rch?Why VaticanII was the relationship with the

rch?Why VaticanII was the relationship with the

rch?Why is Vatican II so Significant in the Modern Church?INTRODUCTION: VATICAN IIVatican II was the 21st ecumenical council recognized by the Roman Catholicchurch, which became the symbol of the church’s openness to the modern world.

The council was announced by Pope John XXIII on January 25, 1959, and held 178meetings in the autumn of each of four successive years. The first gathering wason October 11, 1962, and the last on December 8, 1965. Of 2908 bishops andothers eligible to attend, 2540 from all parts of the world participated in theopening meeting. The U.S. delegation of 241 members was second in size only tothat of Italy. Asian and African bishops played a prominent role in thecouncil’s deliberations.

Only Communist nations were sparsely represented, theresult of government pressures. The average attendance at the meetings was 2200.ESSAYVatican II, as we can clearly see from the above information, was a verylarge and important meeting in the Roman Catholic Church. Vatican II has alteredthe Roman Catholic Church more that any other council that took place. It hasgreat significance as it made the church more reasonable and realistic. TheChurch, after the council, was much more down-to-earth and open-minded.

One of Vatican II’s changes that took place was that Mass becamevernacular. This change was very important because it made people feel more at apersonal level when mass was held seeing as though the priest was speaking theirlanguage. It made them feel more at home and increased their understanding andability to respond.Another very major and important change that took place due to VaticanII was the relationship with the Church and the world. “The Church is a humanorganization steered by the Holy Spirit and composed of the gifts and talents ofits members. It is acknowledged that at this time the Church community has notyet reached its highest potential and is faced with the limitations and of humanshortcomings and temporal constrictions.

With an understanding of its abilitiesand its boundaries, the Church seeks to work with the world community to comecloser to the life to which God calls the world.” As this quote from one of theDocuments in Vatican II states, the Church need have a relationship with the”outside world” as the Church itself is comprised of humans. And that theChurch having a good relationship with the outside world is necessary for theChurch to reach its highest potential.These are some of the changes that took place in Vatican II and namingall of them would not be necessary. The modern Church is the way it is becausemost of what happened in Vatican II.

Vatican II was what made the Church, whatwe know it as now. Vatican II has molded the modern Church and has had mostinfluence on it. Therefore, it is explicitly obvious that Vatican II was whatmade Church what we know as the “Modern Church.” If Vatican II did not takeplace, there would not be a “Modern Church.”Bibliography:Information obtained from the following sources:1) Encyclopedia Britannica2) Roman Catholic Church History3) Various handouts in Religion ClassReligion