Submitted by Angela Maria de Oliveira (amolivei@uepg.br) on 2018-06-11T13:47:12Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 811 bytes, checksum: e39d27027a6cc9cb039ad269a5db8e34 (MD5) Guedes, Edson.pdf: 5459690 bytes, checksum: 513dfe3b873b4dd331245e84d40918a0 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-06-11T13:47:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 811 bytes, checksum: e39d27027a6cc9cb039ad269a5db8e34 (MD5) Guedes, Edson.pdf: 5459690 bytes, checksum: 513dfe3b873b4dd331245e84d40918a0 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-03-27 / O objetivo desta pesquisa é analisar de que maneira as tensões cotidianas no Seminário Seráfico Santa Maria, localizado em Irati, sudoeste do Paraná, expressam as dificuldades na reformulação das identidades sacerdotal e franciscana, proposta pelo Concílio Vaticano II (1962-1965). As disputas em torno das referidas identidades geraram discussões e debates na Igreja Católica, presentes nos documentos conciliares e numa extensa produção bibliográfica, e que se desdobraram em instituições como a Ordem dos Frades Menores Capuchinhos, mantenedora do Seminário Santa Maria. A partir da análise dos documentos do Concílio Vaticano II, da Ordem dos Frades Menores Capuchinhos, do Seminário Santa Maria, do estudo bibliográfico, bem como de entrevistas e fotografias, é possível perceber as competições, usos, consumos e práticas dos discursos produzidos pela hierarquia católica entre os sujeitos sociais envolvidos. Resultados revelam que as identidades não são reformuladas por decreto e que mesmo em ambientes onde prevalece a posição hierárquica, elas são ressignificadas de forma constante nos embates do cotidiano. / The objective of this research is to analyze how the daily tensions in the Santa Maria Seraphic Seminary, located in Irati, southwestern Paraná, express difficulties in the reformulation of priestly and Franciscan identities proposed by the Second Vatican Council (1962- 1965). The disputes over these identities generated discussions and debates in the Catholic Church, present in the conciliar documents and in an extensive bibliographical production, and which were deployed in institutions such as the Capuchin Order of Friars Minor, maintainer of the Santa Maria Seminary. From the analysis of the documents of the Second Vatican Council, the Order of the Capuchin Friars Minor, the Santa Maria Seminary, the bibliographic study, as well as interviews and photographs, it is possible to perceive the competitions, uses, consumptions and practices of the discourses produced by the hierarchy among the social subjects involved. Results reveal that identities are not reformulated by decree and that even in environments where the hierarchical position prevails, they are constantly re-signified in the everyday struggles.

Submitted by Angela Maria de Oliveira (amolivei@uepg.br) on 2018-06-28T14:23:51Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 811 bytes, checksum: e39d27027a6cc9cb039ad269a5db8e34 (MD5) Danila Castilho.pdf: 1336786 bytes, checksum: a60fd536dac5cbfbfd92810038330ca2 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-06-28T14:23:51Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 811 bytes, checksum: e39d27027a6cc9cb039ad269a5db8e34 (MD5) Danila Castilho.pdf: 1336786 bytes, checksum: a60fd536dac5cbfbfd92810038330ca2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-03-26 / Fundação Araucária de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico do Paraná / Em 1967, após retornar de um período de estudos na Itália, frei Eurico de Mello, um frade capuchinho, deu início a uma nova experiência de movimento jovem em Ponta Grossa-PR, ligado a Ordem Franciscana Secular (OFS), a Juventude Franciscana (JUFRA). A partir desse grupo, frei Eurico construiu uma estrutura e metodologia, tendo como base a Teoria da Organização Humana, proposta por Antônio Rubbo Müller, e o Movimento de Criatividade Comunitária, proposto por Waldemar de Gregori. A experiência da JUFRA ponta-grossense foi escolhida como modelo a ser implantado em todo o Brasil. O período de 1970 a 1980 é o recorte temporal foco deste trabalho, marcado pelas decisões do Concílio Vaticano II e pelo surgimento de novos movimentos jovens. Busca-se compreender como a identidade franciscana da JUFRA foi idealizada pelo frei Eurico e como os jufristas a compreenderam. Para isso, a dissertação apresenta uma reflexão a partir de parte da bibliografia produzida acerca do Concílio Vaticano II, uma análise dos documentos e materiais de formação da JUFRA, mas também uma biografia do frei, a história da instituição do movimento e a compreensão da identidade franciscana dos jufristas pelos documentos e narrativas orais acessadas. Pela análise documental, se percebeu que o ideal de identidade franciscana do movimento Juventude Franciscana, idealizado pelo frei Eurico, pretendia