Dialogue, fidelity crucial to church growth, Catholic historians told

Published: 2004-04-29

MIAMI (CNS) -- The Catholic Church is undergoing two internal changes, according to religion writer Peter Steinfels. Leadership is passing from priests and religious to lay people, and from lay people formed entirely by the Second Vatican Council to more "unstable" Catholics, he said. He made the comments in a keynote address at the annual spring conference of the American Catholic Historical Association, held April 16-17 at St. Thomas University in Miami. Vatican II also validated dialogue as a response to the modern world, Steinfels said, but "40 years after the council there is now this movement to revert back toward hostility instead of dialogue because of the culture of death and materialism that exists." He said, "The commitment to dialogue remains but (is) under serious pressure."

Copyright (c) 2004 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .