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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Remembering Vatican II, in her own words

Patricia Gries
Prior to the liturgical reforms of the Council, the liturgy was seen as the work of the priest and those few assistants at the altar. Today the liturgy is supported by a variety of ministries (deacons, readers, servers, music ministers, etc.), and the work of the Church is carried out daily by a broad spectrum of people serving, leading, and teaching in the name of the Church. CNS
Prior to the liturgical reforms of the Council, the liturgy was seen as the work of the priest and those few assistants at the altar. Today the liturgy is supported by a variety of ministries (deacons, readers, servers, music ministers, etc.), and the work of the Church is carried out daily by a broad spectrum of people serving, leading, and teaching in the name of the Church. From a blog published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops; photo by CNS.

The documents of The Second Vatican Council and their subsequent dissemination throughout the Catholic world, created a lot of excitement and change for the life of the Church.

For those of us who grew up in the pre-Vatican II Church, many of the changes were welcomed. Some people of course did not want to welcome or make changes.

I remember all too well what it was like to attend Mass with the priest’s back to us speaking a language we could not understand. To pray in the vernacular was a breath of fresh air, and the liturgy became not the clergy’s but a celebration of the people.

New liturgical ministries arose as a result of the changes with laypeople being able to participate as lectors, eucharistic ministers, greeters, cantors, female acolytes and liturgists. Choirs also grew with new members happy to sing the new liturgical music.

The Archdiocese saw a tremendous growth in lay ministry not only in liturgical ministries, but also in the area of social justice, pastoral ministry, parish administration, finance councils, parish pastoral councils and youth ministry, to name some of the ministries.

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Parishes have become parishioner centered and not clerical centered. Parishioners have taken ownership for the life of their parishes and no longer passive folks coming only for a Sunday Mass.

In the 1970s and ’80s, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis became a national leader in liturgical music and lay ministry. A number of local lay people became involved in national organizations, thus having influence beyond the local Church as well as bringing “best practices” back to the local Church.

Along with the involvement of lay people, we also had priests and deacons involved on a national level. This local Church was alive with many good people doing great things for the Church.

Many people now worship in new or renovated church structures that foster more engaged and welcoming communities.

The Second Vatican Council changed how we as Catholic Christians are to be and act in the world.

Patricia Gries served as director of the Division of Ministry Personnel of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis from 1985 to 1994. As a director, she was a member of the executive team of Archbishop John Roach, the first lay woman member of the leadership group.

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