Vatican Council II and How It Changed Our Church

As you read about our church, you will come across references to "Vatican II" (or the abbreviation, "Vat. II"). As you listen to Catholics speak about the church, you will hear them make references to the "Vatican II changes." People may even say, "so-and-so is a pre-Vatican II Catholic."

What is "Vatican II" and how did it impact our church? "Vatican Council II". (1962-66) was the most dramatic event to happen in our church since the Council of Trent which took place in the 16th Century to respond to the crisis caused when Martin Luther separated himself from the church and started Protestantism. The council was called Vatican II because it was the second such council to be held at the Vatican, the place where our church has its headquarters. Pope John XXIII, who was seventy-eight years old when elected Pope, called the Council. He believed it was time to "open the windows of the Vatican and let in some fresh air," meaning time for the church to update herself so that she could better communicate the message of Christ in a fast changing world. When people consider the changes that took place in our church as a result of this council, they usually agree that a "hurricane" and not a "slight breeze" blew through the Vatican during those years in the early '60's.

Vatican II was the most dramatic event
to happen in our church in 400 years.

What The Council Did and Didn't Change

Many, if not most, Catholics believe that Vatican Council II changed everything in our church. As we shall see in a moment, in a real way they are right in their perception of the Council. But in another real way, we can say that the Council changed nothing.

When speaking about the Vatican II changes, we must keep three important distinctions in mind:

(. . . the difference between doctrines in their essential form and the church's growth in her understanding of her doctrines. (This aspect of our church's life is called the Development of Doctrine.)

(. . . the difference between Tradition with a capital "T" and tradition with a small "t".

(. . . the difference between church doctrines and church disciplines. .

All three distinctions are interrelated and overlap. Let us look briefly at these distinctions and see how they can help us to better understand what the Vatican Council II did and didn't change.

From a doctrinal point of view Vatican II changed nothing.

A. Doctrine and the Development of Doctrine. From a doctrinal point of view, the Council changed nothing. The Council did not add or subtract from any of our essential or basic doctrines. Post - Vatican II Catholics still believe (as did pre Vatican II Catholics) in the Blessed Trinity, in Jesus as our Redeemer, that Jesus founded the church, that the Pope is the successor of Peter and the universal shepherd of our church. Post- Vatican Catholics still believe in seven sacraments and in a moral code based on the Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5, 6, 7). Vatican II did not change our beliefs about the value of human life and about marital and sexual morality. As a church we are still committed to being a voice for the poor. Finally, post - Vatican II Catholics still honor Mary and the saints. So, from a doctrinal point of view, Vatican II changed nothing.

So, what did the Council change, if it didn't change any doctrines or morals? It changed our whole way of "looking at church" and "doing church." After Vatican II, we started "to do" everything differently. This all happened because during the Council, the church, led by the Holy Spirit and some wonderful theologians and bishops grew in her understanding of each of the abovementioned doctrines. The Holy Spirit led the church into a deeper understanding of old doctrines. Old doctrines were understood and expressed in new and fresh ways. Aspects of doctrines that were lost sight of over the centuries were rediscovered and reemphasized.

This "growth in understanding" is called the Development of Doctrine. It is an important dimension of Catholic belief. The church's understanding of herself and her beliefs and practices is not static. Rather it is dynamic and always growing. Led by the Spirit, the church is always growing "from partial to fuller vision" of who she is and what she is about in our world.

This "growth in understanding" and her "rediscovery of lost aspects of her Faith Tradition" automatically leads the church to a new way of being and doing in the world. If new insights into ourselves do not lead to new ways of being and doing, then the new insights are given to us in vain.

As we said above, at Vatican II the church came to many new insights about herself which, in turn, led to many new practices.

Some Examples

The Church Is All the Baptized

At the Council the church realized or rediscovered that the church is made up of all baptized persons and not just the clergy. (Vatican I, an unfinished Council in 1870, defined the church mainly in terms of the clergy.) Therefore, the mission of the church is the responsibility of all baptized members of the church. Every baptized member has a right and responsibility to be involved.

