Evening star., 1963-09-30
Vatican Council Begins Work
With Stream|ined Agenda

- VA 11CAN I'll I, OcpI' 'oO
(AP).-The Vatican Ecumen-
ical Council buckled down to
work today with a streamlined
agenda and hopes of getting
some quicker results.
The $500 delegates reas-
sembled under the great dome
Of st. Peters Basilica where
Pope Paul vi formally re-
opened the conclave yesterday
with a strong appeal for re-
form Of the Roman Catholic
Church.
A proposed redefinition of the
Roman Catholic church won
general endorsement from the
first prelates to speak at to-
days working session. Two
cardinals and six bishops took
the floor.
Called Good Foundation
The council press office,
summarizing the three-hour
meeting, told newsmen the
schema (topic) before the as
sembly-"De Fcclesia," con-
cerning the church-was ac-
pastoral. There was criticism
cepted by speakers as "a good
foundation on which to build"
1t was revised during the
recess, and undoubtedly will be
revised further. 1t will be the
main topic before the councils
session ending December 4.
The schema, considered the
key to all the councils work,
proposed a new way for the
Roman Catholic Church to look
at its structure. 1t came up
originally at the councils first
session last year and was
criticized by many fathers as
being too juridical and aca-
demic and not sufficiently
pastoral. There was criticism
that the original draft would
not help the cause of Christian
unity.
Faster Action Expected
During the recess, a council |
spokesman said today, 372 |
proposed corrections and |
amendments to the first half
Of the schema were mailed to
the Vatican by prelates around
the world.
"A feeling was evident that |
the session would move with |
greater speed and efficiency
than the first, which ran from
October IL to December 8 last |
year. This session will con-
tinue until. December 4.
A young American bishop
described the first session, con-
vened by the late Pope John !
XIII, as "a sort of dry run"
where there was bound to be
some disorder because of the
size Of the gathering.
But we learned from it and
I think the council will move
much more speedily this time"
he added.
In opening the council, Pope
Paul said its aims were redef-
inition and reform Of the Cath
olic Church. restoring Christian
unity and closer contact with
today'S world.
He called the episcopal as
sembly a council "of invitation,
of expectation, of confidence. ~
His clear voice rolled through
the huShed baSilica and out to
a crowd Of $4,000 persons in st. !
Peters Square as he delivered
the l0,000-Word address in
Latin.
Door Open for Unity
Like Pope John. Pope Paul
held the door open for a re-
uniting of Christians. To the
Protestant, Anglican and Or
thodox observers seated near
him, he said:
I'VE lay no snares . we do
not wish to make of our faith
an occasion for polemics."
Hopes for completing the
councils business with greater
dispatch stem from the re-
duction in the number of
schemata or topics to be con-
Sidered and acted on. Since
the council last met, these have
been trimmed from SO to II.
Four cardinals took the
Pope's place as moderators on
procedural problems. They are
Julius Doepfner of Munich, Leo
Suenens of Brussels, Giacomo
Lercaro of Bologna and Gre
CORY Peter Agagianian, perfect
Of the Congregation for Propa-
cation of the Faith.
Even though efficiency will
be stressed, a third session of
the council is expected to be
convened in 1864 and it may
even run over into the follow
ing year.