To understand trends in the Roman Catholic Church since Vatican Council II (1962-1965), Finbarr Corr's new book Broken Promises is required reading. With his skill as an Irish storyteller that was vividly evident in his prior books, Corr, a former priest, constructs an important new window on what he describes as 'the Church's third major crisis since Jesus Christ established it on Simon Peter, the Rock' Drawing on decades of vital experience as a crusading priest, innovative family therapist, and provocative educator and author, Dr. Corr asks if the Church can survive its failure to follow through on the dictates of Vatican Council II which was initiated by Pope John XXIII to 'open up the windows of the church and let in some fresh air' Dr. Corr provides a fresh look at the fifty years since Vatican II and presents a rich study of the Church's relationship to the modern world. Broken Promises provides new insights into this challenging topic Tom O'Connell, B.A. M.A. S.F.O. Publisher of sanctuary777.com and Author of Power, Politics & Propaganda: Observations of a Curious Contrarian
BROKEN PROMISES
Whatever happened to Vatican Council II?By Finbarr M CorrTrafford Publishing
Copyright © 2012 Finbarr M Corr Ed. D.
All right reserved.ISBN: 978-1-4669-1846-7Contents
Dedication and Acknowledgements..........................................................................viiPreface..................................................................................................ixChapter I Vatican Council II: A Surprise.................................................................1Chapter II Vatican Council II: Effect on a Young Priest..................................................8Chapter III Vatican Council II: Third Session............................................................13Chapter IV Dialogue Bubble in Morristown.................................................................19Chapter V New Definition of the Catholic Church..........................................................25Chapter VI Ireland before Vatican II.....................................................................29Chapter VII Child Abuse in Irish Institutions............................................................35Chapter VIII Father Marcial Maciel Degollado.............................................................40Chapter IX Archbishop John Charles McQuaid and his Successors............................................44Chapter X Pope Benedict Offers Help to Ireland...........................................................52Chapter XI Archbishop Martin: A Breath of Fresh Air......................................................59Chapter XII The Netherlands Embraces Vatican Council II..................................................64Chapter XIII The Pope versus Belgium.....................................................................70Chapter XIV Australian Catholicism before and after Vatican II...........................................77Chapter XV The Universal Church and Germany Lag Behind...................................................84Chapter XVI Vatican Council II and Cardinal Ratzinger....................................................89Chapter XVII Four Popes: Who is the Winner?..............................................................94Chapter XVIII Roncalli: Student, Seminarian and Priest...................................................100Chapter XIX Roncalli: Soldier to Archbishop and Diplomat.................................................106Chapter XX Roncalli: Archbishop to Cardinal..............................................................111Chapter XXI Roncalli: Cardinal to Pope...................................................................117Chapter XXII What's up with Conservatives?...............................................................123Chapter XXIII Blessed John Paul II: Awe and Ambivalence..................................................127Chapter XXIV The Challenge Facing Neo-Catholics..........................................................133Chapter XXV Repairing our Broken Church..................................................................139Chapter XXVI Resolution and Reform versus Revolution.....................................................144Chapter XXVII Vatican Council III: What Will Happen?.....................................................149Epilogue.................................................................................................157Sources and Comments: to help the reader access further information on some subjects.....................161Appendix.................................................................................................177Glossary: to help the reader not familiar with Church organizations, titles etc..........................179
Chapter One
Vatican Council II: A Surprise
I arrived at his rectory door at 11:58 on that July morning in 1962. He was waiting in the living room, dressed in full clericals, with a white straw hat and a black patch covering his left eye. The noon church bell rang as I entered. He grinned and said, "You just made it." Father Michael Corr, my dad's brother, expected people to be on time. On Sunday mornings he dressed in his vestments and sat in meditation, waiting for the clock to strike ten before starting the procession to Mass.
I loved the man. He exemplified my motivation to become a priest. I learned from him when I drove him through the hills of Sussex County, New Jersey. He was a country pastor there in the years after his service with distinction as a U.S. Army chaplain during the First World War. He could no longer drive, having lost the sight in his eye to cancer. Yet his capacity for speaking his mind was undiminished.
In the early sixties my dear uncle loved to say, "Thank God I am an old man, as I will probably die Catholic" (meaning a pre-Vatican II conservative Catholic). I chose not to answer him. I needed his support and also didn't want to think of him ever dying.
