When we sat down to write The Church Alive series, Sebastian Gomes and I considered the state of affairs inside and outside the Church. Presumably, if we were going to evangelize we’d have to understand what’s going on. Needless to say, I quickly realized this ‘New Evangelization’ was a topic of gargantuan proportions. But as is the case with all things Catholic, we’re rarely (actually never) left without the resources to meet the challenge.  After 2,000 years of existence there is hardly a question that hasn’t already been tackled by men and women considerably holier and more intelligent. That said, the help we needed was right there in front of us. Literally.

Let me explain. For those of you who haven’t had the privilege of working with Sebastian aka ‘Prof. Gomes’, there is one thing you should know.

There are few things, no scratch that, there is nothing that Sebastian loves to talk about more than theSecond Vatican Council.   I do not exaggerate when I say that he has no less than three hard copies of the The Second Vatican Council documents (with notes and commentaries) on his desk see, Exhibit 1 below. And he reads them often, and out-loud to anyone within earshot. Eccentric? Maybe. Enlightening? Definitely.

OK, so there aren’t three copies pictured here, but that’s only because Sebastian is out of the office and he always carries one set with him at all times.

So that’s what I mean when I say that the resources were right there in front of us: they were on Sebastian’s desk.

My point is, I’ve studied these documents at university but they weren’t exactly bedtime reading for me. Obviously I didn’t fully appreciate their value. Although I’m sure I’m not alone in making that mistake. All kidding aside, I insist that you read these. They really are all that and a bag of chips. But don’t take my word for it, take Pope Benedict’s who said they are the “Magna Carta” for the Church today.

The Church Alive is our modest attempt to share with you some the treasures found within the documents of the Second Vatican Council and we’ve published a 75 page study guide to accompany the series, so you too can benefit from all of Sebastian’s bedtime reading, ahem, I mean research. And for fun, remember this?