What I was thinking of when I used that term, was that prior to Vatican II, the Church seemed to exist in a rarefied atmosphere, and it seemed the Chruch ruled with an iron fist.
We sure could use an iron fist right now, but that should normally be reserved as a defensive tactic, not an offensive one.
And in my opinion, the Church ruled prior to Vatican II mostly by instilling fear. The problem with that is that while it's good at instilling a sense of obligation, it's not condusive to helping people feel that they're a part of the Church. Vatican II did accomplish a democratization of sorts, which the Church was in need of, IMO.
"What I was thinking of when I used that term, was that prior to Vatican II, the Church seemed to exist in a rarefied atmosphere, and it seemed the Chruch ruled with an iron fist."
If the preconciliar popes ruled with an iron fist, it was because they knew they had to. The Enemy was ready to strike at the first opportunity. But in the meantime, the rarefied atmosphere had won the world's grudging admiration.