I thank God that he is not around today. He would be appalled over the challenges his beloved Church now faces: Catholics deserting the pews on Sunday morning; the critical shortage of priests; a Church hierarchy shielding pedophile priests from justice to protect the good name of the Church, while ignoring the trauma caused to thousands of children sexually abused by priests. Father Michael's Church is on the precipice of disaster.
Father Michael was comfortable serving in a hierarchical organization where all instructions and inspiration come from the top. He welcomed the aging Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli as the new pope in October 1958. But he was not happy when Roncalli, the "stop-gap" Pope John XXIII, announced three months later on January 25, 1959, that a Council would be convened, saying, "It is time to open the windows of the Church and let in some fresh air."
Angelo Roncalli didn't campaign to be elected pope, and he never expected the honor. He enjoyed being just a priest. He and his secretary had round-trip railroad tickets in their pockets as they arrived in Rome for the papal election in 1958. When he was elected, Roncalli surprised all of his fellow cardinals by choosing the name John XXIII, the name of an antipope who reigned from 1410 to 1415 during the Western Schism.
He announced, "I choose John ... a name sweet to us because it is the name of our father, dear to me because it is the name of the humble parish church where I was baptized, the solemn name of cathedrals throughout the world, including our own basilica [St. John Lateran]. Twenty-two Johns of indisputable legitimacy [have been] pope and almost all of them have had a brief pontificate. We have preferred to hide the smallness of our name behind the magnificent succession of Roman Popes." In choosing the name John XXIII, he affirmed the antipapal status of antipope John XXIII.
This particular pope captured the affection of millions of Catholics and non-Catholics all over the world. The combination of his personal warmth, good sense of humor and the ability to see himself as a servant priest has no equal among his predecessors or successors. He pleasantly surprised many Catholics around the world with his news of the Second Vatican Council.
Father Michael, and many of his conservative friends, didn't see the need for a Council. He would ask, "Why is it necessary to drag all the cardinals and bishops of the world to Rome away from their dioceses to do what ... listen to theological experts who don't know how to run a diocese or a parish?"
"Uncle Michael, many forward-thinking Catholics are happy about the possibilities of such a Council. In anticipation of the liturgical changes that a Council may bring, progressive organizations like the Christian Family Movement are holding private masses recited in English in their basements, and missionaries in Africa are introducing tribal dances into their liturgies."
"I can tell whose side you are on," he muttered, ending our conversation about the Council for that day.
Traditionally, only bishops and cardinals participated in ecumenical Councils. Pope John XXIII broke with tradition by involving progressive theologians called periti (experts). Among them were Karl Rahner from Germany and American John Courtney Murray (both members of the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits), with several others to give insight into the Body of Christ, the name Pope John liked to call his Church. Breaking further with tradition, he invited leaders of Protestant and Orthodox churches to observe the historical debates. Several Protestant denominations and Eastern churches sent acceptances. The one major disappointment at this stage of the Council was that, although there were nearly three thousand invitees, Pope John did not invite any women to participate.
Preparation for the Council took more than two years and received no press in the public media. The Catholic press prepared the laity for some of the possible changes, such as alterations to the Liturgy. Conservative Catholic papers like the Wanderer put the news of the Council in the middle or towards the back of their paper, while the progressive National Catholic Reporter featured it as "Good News" on the front page. I have fond memories of the feelings of hope and excitement that progressive Catholics experienced.
Other more distinguished authors like Archbishop Rembert G. Weakland of Milwaukee wrote, "An important part of that history was how the council was received; it changed how many saw the future of the Church, igniting and fanning positive hopes and aspirations." Then he added, "The very person of Pope John XXIII, his attitude towards an all-inclusive Church, his positive assessment of the world, his love of the human person, his quest for peace, his inward tranquility and his sense of humor all added to the excitement."
Pope John knew that the Church would now be described as all- inclusive. He addressed all Catholics, including the laity, when he said, "I want the Council to increase the fervor and energy of Catholics, to serve the needs of Christian people." He purposefully said the needs of "Christian" people, not just Catholic people. The pope directed the statement primarily to bishops and priests, encouraging them to grow in holiness, and then to the laity, moving them to learn more about their faith. He then exhorted the entire adult Catholic community to make adequate provision to educate their children holistically.
