Vatican II

Pope John XXIII voiced a desire for a council January 27, 1959. "The first person to be surprised was myself."

• November, 1960: first meetings of the preparatory commissions, all headed by Cardinals from the Curia. Their traditionalist, formulaic proposals were rejected by the bishops.
• August-September, 1961: building of the Berlin Wall (torn down December, 1989)
• The Council had four sessions: 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965. John XXIII, "parish priest of the world," died after the first session; Paul VI finished the Council, died in 1978; John Paul I was elected, but died after one month in office; then came John Paul II.
• Vatican II was the 21st ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church (not counting Acts 15).
• References to the documents are given by abbreviation and paragraph number.

Documents of Vatican II

The Latin titles of the documents are the first words of the text.

I've provided rudimentary translations of the Latin title under the English title. "Joy and Hope" is so much more expressive than "The Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World."

There are four constitutions, nine decrees, and three declarations. The two dogmatic constitutions are the most solemn of the documents. The Constitution on the Liturgy is primarily concerned with discipline, not doctrine. The "Pastoral Constitution" is addressed to the whole world and is, I think, intended to apply the doctrines of the Church to the current situation more than it is intended to define them.

The decrees set norms for various aspects of the life of the Church.

The declarations are something like "position papers," explaining where the Church stands with respect to some aspects of the world around us (secular educational system, non-Christian religions, religious freedom in the socio-political sphere).

Abbr	Latin title	English title	V2
SC	Sacrosanctum Concilium	Constitution on Sacred Liturgy "This most sacred council"	1
IM	Inter Mirifica	Decree on the Means of Social Communication "Among the wonders"	2
LG	Lumen Gentium	Dogmatic Constitution on the Church "Light of the World"	3
OE	Orientalium Ecclesiarum	Decree on the Catholic Eastern Churches "Eastern Churches"	4
UR	Unitatis Redintegratio	Decree on Ecumenism "Restoration of unity"	5
CD	Christus Dominus	Decree on Pastoral Office of Bishops "Christ, the Lord"	6
PC	Perfectae Caritatis	Decree on Renewal of Religious Life "Perfect charity"	7
OT	Optatam Totius	Decree on the Training of Priests "The desired [renovation] of the whole [church]"	8
GE	Gravissimum Educationis	Declaration on Christian Education "How important education is"	9
NA	Nostra Aetate	Declaration on Non-Christian Religions "In our time"	10
DV	Dei Verbum	Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation "The Word of God"	11
AA	Apostolicum Actuositatem	Decree on Apostolate of Lay People "Apostolic activity"	12
DH	Dignitatis Humanae	Declaration on Religious Liberty "The dignity of the human person"	13
GD	Ad Gentes Divinitus	Decree on Church's Missionary Activity "To the nations"	14
PO	Presbyterorum Ordinis	Decree on Ministry & Life of Priests "The order of priests"	15
GS	Gaudium et Spes	Pastoral Constitution: Church in the Modern World "Joy and Hope"	16

Before and After Vatican II

Before Vatican II	After Vatican II
Catholics had to fast from meat on Fridays in memory of Jesus' death on the Cross.	Catholics are supposed to choose some self-sacrificial act on Fridays in memory of Jesus' death on the Cross.
Catholics had to fast from food and drink from midnight until after they received Communion.	Catholics are supposed to fast for one hour before receiving Communion.
The Mass was said in Latin (except for the Kyrie, which was in Greek).	The Mass is said in local languages.
The Mass was performed by the priest, servers, and choir. People could follow along in their Missals or else pray privately while things happened at the altar.	The Mass is supposed to involve the whole congregation.
The high altar, tabernacle, and sanctuary were set apart from the rest of the church by a fence (the "altar rail"). Only ministers could enter the sacred space.	The fences have been taken down, the tabernacle has been hidden from view during the Mass, the altar is treated as a dining-room table, and everybody parties together.
The spirituality of the Church emphasized that each Mass was a Holy Sacrifice that partook of the nature of Jesus' self-sacrifice on the Cross.	The language and practice of the Church tends to focus on the idea that we are sharing a meal. The Mass is both a holocaust and a feast.
The priest celebrated Mass facing in the same direction as the congregation (toward the tabernacle, toward the rising sun, toward God, the Father).	The priest celebrates Mass facing the people, the way the host at a dinner party faces the guests at the table or the way an MC faces the audience on a late-night variety show.
People took Communion so rarely that the Church made the rule of "Easter duty," forcing all Catholics to go to Communion (after examining their consciences and going to Confession) at least once a year. Only priests could distribute communion. All received Communion on the tongue.	People take Communion very frequently, but go to Confession very infrequently. (Many non-Catholics, lapsed Catholics, and excommunicated Catholics go to Communion in spite of the Church's prohibitions.) Lay people help distribute communion. People may receive Communion in the hand.
The Church was seen as the House of God. People genuflected (knelt briefly on one knee) to the tabernacle and were silent before and after Mass. The custom was to kneel and pray privately when people first arrived in order to prepare for Mass. Women had to cover their heads.	The Church is seen as a place of fellowship. People socialize before Mass, during the Kiss of Peace, and after Mass. The only people who genuflect now are football players in the end zone. Gum chewing in Church is rising at an alarming rate.
No Saturday evening Masses.	The Jewish day begins and ends at sundown; based on this tradition, the Church authorized "vigil Masses" on Saturday.
There was a culture of mutual condemnation between Catholics and Protestants.	There is supposed to be an awareness that Catholics and Protestants are united to Jesus and therefore to each other through the things we have in common: faith, hope, love; Scriptures; Baptism; the one Lord, Jesus Christ.
Annulments were very rare. An annulment is a declaration that no bond was formed by God despite the outward correctness of a marriage celebration.	Annulments have become common in the U.S. New psychological grounds have been developed for declaring the original relationship "null and void."
All priests generally taught the same doctrine concerning faith and morals.	Many priests have told people to do "whatever their conscience tells them is right" [neo-gnosticism].
It was considered an honor to be a priest or a religious.	It is considered shameful to be a priest or a religious.
Priests and religious (both male and female) wore distinctive clothing (habits) and lived in walled enclosures (cloisters).	Priests and religious try to blend in with the culture so that they will not seem to be so different from other people. Their clothing now says, "I'm only human."
Diaconate (one of the three Holy Orders) was just a brief part of the process of becoming a priest. Candidates for the priesthood would serve as deacons for a few weeks at most.	The permanent diaconate has been restored. The Church ordains married men to be deacons. If his wife dies, the deacon must remain celibate.
Nothing but Italian popes from 1523 to 1978 (455 years!).	Election of first Polish pope in 1978.
No funeral service or Catholic burial could be given to people who committed suicide.	Funerals and burials are now allowed in the hope that God has some way to save their souls at the moment of death.
Children were required to memorize the catechism, a formal list of Church doctrines.	Children are encouraged to "be nice" to everybody. Doctrine tends to be reduced to BOMFOG: The Brotherhood of Man and the Fatherhood of God.