Reading Materials for Topics 3-5 PDF

St. Agnes Academy, Inc Senior High School Legazpi City READING MATERIALS in A. THE SENSE OF BEING A COMMUNITY OF THE EARLY CHURCH. 1. DEVOTED. They devoted themselves to the a...

St. Agnes Academy, Inc Senior High School Legazpi City READING MATERIALS in A. THE SENSE OF BEING A COMMUNITY OF THE EARLY CHURCH. 1. DEVOTED. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. (Acts 2:42) 2. AWE-INSPIRING. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles. (Acts 2:43) 3. ONE. Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. (Acts 2:44) 4. GENEROUS. They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. (Acts 2:45) 5. JOYFUL. Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, (Acts 2:46) 6. REPUTABLE and GROWING. praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved. (Acts 2:47) B. THE FAITH OF THE EARLY CHURCH. 1. Faith is also a human act, according to the Church's way of thinking. The Catechism states, “believing is an authentically human act. Trusting in God and cleaving to the truths he has revealed is contrary neither to human freedom nor to human reason” (CCC 154). 2. The life of the early Christians was filled with struggles. They suffered persecutions and martyrdom. Yet, they were not deterred from proclaiming the joyful message of salvation. Their efforts were rewarded with a bountiful harvest. 3. The early Christians lived their life under the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. This is the reason why they were able to carry out their mission with boldness and fidelity. C. THE SUFFERINGS OF THE EARLY CHURCH. 1. The sufferings that the early Church endured were like the seeds that caused the Church to flourish and bear fruits. 2. Jesus’ invitation to follow Him was adhered to with utmost fidelity by the early Christians. They willingly embraced the cross of suffering and are now crowned as martyrs of the Church. 3. The martyrdom of the early Christians caused large number of people to convert to Christianity, indeed, the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church. “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church: the more we are mowed down by you, the more we will spring up” (Tertullian, Apologeticus) 1  D. THE GROWTH AND SPREAD OF THE CHURCH 1. The spread of the Church to the then unknown world was fueled by the zeal of the apostles in preaching the Gospel and the witness of countless Christians who died for the faith. But this zeal and witness would not have been possible without the ever-abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. 2. The account of the missionary journey of the apostles as well as Paul and Barnabas in the Acts of the Apostles documents the steady spread of the Church. 3. The steady growth and spread of the Church to different places attests to the missionary zeal of the apostles and of those who may not be included among the Twelve but are strong adherents to the Faith. This zeal is kept burning by the power of the Holy Spirit. 4. The Catholic Faith came to the Philippines through the Spaniards who has also received the faith through St. James, the Greater – one of the twelve. They Spanish friars baptized the Filipinos, introduced religious practices and built churches. By the grace of God, the Church in the Philippines celebrated its 500 years of Christianity in 2021. SYNTHESIS The early Christian community, as described in Acts of the Apostles, lived by values of prayer, fellowship, sharing resources, and care for the poor. These values helped them form a strong, unified body, which attracted many to the faith. Today, these same principles remain essential for modern Christians. By embracing prayer, mutual support, and charity, we reflect the Church’s mission of love and service to one another, as emphasized in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 952): “They had everything in common. Everything the true Christian possesses should be regarded as a good, meant for the common good of all.” Living by these values fosters a deeper sense of community, both within the Church and in our daily lives, helping us build stronger, more compassionate societies. The success of the early Christians as a community, in their faith-life, in dealing with trials and sufferings, and in doing their mission of sharing the message to all can ultimately be attributed to their fidelity to Jesus, their love for God and for one another, their devotion to the Word of God and the Eucharist. Indeed, the life of the early Christians was under the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. KEY POINTS: 1. The word vocation comes from the Latin vocare which means to call or calling. God calls or invites us to a particular vocation: single life, marriage, priesthood or consecrated life. Although each of us must make a decision about our vocation, that choice is a response to an invitation from God. Whichever particular vocation is chosen, its universal implication is that, God calls and invites us all to be HOLY (follow Him with all our hearts, soul, body, and mind). 