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From Rome to Parish 1965-2015: Vatican II 50 Years Later MONSIGNOR’S MUSINGS

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From Rome to Parish 1965-2015: Vatican II 50 Years Later MONSIGNOR’S MUSINGS IMPACTSAINT JOHN FISHER PARISH A Catholic Community for All • Love God. Love all people. Make disciples • Spring 2015 From Rome to Parish 1965-2015: Vatican II 50 Years Later MONSIGNOR’S MUSINGS The History of Ecumenical Councils By Monsignor David A. Sork he Second Vatican Council, which took place from menical council that took place in the 1962-1965, was the 21st Ecumenical Council in the village of Trent. The Council of Trent 2,000-year history of the Church. These councils lasted from 1545-1563 through the pontificates of three Thave been the ordinary means of proclaiming the official Popes: Paul III, Julius III, and Paul IV. Out of it came some teachings of the church. Although the Acts of the Apostles of the most significant Church reforms in its history. It for- records a Council in Jerusalem in 50 A.D. over the issue of mally defined the seven sacraments, explicitly named the Gentiles coming into the church, there were no other coun- books of the Bible, established the seminary system for the cils for the next 300 years. The church was struggling for formation of clergy, and mandated the reform of the Mass. its survival in the midst of its persecutions by the Roman In 1570 A.D. Pope St. Pius V implemented the Council’s de- Emperor. St. Peter, the first Pope, was martyred on Vatican cision to end the confusion of having multiple missals used Hill, and almost all of his successors for the next 300 years at Mass by promulgating the Roman Missal be used by all suffered similar fates. in the Latin Church. There would be no more Ecumenical It was only after the Emperor Constantine issued the Councils for 300 years. edict of toleration that Christians could openly profess their In 1869 about 800 bishops gathered in Rome for what faith. The first Ecumenical Council took place in Nicea in is now called the First Vatican Council (Vatican I). Unfor- 325 A.D. The issue at the time was the nature of Christ. Was tunately, it had to be suspended due to the Franco-Prussian he human or divine? The Arians said that Jesus was lesser War. Its most significant accomplishment was the dogma on than the Father. The Council of Nicea formally issued the the infallibility of the Pope. It stated that the Pope exercis- dogma that Jesus was of the same substance as the Father. es infallibility on matters of doctrine and morals when he There were eight ecumenical councils in the first mil- speaks ex cathedra (with the full authority of office). Since lennium of the Church. They settled issues like the Triune Vatican I the Pope has exercised that power only once when nature of God, Mary as the mother of God, Jesus having two Pius XII declared the dogma of the Assumption of Mary natures, human and divine, and the desirability of venerat- in 1950. Vatican I was formally closed by Pope John XXIII ing icons. The last council in the first millennium, the Fourth when the Second Vatican Council (Vatican II) was opened. Council of Constantinople, was a failure in that no disputes The Second Vatican Council opened in St. Peter’s Basil- were resolved. In 1054 A.D. the great Schism occurred, in ica in the Fall of 1962. More than 2,500 bishops were pres- which the Patriarch of Constantinople, Michael Cerularius, ent, the greatest number of any ecumenical council. It last- and Pope Leo IX excommunicated each other. The Ortho- ed through the pontificates of two Popes: John XXIII and dox and the Catholics have been separated ever since. Paul VI, and closed in December, 1965. The most important The rest of the Ecumenical Councils have occurred documents from that council were the Constitution on the since the schism. Orthodox Christians of the East do not Sacred Liturgy (Sacrosanctum Concilium), the Constitu- accept any subsequent councils, believing that the Christian tion on the Church (Lumen Gentium), the Constitution on faith was sufficiently defined through the decisions and -doc Divine Revelation (Dei Verbum), and the Constitution on uments of the first eight councils. Many of the dogmas that the Church in the Modern World (Gaudium et Spes). These have come out of subsequent councils are accepted by the constitutions take precedence over any papal encyclical or Eastern Churches, for example, the seven sacraments and apostolic exhortation or even the Catechism of the Catho- the approved books of the Bible. In 1274 A.D. the bishops lic Church. In fact, these latter documents are based on the of the Eastern Churches came to the Second Council of Ly- teachings of the Vatican II documents. ons. An agreement was reached