que os jovens desenvolvessem o engajamento nas comunidades paroquiais e na sociedade, maturidade de consciência e autonomia, traçando metas de vida pelo equilíbrio de suas personalidades. A identidade franciscana foi compreendida pelos entrevistados como um estilo de vida baseado no despojamento, na alegria, no engajamento nas comunidades, na organização e na maturidade de consciência. Portanto, tais compreensões convergiram com aquelas presentes nos documentos analisados, mostrando que foram muito marcantes os aprendizados no movimento para os entrevistados. / In 1967, after returning from a period of studies in Italy, Fray Eurico de Mello a Capuchin Friar initiated a new experience of youth movement in Ponta Grossa-PR, linked to OrdemFranciscana Secular (OFS), Juventude Franciscana (JUFRA). From this group, Fray Eurico built a structure and methodology having as basis the Theory of Human Organization proposed by AntônioRubbo Müller and the Movement of Community Creativity proposed by Waldemar de Gregori. The experience of JUFRA in Ponta Grossa was chosen as model to be implemented throughout Brazil. The period of 1970 to 1980 is the temporal cut focused in this piece of work, characterized by decisions made by Second Vatican Council and by the rise of new youth movements. It is tried to understand how Fray Eurico idealized the Franciscan identity of JUFRA and how the “jufristas” understood it. In order to reach it, the thesis presents a reflection made from part of a bibliography produced about the Second Vatican Council, an analysis of the documents and materials of the formation of JUFRA, and a biography of the fray, the history of the institution of the movement and the comprehension of the Franciscan identity of the “jufristas” according to the documents and oral narratives accessed. In accordance with the documents analyzed it was noted that the ideal of the Franciscan identity of the Juventude Franciscana movement idealized by Fray Eurico intended that the young people developed the engagement in the parochial communities and in the society, maturity of consciousness and autonomy, setting life goals through the balance of their personalities. The interviewees understood the Franciscan identity as a lifestyle based on the stripping, joy, engagement to the community, in the organization and in the maturity of consciousness. Such understandings therefore converged with those present in the documents analyzed, showing that the learning opportunities were very strong in the movement for the interviewees.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-29T14:27:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Fernando Rodrigues Francisco.pdf: 1021739 bytes, checksum: ab3bc9c64b9e949ea9a8a297e5f31df9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-08-14 / This study aims to point out the fundamental elements of the theology of the laity present in the documents of the Magisterium of the Church, in a special way in the apostolic exhortation Christifideles Laici, from the blessed John Paul II. It is known that many of these elements had already been listed by renowned theologians way before the Second Vatican Council. However, it was with the Vatican II that the theology of the laity was consolidated and the laymen began to demand a greater participation in the organization and mission in the Church. In the first chapter we see that this council has established important concepts for understanding the theology of the laity: as 'people of God', 'participation', 'communion', 'common priesthood'. Through baptism all believers are co-responsible in the Church's evangelizing mission. Through this baptism all the faithful are co-responsable in the threefold mission of the church. By this sacrament the laymen faithful become participants of the triple munus of Christ. It is from this participation that spring the fundamental elements that characterize the theology of the laity: leadership, holiness, secular mission, ministries, offices, roles, charisms. The laymen faithful, in communion with the Church, working in the temporal reality and take the Good News of Jesus. In the second chapter we point out the essential elements of the theology of the laity present at apostolic exhortation Christifideles Laici. This post-synodal exhortation stated that the saving mission of the Church is held in the world by all baptized christians. The fundamental new of this exhortation is the act of the laymen in the Church and in the world. The lay aggregation and ecclesial criteria for these forms of associations constitute the heart of Christifideles Laici. In the third chapter we understand that the elements of the theology of the laity, well founded, would be useful not only to substantiate the sacrament of baptism and to solve the pastoral problems of the parishes, but also they would help to clarify the relationship between