Liturgy is “source and summit” (#10)

• Pretty self-explanatory. • Passed by a very wide margin. This document is still the normative guiding

Constitution on which all liturgical development hangs. Even in the recent changes to language or rites, in the end, it must all reconcile with the principles and theology of this document. There is no higher guiding Constitution on liturgy than this one.

Slide 9

Sacred Liturgy

The full, active, conscious participation of all the faithful is aim before all others (#11)

Not enough to simply follow the “letter of the law” making sure we are correct and proper… (#11)

Re-established liturgical seasons

Removed elements that “are out of harmony with the inner nature of the liturgy” (#21)

• If you have a copy of Vatican II in Plain English handy, you may wish to read from some of these sections. It’s compelling!

Slide 10

Liturgy, cont...

Allowed for use of vernacular if local bishops want it

Declared that the liturgy of the Word and of the Eucharist are not static objects to be adored, but an ACT

Connected the action of the liturgy to the care of the whole Body of Christ: “This is my BODY.”

Restored the Catechumenate (#64)

Slide 11

Church in Today’s World

Pastoral Constitution

Gaudium et spes

Vote: 2309-75

Human persons are dignified with God’s own voice echoing in their depths

We have an inborn hunger for God

All people share this and it can lead us to global community

• First document in the history of the Church that is addressed to all humankind. • Underscores the Church’s commitment to social teachings and human rights. • Puts service and work for justice on a par with Eucharist for Catholics.

Slide 12

Church in Today’s World, cont

Humans live with growing interdependence

We all share in the common good

Religion and everyday life are tightly linked

Problems of special urgency: Households of Faith

Development of Culture

Economics

Politics

War and peace

• The material in the section treating problems of special urgency may now be a little dated, but the principles enunciated here remain firm.

• This document is excellent for small group study.

Slide 13

Ecumenism

Decree

Unitatis Redintegratio

Vote: 2137-11

Major move forward after centuries

Seeks “restoration of ties” not “return to Rome”

Admits blame for separation was on both sides

• Remember that all the Christians of the world: • Anglicans • Protestants • Orthodox not in union with Rome • Other Christian movements

• We were all in the room together as the Council held its debates and reached its decisions.

• This document went further than any in 1000 years to advance the work of unity. • This was a project very dear to John XXIII’s heart.

Slide 14

Ecumenism, cont...

Calls for a change of heart to make ecumenism possible

Sees other Christians as brother & sister churches

Says Eucharistic sharing may be necessary for the grace of ecumenism to be present (#8)

Calls the Roman church to reform

• This latter point is based on the clear admission in this document that the blame for separation is on both sides.

Slide 15

Non-Christians

Declaration

Nostra Aetate

The Relationship of the Church to Non-Christians

Earth-shaking for its day

Says that the truth can be found “outside the Body of Christ” and is to be respected wherever it’s found

• Another major document, a significant move forward in understanding our relationship to non-Christian churches.

• The final point on this slide is key. The Council used the language of “vocation” to describe this. For those who are called to be Catholic, the church is essential for salvation. But for those called to be Jewish, they should be good Jews.

• Replaces a pre-Vatican II, Tridentine notion that outside the church there could be no salvation.

Slide 16

Non-Christians, cont...

Says the church wants dialogue and charity with all others

Says the Jews are not guilty of “deicide”

They are loved by God

They are God’s chosen people -and God does not go back on a choice

Every form of persecution and prejudice is to be eradicated

• The word “deicide” which I use here was approved in the Council, but removed by curial officials before the final document was promulgated. The Council clearly agreed that the Jews living today are not guilty for the death of Jesus. The belief that they were is what fueled in part such strong anti-Semitism down through the centuries.

• Remember that this Council was being held a mere 18 years or so after the end of World War II and the closing of the last prison camp.

Slide 17

Religious Freedom

Declaration

Dignitatis Humanae

Vote: 2308-70

Most controversial - argued from first session to last

Written by John Courtney Murray

Repeats argument for the development of doctrine

• Very controversial document. Murray was an American and the US Bishops strongly supported this.

