By Chris Eckl

Four Jesuit priests have spent their summer spreading the “good news” of Vatican II in homes in the Atlanta area. Their equipment has included their vestments, portable altar stones, their chalices and the book, “The Documents of Vatican II.” One hundred and sixty-five meetings have been held in the program known as “Operation Understanding,” with an average age attendance of 15 persons per meeting.

The four Jesuits from Ignatius House - John L. Hein, Ed Goss, Edgar Tiblier, Charles Bartler - have conducted 130 of the meetings. Others were led by diocesan and Marist priests.

Most of the meetings have begun with Mass in the homes, followed by open discussion of the documents of the Vatican Council and topics in “New Horizons in Christian Living.”

Some of the topics discussed included why Catholics should not isolate themselves from the world and make no effort to perfect it, race relations, the poor, peace, the liturgy and the city of man, worship and holiness, prayer together and alone and the liturgy for renewal.

The success of the program had depended on laymen. They organized groups of interested persons and then contacted a priest to join the groups. The intimacy of a home Mass helped create a communal feeling.

Father Hein discussed the task force operation with Archbishop Paul J. Hallinan last March and the program began in June. The priest said he has been pleased with the results.

“I think the people who have participated in ‘Operation Understanding’ have a better understanding of the liturgy and the changes going on it and the church. There’s more behind the changes than what we have seen and many have grasped the idea that you can’t understand liturgical changes until you have an understanding of what the Church is,” he said.

Asked what he enjoyed most about the meetings, Father Hein said it was the experience of celebrating the Eucharist in a community atmosphere. “I would rather not celebrate Mass alone or in a church, but in a home with 15 to 20 persons because of the experience of community.”

He added, “The meetings have opened all of our minds and by discussion we allowed others to move the furniture of our minds around. No one has hesitated to disagree with the priests. We have been knocked down and dragged out with the rest of them.”

At a recent meeting, Father Hein said in a short homily, “If we will give ourselves to Christ, then the Church will be what it is stated to be -- the sign of unity among all men.”

After Mass, he and 11 others discussed the liturgy in the age of leisure and liturgy as the hope of humanity.

They all smiled when they looked at a suggestion in “New Horizons in Christian Living.” It said, “Accept in good spirit the changes that are being made in the Church and try sincerely to adjust to them.” They haven’t simply accepted the changes -- they have embraced them.