2. It is a calling and therefore is born out of a relationship with God. Saint Pope John Paul II highlights this distinction in his work, On the Meaning of Vocation: “In the hidden recesses of the human heart, the grace of a vocation takes the form of a dialogue. It is a dialogue between Christ and an individual, in which a personal invitation is given. Christ calls the person by name and says: ‘Come, follow me.’ This call, this mysterious inner voice of Christ, is heard most clearly in silence and prayer. Its acceptance is an act of faith.” 2 THE BIRTH OF THE INSTITUTIONAL CHURCH A. BRIEF HISTORICAL CONTEXT 1. The Reformation (1517-1648) In spite of the steady advancement in learning and in almost all fields of endeavor begun in the Medieval Church, corruption, hypocrisy, and irrationality continued to exist in the Church. Martin Luther, an Augustinian monk, scandalized by Church prelates who were concerned more with wealth and power more than the spiritual needs of the people, revolted against the Catholic Church. When he nailed his Ninety-Five Theses (points for reform for the Church) on the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church in 1517, he had no idea that such an action would eventually lead to a whole group of new religious denominations known under the general title Protestantism. 2. The Counter Reformation Movement. This was the Catholic Church’s response to Luther’s valid criticisms. It was characterized by: a. A general revival of religion. Many prominent saints we know today – like Saints Ignatius of Loyola, Vincent de Paul, Francis de Sales, Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, and Philip Neri – and their respective religious orders vigorously carried out reforms and spiritual renewal in their respective territories. The saints’ spiritual writings and example focused on interior conversion, the deepening of prayer, and the commitment to do God’s will in contrast to the external obedience to obligations. b. A vigorous effort to reconquer lost territories in Europe and to extend dominions in Asia and South America. The reconversion of Poland, Hungary, Germany, and France to Catholicism were attributed to the Jesuits. St. Francis Xavier went to the East and attempted to convert Japan. King Philip II of Spain was in sympathy with the Counter Reformation movement and supported expeditions that were both military and missionary to new lands. In 1521, Ferdinand Magellan arrived at the Philippine Islands and brought Christianity to our shores. c. The holding of the Council of Trent. Pope Paul III called for an ecumenical council to affirm and consolidate Catholic teachings and strengthen ecclesiastical discipline. B. THE DEVELOPMENT OF CLERGY-LAITY AS A CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL RESULT (The Graeco-Roman Epoch) The development of a clergy and a laity within the church happened for a number of interrelated cultural and historical reasons. To sum up a rather complex turn of events that introduced the institutionalized grouping of clergy and laity, we shall speak of three distinctions: theological, social, and educational. These, taken together, were what divided the church into a clergy and a laity. 1. The theological distinction was connected with the cessation of Christian persecutions, with the ascendancy of Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire, and with the rise of ascetical movement. Christians were finally allowed to openly worship Jesus Christ. Many Christian buildings and churches were built. The Liturgy was enriched and became elaborate celebration. Philosophical dualism has a great influence over the division of the church as a clergy and a laity. Dualism proposes that the human person is composed of a body and a soul; that the welfare of the soul is more important than the welfare of the body; that the clergy takes care of the more important aspect of humanity, hence, they are also more important than the laity. This distinction however is not based on a theological testimony found in Scripture, but rather due to the influence of a western philosophical (cultural) view known as dualism. 2. The social distinction came about because of the privileges given to clergy by the empire. This distinction further reinforced the theological difference socially. After Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan in the 4th century which made Christianity a licit religion, and Emperor Theodosius declared it as the official religion of the Roman Empire, the situation of the church dramatically changed. With this reversal in circumstances, the leaders of the church – the clergy – were given privileges formerly allotted to the caretakers of the various religions recognized by the emperor. And 3  now, that Christianity is THE official religion, then special privileges were given to the clergy such as: exemption from taxes and military service; the state’s recognition of certain ecclesiastical decisions as binding; a special kind of dress worn that would distinguish them from the rest. 3. The educational distinction occurred due to the so-called “barbarian” invasions in Europe which, knowledge-wise produced an educated clergy and an ignorant laity. Pre-occupied with defense and survival around the 4th and 5th centuries during these “barbaric” invasion periods, the general population spent most of its time and energy on armed