This year marks the 60th anniversary of the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council (1962-65).
The majority of today’s Catholics have no personal recollection of the Council but most of us have been affected by so much of what the Council initiated in leading to the ongoing and profound renewal of our church.
Recently a symposium was held in Melbourne to commemorate this significant anniversary, entitled, Keeping the Windows open’ which is a reference to Pope John XX111’s explanation why the called the Council because he wanted to “throw open the windows of the Church so that we can see out, and the people can see in” .
Archbishop Shane Mackinlay, the recently installed Archbishop of Brisbane, contributed to the symposium. He commented; “as much as ever, we need open windows – in our Church, our community, pour families and most of all in our hearts”.
“Pope Francis’ invitation to become more synodal, picked up now by Pope Leo, is an encouragement to use those open windows to build respectful and collaborative relationships within our communities and beyond them, with all who we encounter”.
(The Good News: Archdiocese of Brisbane)