Second Vatican Council Fathers

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Second Vatican Council Fathers

1John5918
Bearbeitet: Mai 7, 2022, 11:05 am

This topic has to come to mind as I am currently reading the memoirs of a missionary bishop, From Pilot to Pastoral Bishop: Memories and Reflections of 53 Years of Missionary Life in Kenya by Bishop Colin Davies MHM OBE. He was an RAF pilot towards the end of World War II but later became priest and bishop, serving as the Ordinary of the Diocese of Ngong in Kenya from 1964 until he retired in 2002 at the age of 78. He died a few years ago aged 92.

Although his book is a little disjointed, a collection of memories rather than a cohesive whole, I've been finding his reflections on Vatican II to be very interesting. Amidst all the retrospective comment on Vatican II these days, much of it by people who don't remember the pre-Vatican II Church nor the Council itself, it is enlightening to hear the experiences of those who were actually there. Like most bishops, and indeed most Catholics at the time, Davies welcomed it and was very enthusiastic about his participation in it. He talks of the "truly unique and spiritually enriching experience" for a young bishop like himself to "listen to the interventions of many inspired Bishops and Archbishops"; to hear Cardinals like Suenens, Frings, Alfrink, Doepfner and Koenig, and experts like Rahner, Ratzinger, Courtney Murray and others, "was surely a great gift" (p21). He speaks of how open it was, how nobody was manipulated or pressured, and how the Council Fathers rejected a number of the pre-prepared texts and insisted that new drafts be written. In his own words, "The only complaint was that all the interventions and council documents were in Latin"! (p23)

He speaks of a new understanding of "Church" and also of mission; "Archbishop Fulton Sheen reminded the Council that the word 'Mission' was not to be given exclusively to Missio ad Extra" (p21). As a missionary bishop, Davies was also very happy with progress on inculturation. He supports Pope Paul VI's decision to suspend discussion on family matters as most of the bishops and periti were heading in a direction which both Davies and the Holy Father felt was dubious. He lists the "fruits of the Council", including "the felt need for ongoing dialogue between Vatican, Pope and the College of Bishops" leading to "the holding of Synods every four years" plus "Special Synods" for important issues (p27), and was thoroughly approving of it all.

As it happens I knew Bishop Davies. As young Catholic missionaries I think many of us found him a bit "conservative", but reading his memoirs now gives a much more complete picture, and indeed once again shows how subjective and misleading labels such as "conservative" and "progressive" can be. His reflections on the Council show the yearning for reform within the Church at the time, and the sense of enthusiasm once the reforms began to be implemented. His description of the Council itself gives the lie to those who suggest it was somehow manipulated by a small group of "leftist" "progressives" out to destroy the Church. It was truly a cooperative effort of all the bishops of the Church, and everything was approved by the vast majority of them - not that the Church is a democracy, but their consensus, along with the assent of the Holy Father, is a sign of the Holy Spirit infallibly at work in the Church.

I'd be interested to hear from other LT members about memoirs they have read by Council Fathers - not theological arguments (although that also has its place) but rather the personal experiences of people like Colin Davies.

I'd also be interested to hear if anybody has personal stories to share about any of the Council Fathers - that invitation is probably mainly for we older members, over sixties I would guess, as most of the Fathers are long dead. Apart from Davies, I have been privileged to meet Bishop Luigi Bettazzi, Bishop Adrian Ddungu, Bishop Cornelius de Wit, Bishop Fred Hall, and Archbishop Denis Hurley. Of these, Bettazzi is the only one still living, now aged 99 I believe. He was one of the original signatories of the Pact of the Catacombs in 1965, in which 42 bishops promised in "housing, food and means of transportation to live in accordance with the ordinary manner of our people" and to "renounce forever wealth and the appearance thereof". More than 500 others soon joined them. God bless him! Since then I've met bishops who have lived in simple bungalows, mud and thatch houses, tents and even shipping containers, and who have often found themselves sleeping rough in the bush, even an archbishop who chose to sleep on the ground in a bus park to draw attention to the plight of children sleeping there to avoid being abducted by rebels. God bless them all!