uniting the Catholics and Ecumenical councils transcend papacies. There have Orthodox after the 200-year rift. However, when the East- been 266 popes but only 21 ecumenical councils. What took ern Bishops returned to their respective dioceses, the people place between 1962 and 1965 was of greater historical signif- were so irate, that they had to retract their agreement. icance than any single pontificate, even the long pontificate In the 16th century Martin Luther called for reforms in of Pope St. John Paul II. Since the close of Vatican II during the Church and separated himself from the Catholic Church. the pontificate of Paul VI, there have been four Popes after The Protestant Reformation divided European Christendom him. We are still in the process of implementing the Second in two. In response the Catholic Church called for an ecu- Vatican Council. The reforms are not finished. 2 Spring 2015 VATICAN II A Monumental Church-Changing Event he Second Vatican Council still seeing some of these things being which the altar is located, was separat- (Vatican II) (1962-1965) was implemented for the first time through ed from the rest of the worship space probably the most dramatic various papal letters and writings. For by an altar rail. (See Holy Eucharist, Tevent to have happened in the Catho- example, Pope Francis’ Apostolic Ex- page 5.) Now the altar is more inviting, lic Church since the Council of Trent hortation Evangelii Gaudium (Joy of having access from all sides. The archi- in the 16th century. Pope John XXIII, the Gospel) released to the bishops, tecture of a round church, such as St at age 78, called the Council because clergy and lay faithful November 24, John Fisher’s, allows for more people he believed it was time to update the 2013, focuses on the proclamation of to be closer to the altar and to share Church so as to better communicate the Gospel and a new chapter of Evan- in communion with the congregation Christ’s message in a fast-changing gelization in today’s world. more intimately, thus fulfilling the call world. He felt it was time to let in some in the Constitution on the Sacred Lit- fresh air. In retrospect, most agree that Traditions urgy for full, conscious, active partici- it was more like a hurricane that blew It is important to remember that Vati- pation of the people. through the Vatican during those years. can II did not define any new dogmas The narthex, a term that is pre- As members of the Catholic in the Catholic Church, but the result- ferred to vestibule, is meant to be a Church, Vatican II has had a tremen- ing changes have helped us develop a gathering place for the people of the dous impact on our lives. Those of deeper understanding, expressed in Church, and a place to prepare for en- a certain age have witnessed many new and fresh ways. Many “traditions” tering into the sacred space. The term changes, especially in the Mass. The (with a small “t”) have been changed pulpit, from the Latin pulpitum, has altar, the prayers, the Holy Eucharist, for this purpose. Fasting and absti- been replaced with the older Greek and the role of the participants and nence, kneeling and standing, and the word, ambo, a term used in the early the priest have all gone through major elimination of Latin from the Mass are Church until the 12th century, and re- evolution. These changes were incre- but a few examples. vived after Vatican II. mental and took many years. The Code Church architecture has changed. of Canon Law, released in 1983, codi- At one time, the sanctuary, the ele- The Church is the People fied the changes of Vatican II. We are vated portion of the worship space on One of the challenges of Vatican II has continues on page 4 www.sjf.org 3 CHURCH-CHANGING EVENT from page 3 been to make acceptable the fact that the Church is not just the priests and bishops, but the people of the parish- es as well. We have been brought to a new understanding that its mission is the responsibility of all baptized members of the Church, and not just the clergy. Together we make up “the Church.” Because of this, we now see great involvement of the laity with the understanding that all should share in the responsibility. Since Vatican II parish members have become more involved in per- forming duties in the form of minis- tries to lighten the heavy load of our parish priests. The assignments of reading of Scripture, distribution of the Holy Eucharist, taking the Eucha- rist to the homebound, conducting Photo of a Pre-Vatican II prayer book, showing Latin and English. Stations of the Cross and other ser- vices are now largely accomplished by parishioners. Lectors and cantors have ble. In both reading and study, we are boys responded to the priest’s prayers, been added to all Masses.
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