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How Vatican II changed the Catholic Church

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    Greg Tobin on how the decisions from the Second Vatican Council impact today's Catholics?

  • Duration 6:29
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-- as fifty years.

After he convened the second Vatican council Pope John the 23 remains one of the most beloved and remarkable figures.

In the history of the Catholic Church.

How has he impacted today's Catholics.

Well great hope and understands -- Allen explains it in his new book about that.

Soon to be sainted pontiff called the -- -- open for joins me now.

Welcome -- -- -- -- -- -- This is a Pope that.

We are not as familiar with that we know everything I say Pope John the 23 I want -- keep saying Pope John Paul right.

But that's not what we're talking about we're talking about we'll -- with my third he convened the Vatican council the second Vatican council.

Which did what.

Which transformed the church in the modern age it was really arguably the most.

Significant religious event of the twentieth century.

And it was the first time in almost a hundred years.

That the church had brought together all the bishops in the world.

To have these discussions and debates about.

Church teachings and how the church the Catholic Church would relate to the modern world.

You know he set -- of the Catholic Church post world war two and will work through courses.

The most controversial today Pope he -- conference -- typical piously that that that's what twelve -- -- he then you know.

Kind of shepherd of the church to some of the most difficult time this -- Yes you kind of hooked on the -- third and that's starting to monitor the late 1958 when he was elected at the age of 76 through his death in.

June of 63.

So he ran for only about four and a half years but the impact he had on the church and indeed the world.

Was remarkable as you say.

Partly through force of personality he had a very high emotional life he knew he had a deep personal sanctity.

It was a very evident.

And a wide ranging intelligence -- embraced.

Cultures and history.

In a way that really hadn't been seen but -- before.

How did you change the Catholic Church.

Mean how how different is it today because of him.

Specifically I think the church she can be described as more open and more certain of its own place in the world and as much less.

Defensive than it had been really.

For hundreds of years since the Protestant reformation.

And it open itself to the world in the world took them a different kind of look at the church through the action of this a group of bishops come together in the second Vatican council.

There are significant.

Obvious changes in the liturgy and the worship of the Catholic Church in the vernacular languages in the involvement of the priests.

Facing the community and the community being invited to be a part of this liturgy which.

Really for centuries they hadn't -- it was a -- in the dark and distance.

Experience in the mass for many people and it was all -- and -- all over the world to which most people didn't know at the time and now it's.

The familiar language of of the people who.

Are attending.

There was a sense that he modernized the church because that's what I always gonna be modernized the Catholic church and made it more you open up a lot of the things that we know of today -- significant -- we have.

Friesen.

Archbishops and cardinals giving press conferences because any of this is one of the modern world but but also my geo political level.

Did -- open up the doors for.

You know Catholic Jewish relations and yes it started and if they did John Paul the second but turned it was jump ball with his job it's my third that kind of started this process and.

Tried by invoking this council in the first place by giving the bishops and the theologians and a place.

At the table to raise issues such as the church's relationship with the Jews and with other non Christian religions.

And open up the church to more dialogue directly -- Protestants and orthodox Christians specifically regarding.

The church's relations with the Jews be this council changed and radically change the accepted.

Stance of the church.

To say that.

This past teachings and practices have been an error.

And that it was important to regard Jews are sisters and Brothers of all Christians and all humanity.

Got a question here for one of -- jury -- -- jury says does mr.

-- wouldn't think that at some -- the church -- -- something similar to the council Trent.

Or does he see Vatican two as that event.

Vatican -- was that event that was really the most some important and lengthy.

Council Vatican one.

But the sense Trent Vatican one it was just over a period of a few months and 1869 and seven it was cut short.

Because of the war that was going on in Italy at the time.

The only thing that came out of Vatican one was the definition of papal infallibility.

Which was controversial at the time and has remained so for the the century subsequent century.

You what let's listen because I know that Vatican two very young.

Carol what do you look -- -- what's yet analysts.

The phone just -- -- Joseph Ratzinger Pope John Paul the second and hope that the sixty both there that's right how -- -- had that Vatican to influence them.

I think to a very great degree.

Carol -- Tivo was the young archbishop of -- off at that time or an auxiliary bishop who became.

The archbishop.

And he was from -- Communist country behind the iron curtain.

So his perspective.

He brought his perspective the Vatican two and took away the reforms.

And the that the new way of looking at many issues from the council back to his native Poland.

Joseph Ratzinger served as a theological advisors a very young priest at that time.

And he had an influence in.

Shaping the -- the theological.

Positions and certain documents and among.

Groups of bishops especially German bishops -- -- And he will be it's interesting to think.

Pope Benedict the sixteenth will be the last Pope who was after Vatican two laps of this area is coming to an end.

Very very interesting -- thank you -- so much the book is called good hope.

And a -- Tobin is the author and you can just it'll be.

Complexity it's not it is -- we'll be talking more about this all right thank you very much.

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