Chapter 20: Vatican II and the Church in the Modern World

1. Chapter 20:Vatican II and the Church in the Modern World THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH

2. 1. Blessed John XXIII and the Council (pp. 734–741) ANTICIPATORY SET Perform a focused reading of the paragraph “Midpoint in the twentieth…” (p. 734) using the following question: What seemed to be the condition of the Church in 1950?

3. 1. Blessed John XXIII and the Council (pp. 734–741) BASIC QUESTIONS What contributions did Pope Bl. John XXIII make to the life of the Church? What writings did the Council Fathers of Vatican II produce? KEY IDEAS Bl. John XXIII, who was expected to be a “caretaker” Pope, surprised the Church when he convened the Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican during a time of great unity and strength within the Catholic Church. The Pope wanted the Church to engage the modern world more effectively, which he saw as spiritually poor. The Council Fathers published sixteen texts, centered on the four dogmatic constitutions.

4. 1. Blessed John XXIII and the Council (pp. 734–741) GUIDED EXERCISE Read aloud the Catechism, nos. 2127–2128 (p. 760), and then work with a partner to list reasons that some people might not believe in God.

5. 1. Blessed John XXIII and the Council (pp. 734–741) FOCUS QUESTIONS What was Angelo Roncalli’s family background? He was born into a family of Italian peasant farmers. What did the cardinal-electors expect when they elected Angelo Roncalli? When electing this affable, seventy-six-year-old man, they were expecting a caretaker who would make few changes.

6. 1. Blessed John XXIII and the Council (pp. 734–741) FOCUS QUESTIONS What is unusual about the name John XXIII? There was a John XXIII at the end of the Western Schism in the fifteenth century; he was one of three claimants who resigned to allow the election of Pope Martin V. This name selection ended any question as to the true Pope during the Western Schism. What appointment helped develop Roncalli’s ecumenical outlook? As apostolic delegate to Turkey and Greece, he dealt with Orthodox Christians.

7. 1. Blessed John XXIII and the Council (pp. 734–741) FOCUS QUESTIONS What were some problems Archbishop Roncalli helped solve in France? He negotiated the appointment of bishops and aid to church-sponsored schools; he arranged for seminarians, who had served in the German army and were now prisoners of war, to continue their theological studies; and he dealt with the problem of bishops who had cooperated with the pro-Nazi Vichy government during German occupation. What was Patriarch Roncalli’s reputation in Venice? He was popular because of his pastoral zeal and informal style.

8. 1. Blessed John XXIII and the Council (pp. 734–741) FOCUS QUESTIONS Upon his election to the papacy, what did Bl. John XXIII do with respect to the College of Cardinals? He abolished the tradition dating back to the sixteenth century that limited the number of cardinals to seventy. He did so to make it a more international body. What two major projects did Bl. John XXIII undertake? He began to draft an updated Code of Canon Law and convened an Ecumenical Council.

9. 1. Blessed John XXIII and the Council (pp. 734–741) GUIDED EXERCISE Read aloud the excerpt from Pacem in Terris (p. 756). Discuss the Pope’s argument. Discuss the kinds of rights and dignity each person possesses by his or her human nature, and then the even greater dignity he or she can gain by being a child of God. Discuss examples in recent history and the present day in which human dignity has been violated.

10. 1. Blessed John XXIII and the Council (pp. 734–741) GUIDED EXERCISE Perform a focused reading of the paragraph “Above all, it was…” (p. 738) using the following question: Why did Pacem in Terris seem to capture the world’s attention?

11. 1. Blessed John XXIII and the Council (pp. 734–741) FOCUS QUESTIONS What did Pope Bl. John XXIII do to promote better ecumenical relations? He established a Vatican office of Christian unity and reached out to the Orthodox and Anglican Churches, the World Council of Churches, and Jews. What was the twofold spectacle to which Pope Bl. John XXIII referred when he convoked the Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican? He spoke of the secular world as being in a “grave state of spiritual poverty” and the Church “so vibrant with vitality.”

12. 1. Blessed John XXIII and the Council (pp. 734–741) FOCUS QUESTIONS In Bl. John XXIII’s view, what was the aim of Vatican II? He hoped that the Church would update herself to meet the urgent spiritual needs of the world. What place does Vatican II hold in the history of the Church? It is the most important twentieth-century event in the Church’s life.

