Ten years of change since Vatican II

From MICHAEL WILSON in Rome
ON SUNDAY, Pope Paul will celebrate a Pontifical Mass in St Peter's to mark the tenth anniversary of the closure of Vatican Council II, over which he had presided during the last three sessions.
Although one decade is a tight and even myopic perspective within which to judge this admittedly world-shaking event, it is possible to trace certain distinct trends and changes which result directly from the Council.
And it is impossible to separate the work of Pope Paul VI in implementing the substance of Vatican Council II from the enthusiastic success of the Holy Year, 4han which nothing could be more preConciliar.
Ten years after the end of the Council the Catholic Church is still going through an identity crisis but, as one prelate pointed out, it was 200 years before the Council of Trent began to show even the lines of its results and, in the light of present controversies and conflicts, it is clear that even the main objective of Vatican Council I — the Infallibility of the Pope — is still being disputed.
The 16_documents of Vatican Council Il, all of which have been implemented, in part or fully, by Pope Paul, have produced such vast changes that it is virtually impossible to point to any one and say: "This was the major achievement of Vatican Council II."
It is possible, however, to list a number of changes, achievements and disappointments felt by hierarchy, priest and laity here in Rome, the centre of the Catholic Faith.
Perhaps among these major achievements there stand out those which have brought the Church into greater balance and sacramentality internally and into greater participation in the affairs of the modern world — the role of the laity, missionary activities, and ecumenism.
An clement of internal renewal is that the episcopate is more balanced. While the centre of the Church remains in Rome, more authority — independent, autonomous authority has been given the local Church, the local bishop who, through his episcopal conference and the synod of bishops, brings balance to the Church of Rome, On the external side, the Church was given a new concept of her role in the modern world and Pope Paul continues to implement this by his encouragement of Church participation in all matters ranging from the Helsinki Conference tg the plight of the individual awaiting execution.
The laity have a much fuller and more responsible role to play in today's Church than they ever had in the past and, in many areas of Africa and Latin America, have already been entrusted with the overall care of parishes which a priest may visit only once a year, In these parishes it is the layman — about 130 of them today who must preach, hold Sunday services and distribute Corn Again, even though high percentages of nuns have left the convents, the sisters are being entrusted, too, with much greater responsibilities. They, too, are in charge of parishes, preach and distribute Communion. And they are now accepted into the pontifical academies of higher education, such as the Gregorian, the Lateran and others.
Ecumenical ideas are pressing ahead and there are almost constant meetings between Catholics and men of other confessions. But, as yet, we have not reached that goal to which Pope John XXIII dedicated his death — the unity of the Christian Churches.
True, theological dialogue has made some convergences possible on some of the main articles of the Christian Faith and has led to new and improved relations. But the Chruch ir Rome is adamantly against inter-communion at this stage.
A leading bishop said to me: "I do not see this as helping us arrive at better unity. It is a dead-end street. Intercommunion today means tc adopt a common sacramentai life without one common faith.
"What is meant by true unity is to have a common faith. If one has a common faith then it may not matter if the sacramental expression of this faith is done unitedly or with liturgical differences.
"This 'dead-end street' could also become a reason for disappointment when progress in achieving complete unity does not come fast enough for these participants."