resistance. Learning and preservation of culture were the least of its concern. Monastic institutions established by St. Benedict and others, with their libraries and scriptoria, preserved learning in general and the Western cultural heritage in particular. But this reality widened the division of a clergy and a laity in the church. Many of the available leaders in the church – the clergy – came from the ranks of the monks. As a result, the church historically started to have an educated clergy and an ignorant laity even though this situation was never intended. Clerics can read and write the alphabet, and so, they are the “literate”; while, the laity could not, hence, the “illiterate”. C. THE RAINBOW AFTER THE RAIN: THE HOLY SPIRIT AT WORK Although, this particular epoch seems to characterize a dark stage in story of the church, we must also consider that it is during this particular age, when, the early council of the Church played a crucial role in establishing important doctrines on the person of Jesus Christ as responses to the confusion brought about by the heresies of individuals or groups of Christians at that same time. It was also about this time in 382 CE, when the official list of inspired books of the Bible, known as the Canon of the Sacred Scriptures, first came to being. A formal definition of the Canon was proclaimed by the Council of Trent in the 16th century. It was also from 382 to 406 CE that St. Jerome translated the Old Testament (Hebrew) and the New Testament (Greek) into Latin, known as the Latin Vulgate version of the Bible. The English Bible was directly translated from this. It was St. Augustine of Hippo who declared that it is only on the authority of the Roman Catholic Church that we accept any book of Scripture. With the fall of the Roman Empire, the civilization in Europe halted due to the destruction of educational and government institutions, which are considered two Roman legacies. The Church – especially, the clergy – was the stabilizing influence in that era of “cultural and moral darkness.” Hospitals and charitable missions by the church became part of its mandated apostolate. Through the universities and monasteries which the Church founded, education was preserved and responsible leadership was promoted among local chieftains and kings. There was a strong alliance between the state and the Church. The Pope was recognized as the true ruler of the Church. While a career is a chosen mode of making a living and contributing to the earthly welfare of the human community, a vocation is a call from God to a way of life. It is a beckoning, an invitation to give oneself totally to another person in accordance with the divine plan. But a chosen profession or career can become part of one’s vocation if it is used and offered consciously, willfully, actively for the love and glory of God. Our labora can become part of our vocation when it is for the service of God and humanity in the promotion of the common good of society and environment. Pastoral care and leadership are the primordial responsibility of a priest. To be an image of Christ here on earth is the ultimate desire of a priest’s heart. Faithfulness to Christ demands obedience to the Church and its Magisterium and to the leader’s given authority by Jesus Christ through Peter and his successors; mutual respect among his brother -priests and the people of God whom he serves just as Jesus was obedient to the Father and of service to His disciples and others. ASSIGNMENTS: Watch the movie, “The Good Pope” and the salient points or main theme of the Four Constitutions of Vatican II Council in preparation for our lesson next meeting. 4 A. BRIEF HISTORICAL CONTEXT 3. Church in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. The Church faced modern problems of secularism, pluralism, totalitarianism, and liberalism, well as social issues, tensions between governments, internal dissent among Catholic intellectuals, and questions on women’s role in the Church. The effects of the Enlightenment and wars of religion eroded Catholic life, thought, and spiritual strength. B. POPE PIUS IX and VATICAN I. Vatican I was convened by Pope Pius IX to address the rising influence of rationalism, materialism, and liberalism. The Council was not formally closed because Italian troops occupied Rome in the summer of 1870. Due to the shortness of time, the council was only able to issue two decrees: (1) Dei Filius, establishing the relationship between faith and reason; and, (2) Pastor Aetemus, establishing the primacy of the Pope and his infallibility “ex cathedra”, that is, when he is teaching on faith and morals as head of the entire Church and a successor of blessed Peter. After Vatican I, his successor, Pope Leo XIII, produced the first formal church social document known as Rerum Novarum or On the Condition of the Working Classes in 1891. C. POPE JOHN XXIII and VATICAN II. Pope John XXIII- a 77-year-old Angelo Cardinal Roncalli, also known as “Good Pope John” - called the Second Vatican Council, or Vatican II, in 1959, not long after his election to the papacy. It was the second council held at the Vatican since such council, Vatican I, which was held from 1869 to 1870. Vatican II was opened