clergy and laymen, the various ministries and charisms, the various vocations and the sanctification of the laymen in the Church and the world. Finally, we saw the effort that the Church must still be taken in applying the theology of the laity, to be a more effective tool used in the dissemination of Gospel in the world. Much remains to be done for the recognition of the lay ministries and the work together with ordained ministers, however, Christifideles Laici pointed the baptism as a starting for a common mission, since all are members of one body whose head is Christ, into the New Evangelization / Este estudo pretende apontar os elementos fundamentais da teologia do laicato presentes nos documentos do Magistério da Igreja, de forma especial na exortação apostólica Christifideles Laici, do beato João Paulo II. Sabemos que muitos desses elementos já haviam sido elencados por renomados teólogos bem antes do concílio Vaticano II. Porém, foi com o Vaticano II que a teologia do laicato foi consolidada e os leigos começaram a exigir uma maior participação na organização e na missão na Igreja. No primeiro capítulo percebemos que este concílio firmou conceitos importantes para a compreensão da teologia do laicato; como povo de Deus , participação , comunhão , sacerdócio comum . Através do batismo todos os fiéis são corresponsáveis na missão evangelizadora da Igreja. Por este sacramento os fiéis leigos se tornam participantes do tríplice múnus de Cristo. É desta participação que brotam os elementos fundamentais que caracterizam a teologia do laicato: protagonismo, santidade, missão secular, ministérios, ofícios, funções, carismas. Os fiéis leigos, em comunhão com a Igreja, atuam na realidade temporal e levam a Boa-Nova de Jesus. No segundo capítulo expomos os elementos essenciais da teologia do laicato presentes na exortação apostólica Christifideles Laici. Esta exortação pós-sinodal declarou que a missão salvífica da Igreja é realizada no mundo por todos os cristãos batizados. A novidade fundamental desta exortação está no agir dos leigos na Igreja e no mundo. As agregações laicais e os critérios de eclesialidade para essas formas agregativas constituem o coração da Christifideles Laici. No terceiro capítulo entendemos que os elementos da teologia do laicato, bem fundamentados, seriam úteis não apenas para fundamentar o sacramento do batismo e resolver os problemas pastorais das paróquias, mas ajudariam a esclarecer a relação entre clérigos e leigos, os diversos ministérios e carismas, as variadas vocações e a santificação dos leigos na Igreja e no mundo. Por fim, evidenciamos o esforço que a Igreja ainda deve empreender na aplicação da teologia do laicato, para ser um instrumento mais eficaz na divulgação do Evangelho no mundo. Falta muito a ser feito para o reconhecimento dos ministérios laicais e o trabalho conjunto com os ministros ordenados, porém, a Christifideles Laici apontou o batismo como um ponto de partida para uma missão comum, pois todos são membros de um só corpo cuja cabeça é Cristo, rumo à Nova Evangelização

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-29T14:27:28Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Renato Arnellas Coelho.pdf: 10673774 bytes, checksum: cd0418e71accd898361c839fe693b4b4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-12-11 / After the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), some people start to follow positions known as sedevacantists, denying the existence of a pope in the Church after that period. Sedevacantism is more present in the United States and in Europe, but also, gradually, some people in Brazil adhere to this position. Among the many branches of sedevacantism, the Cassiciacum Thesis is noteworthy, formulated by the Dominican Michel Guérard des Lauriers (1898-1988). This paper will examine the importance of the life and work of the author of the Cassiciacum Thesis, in order to understand what sedevacantism is, as well as compare this Thesis with favorable and unfavorable scholars. One will see that this Thesis approaches the subject of papacy in a creative way, unlike other approaches done so far. Nevertheless, one can conclude that the Thesis is limited both intrinsically, due to its arguments, and extrinsically, by relying on a subjective analysis restricted to a particular and fleeting papacy / Após o Concílio Vaticano II (1962-1965), começam a aparecer pessoas com posições denominadas sedevacantistas, negando a existência de um papa na Igreja depois desse período. A presença do sedevacantismo é mais acentuada nos Estados Unidos e na Europa, mas também no Brasil, aos poucos, surgem pessoas que aderem a essa posição. Dentre os diversos ramos do sedevacantismo, destaca-se o sedevacantismo ligado à Tese de Cassicíaco, formulada pelo dominicano Michel Guérard des Lauriers (1898-1988). O presente trabalho irá analisar a importância da vida e da obra do autor da Tese de Cassicíaco, para bem entender o sedevacantismo, bem como comparar essa Tese tanto com estudiosos favoráveis, como desfavoráveis, a essa posição. Ver-se-á que a dita Tese aborda o tema do papado de modo criativo, diferente de outros modos apresentados até então. Todavia, conclui-se que a Tese é limitada intrinsicamente, quanto aos seus argumentos, e extrinsecamente, por depender de uma análise subjetiva e restrita a um papado determinado e passageiro

