Vatican II
I attended the lecture by George Weigel at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul on April 17 (April 25 edition, “Weigel: Contention around Vatican II is an invitation to evangelize). He failed to acknowledge that the council generated a sense of tremendous excitement, hope and energy worldwide in the Catholic Church and all of Christendom. Vatican II had a major positive influence on the lives of millions of Catholics. The council was responsible for recognizing the co-responsibility of all the laity (including young people) in the Catholic Church and reversing the Catholic Church’s 1,500-year proneness toward clericalization. It changed how all members participate in the life of the Church and greatly expanded the role of women. Everyone’s fuller participation is most visible in the Church’s liturgical life and in their expanded roles in the local parish and diocese. The council’s approach was “more consistent with a predominantly pastoral view of the Church’s teaching office” (St. John XXIII).
Joe Reid
St. Frances Cabrini, Minneapolis
