A FRIENDLY GUIDE TO SAMPLEmax vodola FG VatII design_corrected 11july.indd 1 12/7/12 5:20:25 PM Published in Australia by Nihil Obstat: Reverend Monsignor Peter for this title is available from the National Garratt Publishing Kenny STD, Diocesan Censor Library of Australia. 32 Glenvale Crescent www.nla.gov.au Mulgrave, Vic. 3170 Imprimatur: Monsignor Greg Bennet, e author and publisher gratefully Vicar General acknowledge the permission granted to www.garrattpublishing.com.au reproduce the copyright material in this Date: 2 July 2012 book. Every effort has been made to trace Copyright © Max Vodola 2012 copyright holders and to obtain their per- e Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur are offi- mission for the use of copyright material. All rights reserved. Except as provided by cial declarations that a book or pamphlet is e publisher apologises for any errors or the Australian copyright law, no part of free of doctrinal or moral error. No implica- omissions in the above list and would be this book may be reproduced in any way tion is contained therein that those who grateful if notified of any corrections that without permission in writing from the have granted the Nihil Obstat and Impri- should be incorporated in future reprints publisher. matur agree with the contents, opinions or or editions of this book. statements expressed. ey do not neces- Design by Lynne Muir sarily signify that the work is approved as a Garratt Publishing has included on its web- Text editing by Juliette Hughes basic text for catechetical instruction. site a page for special notices in relation to Images: inkstock this and our other publications. 9781921946301 Copyright MDHC Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne Cataloguing in Publication information Please visit www.garrattpublishing.com.au Chapter 1: Contents Historical CHAPTER 1 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND 3 Councils in the Church 4 Background Pope John XXIII 5 Early Years 5 As Priest 7 As Bishop 8 SAMPLE As Nuncio 10 As Cardinal 12 As Pope 12 CHAPTER 2 CALLING THE COUNCIL (VATICAN II) 14 The first 100 Days 16 The First Session of Vatican II 19 Death of the Pope 21 Further Sessions 22 Vatican II – The Australian Contribution 23 The Second Vatican Council: A Time line 26 CHAPTER 3 IMPLEMENTING VATICAN II 29 Some major reforms of Vatican II 32 Documents of Vatican II 33 CHAPTER 4 THE CONTINUING DEBATES 43 Understanding the Council that changed our Lives 44 The Nature of the Change 46 FG VatII design_corrected 11july.indd 2 12/7/12 5:20:25 PM Chapter 1: Historical Background SAMPLE 3 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND FG VatII design_corrected 11july.indd 3 12/7/12 5:20:25 PM Councils in the Church council is an occasional gathering of context of the time. Vatican II or the Second Vatican church representatives, mainly bishops, for Council (1962–65) was designated the twenty-first the purpose of consultation and decision- Ecumenical Council, the first being Nicaea in 325. Amaking on important matters in the life of the e early councils of the Church concentrated Church. e Church teaches that such councils are largely on the ‘Christological’ controversies; that is, convoked under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit clarifying in a theological way the unity of Christ’s in order to determine issues relating to doctrine, humanity and divinity. e Creed that is recited dogma and theological practice binding on the at Mass on Sundays was formulated and refined in whole church. e form, style, length and structure the course of these early councils. A close study of of councils have varied greatly over the centuries, councils also reveals often fiery and lengthy debate often in relation to the disputed theological issue over controversial and contentious issues in the life which gave rise to the council and the historical of the Church. SAMPLE Rendering of Pope Pius IX addressing the First Vatican Council (1869) 4 A FRIENDLY GUIDE TO VATICAN II FG VatII design_corrected 11july.indd 4 12/7/12 5:20:25 PM Did you know? There have been twenty-one Ecumenical Councils in the history of the Church 1. Nicaea I 325 13. Lyons I 1245 2. Constantinople I 381 14. Lyons II 1274 3. Ephesus 431 15. Vienne 1311 4. Chalcedon 451 16. Constance 1414–18 5. Constantinople II 553 17. Florence 1431–45 6. Constantinople III 680 (also known as Basel-Ferrara-Florence- 7. Nicaea II 787 Rome) 8. Constantinople IV 869 18. Lateran V 1512–17 9. Lateran I 1123 19. Trent 1545–63 10. Lateran II 1139 20. Vatican I 1869–70 11. Lateran III 1179 21. Vatican II 1962–65 12. Lateran IV 1215 SAMPLEPope John XXIII Early Years what would become his great spiritual testament, Journal of a Soul, and he remained faithful in ngelo Giuseppe Roncalli was born