The Post-War Period 239

ization, the development of mass media and the consumer society constitute the main factors in the social upheaval which has taken place particularly since the Second World War. Confronted with a modern world in constant evolution, the Catholic Church saw an urgent need to take on a new direction in order to adapt and to better communicate its message of Christianity. It was in this spirit that, in 1962, Pope John XXIII convoked the Second Vatican Ecumenical Coun- cil. Bishops from all over the world spent three years defining a new direction for their Church.

The consequences of Vatican II in the Catholic world were both numerous and considerable. Age-old religious traditions were sud- denly changed or abolished, the catechism and the presentation of the sacraments completely altered, the role of the layperson in the Church made greater, and, finally, the Catholic Church became open to the idea of unity among all Christians.

This upheaval had significant impact on the average practicing Catholic. First of all, religion took on a new meaning. The God that had been feared for so long now became a God of love and liberation; in fact, a religion of fear and authority became a religion of love and trust. The ceremonies of worship were changed to facilitate communi- cation and greater participation on the part of the congregation: Latin was replaced by the vernacular as the language for all religious services, and both laymen and women were encouraged to take an active part in the ceremonies. The Church became less authoritarian, no longer imposing periods of penitence and fasting such as Lent, but rather urging the faithful to choose their own form of worship. Vatican II stressed the participation of lay people in parish administration and pastoral work. The Second Vatican Council brought about innumerable changes that affected virtually every aspect of the religious life of every Catholic.

The Island Acadians adapted to these profound transformations without too much difficulty. However, their religious practices and observances changed dramatically, as did those of Catholics through- out North America. Many people no longer went to Mass regularly and no longer observed certain forms of worship; civil and mixed marriages became more frequent and, with the practice of birth con- trol, families became smaller; nuns deserted their convents, many priests returned to secular life and fewer and fewer individuals felt a