Norbertines host lecture series on Vatican II "unleashed"

DE PERE — Marking the 50th anniversary of the beginning of the Second Vatican Council, Dr. Paul Wadell kicked off the lecture series "In Celebration of Vatican II" on Oct. 11 at the Norbertine Center for Spirituality, St. Norbert Abbey. In his presentation, "The Unleashing of Hope: Vatican II and its Aftermath," Wadell, a theologian and professor of religious studies at St. Norbert College[see:St Norbert College faculty & students protest Cdl. George commencement with rainbow ribbons], addressed why Vatican II unleashed[a great word for it, ROFL!] so much hope, why that hope was never fully realized and signs of hope today.

Wadell provided a timeline of events that contributed to Pope John XXIII calling for Vatican II. The book "What Happened at Vatican II" by Jesuit historian John W. O'Malley was referenced throughout his talk.

"The church was not afraid of its past," said Wadell. "It was not afraid of wrestling with what O'Malley calls the 'ghost of the 19th century.' For the Catholic Church, the 19th century continued into the 20th." The encyclicals by Pope Pius X condemning modernism serve as an example of the 19th century continuing into the 20th.[?  Does the author think modernism is not still condemned?  That modernism could have saved us from the oppression of the last two centuries?] Fr. Angelo Roncalli, who later became Pope John XXIII, was investigated on suspicions of modernism after he gave a lecture on faith and science at a seminary in Italy.

Pope John XXIII was elected pope on Oct. 28, 1958. On Jan. 25, 1959, the feast of the conversion of St. Paul, he announced the call for the council.

"I don't think that was accidental that John chose that day to say he was going to call the council," said Wadell. "He compared the church to a house in which the windows had been shut for so long that when you walked in that house, you couldn't breathe. John said that the church needed to throw open those windows to let in the fresh air of the Spirit. The cardinals and bishops who were there that day sat in stunned silence. There wasn't even polite applause. His announcement shocked them."

continue at The Compass

Interesting note, I found out one of the Norbertine priests used to offer the Traditional Latin Mass at the Good Help Shrine some years ago.  As with most of our religious orders in this state, despite bad leadership they are many faithful religious doing God's work.