13. 1. Blessed John XXIII and the Council (pp. 734–741) FOCUS QUESTIONS What were the four purposes of the council according to Pope Paul VI? The Council Fathers were to define the nature of the Church and the role of the bishops, renew the Church, restore unity among Christians, and begin a dialogue with the world. How many documents did the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council issue? They issued sixteen documents.

14. 1. Blessed John XXIII and the Council (pp. 734–741) FOCUS QUESTIONS What is collegiality? The bishops in union with and under the Pope share in the office to teach and govern the Church. What is the universal call to holiness? All members of the Church are called to be saints.

15. 1. Blessed John XXIII and the Council (pp. 734–741) FOCUS QUESTIONS What kind of participation by the faithful did the Council Fathers envision for the Mass? They called for “full, conscious, and active participation” by all members of the Church, especially in the Eucharistic liturgy. Which constitution of the council engages the modern world most directly? Gaudium et Spes reflects Pope Bl. John XXIII’s desire for the Church to be more directly at the service of the world.

16. 1. Blessed John XXIII and the Council (pp. 734–741) FOCUS QUESTIONS What is the Word of God according to Dei Verbum? The single sacred deposit of the Word of God is comprised of Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture. Authentic interpretation of God’s Word has been entrusted to the “living teaching office of the Church.” What does Sacrosanctum Concilium teach about the liturgy? The liturgy is the source and summit of the Church’s faith because it is “the font from which all her power flows” and the “summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed.”

17. 1. Blessed John XXIII and the Council (pp. 734–741) HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT Study Questions 1–10 (p. 759) Practical Exercise 1 (p. 759) Workbook Questions 1–23 Read “Pope Paul VI and the Postconciliar Years” through “The Rise of Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration” (pp. 741–747)

18. 1. Blessed John XXIII and the Council (pp. 734–741) CLOSURE Write a paragraph summarizing the aims of the Second Vatican Council according to the statements of Popes Bl. John XIII and Paul VI.

19. 1. Blessed John XXIII and the Council (pp. 734–741) ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT Take time to update the timeline in your notebook.

20. 2. Pope Paul VI and the Postconciliar Years (pp. 741–747) ANTICIPATORY SET Visit the page about the modern Popes on the Vatican’s Web site: vatican.va/holy_father/index.htm Research Pope Paul VI to learn about his travels, keeping in mind that he was the most traveled Pope at the time. Then research the travels of Pope Bl. John Paul II. Discuss the following questions: What conclusions can be drawn about how the papacy has changed? To what might this be attributed?

21. 2. Pope Paul VI and the Postconciliar Years (pp. 741–747) BASIC QUESTIONS What work did Pope Paul VI undertake during the postconciliar years? What did Pope Paul VI teach in Humanæ Vitæ, and what character did the resurgence of Modernism take? What qualities did Pope Bl. John Paul II bring to the papacy? KEY IDEAS Pope Paul VI worked to implement the decisions of the Second Vatican Council, traveled extensively, and promoted peace and ecumenism. The Church experienced a grave resurgence of Modernism after the Second Vatican Council. Pope Paul VI’s encyclical on contraception, Humanæ Vitæ, became a flashpoint for this dissidence. The first non-Italian Pope in 450 years, Pope Bl. John Paul II brought an international outlook and great energy to the papacy.

22. 2. Pope Paul VI and the Postconciliar Years (pp. 741–747) GUIDED EXERCISE Mini-lecture: The encyclical Humanæ Vitæ.

23. 2. Pope Paul VI and the Postconciliar Years (pp. 741–747) FOCUS QUESTIONS What steps did Pope Paul VI take to implement the reforms of Vatican II? He established commissions to develop concrete steps to implement the reforms, for example, to reform the liturgy and restore the permanent deaconate. Which saints from the United States of America were canonized by Pope Paul VI? He canonized St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first native-born saint of that country, and St. John Neumann, the fourth Bishop of Philadelphia.

24. 2. Pope Paul VI and the Postconciliar Years (pp. 741–747) FOCUS QUESTIONS What is the Synod of Bishops? This permanent body meets every few years to study a topic of importance. The Synod of Bishops is an expression of the collegiality of the bishops in union with and under the Pope. Why was Pope Paul VI called the “traveling Pope”? He traveled all over the world as part of his ministry, which had not been possible before.

25. 2. Pope Paul VI and the Postconciliar Years (pp. 741–747) FOCUS QUESTIONS What is Ostpolitik? This policy sought improved relations with Communist regimes in Eastern Europe. How did Paul VI show his commitment to ecumenism? He and Patriarch Athenagoras I lifted the mutual excommunications between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches related to the Great Schism of 1054. Paul VI also met with leaders of many Christian denominations; he established bilateral commissions for Catholic dialogue with Anglicans and Lutherans.

