The Catholic ChurchThe Catholic Church in the 20th century underwent enormous changes, especially following the Second Vatican Council. This Council created a climate of reform within the leading theologians and hierarchy of the Church. Consequently, when Pope Paul VI published his encyclical Humanae Vitae, it seemed to many reformers to contradict the sentiment of the Council. At the same time, however, a movement was underway aimed at radically changing the power structure of the Church. Led by the same liberal theologians who had taken offense at the pro-life policies laid out in Humanae Vitae, the goal was to transition the Church from an authoritarian power structure to a more democratic model. Humanae Vitae, and the outrage it sparked, was the catalyst for the birth of the reform movement. In response to the revolution, a counterrevolution was formed. These were conservative forces within the Church, led by the Pope himself. The counter-revolutionaries sought to demonstrate through the multiple infallible councils of Church history that the Church must be authoritarian. In their defense, they have often resorted to the Petrine Primacy, Vatican I and Vatican II. The culmination of the counterrevolutionaries came with the election of Pope John Paul II. With his election came a difficult moment for the revolution. Under a strong and authoritarian Pope who supported the pro-life position, the reform movement stalled. However, the damage has been done. While the Church maintained the authority of the Church, for the laity this authority had disappeared. As a result, the general public ceased to recognize the Pope's pedagogical power. Humanae Vitae and the Conseguente Revolutio...... middle of paper ......ne. 26 February 2002. Döpfner, Cardinal Giulio. The living Church today. Bari: Paoline, 1972Doyle, Dennis M. The Church emerging from Vatican II, a popular approach to contemporary Catholicism. Mystic: Twenty-third Publication, 1992 McCormick, Richard A.. “Changing Your Mind About the Changing Church.” Religion online. February 28, 2002. McInerny, Ralph M.. What Went Wrong with Vatican II: The Catholic Crisis Explained. Manchester: Sophia Institute Press, 1998Muggeridge, Anne Roche. The Desolate City: Revolution in the Catholic Church. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1986Pennington, Basil M.. Vatican II: We're just getting started. New York: Crossroad Publishing Co., 1994