second vatican council class iv: third session fr. john mayo
TRANSCRIPT
Second Vatican
Council Class IV: Third Session
Fr. John Mayo
Pope Paul VI Visits the Holy Land
Paul VI intended this visit to be religious, not political.
One of reasons why council did not really debate Judaism
Day I: Holy Mass at Church of Holy Sepulchre and walk along Via Dolorosa
Day II: Meets Patriarch Benedict (Orthodox)
While out Sightseeing...Before returning to the old city of Jerusalem, Paul VI makes a defense of Pius XII
Upon return, meets with Patriarch Athenagoras
Greatly moves the Pope
Challenging WordsThe next day, the Pope makes a challenging speech in Bethlehem framed as “the confession of the Church of Rome”
Also met the Patriarch again
Intersession ActivityThere were still a dozen schemata waiting to be presented to the Council
The Council was still suffering from poor planing and execution during this period
Some even proposed a lengthy recess of several years to reflect and experiment before promulgating reform
Rule Changes
Moderators can now call speakers together and group them together
Summary 5 days ahead of time
Cardinals now subject to rules
Now actually harder to debate
Change in membership
Opening of Third SessionBegan September 14, 1964 with a concelebrated Mass
Expressed need for Church to define herself, while at same time maintaining Papal primacy
Reaffirms openness to collegiality
Debate on The ChurchNow 8 chapters
4 new chapters on the universal call to holiness, religious life, eschatology, and the Blessed Mother
Eschatology- Need to speak about purgatory and hell
Mary- Need clearer text
Finally A VOTE!!!
Chapter I De Ecclesia- 2,114 yea, 11 nay, 63 revise
Chapter II approved- 1,615 yea, 19 nay, 553 revise
Pastoral Office of Bishop
Fathers like it in terms of defining their office and role
Some still attack collegiality
Religious Liberty
Question of relativism Cardinal Ritter- Accept Religious Liberty, perhaps not give motive for it?
Attacked- need to give a motive for it, especially in Communist countries.Motive given
Man has natural right to search and find truthNatural right to follow conscienceSupernatural Order
“Unless we have this declaration there can be no dialogue with men of good will.”
Declaration on the JewsPresented on September 25th by Cardinal Bea
Revised from original draft; no more political overtones
Cardinal Lercaro- Makes a special attempt to see this happen
Divine Revelation
Document which created crisis at Session I
Totally rewritten
Cannot simplify too much
Collegiality ApprovedAgainst the theological arguments pro and con, Archbishop Pietro Parente makes a brilliant point
Changes the debate
Approved, with changes recommended
The October CrisisConcern begins to sweep through the chamber that Archbishop Felici was swinging the council toward the minority
Example: During debate on collegiality
“Black Week”Oct. 7th: Cardinal Cicognani convenes Coordinating Commission
Secretary General Felici is tasked there by Cicognani to delay the schema on the Jews and Religious Liberty
Felici writes two letters to Cardinal Bea Letter I: Make the document on Jews a subset of De EcclesiaLetter II: Holy Father desires a special mixed commission to study
Blown by namesBea and Felici have words Counteroffensive: Petition to Paul VIPaul VI does order commission to study Religious Libery, but in accord with council rules
Debate on LaityPresented by Cardinal Cento
No laity really consulted
Badly Organized
Ritter: The document is clericalist, suffers from juridicism, as well as favoritism
Debate on Eastern Churches
Shorter document (54-30), but still to Western
Need for Eastern Churches to “convert” to Western
All but 3 of the provisions will pass
“The Church in the Modern World”
Also known as “Schema 13”; had been worked on since session I
Almost did not make it to the floor because of “Black Week”
Cardinal Cento: “No other document had aroused so much interest and raised so many hopes.”
Contents of Document4 Chapters
Church service to the world
Poverty
Overpopulation
War
Pros and Cons of the Document
Pros
Dealt with issues of the world
Clarity
Generosity
Cons
Lacked doctrinal foundation
Cautious OptimismOctober 23rd
Schema approved for discussion 1,579-296 (200 not there!)
Third session would end on November 21st
We might actually finish our work!
Chapter I
Atheism
Especially as seen in Communism
Renewed vision of world based on God and Christ
Chapter II and III Church and the World
Church seemed to withdrawn in text
Leaven
Meat on Fridays
Bishops attire and poverty
Science
Chapter IV
Most Controversial?
As a whole: Cardinal Ritter.
Racial Discrimination
Denounced religiously
Role of women
Birth Control
Church and Culture
Culture or civilization?
Need to speak about proper level of human existence
Triumphalism vs poverty?
West vs. East
Economic
Private property: primary and absolute?
Applause of social encyclicals
Solidarity
Nuclear War
Nations without bomb: ban it!
Nations with bomb: “just war”
Debate on Christian Education
Parents should be able to choose Catholic schools
Government assistance “vouchers”
More religious spirit?
Catholics in public education
Votum on Marriage 1. Suppression of minor impediments
2. Less rigid standards for mixed marriages
3. Revision of canonical form for marriage
Sent to Holy Father for consideration 1,592-426
De Ecclesia on Collegiality
Chapters 3-8 of De Ecclesia handed back to Council Fathers with revisions added and an explanatory note from “a higher authority.”
Most likely Paul VI College- juridical senseConsecration vs. exerciseCollege always understood as bishops with popeCollege always existed, but not always in a collegial manner
Collegiality
Not a solemn definition like infallibility at Vatican I
Instead, a solemn statement
Two more documents approvedDeclaration on non-Christian Religions
1,651 Yea, 242 Yea with revisions, 99 Nay
Decree on Ecumenism
Only 64 Nay
Decree on Eastern Catholic Churches
Religious liberty next session
End of the Session Strained
New Marian Dogma “Mother of the Church”
Speech itself
Preoccupied with new dogma
No new details
Until Next Week...