Marking 50 years since the Second Vatican Council (Vatican II) published the “Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy,” Manhattan College will celebrate the anniversary of the document from Oct. 20-23 to reflect on the transformation and renewal of liturgy in the Roman Catholic Church.
“Vatican II was a global event that not only changed the landscape for Catholic Christians but also transformed the way people from all faiths engage each other and the world,” said Michele Saracino, Ph.D., professor of religious studies and chair of the department. “We look forward to Manhattan College’s commemoration of the event and the lively conversation that follows.”
The “Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy” was the first major document to come as a result of Vatican II, which was held in four sessions between 1962 and 1965. Pope John XXIII convened the Council to update church practices, and the event helped to lay the foundation for the modern Catholic Church with the creation of 16 documents.
The schedule of events for the week include:
- Sunday, Oct. 20: The College community will gather for a Eucharistic celebration on Oct. 20 at 11 a.m. in the Chapel of De La Salle and His Brothers.
- Monday, Oct. 21: Massimo Faggioli, Ph.D., assistant professor of theology at St. Thomas University, will speak on Pope Francis and the Council: Vatican II or III on Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. in Hayden Hall, room 100. Faggioli is the author of Vatican II: The Battle for Meaning and True Reform: Liturgy and Ecclesiology in Sacrosanctum Concilium. The discussion will close with a community reception.
- Tuesday, Oct. 22: Starting at 3:15 p.m. on Oct. 22, John Barry Ryan, Ph.D., professor emeritus in Manhattan College’s religious studies department, and Rita Ferrone, a historian on Vatican II, will share their own perspectives on the event at a faculty teach-in in the Alumni Room of O’Malley Library. The Past and Future of Vatican II will also be discussed with feedback from students who participated in a Vatican II course from last spring.
- Wednesday, Oct. 23: The week’s events will conclude on Oct. 23 with an interfaith prayer service at 12 p.m. on the College’s Quadrangle.
The Vatican II event series is sponsored by Manhattan College’s School of Arts, department of Religious Studies and Catholic Studies program. All of the events are also open to the community. For more information, please contact Michele Saracino via email at michele.saracino@manhattan.edu.