The First Concelebrated Mass

Third Session – 14 September – 21 November 1964

Following the vote of 2,147 to 4 approving the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy at the close of the Second Session, it was not surprising to find Pope Paul V1 presiding at the Mass to open the Third Session, with 24 concelebrants, a first statement of the reforms approved in the Constitution on the Liturgy. Following this great affirmation of the oneness of Christ’s priesthood, the Council Fathers went on to examine various chapters of the Schema on the Church, not yet approved, and also vote on the 8 chapters as amended.



Among the liturgical reforms that emerged following the Second Vatican Council was the possibility of concelebration at Mass. In this way, each priest is understood to offer the sacrifice of the Mass even if he is not the principal celebrant.



There was quite a debate on whether to accord Our Blessed Lady, the titles of MEDIATRIX and MOTHER OF THE CHURCH, as the Fathers examined the Chapter in the Schema on the Church, on the Blessed Virgin Mary. There was great interest in the voting on the Third Chapter dealing with the Hierarchical Constitution of the Church with special reference to the bishops. There was nothing to indicate that the heat had subsided on the relationship between Papal Primacy and Episcopal Collegiality.

Other Schemas Considered at the Third Session

The Schema on the Bishops’ Pastoral office in the church – the debate was held up here until the fate of the Schema on the Church was voted on as a whole.

The Schemas on Religious Freedom and on the Jews, which were originally part of the Schema on Ecumenism, were debated as separate schemas and the debates were marked by both theological as well as political concerns.

On “Religious Freedom”, on the one hand, it was critiqued as moving away from the Church’s traditional position on the unique rights of the true religion; on the other hand, the defenders insisted that the changes reflected the development of political realities, reflecting the dignity and freedom of persons, and more fundamentally a weighty prerequisite for any serious ecumenical or interfaith dialogue.

The Schema on the Church’s relationship with the Jews posed a difficulty because of the political repercussions it may have for the Christians in the Middle East.

An amended text on Divine Revelation and a Schema on the Lay Apostolate were discussed.

The revised Schema on Ecumenism was put to a series of votes and approved in October.

A revised Schema on “on the Ministry and Life of priests” was brought before the Council Fathers, who attacked it furiously as inadequate, superficial, and disappointing; by a vote of 930 to 1,199 it was sent back to the relevant Commission to be completely redone.

The Schema on the Church’s Missionary Activity, even though it had the backing of Paul V1, was considered unsatisfactory by most of the Fathers because of its brevity and superficiality, and at the  proposal of the commission, it was sent back to be completely rewritten.

The Schema on the Appropriate Renewal of Religious Life was also criticized but was accepted by a narrow margin of votes, provided that it be revised to take into account the many reservations expressed.

The Schema on Education for the Priesthood was favourably received and was adopted.

The Schema on Christian Education, woven from an inadequate schema on Catholic Schools, was substantially approved.

The Schema on the Oriental Catholic Churches was discussed and approved.

The Schema on a Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World was also debated with a focus on the methodology of the Schema, on whether it properly distinguished and related the realms of the natural and supernatural. The Fathers were admonished to avoid the subject of artificial contraception, which the Pope had reserved to the study of a special group of clerical and lay experts.

A vocal minority at the Council persisted in its objections to the third chapter of the Schema on the Church (the issue being the relationship between Papal Primacy and Episcopal Collegiality); the Pope intervened and ordered that an explanatory note be prefaced to the Doctrinal Commission’s explanation of the final revisions. Although the Council was not given an opportunity to discuss or approve this “explanatory note”, when it went to the vote on 17th November, only 47 out of 2,146 Fathers were opposed to the text.

The revised text on the Church’s relationship with Non-Christian Religions was approved by the Council on 20th November, but with the provision that the recommended amendments must be taken into account. The revised Schema on Religious Freedom, which differed notably from the previous one discussed, prompted the Fathers to request more time for consultation and discussion. This was not granted and in the end the Holy Father intervened, ruling that the Ordo  required more time, and hence he upheld that there would be no vote; however the promised that the Schema on Religious Freedom would be the first item on the agenda of the Fourth Period.

At the public session that closed the Third Session, the Holy Father concelebrated Mass with 24 priests, having major Marian shrines in their territories. Following this event, the Fathers of the Council passed the following texts:-

SCHEMA                                                                    VOTES

Constitution on the Church                                     2,151 to 5

Decree on Eastern Catholic Churches                     2,110 to 39

Decree on Ecumenism                                            2,137 to 11

The Holy Father then promulgated them and in his closing address on 21st November, he proclaimed Mary to be the “Mother of the Church”. Meanwhile, the Council had followed the advice of the Doctrinal Commission and declined to accord Mary this title explicitly, while presenting the idea in similar terms. Many of the Fathers saw the Pope’s act of proclamation of the title as asserting his own distinct Papal Authority as we move into the Fourth and Final Session.

Interesting Fact:

The Mothers of Vatican II -Twenty three women at the Council at Paul VI's request

The history of the Councils of the Church has always been full and articulated by theological, human and, unfortunately even, political surprises. However one certainty has guided the work of the Council Fathers and the experts also present at the Council: the Spirit breathes into the soul but also calms storms.

At Vatican II the breathe of originality in history, of humanity and of the Church had never been seen before: 23 women were present, summoned on 8 September 1964 as auditors by Paul VI, and thus they were shaped by an adverb, which limited their work but perhaps increased their responsibility: “symbolically”

This break with centuries past was made. (Madri del Concilio. Ventitré donne al Vaticano II (Mothers of the Council - Twenty three women at Vatican II) presents these 23 women summoned, dressed and veiled in black, telling of the events which acted as a corollary to their silent presence in the halls but also to their interventions, concrete and real.

We owe many thanks to the Pope who succeeded in breaking the age-old barrier even if these women were confined to a modest role, deliberately modest, because a numerous and qualified offspring was born from this initiative. The split took place, the fruits continued to blossom.

Did the Council Fathers describe, with humour, the women present as “mothers” without understanding the profound implication? These women/mothers mark the watershed between two conceptions of women: one which relegates her to household tasks and low-profile help and the other, which takes into consideration all of her potential for intelligence and care, understood as it was understood by the patroness of Europe Edith Stein, who was able to listen and know how to welcome others.