Edited to add: I've just come across a wonderful quote from Archbishop Denis Hurley: "The first half of the decade of the 'sixties presented me with the greatest experience of my episcopal life, indeed, the greatest experience of my whole life: the Second Vatican Council." (link)

2brone
Mai 7, 2022, 1:15 pm

"The Unknown out side the US"Archbishop Sheen at that time was head of the Church's Proprogation of the Faith sending and supporting the main missionaryy arm of the Church in all corners of the Globe. This unknown Saint, Had degrees : J.C.B. CU 1920,PhD. Louvain 1923. S.T.D. Rome1924,Agrege en philosophie, Louvain.1925. Dogmatic Theology Prof. St Edmonds colloge,Ware, England 1925, Philosophy Prof CU 1926-50, Annual Broadcast, "The Catholic Hour" 1930-52, awarded an Emmy,and had consistent highest ratings in time slot. He was the editor of World Mission magazine, A Columnist in both the Catholic and Secular press. The Author of 80 books many of which were best sellers. His Auto Biography some consider his master piece is still in print , Bishop in 1951, Consecrated with John XXlll all missionary Bishop, He is credited with converting many souls some from the halls of Congress some in the Subway system of New York..This unknown preist recieved an average of six thousand letters a day, once he recieved 30,000 letters mostly from non Catholics, Today the current bureucrats and alot of prelates have regulated the Archbishop to his new tomb back in preoria His advocacy for Sainthood was wide spread today he is truly Unknown, cancelled, and calumnated, they accuse him of knowing about some obscure Homosexual incident in his diocese. The real reason some will tell you is he is person non grata is because of his political views (anti Communist) and his home spun American patriotic essays and commentaries, I know the feeling little ole me in the pew, If I even mention communist buzz words Im considered to be the re-incarnation of Martin Bormann...JMJ...

3John5918
Bearbeitet: Mai 7, 2022, 1:38 pm

>2 brone:

I wish you could contribute to the conversation without the snide comments. But thanks for the information on Fulton Sheen. As you say, today he is pretty unknown. I think the first time I heard of him was from you, and I had to look him up. I didn't know about the sexual abuse case until you mentioned it just now. I hope and pray that he is innocent of any cover up, but we know how widely the Church covered up sexual abuse, and a lot of bishops have now had their actions questioned. An Australian archbishop has even been sent to jail for it (Australian bishop sentenced to year’s detention for cover-up). The thought that a bishop covered up an incident and consequently allowed a priest to go on and rape other children would weigh heavily on the conscience of the bishop and the Church. Incidentally, the articles I've looked up suggest it was child sex abuse, not homosexuality, but perhaps you have more information.

A couple of years ago the Catholic News Agency reported that the delay in his beatification is not related to the allegation. However NCR published an article about the same time making the same sort of argument that you have made elsewhere, and which I agree with you on, about the over-hasty canonisation of popes: "I understand why some people want to rush to canonize their heroes, but it is a desire to be resisted, especially in the case of bishops and popes" (It's too soon to beatify Archbishop Sheen anyway). But thanks again - I've learned something new today.

4brone
Mai 8, 2022, 7:35 pm

Your condescending quips are my reason for telling it like it is....JMJ...

5John5918
Bearbeitet: Mai 9, 2022, 12:23 am

>4 brone:

I wasn't aware I had made any quips, but my apologies if anything I wrote could be construed as such.

6brone
Mai 10, 2022, 3:25 pm

not construed,deciphered...ADG

7John5918
Bearbeitet: Aug. 2, 2022, 1:46 am

I've just read an excellent article on Archbishop Denis Hurley which looks, amongst other aspects of his life, at his participation in Vatican II. It's in the new issue of the Journal of Social Encounters, Volume 6, Issue 2 (August 2022), which has the theme of "Peace Bishops: Case Studies of Christian Bishops as Peacebuilders".

https://digitalcommons.csbsju.edu/social_encounters/

Edited to add: It also includes a nice essay on Archbishop Raymond Hunthausen, the youngest US bishop to participate in Vatican II.

