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Pope John Paul II Biography:
The late Pope John Paul II (Karol Wojtyla) was a hardliner who has staunch views on many issues affecting the World in general and is admired for his role in uniting the Christendom even by his detractors. Many in the know strongly believe that he played a major role in the downfall of Communism from the former eastern block countries. On April 2, 2005, Pope John Paul II passed away. He was in his 27th year as pope, one of the longest reigning popes in history and the most traveled Pope in the history of Christianity. The Holy Father has also been a prolific writer and he had authored 14 encyclicals, 15 apostolic exhortations, 11 apostolic constitutions and 43 apostolic letters apart from the 3 books - Crossing the Threshold of Hope" (October 1994); "Gift and Mystery: On the 50th Anniversary of My Priestly Ordination" (November 1996) and "Roman Tryptych - Meditations", a book of poems (March 2003). His views on the continued celibacy and the 'right to life' (against abortion) may not have earned him accolades in the power circles, but most of his congregation
including Mother Theresa has always rallied around his proclamations.
Vatican and The Pope:
The State of the Vatican City is the smallest independent country in the world surrounded by the city of Rome in Italy. The Vatican is the home of the Pope and forms the territory of the Holy See, which is the central authority of the Roman Catholic Church. The Holy See is the authority, jurisdiction and sovereignty vested in the Pope and his advisors so as to direct the Roman
Catholic Church. The legal system finds root in the canon or ecclesiastical law. Catholic clergy profess celibacy and has a deeply carved hierarchy tracing its roots to the first Pope - St.Peter.
First Vatican council:
The first council of the Vatican was summoned by Pope Pius IX in 1868. The council aimed at condemnation of
contemporary errors and to define the catholic doctrine concerning the Church of Christ. The Dogmatic Constitution On the Catholic
Faith and the First Dogmatic Constitution on the church of Christ were discussed and approved. These dealt with the primacy and
infallibility of the bishop of Rome. The Council was interrupted by the Franco-Prussian war and was never officially closed.
Second Vatican Council
Pope John XXIII proclaimed the Second Vatican Council in 1960. The need was felt to adapt the rites of the Church to the needs of modern times so that the deeper meaning of the sacramental signs may be understood. The most striking result of the Second Council seems to be the change from Latin to English as the language in which the Mass is celebrated. The Second Council has also authorized the use of the vernacular for the Mass as well as for sacraments. The rite for infant baptism was altered to emphasize the duties of parents and godparents. Revisions were made to the Sacrament of 'Anointing of the Sick' as well as the Sacrament of Penance. The Second Vatican Council or Vatican II has often been cited as the most significant event in Vatican Catholic region in the twentieth century. But many staunch traditionalists ascribe the present decentalization and deviation from the originally laid doctrines to the second vatican council. In their ardour, they point to the leniancy in ceremonies and the perceived general decadence to the decay set in motion by the advent of the 2nd Vatican Council.
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