The Second Vatican Council ended almost 47 years ago, enriching the Church with 16 documents and an aggiornamento (brought up to date). During the last session of the Council, Pope Paul VI set up the Synod of Bishops to be held regularly in order for the Church not to be out of step with the times.

In his last interview Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini purportedly said that the Church is 200 years out of date. I read this interview but I found absolutely nothing new in it. In no way do I want to denigrate the cardinal but I ask: is the Catholic Church 200 years behind? My answer to this question is No.

What arguments are forthcoming from those who want us to pay attention to Cardinal Martini? They are presenting his words as a pastoral solution to the Church’s problems while they know that the Church cannot change her infallible doctrine on faith and morals. They do not dare say, at least openly, that under the pretence of dialogue they have a hidden agenda, namely that of trying to convince the Church to do away with some of her teachings, especially that dealing with sexuality. They forget that the Ten Commandments of God are there for all people and for all times.

Dialogue, yes; but suppressing the truth, no. The truth must always be at the service of genuine dialogue. Christ dialogued with the rich young man but in the end, notwithstanding the dialogue, the rich young man left in a sad mood. Today he would drop out of Church.

When Christ dialogued on the evil of divorce, many found his teaching difficult. But Christ did not go back on what he had said, rather he confirmed it again.

When Christ dialogued on giving us his body to eat and his blood to drink, many left him. The apostles were surprised and expressed their disappointment to him. His answer was a clear one: Do you also want to go away?

Was Christ 200 years behind?