Submitted by Marlene Aparecida de Souza Cardozo (mcardozo@pucsp.br) on 2016-11-29T11:36:22Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Antonio Genivaldo Cordeiro de Oliveira.pdf: 2801187 bytes, checksum: 0543494403cf9793cc7fb413d10b7852 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-11-29T11:36:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Antonio Genivaldo Cordeiro de Oliveira.pdf: 2801187 bytes, checksum: 0543494403cf9793cc7fb413d10b7852 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-10-19 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The research shows the construction of a unique identity in contemporary Japanese Catholicism. Utilizing primary sources, the author demonstrates a change in the paradigm of understanding of Catholic mission, with a historic-sociological reconstruction of the Catholic Church transplantation from the XIX century and the necessary accommodations during the expansionism of the Greater Japanese Empire. He then points out the Japanese episcopacy's participation in the Vatican II Council and highlights their commitment to inculturation issues and the construction of a local Church identity. Finally, he describes the emblematic conflict between the Newcatechumenal Way and the local Episcopal Conference in the past decades. The locus of this study is theoretically in regards to the religious transplantations and cultural transference process and its efforts to achieve an autochthonous identity. On the one hand, by demonstrating the formation of a Japanese identity within Catholicism, the study challenges the general understanding that Christianity continues to be considered as a foreign religion in Japan; on the other hand, it confirms the tendency of the Japanese people in appropriating a religious tradition and innovating it / A pesquisa mostra a construção de uma identidade particular no catolicismo contemporâneo Japonês. A partir de fontes primárias, o autor apresenta a mudança de paradigma no entendimento da missão católica com uma reconstrução histórico-sociológica da transplantação da Igreja Católica a partir do século XIX e as acomodações necessárias durante o expansionismo do Império do Grande Japão. Posteriormente, situa a participação do episcopado japonês no Concílio Vaticano II e destaca o compromisso deste com a inculturação e com a construção da identidade de igreja local. Finalmente, descreve o emblemático conflito entre o Caminho Neocatecumenal e a Conferência Episcopal local nas últimas décadas. O estudo situa-se teoricamente no tema das transplantações religiosas e dos processos de transferências culturais e suas transformações até alcançar uma identidade autóctone. Ao demonstrar a formação de uma identidade católica japonesa, por um lado o estudo desafia o entendimento geral de que o cristianismo continue a ser considerado como religião estrangeira no Japão; por outro lado, confirma a tendência dos japoneses em apropriarem-se de uma tradição religiosa e inová-la

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-25T19:20:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Alfredo Moreira da Silva Junior.pdf: 8296243 bytes, checksum: c09d5d8386ad365339124d76c6f7401b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-10-22 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The Second Vatican Council represented the greatest event of the Church in the twentieth century and caused changes and effects that extend to the present. The documents produced by this event has been over time, the object of discussion between conservatives and progressives, whether of the clergy or the laity. The historical context which the announcement occurred, preparation, realization and reception of the Council, may somehow contribute to a better understanding of the course of events, the scope and purpose of this event either at European level, either in Latin American or Brazilian. In the latter case, the need for changes and adaptation of the Church to the "new times", was accompanied by a growing tension between the Church and the military regime, which, somehow, became the preferential option for the poor on a flag not only pastoral but also politics. However, the council was not perceived the same way by different interest groups inside the church, and this thesis seeks to demonstrate exactly how such antagonistic interpretations of the same event occurred. To