October 11, 2022 marks 60 years since the start of the Second Vatican Council. So what was Vatican II and why does it matter today? Vatican II was the biggest Church event in the 20th century, bringing together all the bishops of the Catholic Church – 2,625 of them! – with the pope and many […]
Last week I looked at the question of personal freedom vis-à-vis authority in the Church and to what degree public opinion in the Church has been accepted and promoted since Vatican II by Pope John Paul II and now Pope Francis. The question, as I wrote, is a perennial and penetrating one in the Church, […]
At the end of the Extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the Family, Pope Francis addressed the Synod Fathers and everyone involved with the Synod. Below is the full text of the Holy Father’s remarks. Dear Eminences, Beatitudes, Excellencies, Brothers and Sisters, With a heart full of appreciation and gratitude I want to thank, along with […]
At Salt and Light, we make a concerted effort to keep alive the memory of the Second Vatican Council. It’s not, as some might think, because we appreciate history. It’s because we look to the future. Those Catholics who are familiar with the history and context of Vatican II and with the sixteen official documents […]
Protruding from the mountainside town of Assisi is the medieval Basilica of Saint Francis. From a distance the basilica looks almost as big as the town itself; a simultaneous testament to the Saint’s widespread influence and modest origins. Still, the basilica is what most moderns would expect from an important medieval church: majesty, stunning architecture […]
On Day 2 of Pope Benedict’s trip to Lebanon, he met with members of the government, institutions of the Republic, the diplomatic corps, religious leaders and representatives of the world of culture. The meeting took place inside the Presidential Palace at Baabda. Below, you will find a copy of his address. Mr President, Dear Friends, […]
Below is the full text of Most Rev. Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin. His catechesis was presented earlier today at the Royal Dublin Society arena at the International Eucharistic Congress. Those of us who studied theology, at least here in Ireland, at the time of the Second Vatican Council were greatly influenced by the Council’s […]