26. 2. Pope Paul VI and the Postconciliar Years (pp. 741–747) FOCUS QUESTIONS What did Jacques Maritain mean by “kneeling before the world”? He saw an attitude spreading from some clergy to Catholics generally: an uncritical acceptance of secular standards and values as the norm for the Church. How was Maritain’s observation the diametrical opposite of what Bl. John XXIII had desired for Vatican II? Bl. John XXIII wanted to make the spiritual and moral riches of the Church accessible to a world desperately in need of them, not the Church to conform to the current age.

27. 2. Pope Paul VI and the Postconciliar Years (pp. 741–747) GUIDED EXERCISE Complete a Think/Pair/Share using the following question: How is “kneeling before the world” a throwback to a central element of Modernism?

28. 2. Pope Paul VI and the Postconciliar Years (pp. 741–747) FOCUS QUESTIONS What is the “spirit of Vatican II”? This phrase is often used by Catholic dissidents who turn away from what the Council Fathers taught to what they think the Council Fathers should have taught. What is remarkable about Pope Bl. John Paul I? The “smiling Pope” was known for his friendly manner; his name showed continuity with his two predecessors who had convened and seen the council through.

29. 2. Pope Paul VI and the Postconciliar Years (pp. 741–747) FOCUS QUESTIONS What is unique about Bl. John Paul II’s nationality? He was the first non-Italian Pope in 450 years and the only Polish Pope ever. What in Bl. John Paul II’s background helped him sympathize with both common people and intellectuals? Karol Wojtyla did manual labor in a stone quarry and in a chemical factory during World War II, but he was also a poet, actor, and philosopher.

30. 2. Pope Paul VI and the Postconciliar Years (pp. 741–747) GUIDED EXERCISE Discuss the following question: Based on Pope Bl. John Paul II’s life before he was elected Pope, how did he already have an international outlook?

31. 2. Pope Paul VI and the Postconciliar Years (pp. 741–747) FOCUS QUESTIONS Did devotion to the Real Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist increase or decrease during the latter part of the twentieth century? This devotion experienced a phenomenal growth. Why do Catholics engage in Eucharistic Adoration? They pray to Christ, who is really present in the Eucharistic species. How did Pope Bl. John Paul II feel about Eucharistic Adoration? He wanted bishops to encourage it and take part in it, both prayer before the tabernacle and in formal Exposition.

32. 2. Pope Paul VI and the Postconciliar Years (pp. 741–747) HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT Study Questions 11–17 (p. 759) Workbook Questions 24–38 Read “Pope Bl. John Paul II and the Contemporary World” through “Conclusion” (pp. 749–755)

33. 2. Pope Paul VI and the Postconciliar Years (pp. 741–747) CLOSURE Write a paragraph explaining why Pope Paul VI taught that the use of artificial methods of birth control is immoral.

34. 2. Pope Paul VI and the Postconciliar Years (pp. 741–747)  ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT Some people argue that artificial methods of birth control must be encouraged and even required because of the threat of overpopulation. Search the Internet to learn some of the truths and myths about overpopulation.

35. 3. The Restoration of Confidence and Hope (pp. 749–755) ANTICIPATORY SET Read aloud the sidebar “Bl. John Paul II and His Assassin” (p. 751), and then discuss the Focus Questions on page 751. What do you think about Pope Bl. John Paul II’s treatment of Mehmet Ali Agca?

36. 3. The Restoration of Confidence and Hope (pp. 749–755) BASIC QUESTIONS What major problem of the modern world was identified by Pope Bl. John Paul II? What did Bl. John Paul II accomplish? How can the Church best face the future? KEY IDEAS Pope Bl. John Paul II identified the major problem of the modern world as the threat to people from Marxism and secular humanism, which have given rise to a culture of death. Bl. John Paul II was a visible, universal pastor of the Church, traveling more than any Pope in history, teaching extensively both in person and through his writings, and providing an attractive example of personal sanctity. Though the Church in the third Christian millennium faces great challenges, she can be confident facing the future because she already possesses the answer to them all: her founder, Jesus Christ.

