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Not long after his election as pope in 1959, Blessed John XXIII surprised the whole world when he announced his intention to convene the Second Vatican Council. Nobody expected this affable son of peasant farmers to take such a bold move. He was supposed to be a “caretaker pope,” spending his remaining years preparing for the next pope. But Angelo Roncalli had other plans.
Pope John XXIII caused an even greater stir when he stated that one of his primary intentions for the council was Christian unity. Having served as a papal representative in Bulgaria, Turkey, and Greece, John XXIII experienced firsthand the divisions between Eastern and Western Christians. In addition, during his time as papal nuncio in France, he was appointed as the first permanent observer of the Holy See at UNESCO. This international perspective made the new pope keenly aware of the scandal of a divided church. He wanted Vatican II to put the church on a new path toward reconciliation with all believers.
It was for this reason that John XXIII took the extraordinary step of inviting to the Council representatives from every major Christian denomination. These “observers” were treated with great respect, and were given the opportunity to comment…
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