disputed by those who would call themselves Catholic progressives or Vatican II Catholics. There is disagreement between the more conservative proponents of John Paul’s approach and their liberal counterparts regarding where John Paul stood in relation to that prized jewel in the crown of Catholic reform, namely Vatican II.
John Paul’s adherents would contend that the Pope was very much a Vatican II Catholic and that he firmly believed that many of the changes in the church as well as the passionate cry for even more changes was a misinterpretation of both the letter of the Vatican II documents and the spirit of the Council. So called progressive Catholics saw the era of John Paul II as ‘restorationist’ i.e. moving away from the ‘modern’ approach of Vatican II and back to what they would call a ‘Catholic triumphalism’ based on a powerful papacy. They saw the work of John Paul II, in conjunction with his righthand man, the distinguished German theologian Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, who would later become Pope Benedict XVI, his successor, as moving the church backward and ignoring the positive thrust of Vatican II.
Those who would look upon the work of Pope John Paul and eagerly declare him ‘John Paul the Great’ hold him in high esteem for what they perceive as changes he effected within the Catholic Church. The historical facts indicate the following, regardless of an individual’s interpretation of them: Under John Paul II, many significant changes were made in the Roman Catholic Church. These changes include:
1. A movement toward uniformity in doctrine and a clarification of the ‘Catholic’ teaching on a topic. This was manifest in the publication of a universal catechism,26 discipline imposed upon dissenting theologians,27 the selection of bishops, the relationship of many local Catholic bishops to colleges and universities in their dioceses, changes in curriculum in seminaries responsible for priestly formation and in schools in Catholic dioceses, and public clarification that discussion and dissent is not acceptable in such areas as the ordination of women, homosexuality and birth control, among others. It also provided the impetus for changes in the Mass which would ultimately lead to the publication of the new Roman Missal that went into effect in Advent 2011.28
2. A shift in ecumenical attitude which reflected a discomfort with those church communities which held different positions on the above mentioned ‘hot button issues’ and an openness toward those who sided with the Catholic position. This is exemplified most recently in the overtures toward dissenting Anglican priests and congregations and the new pathways to ordination and affiliation with Catholicism that have opened up.29
3. A strong emphasis on the position of the papacy exemplified by Pope John Paul’s incredible travel schedule throughout his pontificate. This emphasis was supported and reinforced by newly developing Catholic media outlets who have been very prominent in promoting this more conservative Catholic approach. One could make a very strong case that Catholicism’s pluralism could also be demonstrated by comparing ‘EWTN’ v ‘Non-EWTN’ Catholics. This needs some explanation.
The Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) came to international prominence during the period of John Paul II’s papacy and it continues today under Pope Benedict.30 EWTN presents a steady stream of programming that matches and reinforces the positions held by these two recent Popes. It is the most visible Catholic media presence in the world today and it is a conservative one. EWTN presents the church teaching to children and adults, without engaging in dialogue concerning different perspectives that may exist within the Catholic community on any particular controversial issue. EWTN’s radio operation has even paired up and has taken over some stations owned by individual dioceses. I cite the Archdiocese of Hartford, Connecticut, where I served as a Permanent Deacon, as a case in point.
WJMJ radio is owned and operated by the Archdiocese of Hartford. For many years, it was noted for offering an incredible variety of ecumenical programming in addition to a wide array of Catholic worship and educational opportunities. For many reasons, I have liked WJMJ Radio for a very long time. I particularly used to love its Sunday programming. During my Sunday thirty minute ride from my home to the church where I serve as pastor, I would listen to a recorded service from a Hartford area Congregational church, complete with sermon by that church’s pastor. On my way home, depending upon what time I was finished at church, I might hear a Catholic Mass or some beautiful chanted Greek Orthodox prayer and explanation of that tradition’s icons. Depending upon what else I might be doing on a particular Sunday, I might get in my car and hear a Methodist service or a consistently great meditation by a Baptist minister. Whenever possible, I would try to catch the outstanding 6:00 pm program sponsored by Connecticut’s Episcopal Diocese which blended such beautifully intelligent conversation about Scripture’s applicability to modern life with the melodic power of Anglican chant. If I had my radio tuned in toward the end of its program day, I would benefit from the Catholic recitation of Night Prayer from the daily office, co-led by a Roman Catholic priest and a local Lutheran musical leader. Every Sunday was a wonderful day on a terrific radio station.
Just a few years ago, the Archdiocese announced that the format of WJMJ was changing. Gone were all of the Protestant church services and programs. A proliferation of new programs abounded, most focused on the worship, catechetical and moral focus of the Catholic faith. As a matter of fact, the preponderance of the station’s prime time weekend religious programming was now provided by EWTN and its affiliation with EWTN was featured prominently in its advertising.
I offer this example to demonstrate the clear cut differences that exist within contemporary Catholicism and to try to provide some indication regarding the roots of these differences. Most certainly, how one sides on EWTN taking over WJMJ is indicative of where one is as a Catholic on the John XXIII- John Paul II continuum. The John XXIII Catholic would praise the Hartford radio station of years ago: open to dialogue, unabashedly ecumenical, open to truth from Congregational and Baptist pulpits as well as Episcopal talk shows. The John Paul II Catholic would praise the new arrangement, confident in the certainty that it will contribute to a clear presentation of the truth of the Catholic faith in its purest form.
These differences are played out in the field of Catholic university and liberal arts education. A major controversy ensued when President Barack Obama delivered the commencement address at the University of Notre Dame. Conservatives decried the choice of a ‘pro-choice’ speaker, someone who stood against a teaching they saw as at the core of Catholic faith.31 In 1993, Cardinal Edward Egan stripped Marist College of its Catholic designation because it invited the pro-choice Governor of New York to deliver its commencement address.32 The very policy by which he did that was solidified in the pontificate of Pope John Paul II. Certain Catholic colleges and universities, to varying degrees, send signals that they are schools dedicated to teaching the orthodox, traditional Catholic way and committed to raising up a generation of young Catholics faithful to the Pope and to Catholic orthodoxy. Such schools as Franciscan University of Steubenville have embraced this mission and have taken great leadership in promoting initiatives such as World Youth Day, an international Catholic event which developed and grew during the era of Pope John Paul II. Such colleges and universities have provided a refuge for those concerned with Catholic institutions of higher education more amenable to a progressive Vatican II agenda. This identification of educational institutions as being ‘properly Catholic’ to conservative members of the church and its hierarchy, has become part of Catholic seminary education as well. Certain bishops have shown great interest in sending prospective priests to those seminaries that are more in keeping with the core of John Paul’s approach to the Catholic Church.33
The tension between these two significantly different ways of looking at being Catholic plays itself out in varied ways. It is there in the hiring practices of Catholic parishes, dioceses, elementary schools and high schools. It is present in the selection of materials and columnists for Catholic newspapers, magazines and web based publications. It is obvious in the choice of speakers at conferences and congresses for the continuing education of the church’s local catechetical leaders, otherwise known as its teachers of CCD. Simply put, there is a major difference in the speaker selection one finds at Catholic