make possible such intent, we used the concepts of representations proposed by Chartier and "the world of the text and the reader's world" _ present in the hermeneutics proposal of Ricoeur / O Concílio Vaticano II representou o maior acontecimento da Igreja no Século XX e provocou mudanças e efeitos que se estendem até a atualidade. Os documentos produzidos por esse evento tem sido ao longo do tempo, objeto de discussão entre conservadores e progressistas, sejam eles do clero ou do laicato. O contexto histórico onde ocorreu o anúncio, a preparação, a realização e a recepção do Concílio, pode de certa forma, contribuir para uma melhor compreensão do desenrolar dos acontecimentos, do alcance e dos efeitos desse evento, seja em nível europeu, seja no âmbito latino-americano ou brasileiro. Neste último caso, a necessidade de mudanças e de adaptação da Igreja aos novos tempos , foi acompanhada por uma tensão cada vez maior entre a Igreja e o Regime Militar, o que, de certa forma, tornou a opção preferencial pelos pobres numa bandeira não só pastoral mas, também, política. No entanto, o Concílio não foi percebido da mesma maneira pelos diferentes grupos de interesse dentro da Igreja e, esta tese procura demonstrar exatamente como ocorreram interpretações tão antagônicas sobre o mesmo evento. Para viabilizar tal intento, foram utilizados os conceitos de representações propostos por Chartier e do mundo do texto e mundo do leitor presente na proposta hermenêutica de Ricoeur

A travers une enquête prosopographique sur les 480 experts officiels (periti) du concile Vatican II, cette thèse interroge à nouveaux frais l’histoire des idées et des réseaux à l’intérieur du catholicisme au cours du second vingtième siècle. En s’intéressant aux acteurs et à leurs points de vue subjectifs, à leurs trajectoires mais également aux médiations institutionnelles et aux sociabilités dans lesquelles ils sont pris, on s’attache à inscrire cet « événement » et ses suites dans les conditions historiques et sociales de sa production. Structuré entre un pôle institutionnel (le gouvernement de l’Église, diocésain ou romain, mais aussi l’enseignement) et un pôle prophétique (les pionniers dans les mouvements d’Église et les chercheurs), le champ religieux, étudié au prisme du groupe des periti, apparaît comme un espace où les prises de position renvoient largement aux positions occupées. Or le concile, s’il ne transforme pas le champ étudié, perturbe un temps les mécanismes ordinaires de légitimation des discours de vérité, et modifie, pour certains experts, les positions dans ce champ. Les carrières postérieures de nombre d’entre eux confirment un réajustement relatif de leurs propres prises de position, comme de celles de l’institution, tout en consacrant les positions de pouvoir d’une nouvelle génération. Répercutés dans, et modifiés par la logique conciliaire, ces débats situent le concile dans une histoire plus longue du catholicisme. A son tour, la cartographie dynamique de l’espace théologique qui se dessine aide à placer la théologie dans une histoire internationale des circulations intellectuelles, celles des idées comme celles des hommes. / Based on a prosopographic investigation of the 480 official experts (periti) at the Second Vatican Council, this thesis revisits the history of ideas and networks of twentieth century Catholicism. By focusing on individual protagonists, their points of view, their trajectories as well as the interpersonal relationships and institutional mediations they are involved in, this research aims to reposition this event and its aftermath in the life history of the Church as determined by its historical and social conditions of production. The Catholic field is structured by a tense relation between an institutional center (comprising the government of the Church, be it local – diocesan, or global – Roman, and the teaching institutions) and a prophetic pole (the Church movements’ pioneers and the researchers). Studying the periti group, it appears that intellectual or theological stances often relate to positions held in the field. Although it does not ultimately transform the field itself, the council temporarily disrupts the ordinary process through which truth speeches are legitimized inside the institution, and alters some of the experts’ position in the field. Research into the later careers of a few of them confirm the relative readjustment of their own stands, as well as of those of the whole institution, while consolidating the positions of power of a new generation in the Church administration. As they are echoed and modified by the conciliar logic, these debates place the council in a longer Catholic history. In return, this dynamic cartography of Catholic ideas contributes to a better understanding of the place of theology in a global history of the intellectual networks, involving ideas and people.

