From Our Vaults 57 Years Ago: November 3, 1965

by Admin · November 28, 2022

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Five decrees at the Vatican

The Jewish people as a whole cannot be blamed for the crucifixion of Christ, one of five new decrees proclaimed by the Second Vatican Council declares. Referring also to the Christian-Muslim wars of the Crusades, the decree orders a new course in Catholic relations with other faiths. Another decree, at 10000 words the longest yet, endorses a synod of bishops to advise the pope and urges a restructuring, possibly the most comprehensive ever, to make it more representative of the Church. The other three decrees deal with Catholic education, seminaries, and religious. The Second Vatican Council, which began in October 1962, will close on December 8.

Catholics could sway Protestants

Dr JJP Visser told the synod of the Dutch Reformed Church that the Catholic Church has become so dynamic that there is a danger it could convince Protestants. “Roman Catholics argue on so high a plane that the war cries and scare stories of which our church is so fond will not help,” Dr Visser said.

Editorial: Minorities always rule

In his editorial, Fr Louis Stubbs writes that majority rule, an option counted during the British-Rhodesian talks, would not mean that the majority would actually rule the country. “Majorities in any society only rule on election day, and that assuming that elections are free and fair. For the rest of the time, the conduct of affairs is carried on by a minority, an aristocracy, that of the office holders.”