...The pope went on to say that he believed the United States was among a handful of countries where the vision of the Second Vatican Council for parish life was fully realized...
I don't understand. Those of us who grew up pre-V2 are told we had a "ghetto Church," that we spent all of our time in the parish and didn't engage the "world." So it can't be that there weren't enough activities going on in the parishes all those years (or centuries). What exactly is happening now that is so invigorating? Is it all those women having meetings and all the inane "ministries" that keep forming? Is it the busybody parish councils?
It's all so sad.
Not where I live.
Some people can't handle the truth. If more parishes had engaged the world, we wouldn't be exposed to the societal rotgut we find ourselves exposed to day-in-and-day-out.