Berlin (kath.net/KNA) The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) had led in the sight of philosopher Robert Spaemann to "an epoch of decline" of the Catholic Church. "The Council enfeebled Catholics", said Spaemann in a discussion with the newspaper "Die Welt" (Friday). "Everything became so withered." People who deny the resurrection of Christ, could remain theology professors and preach as priests during Mass. People, who did not want to pay the Church-tax, fled at this and left the Church. "That's something that just can't be."The Church Universal had become a part of the cultural revolution in western states and led to an "assimilation" of the Church to the secular world, criticized Spaemann. The then Pope John XXIII. had called the reform Council given it over to update the Church's challenge to the world, "which it had always given and must always will give", said the philosopher. "That is the opposite of assimilation."
Spaeman attested that the Council was exaggerated in its attempt to harmonize. Everything was eliminated from the hymn books which pointed to struggle and conflict. "We wanted to bless the emancipatory and culturally revolutionary Zeitgeist." The commandment "Love thy enemies" doesn't make sense any more today because the word "enemy" is offensive. "For so-called progressive Catholics there is actually only one boogeyman: the Traditionalist."
Spaemann also complained that the sovereignty of jurisdiction over the Council is held by innovators, who construed everything falsely. So the Church Universal for example vehemently defends celibacy and confirms Latin as the actual Liturgical language of the Western Church. Both will be represented differently today, however.
Link to kath.net...
