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Tagged: Vatican II

The worldview of Vatican II

In his conversation with the editors of Jesuit journals in Europe last June, Pope Francis recalled the acute hostility of some conservative Catholics towards the Second Vatican Council during its aftermath, even among the Jesuits themselves.[1] Some Jesuits tried to...

Understanding the liturgical reform

I thought I’d close out the week with a little linkaround, sharing some liturgical thoughts and reading that you might find interesting. First off, on November 23, the fifth and final installment in the series by theologians John Cavadini, Mary...

Things that Ross Douthat failed to mention

There are many things wrong with Ross Douthat’s recent New York Times op-ed, “How Catholics Became Prisoners of Vatican II,” but the most glaring is his failure to mention the impact of the sexual abuse crisis anywhere in his 1400-word...

A snapshot of the world of Vatican II

As we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the opening of the first session of the Second Vatican Council, here is a snapshot of the world before, during and after the Council. One cannot understand Vatican II without understanding the Church...

Valletta, George Preca's home town

St. George Preca and Pope Francis

During his trip to Malta, Pope Francis spoke to enthusiastic crowds, praised Malta for its historic values of openness and hospitality, called for charity toward migrants, and met with the sick at St. Paul’s Basilica. During an address to political...

Is it so different?

Among the many accusations aimed at the post-Vatican II Church by radical traditionalists, the accusation of “difference” stands out. Traditionalists claim that the post-Vatican II Church is “different”; they claim that the liturgy, spirituality, and pastoral practice of the modern...

Prayer Cards, Painting Class, and Liturgy Wars

In my experience, many traditionalists[1] perceive the “New Mass” as empty and bland compared to the richness of the Tridentine liturgy. From their perspective, the new liturgy needs artificial distractions, from ad-libbing to clowns, to maintain people’s interest. The inherent...