Sunday 14 October 2012

Pope Benedict on Vatican II and the real meaning of "aggiornomento"


The Holy Father, addressed a number of surviving Council fathers. as well as various bishops. In his address, the Pope focused on the truth of Vatican II. That is, the Council is to be interpreted within the whole of Christian tradition; the call for renewal by Popes John and Paul were for precisely that: renewal, not betrayal. 

The Pope, who himself participated in Vatican Council II as an expert, noted that "many memories come to mind, memories inscribed in each of our hearts, of the period of the Council which was so lively, so rich and so fruitful. However I do not wish to dwell upon this for too long, ... I would merely like to recall how a word launched by Blessed John XXIII, almost as if to establish a programme, resurfaced continually during the course of the conciliar sessions: the word 'aggiornamento'.




"Fifty years on from the opening of that solemn gathering of the Church", Benedict XVI added, "some people may ask themselves whether that term was perhaps, from the very beginning, not entirely appropriate. Choice of words is something that can be discussed for hours without reconciling contrasting opinions, for my part I am convinced that the intuition which Blessed John XXIII summarised in that word was and remains correct. Christianity must not be considered as 'something that has passed', nor must we live with our gaze always turned back, because Jesus Christ is yesterday today and forever. Christianity is marked by the presence of the eternal God, Who entered into time and is present in all times, because all times are brought forth of His creative power, of His eternal 'today'.


The full address may be read here

An excellent interview with Cardinal Wuerl on the Council, aggiornamento,  re-evangelization, secularization etc. can be heard here

1 comment:

kalbertini said...

This is false.Vatican II called for collegiality & subsidiarity but these two dissenting popes(JPII & Benedict) crushed that.Peter the apostle was not a unnacountable autocrat who imposes decisions without consultation like these two popes.If everyone is short of memory we know what damage popes can do---Pius IX hailed slavery As morally legitimate & condemned democracy.Pope gregory the 16th condemned the railroad as the work of the devil & Pope Gregory the great hailed sex in marriage a necessarry evil tainted with sin & Pope Honorius condemned for heresy by 3rd council of Constantinople. The local church was bypassed for input in appointing bishops where ultra reactionaries & incompetent priests were put in who based on blind obedience to the institution allowed for massive cover ups of child abuse.Man made rules of priestly celibacy bar others to the priesthood where priests are farther & fewer between. Good riddans Pope Benedict.Ii^l enjoy 2013 & you can enjoy the year 1213 with your archaic theology.By the way how can a pope who celebrates the old mass with at times his back against the people & who caters to the bizarre Pius 10 society be a defender of Vatican II ? Catholics aren^t that stupid.