8John5918
Dez. 16, 2022, 8:12 am

On 90th Birthday, Nigerian Cardinal Who Participated in Vatican II Hailed as Legend, Icon (ACI Africa)

Francis Cardinal Arinze, the Vatican-based Nigerian Catholic Church leader, has been hailed as a legend and icon of the universal Church. In his homily during the Eucharistic celebration to mark the 90th birthday anniversary of Cardinal Arinze at Holy Trinity Basilica of the Archdiocese of Onitsha, John Cardinal Onaiyekan said, “We have here before us an outstanding legend and icon of the universal Catholic Church.” “It was in this capacity as Archbishop that he participated in the last session of the Second Vatican Council in September to December 1965, as the youngest Council Father,” Cardinal Onaiyekan said about Cardinal Arinze who previously served as Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. Cardinal Arinze, he said during the December 8 event in reference to Vatican II sessions, “is today the only surviving Council Father among the few who went from Nigeria to that great event, and he is in fact one of the very few in that hallowed category of ecclesiastical ancestors in the entire Catholic world.” The Nigerian Cardinal recognized his compatriot’s “extraordinary intellectual prowess”, saying that was a contributing factor to his appointment as the Archbishop of Onitsha Archdiocese at a young age of 34 in June 1967...

9John5918
Jul. 18, 2023, 12:26 am

It is with deep sadness that Pax Christi International informs you about the death of Bishop Luigi Bettazzi, one of the youngest and most junior participants in the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), early morning of 16 July 2023.

Bishop Luigi Bettazzi (1923) was a life-long friend of Pax Christi International, who served as President of our international peace movement from 1978 to 1985.

During the presidency of Bishop Bettazzi, Saint Oscar Romero, the Archbishop of San Salvador invited Pax Christi International to act in solidarity with his troubled country; Dom Helder Camara of Brazil asked Pax Christi to sponsor several influential consultations on nonviolence; fact-finding missions led by Bishop Bettazzi travelled to Central America, Haiti and Brazil after which Pax Christi published important reports about the human rights situation in those countries.

During those years, Pax Christi also responded to ‘The Troubles’ in Northern Ireland and to other critical conflicts worldwide. In line with the concerns of Cardinal Bernardus Alfrink, his predecessor as International President, Bishop Bettazzi engaged in dialogue with Christians in Central and Eastern Europe and then in the Soviet Union, with an important series of seminars and exchanges with the Russian Orthodox Church.

Pax Christi International was granted Special Consultative Status with ECOSOC at the United Nations in 1979, and started to make regular submissions, especially to the Human Rights Commission in Geneva, related to (nuclear) disarmament, the arms trade, human rights, and East-West relations.

After his mandate, Mgr. Bettazzi remained active within Pax Christi Italy and Pax Christi International, participating in different solidarity visits to the Balkans during the civil wars (1992-1995). In April 2016, Bishop Bettazzi attended the ‘Nonviolence and Just Peace Conference’, cosponsored by Pax Christi International and the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. In 2017 he took part in Pax Christi International’s delegation to the Vatican’s conference on ‘Prospects for a World Free from Nuclear Weapons and for integral disarmament’ and the Conference’s Audience with Pope Francis.

Bishop Bettazzi loved Pax Christi International and was always an enthusiastic, active member of our international Catholic peace movement. His focus on active nonviolence (peace in action), disarmament and human rights nourished by a prophetic biblical spirituality was evident in the many books he authored. Bishop Luigi Bettazzi’s warm personality and closeness to the people will be greatly missed. Pax Christi International was blessed by the leadership and love of Bishop Bettazzi, a great shepherd and nonviolent practitioner to the end of his life. May his passion for a more peaceful, just and nonviolent world inspire both young and old around the world and may this holy peacemaker rest in the peace for which he lived.

Bishop Marc Stenger and Sister Wamuyu Wachira
Pax Christi International Co-Presidents

Martha Inés Romero
Secretary General

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