Bishop Remi De Roo and the vision of Vatican II

Catholic New Times, Feb 9, 2003 by Mary Jo Leddy

Not everyone recognizes the defining moment of his or her life, even if it is right in front of them. Tonight, we are grateful that Bishop Remi De Roo did recognize his defining moment when he was doubly summoned. He recognized the momentous import of Vatican II and spent his next 40 years as a bishop responding to it.

Each one of us here can bear witness to how our faith has been transformed, challenged and made whole by the vision articulated at Vatican II. The opening words of Gaudium et Spes (1965) are as breathtaking now as then: "The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the (people) of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these, too, are the joys and hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the followers of Christ."

Bishop De Roo, the youngest bishop at Vatican II, was taken beyond himself by this vast horizon of hope. He became one its most articulate and intelligent apostles and spent his years in Victoria trying to implement the vision of the church as outlined in the documents of Vatican II.

The people of the Diocese of Victoria know the dedication and sincerity he brought to this task. He was also a bishop for many of us in Canada, the United States and elsewhere. He provided a symbolic bridge between new social concerns and the institutional church. Bishop De Roo became a kind of official assurance that the proclamation of faith and the service of justice belong together.

His leadership of the Commission of Social Affairs for the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops was significant at an important and productive time. Bold and provocative statements were issued on behalf of those whose voices had often been discounted: Aboriginal Peoples; the unemployed, women and many others. He challenged the church to take justice to heart and he challenged groups working for social change to think twice about the church.

The passion f0r justice is growing outside the church

There are days when it seems that the constituency that Bishop De Roo helped build is falling apart: the passion for justice is growing outside of the church while the church seems to have lost confidence in the wisdom and authority that it has to bring to the world.

There are days, too, when the vision of Vatican II seems to be fading. To be sure, there are reactionary forces intent on controlling the agenda for the church. Some simply seem to lack any faith that the Holy Spirit will keep the church true to the Gospel. However, they are not all mean-spirited. More conservative Catholics simply value what is durable in a culture of disposable goods.

It is tempting to engage in nostalgia for the good old days of Vatican II, to lament the church that might have been. However, this is a temptation and it saves us from the imperative of a much more profound analysis of what is happening 40 years after Vatican II. Our nostalgia for Vatican II is not the same as the authentic memory of what it promised. Bishop De Roo understands this difference and this is why he is untiring in his efforts to continue to educate and to speak about Vatican II.

He continues to hope in the church that gave birth to Vatican II when others have given up on it or have walked away. How many of us underestimated the depth of conversion of mind and heart that the implementation of Vatican II called for? How few liberals were able to summon up the long-term discipline and sacrifice required to help bring about the change in the church and the world? It will take the rest of our lives, and then some, to transform the structures of the church and the culture of clericalism that holds it captive. However, although the windows opened by Vatican II have closed somewhat, there are insights that act like wedges holding those windows open enough to keep the breath of the Spirit circulating: notions such as the church as the People of God and the notion of institutional error in the remarkable admission (Dignitatis Humanae, the Vatican II "Declaration on Religious Liberty") that the church had made mistakes.

The anniversary of a bishop, who has taken such notions very seriously, is an invitation to consider them afresh.

The interactive nature of power. person in relationship

As I have reflected on the role of leadership within organizations and institutions, I have come to appreciate the interactive nature of power. This is something quite different from authority, which belongs to a position, or strength, which may be a personal characteristic. Power is the energy that arises when persons are in relationship. Leaders cannot lead without the active consent of their people.

This implies, at least, that we get the leaders we deserve. This seems more obvious in the realm of politics. When constituents take the trouble to vote, when they attend meetings in their riding, when they express their appreciation for the good that is done and offer constructive criticisms when necessary, they will get the good politicians they deserve. However, if they sit on the sidelines of the political process--armchair critics who rant about the politicians on the nightly news but who never pick up the phone to register their concern--then they will get the poor politicians they deserve.