All of the great councils were followed by a 50 to 100 year period of turmoil.
I’m not sure I buy this, see YTC’s post above. However, if we take the statement as truth we can see that, after previous councils, official interpretations were released which served to mitigate misunderstanding. In addition, after Vatican I, a Papal Bull was released to prevent the writing of heterodox interpretations of the council so that the Magisterium had time to teach the documents properly and begin to implement them.
Furthermore, the suggestion that this happens all the time is hardly a comforting explanation. In fact, it is quite the opposite (more about that below).
There are not two Churches; pre-Vatican II and post-Vatican II. There is one Church. Perhaps the pendulum has swung too far to one side, then it will swing back, and eventually it will settle in the center.
Agreed. However, there are most certainly pre and post Vatican II mindsets, teachings, attitudes, etc. Of this there can be no doubt. Many have written and spoken about this to include our last two Holy Fathers.
It was the same after every great council. What the Church is experiencing is nothing new.
You see, this one bothers me and it bothers me a great deal. If it truth that this always happens, and we still do little if anything to mitigate it, then either we don’t care enough or we are flat out incompetent.
If we know it is going to happen and can predict it because it has happened every single time we have had a council (21 times in a row), then we really ought to be ready for it after the first twenty or so. How about not releasing the documents until a plan of implementation is put into place? How about making sure they are taught correctly and that authoritative interpretations are ready to go before they are released? These things are not hard to do and they are painfully obvious for anyone taking the time to think about it. Seriously? We have had this happen 20 straight times and on the 21st we can’t come up with some sort of a plan to keep it from happening again?
Instead, we got a 50-100 year “period of turmoil” as you described it, when how many Catholics fell away from the faith; how many were taught improperly; and, how many irreverent and disrespectful Masses were conducted? You are not alone in pointing out that this happens after councils. In fact, I have heard many say it, to include Pope Benedict. However, this is not comforting at all. In fact, it is probably the most disturbing and frustrating part of the whole situation.
