Since this year was the 40th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council there has been a lot of talk about what things were decided and discussed at that council. In fact they started reprinting an encyclical from that time period called [i:nosso8oo]Pacem en Terris [/i:nosso8oo] (sp?).
Anyway, I am too young to have experienced the changes that Vatican II set forth. I am used to having the priest face the congregation for mass, I am used to it being said in my own language and I am used to the Catholic Church’s growing effort of ecumenism.
To me, it seems like the bishops at that council opened their hearts to listen to God more with love by allowing women to participate at the council and to make these changes. Granted women had a limited role, but it was a role nonetheless and that is how we make progress – we have to start somewhere.
I think Catholics have a duty by nature of their baptism to go and spread the Gospel by living it out and not just talking about it or knocking on neighbors’ doors. The events post Vatican II have really brought our attention to this and I am starting to see it more and more in the preaching of parishes wherever I go. Now, whether people hear it or not is a different issue, but it is very important that it gets preached.