Changes

The '''Second Vatican Council''' was a massive gathering of the clerical leaders of the [[Catholic Church]] in the 1960s to consider and enact some of the most far-reaching changing in the history of the Church.  Formally, it was the 21st ecumenical council of the Church, announced in 1959, opened in 1962 and closed in 1965.<ref>http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/index.htm</ref>  Informally, it was one of the fundamental changes in culture that occurred during the 1960s.  It was the first council in nearly a century, and the prior council (the [[First Vatican Council]]) had been cut short by war.

The '''Second Vatican Council''' was a massive gathering of the clerical leaders of the [[Catholic Church]] in the 1960s to consider and enact some of the most far-reaching changing in the history of the Church.  Formally, it was the 21st ecumenical council of the Church, announced in 1959, opened in 1962 and closed in 1965.<ref>http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/index.htm</ref>  Informally, it was one of the fundamental changes in culture that occurred during the 1960s.  It was the first council in nearly a century, and the prior council (the [[First Vatican Council]]) had been cut short by war.

The Council converted the format of the [[Mass]] (liturgy), the central part of the [[Catholic Church]], to more of a [[Protestant]] format.  For example, the [[priest]] began facing the congregation rather than facing an altar with his back to the people.

The Council converted the format of the [[Mass]] (liturgy), the central part of the [[Catholic Church]], to more of a [[Protestant]] or populist format.  For example, the [[priest]] began facing the congregation rather than facing an altar with his back to the people.

Around the same time, though not directly the result of the Council, the language of the [[Mass]] was changed from the traditional [[Latin]] to the local vernacular, such as [[English]] in the [[United States]].

Around the same time, though not directly the result of the Council, the language of the [[Mass]] was changed from the traditional [[Latin]] to the local vernacular, such as [[English]] in the [[United States]].