Vatican II and "Opening the Windows"

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Vatican II and Opening the Windows

In a celebrated line, Pope Blessed John XXIII announced that the Church needed to "Open the windows to let in some fresh air".

Von Balthasar wrote in 1952 that various Church institutions & habits seen as defences against The World must be razed to allow the Gospel's free encounter with The World. The institutional Church is too often an impediment to holiness.

As regards von Balthasar, I believe the reality was the other way round. It was the defences of the world (habitual mortal sin, wilful blindness, wilful ignorance, clinging to Protestant and Muslim myths, obstinacy in sin) that needed to be razed, not the defences of the Church.

As Bp Fellay remarked in November 2004, there was a Storm in the world. When a storm is coming you fasten the windows, secure the doors, batten your shutters. You do not choose that moment to "open the windows and let in some fresh air". Now the storm has struck, the carpets are ruined, the furniture is blown about and smashed .... and they blame the storm! But it was not the fault of the storm, it was our own imprudence!

M O'Farrell