Osudy katolické církve na jihu Čech - diecéze v období 2. vatikánského koncilu
The History of the Catholic Church in Southern Bohemia – The Diocese during the 2nd Vatican Council

Summary/Abstract: This article maps, on the basis of archive materials, a further section of the history of the Catholic Church in Southern Bohemia – the immediate impact of the 2nd Vatican Council on the life of the diocese of České Budějovice. The introductory part briefly summarizes the position and role of Bishop František Tomášek at the Council. It is followed by a passage dealing with the reaction of the Communist state administration to the course of the Council sessions. Then the paper mentions the unfortunate role of the peace movement of the Catholic clergy and its transformation into the Work of the Council Revival at the time of the political thawing, called “Prague Spring”. The article concludes with the return of the diocese bishop dr. Josef Hlouch to České Budějovice and his effort to bring the documents of the 2nd Vatican Council to the church life, e. g. establishing a pastoral council of the diocese, parish councils, etc., in the spirit of the documents of the 2nd Vatican Council. Bishop Josef Hlouch also initiated a major renovation of the Cathedral of St. Nicholas to make it an example of arrangement of the liturgical space in all churches of the diocese. However, owing to the tightening of the political situation in the country in 1969 and the death of dr. Hlouch in 1972, a number of documents of the 2nd Vatican Council could only be brought to life after the “velvet” revolution in 1989.

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