Slide 18

Religious freedom, cont...

Says that no one should be forced to join the Church

Defends the right of the Church to do its work

But also defends all other Churches

Some feared that “Roman influence” would be lost because of this openness to others

• Each of these is a key point to emphasize. • Moved the Church away from being a “temporal power” into being what it defines

itself to be, “a mystery imbued with the hidden presence of God.”

Slide 19

Social Communications

Decree

Inter Mirifica

Vote: 1960-164

Relatively weak, poorly received

Tone is condescending

Seen as out of touch with overall work of the Council

• For the remaining documents, the points on the slide are quite self-explanatory. There is no need to spend a lot of time on any of these. We have provided a few notes.

Slide 20

Eastern Catholic Churches

Decree

Orientalium Ecclesiarum

Vote: 2110-39

Minor document overall since the Eastern churches were in the room

Did not deal with the Eastern churches which are not in union with Rome

Slide 21

Bishop’s Pastoral Office

Decree

Christus Dominus

Vote: 2319-2

Follow up doc to chapter on bishops in doc on The Church

Gives job description for bishops

Calls bishops “servant leaders”

Defined collegiality

• The key here is the definition of collegiality, strongly opposed by the curia. They said to Pope John, “You have infallibility. If you want to make some changes, go ahead. But why bring the bishops into it?”

• Pope John’s response is found here. When we sit down to talk together, the Spirit moves us in dramatic, unforeseen ways.

Slide 22

Priestly Formation

Decree

Optatam Totius

Vote: 2318-3

Changed seminary training manuals in use since Trent in 16th Century

Added courses in Scripture, history, pastoral counseling and personal formation

• This was followed by a post-conciliar set of guidelines for seminaries to follow.

Slide 23

Priestly formation, cont...

Allowed for local guidelines rather than world-wide norms for seminaries

The American bishops really pushed for this.

A starter document which needed much post-conciliar development

Slide 24

Apostolate of the Laity

Decree

Apostolicam Actuositatem

Vote: 2305-2

Restored baptism as the essential “sacerdotal” sacrament - priestly people

Prior thought: that laity shared in the vocation of the ordained

Establishes idea of “Domestic Church”

• First document in history to address the laity in these terms. • The domestic church is a key idea which we’re still trying to implement today. We

don’t “live in the world and go to church.” We are the Church and we reach out to the world. A very key distinction.

Slide 25

Life & Ministry of Priests

Decree

Presbyterorum Ordinis

Vote: 2390-4

Last minute doc -- failed to renew the priesthood

Reaffirmed celibacy for Latin Rite but cannot say it is required “by the nature of the priesthood itself”

• Weak document because the debate on celibacy was not permitted to go forward. Only this and contraception were taken off the council agenda by the Pope. In this case, Paul VI sent a letter to the Council telling them not to debate celibacy.

• Remember that the Eastern churches and all non-Catholics sitting in the room do not have celibacy. Hence the final statement on this slide.

Slide 26

Life of Priests, cont...

The Eastern churches were sitting in the room -and they have a married clergy

Ends up calling celibacy “suitable”

A bit muddy in terms of influence because a synod was decided, for 1970, so many agreed to postpone their concerns

• The Synod on priesthood was indeed held, but it reached no reform either. In the end, we have a reformed laity, episcopacy, religious, deaconate, even catechumenate, but the priesthood remains in its medieval form.

Slide 27

Missionary Activity

Decree

Ad Gentes

Vote: 2394-5

Allows for retaining local customs and incorporating them into Catholic worship

Reduces competition in mission lands

Calls the whole church to be missionary

• Not a major document.

Slide 28

Renewal of Religious Life

Decree

Perfectae Caritatis

Vote: 2321-4

Picked up on renewal already underway in Europe

Urged religious to return to their founders and then update for the modern times

• The “return to the founders” was huge – and it set off a major renewal of religious life in the Church.

Slide 29

Christian Education

Declaration

Gravissimum Educationis

Vote: 2290-35

Weak doc

Left most things to post-conciliar work

Mainly addresses schools