An interesting exchange here between William F. Buckley Jr. and Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen from 1970, where the good Bishop’s answers sound incredibly contemporary and not entirely satisfactory. Almost as if the Church has been in stasis for 50 years.
In 1970 there was much optimism about Vat II among many clerics. The mass exodus of priests and religious had barely begun. Ditto the great exodus of the laity. Thus, Sheen's optimism is not surprising.
In 1970 99% of clerics were talking as if the Vat II documents had floated down from heaven. The first high level cleric who spoke publicly about flaws in Vat II was Cardinal Ratzinger.
When did Card. Ratzinger that for the first time exactly and about what?
It would be interesting to know how many clerics, to begin with those who made VII onwards our days ever spoke any words against the VII?
And also to know a number of the clergy who didn't say ever a word against VII.
He went to Rome in 1981, I began in 1986, and he was making public comments then. Afterwards, there were comments in 30 Giorni from Koenig and a few others about SC. It was said that they did the Vat II liturgy document first because it was thought it would be the easiest. In fact, it was the hardest, and it wasn't very good. A few years later some profs now and then would make brief negative comments about Vat II.
One cannot promote VII without bashing almost 2000 years of Catholicism that preceded it. Sheen does it in this interview.
Buckley revealed since his death to be CIA operative. Defended contraception.
Buckley worked two years for the CIA 70 years ago, and it has been public knowledge for years. When Humanae Vitae was promulgated, he opposed it but later changed his mind.