formally by Pope John XXIII on October 11, 1962 and closed by Pope Paul VI on December 8,1965. Both John and his successor, Pope Paul VI, saw the council as an opportunity for the Catholic Church to come to terms with the challenges of modernity. Pope John XXIII viewed it as an expression of aggiornamento, which means, “to bring the church up to date.” He called for a total renewal of the Church, “by opening up the windows of the Church to let the Spirit blow through”. The call was for change – an updating (aggiornamento) of ourselves to discern the “signs of the times,” and to “grow to the full flowering of our life of faith in Christ” (PCP II). Aggiornamento was thought of partly as the fostering of new dialogues between the Catholic Church and the non-Catholic world. Vatican II, therefore, included non-voting observers from other denominations, a notable development for a church that in the past century had condemned modernism and that had been reluctant to engage in ecumenism. Ecumenical councils of the past had been mainly engaged in correcting doctrinal errors in the church. They focused mainly on theological views which were considered wrong and condemned these. The Pope also promoted the spirit of ecumenism. Rather than ask them to return to the “true” church, he invited Christians of other churches to join him in a common quest for unity. Vatican II was tasked with making the historical teachings of the Church clear to a modern world. It made pronouncements on the nature of the Church, the mission of the laity, religious freedom, revision of the liturgy, permitting the use of vernacular language or Latin during Mass and the sacraments. Improving church unity was a priority, finding some common grounds on certain issues with Protestant churches and discussed the possibility of unity with the Eastern Orthodox Church. 5  Not only did John XXIII want an ecumenical council, he desired a council that was “pastoral” in character, meaning, the church would once more be in touch with people’s lives and experiences. He wanted this gathering to provide “a vision of community of faith, hope and love that satisy people’s deep unsatisfied hungers for a truly human, truly meaningful existence”. D. AGGIORNAMENTO AND AD FONTES: The Double Thrust of Vatican II. The dynamics of Vatican II had a double thrust: aggiornamento and ad fontes. Aggiornamento, an Italian word meaning renewal or updating, stood for the desire to put the church back on track with what was going on in the world. If the church was to be a sign of Christ to the world, it needed to be one that would be intelligible to people of the times. Relevance to the “joys and hopes, griefs and anxieties of the people of this age” and therefore, resonance to their experiences were imperative. The changes the council ushered touched on things Catholics thought as immutable. The transformation that the liturgy underwent is a good example. Aggiornamento further suggests that the church must ever be attentive to the “signs of the times”, and ever be ready to dialogue with new situations and challenges. A very special element of aggiornamento in Vatican II was the language it employed to communicate as a whole. Its style of speaking and teaching, according to Church historian John O’Malley, was most revealing of its spirit and strikingly different from the way the church spoke and taught before. Typically absent in the council were words of alienation, exclusion, enmity, threat and intimidation, and of surveillance and punishment. Characteristically present was the language of equality, of dialogue and mutual cooperation, of humility, of openness and change as well as of spirituality. This thrust was, however, inextricably coupled with another one: ad fontes (Latin, back to the sources). This meant that the church was also to be faithful to the foundations of its faith or its genuine Tradition. The dynamism inherent in ad fontes was demonstrated in one of the most fruitful changes in Catholic thought: a return to scriptures, a rediscovery of the centrality of “studying the sacred scriptures”, “as the soul of all theology”. From the onward pedagogies as well as materials in theological and catechetical studies would increasingly manifest attention to what the Bible says and gives witness to. This double movement of aggiornamento and ad fontes was intended to be inseparable. When aggiornamento (proposed renewal) was in focus during the deliberations of the council, the participants did not fail to reflect on the demands of the Gospel and Tradition (ad fontes); and, when it was the Tradition that was being discussed, it was always with an eye towards its meaningfulness to the lives of people in these present-day. Aggiornamento, ad fontes; Ad fontes, aggiornamento. This mutual interaction, also known as the double-thrust process of Vatican II is reminiscent of the reciprocity between human experience and the Judaeo-Christian Tradition in theologizing. E. THE DOCUMENTS OF VATICAN II. (This was already given as an Assignment) The council’s four sessions produced sixteen (16) documents - 4 constitutions, 3 declarations, and 9 decrees - that charted the future course of the Catholic Church, both hierarchically and at the local