Th understanding was that if the Church was to operate in the world today, it had to live in the world, without, as scripture would remind us, not being owned by the world. The use of the vernacular in worship, the extended role of the laity, and the emphasis on social justice were a radical development in the body of the Church, as well as in its theology. This was a profound move which caused many to fret.
While some equate the Council simply as a move from Latin, to whatever national language, there is a great deal of change which provided the foundation of our ministry today, in the light of the mission of the catholc Church. Quite simply pastors were called upon to collaborate with the laity in church ministry, the laity were called to a greater role in work and in governance in the Church, and there continues to be an emphasis on working within the context of all Christian peoples.
Oddly while people would complain about the Vatican Council eliminating many of the good traditions in the Church, the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults, and the Permanent Diaconate process are two of the ancient elements that Vatican II revised. In a very real way the Church took both the old and the new out of its storehouse.
There are not a lot of parishioners today who remember the Church before the Second Vatican Council. It is amusing to hear some of the younger clergy speaking fondly of the former days, since they cannot comprehend what their role would be like in the good ole days. Like our faith journey with Christ our Church has to undergo conversion and transformation in order to grow. Fifty years is not a long time but the practices of the Council are only now taking shape. We cannot go back but have to move forward in proclaiming the Kingdom of God.
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