Second Vatican Council Research Paper

The essence of the contribution made by Pope John XXIII was his calling together of the Second Vatican Council that aimed to address modernisation of the Catholic Church,

On May 18, 1920, in a small Polish town just outside of Wadowice, a child was born to Karol Wojtyla (1879-1941, and Emilia Kaczorosks (1884-1929). His name was Karol Jozef Wojtyla. Little did his parents know that one day their child was destined not only to become a priest and a bishop, but the 264th pope of the Roman Catholic Church, and only the second non-Italian pope.

The papacy – the office held by the pope as head of the Catholic Church - gained great power from the sixth through eighth centuries, and there are several reasons for this surge in influence. Starting around 590, Pope Gregory I sought to convert Teutonic invaders to Christianity. Islam was also in play, as it had taken over most of Asia and Africa. According to Earl Cairns, by trying to win Teutonic tribes to Christianity, the medieval church “…further centralized its organization under papal supremacy and developed the sacramental-hierarchical system characteristic of the Roman Catholic Church.”

The Second Vatican Council, or Vatican II as it is often called, was an Ecumenical Council, (which means it affected the worldwide Christian community) of the Roman Catholic Church. It began on October 11, 1962 under, Pope John XXIII with over two thousand attendants (Hollis 23). The council ended on December 8, 1965, with Pope Paul VI presiding over the council due to the death of Pope John XXIII in 1963. The council consisted of four different sessions convening in the fall of the four years during which the council took place. Topics discussed and debated throughout the council were issues concerning the church, the liturgy, revelation and scripture, and the clergy.

Born circa 1020 in Sovana, Tuscany, Pope Gregory VII is one of the great reforming popes, and is best known for his part in the Investiture Controversy, which was his dispute with with Henry IV that reinforced the primacy of papal authority. He excommunicated Henry three times because Henry was getting out of hand and the political struggles between the Catholic Church and his empire. Although, Gregory was also despised during his reign by some for his expansive use of papal powers, this caused his memory to be remembered on numerous occasions in later generations, both good and bad, which was often reflected in writings of the Catholic Church. Gregory was accused of necromancy, torture, attempted assassinations, unjust excommunication,

As time constantly presses forward and the earth continues to revolve, the world will never stop progressing and adapting to better suit the needs of mankind. The evolution of religion has greatly enhanced the quality of life for humanity by providing individuals with a strong belief system that is now the foundation of many peoples’ core values. One universal religion that has undergone extensive amounts of reform is Christianity. In particular, the Catholic church is well-known for the development of their famous ecumenical council meetings that help determine the future of the church. Numerous Councils have been conducted throughout the course of history, but none more significant than the most recent, the Second Vatican Council or Vatican II. The Catholic church was operating as if it was still the medieval period and desperately needed to be modernized. As a result, every Roman Catholic Church official was gathered to meet and devise a plan for how to introduce the church to the modern world. Consequently, the following will reveal the Second Vatican Council and the ramifications of the agenda, history and theology evolution, significant texts, and new developments.

The saint I have chosen for Confirmation is Saint Catherine of Siena. Her feast day is April 29th. She is a patron saint of Italy, bodily ills, miscarriages, people judged for their piety, sexual temptation, sick people, nurses, and fire prevention. Saint Catherine of Siena even helped the poor and assisted the United States becoming peaceful. The reason I have chosen her is because when I’m older, I want to help people by becoming a nurse or something of that field, just like her.

Greetings, pope Leo. I believe I have some pointers for you and the Church. I believe you should follow them so your followers continue to follow you.

Pope Leo X was originally named Giovanni de’ Medici was born in Florence, Italy on December 11, 1475 and died on December 1,1521 in Rome. He was raised in the culturally sophisticated city of Florence, Italy and was born in a family of renowned people of the arts and politics. Pope Leo X was the son of Lorenzo the Magnificent, who was the ruler of the Florentine republic and was destined religious life, as he became a Cardinal Deacon at the age of 13. He received the best education in Europe and had several tutors because of his father. Pope Leo X studied Canon Law and theology at the University of Pisa. The death of his father eventually led him back to Florence, where he stayed until 1494, when the de’ Medici family was charged with the betraying

Jorge Mario Bergoglio, more commonly known as Pope Francis, was elected Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church on 13 March 2013 , and since then has done much to change the lives of everyone he can for the better. Pope Francis has famously said “My people are poor and I am one of them” and has used this to guide his decision making on how the Catholic Church should change its focus to help those in need. He has done and changed much in order to change the current course of the Catholic Church and direct it back towards what it was originally meant to be: a communion of people that know and love God and pass this on the others. This brave new path that Pope Francis has set the Catholic Church on is summarized in his Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii

Pope Saint John Paul II is considered one of the greatest leaders ever in the Catholic Church. He was ordained in the church during some tough times. He is also known for his reforms that he jump started and many ideas that he changed. He modernized the church but did not change much leaving the church in its roots. John Paul II moved his way through the church, starting with a priest and then moving to a bishop and then finally being the pope.

The person that I am about to write about argued against the church because they weren’t helping the poor well. He hosted a lunch for the poor in Assisi. He said to the poor people, “You have all been stripped by this savage world”. We need more people to help with this bad thing happening in this world. He is trying to get us and the church to donate more money to the people in need for it. This is why I picked this person.

The Vatican City is known as the center for Roman Catholic Religion. St.Peter’s is also known as the largest church in the world. Inside the church there are many famous examples of Baroque and Renaissance artwork present. Some of the featured artist includes Michelangelo and Bernini. The Basilica di Santa Croce is also another famous church located in Florence, Italy. This is known as a Franciscan church in the town of Florence. Within the church there are 16 different chapels. The very influential Michelangelo is also buried within these walls. If you do ever visit any of these historical structures you should avoid wearing anything too “revealing.”

Thinking about taking a holiday in Rome? If so, you have a lot interesting to see and do, and you will always be in the powerful presence of a rich history. When people think of the planet's best cities, they often think of London, Paris, New York and Rome. Trip Advisor even awarded Rome as the second best destination to visit behind Istanbul and ahead of Paris and London. Rome is a cultured place with some of the most interesting Roman architecture in the world. When looking at Rome, it's like looking at more than two thousand years of revolutionary building designs that have led us up to today.

Around the world there are many religions and cultures that have sacred places. A sacred place is a place that is holy, sanctified, and is inspiring to many believers. Many people go to sacred places to pray,have peace,and relax themselves for all the things that they have been going through. Vatican City is one such sacred place in the world that holds importance to many believers.