on maintaining this journal throughout his life, 25 November 1881 in the small village of including his relatively short papacy. Much in the Sotto il Monte in Bergamo, in northern journal is consistent with many of the images of AItaly. He was the fourth of eleven children and him when he was pope – kind, benign, humble, the first son to his parents who were local tenant open-hearted, faithful to his Christian calling and farmers. By all accounts, the young Angelo had an priestly commitment, and eager to do the will of unremarkable upbringing. Later, as pope, Roncalli God by following the example of the saints. On would recall with affection the relative poverty, the surface, Journal of a Soul reflects the spirituality humility and simplicity of his early years. His of the time in a young aspirant to the priesthood primary education was in the local village school. – resolutions regarding prayer and fasting, going Expressing a desire for the priesthood, Angelo was to confession, praying the rosary, visits to the then sent to the minor seminary in Bergamo; he Blessed Sacrament and examination of conscience. followed this with studies in Rome. However, the journal also reflects the intersection As a teenage seminarian, Roncalli commenced in Roncalli between spiritual development and 5 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND FG VatII design_corrected 11july.indd 5 12/7/12 5:20:25 PM intellectual formation, his capacity to reflect on his of the Church and on this basis to judge the experience in the light of Christian history and his findings of contemporary scholarship. I do not ability to situate himself within the context of some despise critical thought and I shall be most of the burning questions and issues of the day. careful not to think ill of critics or treat them Roncalli arrived in Rome early in 1901 (aged with disrespect. On the contrary, I love critical thought, I shall be glad to keep up with the most nineteen) to complete his studies for the priesthood. recent findings, I shall study the new systems of ere was great intellectual and theological ferment thought and their continual evolution and their in Rome at this time due to the use of what is trends; criticism for me is light, is truth, and known as the ‘historical-critical’ method of biblical there is only one truth which is sacred. studies which was widely used in Protestant circles but frowned upon by the Catholic Church. e Here we see evidence of how Roncalli in his young Roncalli was surrounded by professors and journey to the priesthood was being shaped by some fellow students who wanted the Catholic Church to of the wider historical, theological and cultural embrace with vigour this critical study of the bible shifts in Catholicism which was a source of some and theology. e ‘would-be’ historian expressed tension in the Church. While Pope Pius X rejected some cautious openness to these ideas and entries any sense of openness towards the historical-critical in Journal of a Soul reveal moments of deep spiritual approach to theology and the scriptures, this time and intellectual struggle: of struggle for Roncalli planted a seed in the heart of the would-be historian. His reflections and My study shall always be in all sacred sciences writings show how Roncalli was interpreting the and in all questions of a theological or biblical reality of change in his own life and in the life of nature to investigate first the traditional doctrine the Church. SAMPLE Bergamo Italy, birthpace of Roncalli 6 A FRIENDLY GUIDE TO VATICAN II FG VatII design_corrected 11july.indd 6 12/7/12 5:20:26 PM As Priest that would later reveal something of the reason for calling Vatican II: Roncalli was ordained to the priesthood in Rome on 10 August 1904. ere was speculation that ere had been no synod in Bergamo since he would remain in Rome to continue higher 1724 – a gap of nearly two hundred years – so studies in canon law, but the appointment of a the occasion had special significance. e mass of old and new diocesan legislation which had new bishop to Bergamo changed all that. Giacomo been found here and there in innumerable Radini Tedeschi (1857–1914) was consecrated documents, instructions, traditions and local Bishop of Bergamo personally by Pope Pius X in customs was revised, brought into line with the the Sistine Chapel on 29 January 1905. Roncalli needs of modern times and altered circumstances assisted at the ceremony and was later chosen to and given new and authoritative confirmation. be the personal secretary of the new bishop. On A.G. Roncalli, My Bishop: A Portrait of Mgr. Giacomo his return to Bergamo, Roncalli was occupied in Maria Radini Tedeschi. (Translated by D White). two main tasks: lecturer at the diocesan seminary in London: Geoffrey Chapman, 1969, p.