St Bernards High School - Bernardian Yearbook (Fitchburg, MA)

Page 7 text:

Light of Christ, Light of the Nations the theme of light, the key theme of the Second Vatican Council Pope John XXIII had been Pope for only ninety days when he made the un- expected announcement of his plan to convoke an Ecumenical council, the twenty- first in the history of the Church. On October 11, 1962, the Council opened. The eighty-year-old Pope John in an optimistic speech set the pastoral tone which was to dominate the Council deliberations —the world’s need for the medicine of mercy. Nine months later, he was dead. On September 29, 1963, Pope Paul opened the second session having taken as a main program of his pontificate the completion and implementation of the Council which his revered predecessor had summoned. Thefinal session of the Council began on September 14, 1965, and concluded on December 8 of the same year. Taken as a whole the sixteen documents promulgated by the Council are espe- cially noteworthy for their concern with the poor, for their insistence on the unity of the human family, for the Christian’s duty to help build a just and peaceful world in cooperation with all men of good will. Nine days after the Council opened, the first message to the world was approved and released, the first official act of the Council. To quote from Pope John’s message to humanity: We believe that the Father so loved the world that He gave His own Son to save it. Patterning ourselves after His example, who ‘‘came not to be served but to serve,”’ we should, like Jesus, be concerned with the lowly, poor, and weak, and have pity on the multitude weighed down with hunger and misery. If all men hate war and desire peace, the Churchdesires it most of all because she is the Mother of all. She is always ready to lend aid with her whole heart to any sincere effort on behalf on peace. The Holy Father also pleads for social justice and clearly shows that the Church is necessary for the modern world if injustices are to be denounced so that man’s life can become more human according to the standards of the gospel. Lacking human resources and earthly power, the Church lodges her trust in the power of God’s Spirit, promised to the Churchby Jesus. All Christians, and the rest of men of good will, are called upon to work together in the building up of a more just and brotherly city in this world. In spite of the threats to the peace desired, arising from the very progress of science, our prayer should be that in the midst of this world, there may radiate the light of our great hope in Jesus Christ, our only Savior.

Page 6 text:

N His Holiness POPE PAUL VI

Page 8 text:

FLANAGAN, D. D. His Excellency Bishop of Worcester MOST REVEREND BERNARD J.