[Gophack]

You ask a good question, and I'm definitely not schooled enough to give a good answer.

I don't think that Vatican II has "contradicted" the traditions of the Church. From listening to Catholic radio -- which is full of conservative priests and theologians -- it seems to me that the church can never be in err, but can understand the Truth more fully as it is revealed by the Holy Spirit.

Why God allowed the Church to change the Mass is something we can not understand, but there must be a reason because God is reasonable. Many bishops throughout the country allow the Tridentine Mass at some of their parishes, and I personally think this is a worthy compromise to allow those who prefer the Latin Mass to celebrate it.

God bless.

[TradicalRC]

Having read Sacrosanctum Concilium (the Vatican II document on Liturgy) I can say it is a fairly reasonable document. Having said that I must say that the Novus Ordo Mass does not adhere to much of it. Notably, SC states that Latin IS TO BE PRESERVED while the LIMITS of the vernacular may be extended. No doubt there are "conservative" theologians who will state that the Novus Ordo does not contradict the documents of VaticanII but their arguments tend to be mere sophistry. Christ may have distinguished between the Spirit and the letter of the law, but He did not disregard the letter of the law entirely. Pope Paul IV seemed to sense that something had gone awry. There is much confusion in the Church and Scripture has it that God is not a God of confusion but a God of order. I question whether the so called "Spirit of Vatican II" is indeed the Holy Spirit or something darker.