level, the latter of which served as the setting for some of the most consequential changes of the post- conciliar years, including vernacular worship, reformations of religious orders, and expanded roles for laypeople, including women, in both worship and church administration. Among these pronouncements are those dealing with the liturgy, ecumenism, laypeople, and religious freedom. The renewal wrought by the council turns around four pivotal documents, namely, the FOUR PROMULGATED CONSTITUTIONS. The Latin titles were taken from the opening statement of the documents. They are referred to as “pivotal” documents because they provide the underlying key ideas and themes which run through all the other documents. LATIN TITLE Which OFFICIAL TITLE SOME SIGNIFICANT ELEMENTS means… and DESCRIPTION 6 Lumen Light of Dogmatic 1. The shift from a church-centered ecclesiology Gentium Peoples Constitution on to a God-centered kingdom. The church is a the Church result of Jesus’ preaching and witnessing to the kingdom of God. Its mission is derived and This is known as gauged by what this kingdom is all about. The the document of ultimate goal of the church is this “kingdom of ecclesia ad intra God, which has been begun by Christ on earth, (Latin, the internal and which is to be further extended until it is church) because it brought to perfection by God at the end of looked at the time” (Lumen Gentium, art. 9) reality of the 2. The shift from “outside the church there is no church from the salvation” to “those who, through no fault of perspective of its their own, do not know the gospel of Christ or inner community His church, yet sincerely seek God and moved life. by grace, strive by their deeds to do His will as it is known to them through the dictates of their conscience CAN also attain everlasting salvation” (Lumen Gentium, art. 16) 3. The assertion that the Catholic church “subsists” in Christ’s church (cf. Lumen Gentium, art.8) which acknowledges that, while the Catholic church is indeed Christ’s church, Christ is also present in other churches and ecclesial communities. 4. The shift from “hierarchology” to a genuine ecclesiology. The theology of the church does not focus on the structure and position (clergy- laity), but on her nature and mission. The church as the “people of God”, “applies equally to the laity, the religious and the clergy”, (Lumen Gentium, art. 30), hence, every one participates in the “priestly, prophetic, and kingly functions of Christ”, (Lumen Gentium, art.31) 5. A renewed Catholic understanding of the role of Mary in the church. There is only one Mediator, Jesus Christ (cf. 1Tim. 2:5-6) and the “maternal duty of Mary toward humanity in no way obscures or diminishes this unique mediation of Christ, but rather shows its power” (Lumen Gentium, art 60), that though, “subordinate”, she is “intimately united with the church”, she, as the “mother of God is a model of the church in the matter of faith, charity, and perfect union with Christ”, (Lumen Gentium, art. 63). In other words, she is one of us being a disciple too, but she is the Model Disciple for all of us. (cf. Lumen Gentium, art. 63-65) Dei Verbum Word of Dogmatic 1. The shift from rationalistic understanding of God Constitution on revelation and faith of neo-scholastic theology, Divine Revelation to a biblical rootedness and employment of biblical language to interpret the meaning of This is considered the God-human relationship (cf. Dei Verbum, as the most art 1-6), hence, a change from having a 7  revolutionary of all doctrine-centered theology to a documents of contextual/pastoral approach in theologizing; Vatican II. It is from just “studying” to actual “doing” theology. fundamentally 2. The declaration that the salvific relationship about the between God and people (ginhawang dulot ng relationship pagpapadama ng kagandahang-loob ng between God and Diyos) transpires in history. When referring to people. It “the history of salvation (Dei Verbum, art.2), describes the this document points to ordinary situations and nature of God’s experiences of people as the setting where initiative in this salvation from God is realized. relationship as 3. The Scripture is restored to its rightful place in “revelation” and the Church as spiritual nourishment, as norm the human for understanding the faith, and as basis for response in terms preaching. Christians are to venerate of “faith”. scriptures since they are nourished by the bread of life “from the table of both the word of God and of the body of Christ”. The Bible together with Tradition are “the supreme rule of faith”, therefore, “all preaching of the church must be nourished and ruled by sacred scripture” (Dei Verbum, art. 2) Gaudium et Joy and Pastoral 1. The shift from an autocratic to pastoral and Spes Hope Constitution on dialogical language of communicating to the the Church in the world, which is expressive of its attitude and Modern World desire to really be in touch and proactively participate in the affairs of the world. It is known as 2. The emphasis on the church as the “universal ecclesia ad extra sacrament of salvation”. This universality or document (Latin, oneness happens “sacramentally”, meaning the external through the mediation of material and created church) due to its realities. primary 3. The rejection of dualism (that worldly cares are preoccupation with hostile with the church and the spiritual the relationship of concerns). It declares that “this split between the church with the the faith which many profess and their daily world. lives deserves to be counted among the more serious errors of our age” (Gaudium et Spes, art. 43). Fidelity to earthly responsibilities is, in truth, the way to salvation. 