Thomas Merton on Vatican II: The Sacred Liturgy and the Religious Life

Join Thomas Merton in this remarkable course on the Second Vatican Council.

On October 11, 1962, the Second Vatican Council opened, and it had a tremendous influence on the Church. Fifty years later the decrees and documents of the council continue to be a lively subject of discussion.

Now you can discover the council and its documents with beloved mystic and author Thomas Merton. In 1963 and 1965, Merton delivered erudite lectures on the impact of Vatican II and on two issues explored by the council: the liturgy and the religious life. These lectures are now available for your enjoyment as an audio program.

Merton first looks at the "Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy," which is, as Merton calls it, a work of supreme faith and the most important document on the liturgy in 1,600 years. He then explored the Vatican II's schemata on the religious life, which eventually culminated in the "Decree on the Adaptation and Renewal of Religious Life." Merton's lectures took place before this document was issued, so you will get a fascinating look at the inner workings of the church.

By looking at the council documents, Merton says, we are "in direct contact with the source of revelation." Don't miss the chance to take him as your guide through the documents and schemata of Vatican II.

Photograph of Thomas Merton by Sibylle Akers. Used with permission of the Merton Legacy Trust and the Thomas Merton Center at Bellarmine University. This set is part of the Learn25 collection.