Papal Household hears second Advent sermon

December 14, 2012 - Pope Benedict XVI and members of the Papal Household Friday morning heard the second Advent sermon which was on regarding the Second Vatican Council as primarily the work of the Holy Spirit. Papal Preacher Capuchin Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa pointed out that 50 year after the start of the ground-breaking council one needs to go back to its texts in order to recognize the working of the Holy Spirit in it. He pointed to Blessed John XXIII who wanted the council to transmit, without distortion or watering down, the integral Catholic doctrine, adapted to the needs of our times. He said amidst talks about newness in continuity and continuity in change with regard to Vatican II, it is the Holy Spirit that reconciles the opposing trends. He said the Spirit does not speak new words, does not institute new sacraments or institutions, but perennially renews and enlivens the words, the sacraments, and institutions created by Jesus. The Holy Spirit does not do new things but renews things, Fr. Cantalamessa said, adding the Second Vatican Council would be a dead letter if not for the Holy Spirit. Given the problems and controversies within the Church following Vatican II, it would seem absurd to talk of a new Pentecost, the Cappuchin priest said. In this regard he said only one needs just to read the Acts of the Apostles to understand that problems and controversies were there too even after the first Pentecost. And this is true even today.