see, everything has become new! [2 Corinthians 5:17, NRSV]
[L] Christ University, Bangalore. [R] Bishops at Vatican II.
We have been to a number of international conferences but few have hit the level of efficiency, variety, programme-density and scholarly depth all at once as the one venued at Christ University, Bangalore, India on January 31 through February 3, 2013. This is the site of Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram [“DVK”], Dharmaram College and Christ University.
Themed “Revisiting Vatican II: 50 Years of Renewal,” the event was organised by DVK, Pontifical Athenaeum of Philosophy, Theology and Canon Law, together with an impressive list of eight event partners from different parts of the world, including the Faculty of Theology of our alma mater, Katholieke Universiteit, Leuven, Belgium.
Of the 380 or so participants, about 100 scholars and churchmen came from other countries, 180 scholars from different parts of India, and 100 seminarians from Dharmaram. One could well imagine the potential chaos and nightmares for the organizers; and yet, what we experienced was an impressively smooth flow of events – a great credit to the convenor and chief organizer, Dr Shaji George Kochuthara, CMI and his team. The huge ground at Dharmaram, the plentiful facilities and the seemingly endless supply of able and helpful personnel contributed greatly to an impressive event.
At the Opening
In his inaugural address, Zenon Cardinal Grocholewski, Prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education, repeated what the Conference envisaged: “a profound, sincere, and critical reflection on the impact of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) on the Universal Church”, with a special focus on the one Church in different parts of Asia, present in different rites. Speaking as a true churchman from the Vatican, he stressed “the theme of variety and plurality and the need for unity” as the centre of his attention. He understood well the prominent feature of diversity and unity on the Council floor and its pressing importance for the Church today.
A Tight and Heavy Schedule
A brief indication of the programme coverage was given by the Convenor, Fr. Shaji George Kochuthara, CMI:
- “Beginning with the historical, cultural, philosophical, theological and pastoral contexts of the convoking of the Council, the conference analyzed the various documents of the Council, the response they gave to the call for renewal in the Church and the world till our own times as well as the relevance these documents have for the ongoing renewal of the Church and society in our times.”
That coverage would pan out into an acutely dense programme weaved through a taxing 120 papers, comprising 40 keynote and plenary session papers plus 80 parallel session papers. A panoramic view of the documents is quite breath-taking.
While the desired international character of the conference was definitively achieved, the Asian flavor was unmistakable as well.
In his summation, Shaji noted:
- The greatest achievement of the conference can be said to be the enthusiasm that it has created in the participants to study further the Council’s teaching, to continue its call for renewal [and] understanding the signs of the times. This enthusiasm could be visible not only in the scholars who came from different parts of the world to participate in the conference, but also in the students, the future of the Church and the world, who attended the conference.
For a full report by Shaji, please access: http://www.catholicethics.com/news/vaticanII50yearsofrenewalreport.
In particular, we took three things with us from this conference.
First, we were impressed by the huge affirmation of the ongoing significance of Vatican II. Although it was neither easy nor obvious, there was a sense of oneness as a Church in the recognition of the importance of the spirit of Vatican II for renewal both at the universal as well as every local church. That oneness was generated not only by the daily communion at the table of the Lord, where we learned to put down our scholarly differences, but also by the mere presence together of scholars from twenty nations of diverse background and culture. In such a gathering, God has a way of becoming bigger and it is when we allow ourselves in humility to become one under and in God that we, too, become bigger as well.
Second, as lay theologians, we had special interest in the input and discussions on the role of the laity in the Church. Can the Church go on in the same mold of refusing to hear the voice of the laity? In this regard, emphases on matters like baptismal calling and talent promoting, or real dialogue and genuine communion, all writ large on our mental and spiritual radar.
Third, the Church, as an institution or as a spiritual system, has rent the cloth right down the middle in its prolonged unequal treatment of women faithful. It is easy for women to see the Roman Catholic Church as a men’s church — organizationally, theologically and spiritually. The voices of women – both lay and religious – are desperately needed in the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church. We were pleased to see conscious effort being made at the conference to recognize the contributions of women in the Church, and to accord them due space for their much-needed experience and perspective to be heard.
At the Closing
The concluding message for the conference was delivered by Oswald Cardinal Gracias, who is the Secretary General of the Federation of the Asian Bishops’ Conferences, Archbishop of Bombay, and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India.
On the influence of Vatican II, Gracias pointed out that the Council changed the way the Church engages the modern world. For the Church’s own self-understanding, the Council’s biggest achievement was a new primary conciliar model of Church as the “People of God”, in sharp contrast to the precious emphasis on the hierarchical structure of the Church. As for the Church’s mission, the Cardinal reminded all that she “exists primarily to be at the service of humanity.” He made special emphasis on the universal call to holiness in Lumen Gentium and underscored this as “a remarkable moment for the Church.” What he said in this regard bears repeating at length:
- In this regard, the document encouraged Pastors of parishes “to recognize and promote the dignity and responsibility of the laity in the Church. They should willingly use their prudent advice and confidently assign offices to them in the service of the Church, leaving them freedom and scope for activity” [Lumen Gentium, no.37].
- This should be especially true in areas where the laity “to the extent of their knowledge, competence or authority, …are entitled, and indeed sometimes duty-bound, to express their opinion on matters which concern the good of the Church” [Lumen Gentium, no.37; see also the 1983 Code of Canon Law, canon no.212.3].
- Vatican II was the first ecumenical council in the history of the Church to deal with the topic of the laity. The term lay person occurs 206 times in the council’s documents and all the references are constructive. Apostolicam Actuositatem, the Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity had its roots in Lumen Gentium chapter 4 where we find the beginnings of a theological foundation for the lay apostolate.
- In the last two decades, more and more laity are being educated and formed in ecclesial disciplines. Collaboration with an educated laity is essential for creating true partnership in mission.
Cardinal Walter Kasper, retired head of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, has written an important piece in Osservatore Romano of 11 April 2013, saying that Pope Francis, with his focus on poverty and social justice issues, has launched a new phase of implementation of the Second Vatican. He insists that the decades of discussion over the conciliar teachings should lead to new “practical consequences”. Pope Francis, he said, has pointed the way with his emphasis on a church that becomes poor and serves the poor. He elaborates:
- “In this sense, Pope Francis from the first day of his pontificate has given what I would call his prophetic interpretation of the council, and has inaugurated a new phase of its reception. He has changed the agenda: at the top are the problems of the Southern hemisphere.”
From where we stand, Vatican II teachings have given new impetus to life in dioceses, parishes and religious communities, especially through liturgical renewal, new spiritual movements, better knowledge of Scripture and dialogue with non-Catholics and non-Christians. One reason Vatican II documents have “an enormous potential for conflict” is that compromise language was adopted on many crucial issues, opening the door to selective interpretation in one direction or another, Kasper said. The dust may never settle from the endless debates and disputes over the authentic interpretation of those documents. Our role has to be that, to honour the spirit of the Council, we must strive to live the call to renewal in our daily lives. Along the way, we could take heart from Kasper’s view that under Pope Francis, there is a promising new lead to translating the Council’s statements into “practical consequences” that could rekindle its “innovative impulse.”
Copyright © Dr. Jeffrey & Angie Goh, May 2013. All rights reserved.
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