Second Vatican Council

American  

noun

1. the twenty-first Roman Catholic ecumenical council (1962–65) convened by Pope John XXIII. Its 16 documents redefined the nature of the church, gave bishops greater influence in church affairs, and increased lay participation in liturgy.

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Second Vatican Council

The Second Vatican Council, which concluded 60 years ago Dec. 8, was made to order for the lavish photojournalism of Life magazine.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 4, 2025

Ever since the Second Vatican Council, the 1960s meetings that modernized the church, popes have summoned the world’s bishops to Rome for a few weeks at a time to debate particular topics.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 26, 2023

“Particularly since the Second Vatican Council, and theologically, the ground for keeping governance united to ordination is getting shakier.”

From Washington Times ● Apr. 26, 2023

Some analysts have compared the meeting to a miniature Second Vatican Council — the landmark church assembly of bishops in the 1960s that opened up the church to the modern world.

From New York Times ● Mar. 13, 2023

Ratzinger became a priest in 1951 and gained attention as a liberal theological adviser at the Second Vatican Council, which opened in 1962 and led to a profound reform of the Church.

From Reuters ● Dec. 31, 2022