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October, 11 1962

history in photos

OPENING OF THE SECOND VATICAN COUNCIL, CHRISTIAN UNITY AND MISSIONARY EFFORT STRESSED

Rome (AIF)   For months the world waited for the solemn opening of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council and in a very real sense all parts of the world were represented at the ceremony that marked its beginning on October 11th 1962.
The catholicity of the inaugural ceremony was reflected in many ways. There were the Cardinals from Africa, the Americas, Asia, Australia and Europe. Among the 2,540 Council Fathers were Archbishops and Bishops from all over the world even from the remotest islands of the great oceans. Besides the Council Fathers there were eighty five official representations of Governments and International Organizations had special places reserved to them, as did also observers of some fifteen non Catholic Christian Confessions. In St. Peter's Square amid the throng of some 200,000 persons who watched the processions and joyfully cheered as His Holiness was carried on the Sedia Gestatoria (the portable throne on which His Holiness is carried on solemn occasions in order that all may see him), faces and languages told the spectator that this was a universal gathering.
Descriptions and indeed actual pictures (movie and still photos) have been flashed to the world already, in Europe millions were able to watch the ceremony on a live broadcast, and Telistar brought a part of the ceremony into homes in the United States and Canada.
After the Mass which was offered by His Eminence Cardinal Eugene Tisserant the special ceremonies of the opening of the Council took place. These included: the placing of the Gospel on the altar; the Solemn Profession of Faith, first by His Holiness, and then by all the Fathers of the Council; the prayer "Adsumus Domine" for the beginning of the Council; the singing of the Gospel in Latin and Greek; and the allocution of His Holiness.
The Holy Father spoke of the importance of councils, Ecumenical and others. Of Ecumenical Councils, he said that they are a solemn ce1ebration of the union of Christ and His Church and that they therefore lead to the universal radiation of the truth, to the proper guidance of individual, domestic and social life and to the strengthening of spiritual energies.
His Holiness recalled how he had first made mention of his intention to call the present Council and of the warm reception that this announcement received.
The Holy Father's words concerned also some who were not able to be present: "… We confess to you that We feel a most lively sorrow because of the fact that very many Bishops, so dear to Us, are noticeable here today by their absence, imprisoned for their faithfulness to Christ or impeded by other restraints."  On the purpose of the Council His Holiness said: "The greatest concern of the Ecumenical Council is this, that the sacred deposit of Christian doctrine should be guarded and taught more efficaciously." After having developed this point in the light of the present conditions of human activity and after having show how opportune it is that the Council be celebrated, His Holiness looked beyond the spectacle that lay before him to speak of the need to promote the unity of the whole human family.
"The Catholic Church therefore, considers it her duty to work actively so that there may be fulfilled the great mystery of that unity for which Jesus Christ fervently besought His Heavenly Father on the eve of His sacrifice. She rejoices in peace, knowing well that She is intimately associated with that prayer and then exults greatly at seeing that invocation extend its efficacy with salutary fruit even among those who are outside Her Fold. Indeed, if one carefully considers this same unity which Christ implored for His Church, it seems to shine, as it were, with a triple ray of beneficent supernatural light: namely, the unity of Catholics among themselves, which must always be kept exemplary and most firm; the unity of prayers and ardent desire with which those Christians separated from this Apostolic See aspire to be united with us; and the unity in esteem and respect for the Catholic Church which animates those who follow non Christian religions. In this regard, it is a source of considerable sorrow to see that the greater part of the human race   although all men who are born were redeemed by the Blood of Christ   does not yet share in those sources of divine grace which exist in the Catholic Church...
"Venerable Brother, these are the aims of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council. It brings together the Church's best energies and strives to help men receive the good tidings of salvation more willingly. In this way it so to speak prepares and consolidates the path towards that unity of mankind which is necessary as a foundation on which to build the earthly city so that it will resemble the heavenly city, which will last forever. There truth reigns and charity is law." (Fides) October 13, 1962

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Missionary Intention for the month of January 1963: "That the Ecumenical Council may provide effective help to the missionary efforts of the Church throughout the world."

Rome (AIF)   The Second Vatican Council is already a reality with its own peculiar character, one of the elements of which is the presence of about 600 bishops from missionary territories.
It is the first time in the history of the Church that so many of those in charge of mission territories where they are directly responsible for the conversion of pagans have been gathered together around the Vicar of Christ and in immediate contact with the Bishops of those countries where the majority of Catholics live. In the countries that the new Apostles represent in the Council, a few million Catholics are living amidst a third of the population of the world, which today has over 3,000,000,000 inhabitants.
Africa, Asia and Oceania are still waiting for the Gospel to be preached on such a large scale that it may lead vast numbers to the feet of the Divine Redeemer. The presence of the missionary bishops brings the whole of the world that has been Catholic for centuries and specially its bishops, face to face with this tragic situation. indeed through numerous personal contacts between the members of the Church's Hierarchy, the bishops of the Catholic countries will obtain a deeper, more real and fuller picture of the dimensions and difficulties of the apostolate amongst pagans. The Church's missionary needs will stand out more clearly in their minds, and with renewed apostolic zeal they will afterwards be able to imbue their priests and their flock with greater enthusiasm for the spread of the Gospel.

Encouragement for the Missions

The missionary bishops themselves, specially the native ones, will also draw real benefits from the Council. Their churches, which develop slowly in the discouraging atmosphere of other religions and ideologies, will feel that they are surrounded by the affection and interest of the whole of Christianity. They will realise better that they are not living merely on the fringe of the Church and that they are the centre of the attention and affectionate encouragement of the Holy See and of the whole Catholic Episcopate. When the Bishops go back to their Christians in Africa, Asia and Oceania they will be able project better the idea of the vitality of the Church of Christ, of its importance and incomparable superiority over all other human institutions mutual understandings
In this atmosphere of	the various problems concerning help for the missions will receive new impulse and if need be, solutions more suited to the tragic reality of the moment. These problems will be closely studied during the Council sessions so that the evangelisation of pagan countries may go forward at such a rate that the great difference in numbers between Christians and non Christians may diminish constantly.

Every Catholic an apostle
One of the principal results to be hoped for from the Council is a fuller sharing of the work of the missions by the entire Catholic world. Until now shortage of missionaries has been an obstacle to a more abundant harvest. No one expects miraculous solutions to problems, but if the clergy, bishops and priests, of the Christian countries, are invited to  greater zeal In instilling a conquering missionary spirit, more numerous vocations may spring up and so give the missionary Church new strength. If our Christian communities are brought up in the future not only at home, but also in every diocese

and religious institute, with a keener sense of the apostolate, new heralds of the Gospel can be recruited. Perhaps in the past the spiritual training of our people has not sufficiently insisted that the truths revealed to us by God must be lived and communicated to all those who have never heard them.

Adjustment to local needs.

There is also another contribution that it is hoped the Council will make to work for the missions. According the Holy Father's own words, the first and immediate purpose of the Council is to show the world the Church in its perennial vigour of life and truth and with its legislation adjusted to present circumstances. These intentions concern missionary territory in a special way, because in them the climate, the temperament and customs of the people differ so very much from those of other Christian countries. It can therefore be considered certain that the Council will issue decrees and directives which will allow for the principles of adaptation to be realised in a complete and practical manner: in this way the Church will be seen as not foreign or opposed to those particular points which all races preserve   with jealous care and understandable pride   as their proper patrimony. our prayers hasten  the realisation of these intentions. (Fides) October 10, 1962

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