Fifty Years Ago

National Catholic Reporter reminds us that Pope John XIII called a Council fifty years ago today. Two quick comments. First, this was half a century ago, so it is an event that is not in the minds of most living people. The whole heady, happening, sing-a-new-church-into-being thing that animated the conciliar and postconcilar generation is just not what is the driving force for today's Catholics. Second, I recently re-read Iota Unam by Romano Amerio, a book which is receiving new attention. Reading it is difficult and bracing enough; I can't imagine what it was like to actually research and write such a work. I do think that everyone who is serious about understanding the last half century of the Catholic Church needs to come to terms with what he documents. Fifty years is symbolically significant indeed: a bright future ahead to correct the mistakes of the past.