The Catholic Church: Still in Medieval Times?

The immutable stand of the Church on the use of artificial family planning is often the ground of dissenters and haters to say that the Catholic Church (mentality) is still medieval.

Not all buy that.

The Second Vatican Council in short was convened by John XXIII and closed by Paul VI half a century ago to bring closer the Church to the modern world. Vatican II did not alter, eliminate or proclaim new doctrines but generally set up guidelines the Church should follow in living with the present time. Some of these are the use of mass communication for evangelization, more involvement of the laity in the life of the Church, ecumenism and in promoting social justice to name a few.

The most noticeable change Vatican II has brought is the saying of the Mass from Latin to the vernacular. Vernacular is understood here as a common language of the faithful living in a particular place. The use of vernacular languages did not outlaw or prohibit the use of Latin Mass, because the ancient language characterizes the universality of the Mass which is the most important form of Catholic worship.

Is the Church said to be medieval because of its prohibitions we want to be taken off? Because we cannot take them? If the Church would say that it is all right to use condom and artificial family planning methods to prevent conception, do we still call the Church medieval?

There are things in the Church that not even the Pope has the power or right to change or delete. Benedict XVI or any future Pope cannot promulgate something saying that the dogma of the Immaculate Conception is false or alter the "ex cathedra" pronouncement of Pius IX on December 8, 1854. In the same way, the Church and the Pontiff cannot allow the use of artificial contraception because it is only God --- not man ---  who can decide when a new life is to be or not to be.

How sane to accuse the Church as medieval  if we cannot do something we want because her laws say "NO"? The Vatican has its own website, radio and TV stations --- modern technology to reach out. Paul VI, John Paul II and now Benedict XVI all post Vatican II pontiffs traveled around the world to reach believers and even nonbelievers while John XXIII and down did not visit a foreign country if my knowledge is correct.  The Vatican is Twitting, has a Facebook and even a YouTube account to reach the most remote part of the globe.  The ancient Papal chair where the Pontiff sits and be carried on shoulders is no longer in use.  John Paul II preferred to walk and so with Benedict XVI.  When travelling short road distances, the "popemobile" is used and it is a Mercedes Benz, one of the most advanced in the car business of the 21st century.

These are confusing, challenging and interesting times when we cannot keep still unless we can do anything we want without any prohibition.

Religious and even social anarchy is brutish and not human. -30-