The "spirit of Vatican II" is a ghost that must be exorcised

     From the Ignatius Press Blog dated October 16, 2009 is an interview with His Excellency R. Walter Nickless of Sioux City, Iowa on the above topic. A topic that is identical with the purpose of this blog. Bishop Nickless states, "It is crucial that we  all grasp that the hermeneutic or interpretation of discontinuity or rupture, which many think is the settled and even official position, is not the true meaning of the Council. This interpretation sees the pre-conciliar and post-conciliar almost as two different churches. It sees the Second Vatican Council as a radical break with the past. There can be no split, however, between the Church and her faith before and after the Council. We must stop speaking of the "Pre-Vatican II" and post-Vatican II Church, and stop seeing various characteristics of the Church as "pre" and "post" Vatican II. Instead, we must evaluate them according to their intrinsic value and pastoral effectiveness in this day and age.

     Therefore, we must heed the Holy Father's point that one interpretation, the "hermeneutic of reform", is valid, and has borne and is bearing fruit. This hermeneutic of reform, as described above, takes seriously and keeps together the two poles of identity (the ancient deposit of faith and life) and engagement with the world (teaching it more efficaciously).

     Lastly, the Holy Father, going into greater detail later in the address, explains that the "spirit of Vatican II must be found only in the letter of the documents themselves. The so called "spirit" of the Council has no authoritative interpretation. It is a ghost or demon that must be exorcised if we are to proceed with the Lord's work.

     The Church's Magisterium, not our private opinions, is our authoritative guide in this ressourcementt. The liturgy belongs to the entire Church, and in a special way to the faithful - not to a particular Diocese or parish, and certainly not to individual priests."

     Bishop Nickless' pastoral letter, from which we have included here some excerpts, is titled Ecclesia Semper Reformanda ( The Church is always in need of renewal ).