The first period of Vatican II (1962) was its most crucial; by freeing the Council from the narrow channels of the official drafts, it permitted it to expand its vision and eventually to produce texts that represented and encouraged the three goals Pope John set out for the Council: spiritual renewal, pastoral updating (aggiornamento), and the pursuit of Christian unity.Four major scenes defined the first act of the conciliar drama; for them I have supplied some useful material:1) Pope Johnsopening speech, with mysummary2) theelectionof members for conciliar commissions3) the debate and voteon the liturgy4) the debate and vote on the drafton the sources of revelation.

Rev. Joseph A. Komonchak, professor emeritus of the School of Theology and Religious Studies at the Catholic University of America, is a retired priest of the Archdiocese of New York.

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