The truth about Vatican II
Plus: The USCCB synodal synthesis document
Good morning and happy Saturday. Today is the memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Yesterday, for the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we prayed about Christ’s love for us and offered thanksgiving for his sacrifice on the cross for us. Today we thank God for Mary’s “yes” to Him and for her selfless cooperation in God’s plan for salvation.
Regular Saturday posts are returning soon. This week, I wanted to share two videos for your education and enjoyment about some hot button issues in the Church.
Recently, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops released its synthesis report from the synodal sessions across the country. One of the key critiques highlighted in the document is the lack of transparency on what the goal is for certain issues in the Church. Unfortunately, the document is very difficult to read and, shall we say, opaque.
The Flannel Panel on Catholic Answers Live discussed the document yesterday. Cy Kellett (Host of Catholic Answers Live), Chris Check (President of Catholic Answers), and Joe Heschmeyer (author and podcast host) discussed the document at length and broke down some of the issues they see.
(You can also search for Catholic Answers Live wherever you listen to podcasts and look for June 5th’s program)
Undoubtedly you have heard objections to the Second Vatican Council. Conspiracies about the council and the quality and authenticity of its teachings run rampant on the internet. Some criticize a few particular points, some go as far as claiming all popes since the council (St. John XXIII, St. Paul VI, John Paul I, St. John Paul II, Benedict XVI, Francis) are illegitimate popes.
This week, the folks at Renewal Ministries published a video discussing the truth about the teachings of the Second Vatican Council. In this video, Dr. Ralph Martin (professor at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit), Dr. Mary Healy (advisor to the Congregation for Divine Worship and professor at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit), Pete Burak (Vice President of Renewal Ministries), and Peter Herbeck (evangelist and radio host), discussed the teachings of the council, objections, and how the Church can move forward.
Also in this conversation, they discuss the truth about the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. While it does not get as much criticism as Vatican II, there have been some new conspiracies floating around on the internet about the authenticity of the movement.
(You can also find this talk as a podcast. Just search for Right Now with Ralph Martin and look for episode 197)
Regular Saturday posts are returning soon. In the meantime, I invite your comments on the videos above and ask you to share this post with people who may need to hear about the synthesis document and Vatican II.
I’ll talk to you Monday on the radio.
Matthew