This "new insight" or "new rediscovery" led to many "new practices." Laymen and women started to do all kinds of things that only the clergy previously did; e.g., proclaim the Scriptures in church, distribute holy communion in church, take communion to the sick and homebound, conduct seminars for Catholics preparing to receive the sacraments, etc. Also, if the church was all the baptized, then the church needed to be much more consultative in its decision-making process. This led to the creation of pastoral councils, priests' councils and bishops' councils. The involvement of the laity in the life of the church is considered to be the biggest change to flow from Vatican II.

The Communal Dimension of the Mass.

At the Council, the church became aware that it had neglected to emphasize and celebrate the communal dimension of the sacraments including the Mass. Prior to Vatican II, the Mass as "sacrifice of Calvary" was emphasized. Also, there was very little interaction between priest and people. The priest "said" Mass in Latin with his back to the people. During the Council the bishops said that more attention was to be given to the communal dimension of the Mass and that the" active participation" of the people was the aim to be considered above all else.

New insights into old doctrines
lead to new practices.

After the Council, bishops in their dioceses and pastors in their parishes tried to act on these exhortations of the Council Fathers. Vatican II churches were built in a circular form to give the feeling of a community gathered around the table of the Lord. (pre- Vatican II churches had altar rails which accented the distance and separation between the priest and his people.) The Mass started to be celebrated in the language of the people with the priest facing the congregation. More singing was introduced to help foster a sense of community and active participation. Lay people started to perform certain liturgical ministries that were previously only performed by the priest. Much greater attention was given to the Word of God and the homily. Slowly but surely the Mass became the "People's Mass," meaning the people as a community started to see themselves as celebrating Eucharist with the priest. (Previously people saw the Mass as something that the priest did for them. Often they tended to be passive spectators at "Father's Mass".)

B. The Difference Between Tradition with a Big "T" and Tradition with a Small "t."

Tradition with a capital "T" refers to those elements of our faith that cannot be abandoned and that are essential to who we are as Catholics. We already mentioned examples of the doctrines that belong to Tradition with a capital "T;" e.g., the Trinity, the sacraments, the papacy, etc. Despite the perception of most Catholics, Vatican II did not change anything of Tradition with a capital "T".

We must distinguish Traditions
with a capital "T"
from traditions with a small "t".
Small "t" traditions refer to the transitory or changeable elements of our religion - rules about fasting and abstinence, Holy Days, kneeling and standing in church, certain forms of prayers. One definition of small "t" traditions is "how we do things;" e.g., receiving communion on the tongue or in the hand, celebrating Mass in Latin or in the vernacular, the dress code of priests and sisters. The church must constantly look at her small "t" traditions and see if they are helping or hindering people in their faith lives. New insights into Tradition with a capital "T" will often lead to the dropping of some small "t" traditions and the beginning of others which will better reflect our new understanding of Tradition with a capital "T."

C. The Difference Between Church Doctrines and Church Disciplines.

Finally, when speaking about changes in the church. we must distinguish "church doctrines" from "church disciplines." This is a difference between essentials: i.e., doctrines, and non-essentials; Le., church disciplines on small "t" traditions. For example, our belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist is a church doctrine which will not change (of course our understanding of it will develop). Fasting for one hour from solid foods prior to receiving holy communion is a church discipline which can and has changed (in pre-Vatican II days Catholics used to fast from midnight prior to receiving the Eucharist). Catholic belief in priesthood as a sacrament of our church is a doctrine that will not change. On the other hand, priestly celibacy is a discipline of the church that can be changed.

We must distinguish church doctrines
from church discipline

Hopefully, the above three distinctions will help you to better understand changes in the church and help you to distinguish essentials from non-essentials. In coping with change in the church, it is always good to remember "not to sweat the small things."