International Journal of Arts and Humanities (IJAH)

While many scholarly studies have reviewed the impact of the Council on the Church worldwide, especially in the wake of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the end of Vatican II, analyses of the implementation of its teachings on local levels have not been prominent. Cardinal Humberto Medeiros, who served as Archbishop of Boston from 1970 to 1983, was a peritus at all four sessions as a priest in Fall River, Massachusetts and was the driving force for implementation of the Council’s teachings and new programs during his time as Archbishop. Spearheading ecumenical efforts in Boston and his strong advocacy for the permanent diaconate and lay participation in the celebration of the Eucharist were hallmarks of his work. His efforts show how a theologically conservative Bishop was able to implement the teachings of a rather progressive Ecumenical Council on the local level. Essay: The year 2015 marked the 50th anniversary of the close of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965). As was appropriate to mark this commemoration of arguably the most important event in Catholic history during the second millennium, many monographs and scholarly articles, addressing both the specifics of the Council and its interpretation over the past half-century were published. Additionally, many scholarly conferences were convened, and papers presented, all to expand scholarship associated with this Council, whose teaching continues to guide the Church on a daily basis. Overlooked, due in large measure to his humble and self-effacing personality and his absence in the scholarly literature, Cardinal Humberto Medeiros, who served as Archbishop of Boston from 1970 to 1983, made great strides in the promotion of Vatican II by instituting the Council’s teachings and many programs that have become standard in the Church today. Medeiros was clearly a theological conservative, but nevertheless he supported the more progressive teachings of the Council, including overt outreach to non-Catholics and non-Christians, instituting liturgical changes, and initiating new programs, including the permanent diaconate. Medeiros’ ministry is a demonstration of how Vatican II was successfully instituted on the local level, meeting both the letter and the spirit of the Council’s teachings.1 I. Humberto Medeiros: Background Humberto Medeiros came to prominence in the American Church from humble immigrant origins.