Flynn, Tyler

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Conversations on Jesuit Higher EducationVolume 42 After 50 Years: The Living Spirit of VaticanII Article 99-1-2012How Vatican II Helped Jesuits Do Their JobTyler FlynnFollow this and additional works at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/conversationsRecommended CitationFlynn, Tyler (2012) "How Vatican II Helped Jesuits Do Their Job," Conversations on Jesuit Higher Education: Vol. 42, Article 9.Available at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/conversations/vol42/iss1/9Conversations 23Vatican II marked a signifi-cant change which, unlikemany previous ecumenicalcouncils, did not occur onany dogmatic or doctrinallevel. Rather, it created anew sense of Catholic culture, in dia-logue with the modern world, whichnow integrates itself into every aspect ofChristian life. This changing culture ismarked by laity involvement in thechurch, a blending with modern cul-ture, a focus on the individual, and agreater emphasis on the importance ofservice to others, all of which are pro-moted in Jesuit Catholic universities.The Jesuit University is a unique lensthrough which the changes made withinthe church can be seen and evaluated.The focus of these institutions may not beon the rigorous study of theology and theapplication of Catholic doctrines and dog-mas; nevertheless, they create a sense ofChristian identity and culture throughtheir students’ commitment to service andto the good of the surrounding communi-ty. Taking Pedro Arrupe’s idea of creating“men and women for others,” Jesuit uni-versities, for example, John Carroll, pro-vide students with hundreds of serviceopportunities throughout the school year. The focus of these universities is notto convert their students to Catholicism.While early Jesuits may have focusedtheir ministries on saving souls, VaticanII, with its publication of DignitatisHumanae, teaches that salvation is notlimited to those within the church. Thus,Jesuit institutions, through their dedica-tion to service, can create “anonymousChristians” in the vision of Karl Rahner, aJesuit whose ideas had a significantinfluence on the Second Vatican Council.In a sense, these schools graduate stu-dents who may not follow Christ, butstill live their lives within His image.Apart from offering salvation out-side the Church, Vatican II also allowedfor far more laity involvement. Thoughmissionary Jesuits like Matteo Ricci hadexemplified the importance of the ver-nacular in the Mass and inculturationcenturies earlier, Vatican II implement-ed these ideals on a universal scale.Not only can laity now better under-stand the Mass, but they can also incor-porate their own culture into the litur-gy. University students celebrate Masslater in the afternoon or at night withmusic which encourages them to bemore fully present.Additionally, these lay studentshelp plan the Mass. Without this oppor-tunity to be engaged, the church mighthave lost its appeal to university stu-dents. More importantly, the laity havebecome more involved in theologicaldiscussion. Those called to religiousvocations no longer dominate theolog-ical education. Most professors in thetheology departments are laity whoseinterest in theology can sometimesengage their students more fully thanpriests can. This interest in theologycreates more reasoned and awareCatholics who now have more readyaccess to the decisions of the Church,as made manifest by Vatican II’s publi-cation of Gaudium et Spes. While students certainly may havegained a greater respect for the field oftheology than they had before VaticanII, it is still not the dominant field ofstudy in any Jesuit university. However,Vatican II allowed for a greater appre-ciation for other fields of study. Muchlike Pierre Teilhard de Chardin’s idea offinding God in his particular field ofpaleontology, Jesuit universities havecontinued in the Ignatian tradition offinding God in all things. This and other Jesuit principleshave, through this council, managed tomake their way into the everyday life ofthe Church. In this sense, Vatican II mayhave ultimately allowed Jesuits to dowhat they had been trying to do foryears, incorporating their ideas into theiruniversities on a more broad level. Whileit is true that, since 1965, other problemshave occurred due to the changesVatican II produced, these councildecrees were necessary for the growthand continuity of the church. However,like anything for which the Jesuits haveever been criticized, it may have taken afew years for Vatican II to be fully appre-ciated in context of modernity with thenext generation of Christians present atJesuit universities. ■Tyler Flynn is an English major andhistory and Catholic studies major atJohn Carroll University.How Vatican IIHelped the JesuitsDo Their JobBy Tyler Flynn1Flynn: How Vatican II Helped Jesuits Do Their JobPublished by e-Publications@Marquette, 2012

How Vatican II Helped Jesuits Do Their Job

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How Vatican II Helped Jesuits Do Their Job

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