Vatican II matters, Isn't that obvious

When blessed Pope John XXIII called for a second Vatican council there was little doubt that the Holy Spirit was at work. The results of the Council were greeted with almost unanimous enthusiasm by the people of God from the Bishops who approved the various documents produced to the theologians -freed from the straight-jacket of Pius X- and ultimately to the laity whose essential work in the mission of the church was formally recognised for the first time in nearly a millennium. However since those heady days there have been challenges both from heterodoxy introduced by over enthusiastic misinterpretation of the council documents and "spirit" and revisionist movements which have tried to put the genie back in the bottle and return to the authoritarian and isolationist mindset which existed in much of the church during the first decades of the 20th Century.

The aim of this blog is to provide some personal reflection both on the content of the various Vatican II documents and their application to the practical life of Christians today. However there is also an issue that most Catholics -and many clergy, simply do not have a sensible considered understanding of the words of the council, so there is also a need to address a fundamental understanding and appreciation of what the council has said.

As a student of theology I am constantly reminded that it is important to differentiate primary and secondary sources and for many Catholics an understanding of the council is derived from poor secondary material (and worse) -to quote the old song "I danced with a man who danced with a girl who danced with the Prince of Wales". In particular the traditionalist oriented British Catholic press is full of non-joined-up, sentimental, quasi-pious writings which present a deeply spurious reinterpretation of council teaching.

Finally I am creating this blog because I believe deeply in the truth of Christ's message and the work and life of the church. I believe that truth matters but many in the church seem to have a "don't rock the boat" mindset. Frankly -to continue the metaphor - if the boat is sinking rocking will make little difference. We need to repair the hull and -to quote JP II -set out into the deep.

I am a Catholic Permanent Deacon in South London and my primary care is for the parish I serve and it's people whom God loves. I am writing this blog separately from my parish blog so that it can be read outside that specific confine and will not be seen as an attempt to polarise the faith community of which I am a member.