As one pilgrim who has spent several months in the Eternal City, I admired the Italian preacher's unique expressive gestures, waving his arms over the congregation like the Polizia Stradale directing traffic on Via Vittorio Veneto, Roma. I can see the big happy Italian pope gesturing with outstretched arms exclaiming, "Aggiornamento," meaning that the Church must be brought forward to adapt itself to the challenges of modern times. He pushed open the papal windows overlooking St. Peter's Square to let in some fresh air. If only my dear uncle, Father Michael, were there to witness it. The papal household, called the Curia, didn't watch. They were scared; they felt their power over the Catholic world being swept out the window.
A political party in the United States does not run and hide if they lose the majority in the Senate to the other party in a national election. No, they fight back with filibusters and they start campaigning, determined to win the elections four years hence. The Curia did not relinquish its power over the Catholic Church worldwide, handing the reins over to bishops in third world countries and theologians, some of who were unknown to the Curia members before 1962. They were frightened at the possibility of the Holy Spirit, now let loose in the Council chambers, guiding not only Pope John XXIII, but also cardinals, bishops, and, in their minds, "crazy" theologians to, God forbid, ordain women and married men to the priesthood.
The Curia recoiled in shock during the first session on October 13, 1962, when they tried to rush the first item on the agenda (i.e., election of the ten Council commissions), hoping their members who served on the preparatory commission would be confirmed and thus be the majority on the several commissions. Cardinal Lienart, from Paris, objected, "We do not accept this way of doing things. We ask for forty-eight hours to reflect, that we might know better those who could make up the different commissions." German Cardinal Frings seconded Lienart's proposal. The Curia learned on the first day that they were not in charge, which added to their paranoia of losing power. That first session on October 13 lasted fifteen minutes.
As the discussions continued in the second session, the celebration of the Mass was given the highest priority. The new document Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium declared: "Every liturgical celebration, because it is an action of Christ the Priest and of his body which is the Church, is a sacred action surpassing all others. No other action of the Church can equal its efficacy by the same title and to the same degree" (SC 1).
Progressive lay Catholics, when they attended Mass each Sunday, watched the priest facing the altar and muttering prayers in a language (Latin) they didn't understand. Instead of "wasting time" these Catholics took out their rosary beads and prayed to Mary. The only solution was a renewal of the Liturgy. Thus Sacrosanctum Concilium stipulated that "in this restoration both texts and rites should be drawn up so that they express more clearly the holy things which they signify; the Christian people, as far as possible, should be enabled to understand with ease and take part in this fulfilling activity and as befits their community" (SC 3).
The readings and prayers of the Mass were now translated into each country's native language. Experimentation in the Liturgy, while not encouraged, was accepted if it integrated the culture and traditions of the native people. The bishops of Africa and the Middle East welcomed the renewal and, in particular, the permission to experiment. If the experimental program was successful, the bishop was then required to apply to the Congregation for the Sacred Liturgy for approval. Progressive theologians objected to the centralization of power, demanding that cultural changes in the Liturgy needed Vatican approval.
The tension between the Curia and progressive Fathers of the Council, which was obvious on the very first day of the opening session, subsided; and discussions on the liturgical renewal, mass communication and relationships with Eastern Churches proceeded without further conflict. The same cannot be said when the Fathers initiated a discussion of the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, Dei Verbum. The tension returned, and the prepared schema was rejected by the majority of the bishops. Pope John requested that it be rewritten, but he didn't live to see it completed. The Fathers finally approved it on November 11, 1965, long after his death on June 3, 1963.
The election of Cardinal Giovanni Battista Montini on June 21, 1963, as the next pope was not a surprise. He was thought of as progressive by many because of his friendship with all Christian churches, Muslims, atheists, and others. He did not possess Pope John's charm and warmth.
The moderate and progressive arm of the Church felt confident that he would continue the modernization of the Church initiated by Pope John XXIII; he had announced at his coronation as Pope Paul VI that the Council would continue. This progressive assessment was not a true reflection of his theological stance. Although he and Roncalli had been good friends when Roncalli was Patriarch of Venice, when it was announced on January 25, 1959, that Roncalli as pope had called an ecumenical council, the then-Cardinal Montini said, "The holy old boy doesn't realize what a hornet's nest he's stirring up."