This thesis aims to show that the Columban Society made definable and significant contributions to the Australian Catholic missionary movement. The scope of the thesis is an analysis of the work of the Missionary Society of St Columban (Columban Society) in Australia from 1920-2000. Rather than the Society’s foundation in Ireland or its overseas missionary work, the focus is the activity of the Columban Society in Australia. The thesis argues that the Columban Society helped advance the understanding and practice of overseas mission within the Australian Catholic Church in four major ways. Firstly, by organising support for its own missionary venture in China and elsewhere, it helped foster mission mindedness among Australian Catholics and established structures for the ongoing resourcing of missionary activity. Secondly, it set up seminaries to train missionary priests and later opened its reformed tertiary level missionary formation programs to all church personnel in Australia. Thirdly, it helped mould Catholic opinion through its commentary on such international issues as Australian relations with Asian peoples. Finally, it contributed to the development and dissemination of new Catholic theological teaching, particularly in relation to social justice and indigenous churches, religious dialogue and the connections between faith and ecology. The Columban Society carved out a position for itself in Australia through negotiating with the local Catholic Church. Starting as a group of diocesan priests and, from 1920 onwards, tapping into the numerous Irish church personnel in Australia, the Society grew to become a missionary arm of the local church. It created a network of financial support and influence at the grass roots level in parishes and schools through a system of regular visits, collections and a monthly magazine. As the world and church changed, it added mission education programs that fed back to Australian Catholics ideas and experiences coming from the new indigenous churches. The distinctive contribution of the Columban Society to the Australian Catholic Missionary Movement lies in its close relationship with diocesan based parish Catholics and the teaching role it developed about missionary experiences of overseas churches within the context of international affairs. The Society has a significant placewithin the social history of Australia because of the direct influence it had on the opinions of the more than a quarter of the Australian population who identified as Catholics. The history of the Society is also a case study in the application of the reforms of the Second Ecumenical Vatican Council of the Catholic Church 1962-1965 and the consequent redefinition of orthodox belief and practice.

This study details the background to the establishment of Parish School Boards in the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn, and reports and analyses the perceptions of all ACT Catholic, systemic, primary school Principals who operated with a Parish School Board in 1993. The movement towards Parish School Boards finds its genesis in the Second Vatican Council where the Church was invited to collaborate in decision-making based on the belief that all the faithful have gifts, knowledge and a share of the wisdom to bring to the building of the Church. The nature and structure of Catholic education was seen as a suitable vehicle for encouraging communities to engage in shared decision-making and in participatory democracy under the Church model of subsidiarity, collegiality and collaboration. The introduction of Parish School Boards into the Archdiocese can be seen as the implementation of a radical change to the educational mission of the Church and the educational leadership of the faith community. Reflecting 'new management theory' in both the secular and Church worlds, a key stakeholder is the school Principal whose role and relationships change as he or she learns to work within a team, sharing leadership. This study examines the responses of nineteen Principals who were interviewed by the researcher in order to determine how they work with a Parish School Board and what effects the board has on their work. Research studies in the area of School-Based Management and Shared Decision-Making have informed the review, and the Principals' responses from this study have been analysed in the light of secular and Church literature on leadership, devolution and change. The respondents of this study, the school Principals, report the benefits of collegiality and collaboration but their unresolved tensions relate to work overload, lack of clarity of the roles and responsibilities of the various local level decision-making groups, increased administrative complexity, community demand for ever widening consultation and the challenge of consensus decision-making. All Principals report an urgent need for professional development for themselves and for the system to provide a more explicit focus on parish and community formation with the commitment of the necessary resources to sustain this radical change.

In 1936 the founders of PAX aimed at 'resistance to modern warfare on grounds of traditional morality'. Believing that 'just war' criteria could no longer be met, they called themselves pacifists. Although most members were Roman Catholic Pax did not claim to be a 'Catholic society' because the RC Church at that time took an opposing view, particularly of conscientious objection. Church authorities attempted to censor Pax literature and instructed clergy to resign from the society. Pax supported conscientious objectors during the Second World War. When membership declined afterwards it continued to publish the Pax Bulletin and to provide a forum where Catholics could debate theological and practical questions of war and peace. By the 1960s Pax had gained some distinguished sponsors and a branch in the United States - support which enabled it to influence debate at the Second Vatican Council in 1965. The Council endorsed the right to conscientious objection. In 1971 Pax merged with Pax Christi, the international Catholic peace organisation which began in France in 1944/45. This is the first detailed historical study of the Roman Catholic element in the British peace movement. The story of Pax demonstrates the part that even a small pressure group can play in changing public opinion through patient work. Eventually, despite apathy and opposition, Pax helped bring the RC Church to a recognition of the right to conscientious objection and played a crucial role in the development of a more widespread peace movement within the Church