Bishop Michael Smith takes a look at Post - Vatican II monkeyshines!!

Adapted from this source: Maria Legionis: The Voice of the Legion of Mary magazine. No. 1 of 2008, Feb, Mar, Apr. Page 20.

"Prayer" [by the] Most Rev. Dr. Michael Smith, Bishop of Meath.

"In the immediate aftermath of the Vatican Council the Church experienced some upheavals as the task of bringing the insights of the Council into the life of the Church was undertaken.

"Many, pursuing their own agenda, invoked the spirit of the Council in support o ftheir actions while ignoring what the documents from the Council actually contained.

"Priesthood and religious life suffered as many abandoned their vocations."

And then, some things got even worse!

"You had the contradictory phenomenon in some countries of Religious abandoning their convents and their vocation as teachers so that they could be closer to the poor.

"I cannot think of any greater gift one could give to a child than an education that draws out their talents and capacities and prepares them to take their place in society.

"Many of the poor they sought to get closer to were already in the schools they had abandoned.

"Having lost the anchor provided by religious life it was not long before this too was also abandoned."

Then, they trashed the prayer life of others, too!!

"One feature of Church life that suffered was the area of personal prayer and popular devotions.

"The call of Christ to go into your private room for prayer to the Father, a call that had been integral to the life of the Church since its very beginnings, was in danger of being pushed to the margins..."

Amen to all that, Most Rev. Dr. Michael Smith!!

Better late than never...