37. 3. The Restoration of Confidence and Hope (pp. 749–755) FOCUS QUESTIONS What is the major problem of the modern era according to Redemptor Hominis? Despite great progress, the modern era is also a time of threat: “Man’s situation in the modern world seems indeed to be far removed from the objective demands of the moral order, from the requirements of justice, and even more of social love.” What solution did Pope Bl. John Paul II offer to this problem? The solution lies in “the priority of ethics over technology, the primacy of the person over things, and in the superiority of spirit over matter.”

38. 3. The Restoration of Confidence and Hope (pp. 749–755) FOCUS QUESTIONS What two forms of secular humanism threaten Christianity in the modern era? One is the secular humanism of Marxist Communism; the other is that of the consumerist society of the West. Both have given rise to a culture of death. What is the root problem of Marxism according to Bl. John Paul II? Though it violates the rights of workers and its economic system is inefficient, the root problem of Marxism is atheism. Marxism had promised to uproot the need for God from the human heart, but it only threw hearts into turmoil and created a spiritual void, which in many cases set people on a search for God.

39. 3. The Restoration of Confidence and Hope (pp. 749–755) FOCUS QUESTIONS What is the state of religious life in Europe today? Religious practice and vocations have declined sharply. The framers of the constitution of the European Union even refused to include a reference to Europe’s Christian roots. How extensively did Pope Bl. John Paul II travel? He made more than 100 pastoral visits outside Italy, covering over 750,000 miles.

40. 3. The Restoration of Confidence and Hope (pp. 749–755) FOCUS QUESTIONS Why was Pope Bl. John Paul II shot? It is not known who ordered the assassination of the Pope and why. What was amazing about the attempted assassination? Agca was a professional killer shooting from point blank range, but he failed to kill the Pope. Immediately after being wounded, the Pope had a feeling of confidence that he would survive.

41. 3. The Restoration of Confidence and Hope (pp. 749–755) FOCUS QUESTION How did the Pope treat his would-be killer? The Pope forgave him publicly. He later visited Agca in his prison cell, comforting him in his fear that Our Lady of Fatima was going to take revenge. Finally, the Pope intervened to have Agca pardoned. The Pope provided a dramatic example of love of an enemy.

42. 3. The Restoration of Confidence and Hope (pp. 749–755) GUIDED EXERCISE Complete a Think/Pair/Share using the following questions: What did Pope Bl. John Paul II mean by purification of memory? Was this a good idea?

43. 3. The Restoration of Confidence and Hope (pp. 749–755) FOCUS QUESTIONS What were two major publications of Pope Bl. John Paul II? He published a revised Code of Canon Law and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Why did the Pope travel so extensively? He wanted to exercise his authority as the universal pastor of the Church.

44. 3. The Restoration of Confidence and Hope (pp. 749–755) FOCUS QUESTIONS What did the Pope call the “twin lungs of the Church”? He said the Church needs to breathe together with both her lungs, Orthodoxy and Catholicism, meaning they have to be united to be effective in the world. How long did Bl. John Paul II serve as Pope? He served more than twenty-six years.

45. 3. The Restoration of Confidence and Hope (pp. 749–755) FOCUS QUESTIONS According to Cardinal Ratzinger, from what did Bl. John Paul II rouse the Church? He roused the Church from a lethargic, sleepy faith. What is Pope Benedict XVI’s background? He was the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and is possibly the Church’s most influential academic theologian since the 1960s. In what area of the world did Bl. John Paul II see the greatest Catholic vitality? He saw it in the Southern Hemisphere, especially in Africa and South America.

46. 3. The Restoration of Confidence and Hope (pp. 749–755) GRAPHIC ORGANIZER Work with a partner to complete the following table on four major problems facing the Church in the twenty-first century.

47. 3. The Restoration of Confidence and Hope (pp. 749–755)

48. 3. The Restoration of Confidence and Hope (pp. 749–755) FOCUS QUESTIONS How do demographic patterns favor Bl. John Paul II’s view of the world? Catholics in Europe are on the decline with only a slight increase in North America, but Catholics are projected to increase dramatically in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. In Novo Millennio Ineunte, what program did Bl. John Paul II present to face the challenges the Church will face? The perennial program exists already. It is “found in the Gospel and in the living Tradition”; the program is Jesus Christ himself.

49. 3. The Restoration of Confidence and Hope (pp. 749–755) HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT Study Questions 18–22 (p. 759) Practical Exercises 2–3 (p. 759) Workbook Questions 39–59

50. 3. The Restoration of Confidence and Hope (pp. 749–755) CLOSURE Write a paragraph on Bl. Pope John Paul II’s understanding of the major problem facing the modern world.