Agenda now reduced to 20 main projects
VOTING ON LITURGY
rHE first session of the Second Vatican Council ends tomorrow (Saturday). Pope John XXIII now reported to )e rapidly recovering from his illness, is expected to put in brief appearance at the closing ceremonies in St. Peter's. [t is also hoped that the Council Fathers will take a final Tote on at least part of the Liturgy project.
Today secs the 36th working session of the Council, and 66 of the 70 original projects were still awaiting discussion on Tuesday night. The 70 topics, however, have now been kaleidoscoped into 20 main heads. Folders containing the re-arrangement of the agenda were distributed to the Fathers on Wednesday morning. The effect will be to enable the Fathers, if they so wish, to concentrate more on general principles, and to keep the Commissions busy during the recess.
This week, Council Fathers have been discussing the project on the Church (de Ecciesia) which may be the crucial issue of the whole Council. It cannot he completed today, and will be resumed when the Council's second session opens on September 8, 1963. In the intervening period, some of the Council's Commissions will continue to sit. Archbishop Heenan of Liverpool and Bishop Holland, Auxiliary of Portsmouth, have been appointed to the Commission for re-drafting the revelation project.