"Gaudet Mater Ecclesia" - Pope John XXIII's Opening Speech for Vatican Council II

This is the opening speech of Pope John XXIII at the Second Vatican Council. This speech contains in seed many of the themes that the council will flesh out in its documents. In a certain sense, the word that John XXIII used in his announcement of the council to the Cardinals in 1959 and in his first encyclical Ad Petri Cathedram in 1959, "aggiornamento", is a good summary of the council. The council is an appropriate updating of the way we present the Catholic faith to the world. 

Interestingly, in many articles in the internet about Vatican II, a quote will often appear which is attributed to John XXIII. "Throw open the windows of the Church and let the fresh air of the Spirit blow through." After doing my own searching, I cannot locate any concrete source for this quote. No speech, letter, interview, or document that can actually be cited. My conclusion is that this is an apocryphal quote. 

We Have Entered a New Age

A first key point John XXIII makes is that we have entered a new time in history. Not that persecution is new or that we should listen to the "prophets of doom", but that "in the present course of human events, by which human society seems to be entering a new order of things, we should see instead the mysterious plans of divine Providence which through the passage of time and the efforts of men, and often beyond their expectation, are achieving their purpose and wisely disposing of all things, even contrary human events, for the good of the Church." 

Without quite stating what is new ("... the present times which have introduced new conditions and new forms of life, and have opened new avenues for the Catholic apostolate."), he states that it is an invitation for the Church to take a new stance. 

A Pastoral Representation of the Doctrines of the Faith 

What is this new stance? 

He states it very clearly. "The greatest concern of the Ecumenical Council is this, that the sacred deposit of Christian doctrine should be more effectively defended and presented." Indeed, "The twenty-first Ecumenical Council ... wishes to transmit whole and entire and without distortion the Catholic doctrine which, despite difficulties and controversies, has become the common heritage of humanity." 

Interestingly, John XXIII points out that the whole world depends on the influence of the faith, and so we cannot just focus on preserving the past, but finding a way to present it to the present time which so desperately needs it. 

"What instead is necessary today is that the whole of Christian doctrine, with not part of it lost, be received in our times by all with a new fervor, in serenity and peace, in that traditional and precise conceptuality and expression which is especially displayed in the acts of the Councils of Trent and Vatican I. As all sincere promoters of Christian, Catholic, and apostolic faith strongly desire, what is needed is that this doctrine be more fully and more profoundly known and that minds be more fully imbued and formed by it. What is needed is that this certain and unchangeable doctrine, to which loyal submission is due, be investigated and presented in the way demanded by our times." 

"...types of presentation must be introduced which are more in accord with a teaching authority which is primarily pastoral in character." 

And so it is clear that Vatican II is not focusing on one particular dogma/doctrine and how it is defined and formulated, but rather on how the entirety of the faith is presented to the world today. 

Apologetics, Not Condemnation

Traditionally the Church has ended its councils with a set of doctrinal formulations and anathemas for those who dissent. John says that he wants to take a new approach to his: "... at the present time, the spouse of Christ prefers to use the medicine of mercy rather than the weapons of severity; and, she thinks she meets today's needs by explaining the validity of her doctrine more fully rather than by condemning."

The world has already just engaged in a period of severe harshness with others, with using weapons of war and destruction. "... imposing external force on others, the power of weapons, and political domination are not at all sufficient for a happy solution of the most serious questions which trouble them." 

Likewise, the world is tasting the evil fruits of depending so much on technological progress and the physical comforts that it provides. 

Call to Holiness for Laity

The world needs something new. The worlds needs new witnesses. [Pope John Paul II coined the phrase the "New Evangelization" later on which has embodied this call of Vatican II] If the faithful are holy and everywhere in the modern world then we will be a light in all places to people everywhere. [We see the seeds of the "universal call to holiness" mentioned here.]

 

Set the High Bar, Not the Low Bar

Likewise, instead of a focus on the lowest requirement before one falls into sin, [such as in the moral manuals before the council which tried to quantify things which could not be quantified] could we not take a new stance of presenting the heights of holiness to the world in our saints to hopefully invite people to be drawn to God?

Ecumenism 

The final theme that the speech hits on is ecumenism. If the Church is the hope of the world and represents the "common heritage of humanity" then can we not also seek for the reunification of Christians and a better relationship with all religions? 

"While it focuses the Church's chief energies and earnestly strives to have people accept more favorably the message of salvation, it is, as it were, preparing and consolidating the path which can bring about that unity of the human race which is the necessary foundation if the earthly city is to be ordered into a likeness of the heavenly city, 'whose king is truth, whose law is love, and whose length is eternity' (St. Augustine, Epistle 138,3)." 

John XXIII then concludes with some beautiful spiritual words.