4. The abandonment of a mere passive learning of theology and in place, proposes the doing of theology actively, returning to the traditional way of theologizing where the Gospel and human culture interact mutually (cf. Gaudium et Spes, art 46) 5. It paves the way for a serious engagement with the endeavor and process of inculturation in the local context. The church now not only recognizes the plurality of cultures, it also regards them as positively linked with divine revelation. 8  Sacrosanctum Sacred Constitution on 1. That THE Sacred Liturgy IS the Mass, “the Concilium Council Sacred Liturgy source and summit” of our Christian life as a people of God. This document 2. The shift from passive spectators to an active reveals that God’s lay participation during Mass and other love created a sacramental/ liturgical celebrations, even in perfect way for us praying the Liturgy of the Hours; there must be to worship Him by preference for “communal celebration a divine means, involving the presence and active participation the sacred liturgy, of the faithful” (Sacrosanctum Concilium, art which allows us to 27) be drawn closely 3. The shift from strictly Latin to the inculturation to His love. of the liturgy. For worship to be humanly meaningful, it must be intelligible within the cultural context of people and a generous use of the vernacular in liturgy (Sacrosanctum Concilium, art. 36); “no imposition of a rigid conformity” in worship (Sacrosanctum Concilium, art. 37); “native rituals maybe adapted to Christian usage” (Sacrosanctum Concilium, art.65); and the adaptation of music expressive of the “native genius” of a culture (Sacrosanctum Concilium, art. 119) F. BEING A CHURCH IN THE HERE AND NOW ON SYNODALITY = A WAY OF LIFE IN THE CHURCH The word “synod” comes from the Greek syn-hodos, meaning “the same way” or “the same path.” Synods were common in the first centuries of Christianity, giving bishops the opportunities to meet and discuss issues of importance for the life of the Church. A “synod” is a journey of discernment rooted in the Holy Spirit. In the Synod on Synodality, the entire Church has been called to discern how the Spirit is moving through and with the Body of Christ ⁠— inside and outside the Church ⁠— so that we may continue to fulfill our mission to evangelize in the world. So, what's unique about the Synod on Synodality? Unlike past synods, this one is not about addressing a particular issue, like most synods before, but about becoming who God calls us to be as a Church, all of us together, amidst the reality of today's world! Synodality means journeying together as the People of God focusing on Communion, Participation, and Mission. Pope Francis said, “speaking of a 'Synod on Synodality' may seem something abstruse, self-referential, excessively technical, of little interest to the general public,” but it is “something truly important for the Church.” It indicates a way of listening to each individual person as a member of the Church to understand how God might be speaking to all of us. Synodality ought to be expressed in the Church's ordinary way of living and working. In this sense, synodality enables the entire People of God to walk forward together, listening to the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, to participate in the mission of the Church in the communion that Christ establishes between us. 9 THE CHALLENGE Scholar Mark S. Massa argues that Vatican II wrought a revolution in the minds of both lay and clerical Catholics, specifically with regard to their understanding of the church’s place in the modern world and in history. It allowed them to see their church as a historically contingent, human institution, open to progressive developments. This very idea of "historical consciousness," which suggested to members of the church that its doctrines were indeed subject to change, had the unintended consequence of allowing Catholics to question their loyalty to an institution that may not have been as changeless as once thought. However, it also gave rise to an openness among some Catholics to engage in different forms of worship, including Charismatic, as well as for many parishes to alter not only the type of music utilized during the Mass but even the very architecture of church buildings. The council was not without its detractors, and the decades since its conclusion have seen a resurgence of conservative and traditionalist groups, a number of which have sought to roll back some or much of the council’s implementation. This challenge was even true among Filipino-Catholics who were suspicious and adamant to accept or adapt to the changes and development in the local Church brought about by the pronouncements of the Second Vatican Council. 10