Will The "Authentic" Spirit Of Vatican II Please Come Forward!

About the Book

This book comes as a reflection of over thirty years of active participation and contact with the Sacred Liturgy, both before and after Vatican II. It does not address the question of a return to the Latin or suggest that we must go back to an earlier version of the Liturgy. Rather, it addresses the significance and necessity of language in itself for the integrity of the intellectual being as such. It then takes this concept and applies it to liturgy, faith and salvation. It is demonstrated in this work that, not only is language the fundamental grounding for good liturgy and solid faith, but that language is in itself an absolute necessity to the makeup of an intellectual being. Language goes to the root of who we are as persons; it goes to the very depth of our souls and without it, we are mental mutes, no better than the animals. Moreover, language is even necessary to God, who speaks His living and eternal Word. His is a one Word language, infinitely and eternally expressed which contains in itself infinite and eternal knowledge, Jesus Christ. In virtue of the essential relationship between intelligence and language, it must be concluded that, it would be simply impossible to create a rational being without the capacity to communicate in some kind of language, even if it were just thinking and self dialogue. The realization of this profound truth should give new meaning to the maxim, Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi (as we pray, so do we believe). These truths should also put into question the so-called sincerity and good faith of the translators (ICEL) of our Sacred Liturgy.

            This book also demonstrates that a failure in so essential and fundamental an area of our faith (liturgical translations) did not just happen, it had a cause. To discover the cause one naturally looks to authority (to those who were on watch). It is quite impossible to write on such a sensitive topic without seeming to unduly criticize the Bishops, but there is no such intention here. We are indeed, obliged to support them by our constant prayers. That said, when there is danger to the faith, in all charity, we must speak out. We cannot go on holding hands and whistling in the dark, hoping that the problem will go away while we do handstands and back-flips at being nice to one another. True charity demands more than mere courtesy and cordiality whose solemn oath is, never  to rock the boat. The truth of the matter is that, it’s all right to rock the boat, as long as you take care and are paddling in the right direction. On the other hand, for those who refuse to paddle or make progress upstream, they are by necessity condemned to flow in that direction which the law of gravity will carry them. The gist of the problem is this; someone in the chain of command left the door to the chicken coop open and some wolf or other got in and did carnage and continues to do carnage to the present day. Some “body” is responsible for this grave damage. Would it not be to their spiritual advantage to own up to the damage done, make amends and go forward with an authentic liturgical renewal of the Church? Nothing short of this turning back (conversion) will redeem us from the false spirit of Vatican II. In the following pages we will discover that at the very core of the problems with the Liturgy, there also lies the cure. In this work, I attempt to tie the above principles in with the importance of using Sacred Language to produce Sacred Liturgy and I go on to demonstrate that anything short of sacred language, which calls itself Catholic Liturgy, is really a falsification of it. The bottom line and reoccurring theme of this book is that, if you pray wrong, long enough, you may just pray yourself right out of the Church.

            I have done my best to keep this work within the grasp of a wide range of readers by keeping it simple and easy to read. I tried to keep it on a level of comprehension which would reach the people in the pews, but also wanted it to be sufficiently academic to attract the clergy and higher educated audience. Wherever I have used technical language, I have defined and explained the terms for those less familiar with them.

About the Author

Fr. John Lewandowski was born in Trenton, NJ, brought up in Chicago to the age of 15 and was then sent to Father Flanagan’s Boys Home, Boys Town, Nebraska. He graduated in 1961. He says of that experience at the home; “Boys Town was for me a first rate home. I have always considered it the greatest of God’s blessings in my life, second only to my birth and my ordination to the priesthood.” After graduating from Boys Town, he spent about eight years in military service (Army). While in the military, he had the opportunity to visit various European and Asian countries. Having a penchant for the German language and culture, he learned to speak German and a spattering of other languages at this time. After military service, Father worked as an auto mechanic in the Chicago area for about 30 years. It was around this time that he began to consider a call to the priesthood. In 1989 he began his studies under the exemplary tutelage and example of Bishop Jerome J. Hastrich of Gallup, NM (RIP). Of Bishop Hastrich, Fr. Lewandowski states;

“This book is not about Bishop Hastrich, but he is one of those great blessings that come along in life which totally convinces a person that there is such a thing as divine providence and that nothing happens by accident. Bishop Hastrich was nothing short of a true father to me and to the many he ministered to, even in his so-called retirement. From him, you could sensibly feel that he really cared for you as a person. He lived in community with his seminarians, he personally answered every piece of mail and when he was home, he personally answered the phone. The reason I mention all this, is that I would not be a priest today and this book would not have been possible without so stanch a support and inspiration as he was to me.”

After approximately seven years of study, Fr. Lewandowski graduated with an M.A. and an M. Div. from Holy Apostles Seminary in Cromwell CT. On June 1, 1996 he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop James S. Sullivan for the Diocese of Fargo. Since then, the years of seminary life, together with about ten years as a priest has given Fr. Lewandowski ample time to reflect on the present condition of the Sacred Liturgy. His book is both a reflection and a critical look at the Liturgy since the Vatican II Council. Father comments, “Since liturgy is the very essence of faith formation (Lex orandi, Lex credendi; as you pray, so do you believe) it will have either a positive or negative impact for the salvation of souls. Given the important part it plays in deciding our final destination, it behooves every bishop and priest of the Catholic Church to make it their sworn duty to work toward the speedy and faithful renewal of our Sacred Liturgy.” Fr. Lewandowski belongs to the Diocese of Fargo, ND, but he lives and works in the Diocese of Little Rock, Arkansas.