In a radio address, Pope Paul VI recalled the uniqueness of his predecessors—"the strength of Pius XI," "the wisdom and intelligence of Pius XII," and "the love of John XXIII." He also highlighted his own pontifical goals, which included revising Canon Law, achieving peace and justice in the world, and uniting Christian Churches. This was one of John XXIII's primary goals.
Pope Paul VI reopened the Council, starting the second session on September 29, 1963. He initiated some reorganization to correct some of the problems that had surfaced during the first session. He invited additional lay Catholics and non-Catholic as observers. He surprised everybody by eliminating the requirement of secrecy of the discussions during the general sessions. As he welcomed the Fathers from all over the world to the second session, he listed his four priorities:
1. To understand the Church better. He reminded the Fathers not to create a new theology regarding the nature of the Church, as Pope Pius XII had already done this adequately in his encyclical Mystici Corporis (Mystical Body), but to explain the Church in simple terms that the laity would understand.
2. To renew the Church. This involved a dialogue regarding the role of bishops, the laity and their relationship to the pope as leader of the Catholic world.
3. To restore Christian Unity. He apologized for any contribution that the Vatican had made to the separation.
4. To initiate a dialogue with the world, as he himself had created as archbishop of Milan. He invited the Fathers to seek contact with people from all walks of life.
Under the leadership of a younger, hands-on pope, the Council Fathers approved the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium and also the Decree on the Means of Social Communication, Inter Mirifica, a document about how local dioceses should communicate with the world. While discussing the role of bishops in the Church and steps toward Christian Unity, the Curia pushed to retain the status quo. Meanwhile, progressive bishops focused on the aggiornamento of open windows, transparency in Church governmental decisions and legislation, and making the Church more relevant to the modern world.
During one of the heated debates, Joseph Cardinal Frings criticized the Holy Office, which in turn drew an impassioned defense from the office of Secretary Alfred Cardinal Ottaviani. This was the most dramatic exchange during the whole Council.
I continued taking my aging uncle, Father Michael, for drives in the countryside. He retained his soldier's gait, walking with square shoulders and a brisk step. We both enjoyed seeing the change of seasons in Sussex County, New Jersey. We got into some lively discussions over dinner, many times on the subject of the Council. I was surprised when he and his associate pastors adapted the liturgical changes to include congregational singing. I'm not sure if his change was because the instructions were coming from the hierarchy above him or because of his own change of heart.
I enjoyed teasing him, saying, "Uncle, don't you think that the Council Fathers should engage more women in the discussions at the Council?" I will leave it to the reader to figure out his reply.
Chapter Two
Vatican Council II: Effect on a Young Priest
I realized my goal of becoming a priest on June 11, 1960, barely a year after Pope John XXIII initiated the call for Vatican Council II to let in "some fresh air." The details of my first Mass on the following morning are still vivid in my mind....
Mary Beatty, our family's former nanny and housekeeper, is sacristan and bell-ringer at St. Michael's. This is my childhood parish. Mary greets me with a hug, "Congratulations and best wishes Father Finbarr, I hope I have everything set up that you need for your first Mass."
"Everything looks fine. Thank you, Mary."
The Mass vestments are laid out atop the chest of drawers, exactly as she prepares them each morning for the pastor, Father McGauran. Mary is as excited and proud as my parents, Nell and John Frank, seated in the first pew, waiting for their seventh child to offer his first Holy Mass.
I experience a strange feeling in the sacristy that morning. While the altar boys light the altar candles and bring cruets of wine and water to the little side table, Mary is unusually quiet. She keeps looking at me and calling me "Father" Finbarr.
"Is there anything else I can do for you, Father Finbarr?"
"Not really Mary, I am nervous saying my first Mass before a church full of people." Mary remains silent.
A few days pass before I understand what actually happened that morning between Mary and me. In my mind, although now ordained, I am the same baby whose diapers she changed twenty-five years earlier in Legaginney House, our family's farm. But to Mary I am now a priest to be put on a pedestal and revered.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from BROKEN PROMISESby Finbarr M Corr Copyright © 2012 by Finbarr M Corr Ed. D.. Excerpted by permission of Trafford Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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