The Catholic ChurchThe Catholic Church of the 20th century has undergone enormous changes, particularly following the Second Vatican Council. This Council created an atmosphere of reform among leading theologians and the Church hierarchy. Therefore, when Pope Paul VI issued his encyclical Humanae Vitae, to many reformers it seemed to contradict the sentiment of the Council. At the same time, however, a movement was underway to radically change the power structure of the Church. Led by the same liberal theologians who took exception to the pro-life policies outlined in Humanae Vitae, the goal was to move the Church from an authoritarian power structure to a more democratic model. Humanae Vitae and the outrage it provoked was the catalyst that allowed the reform movement to take over. In response to the revolution, a counter-revolution formed. These were conservative forces within the Church, led by the Pope himself. Counter-revolutionaries have sought to prove through the multiple infallible councils of Church history that the Church must be authoritarian. In their defense, they most often invoked Petrine primacy, Vatican I and Vatican II. These culminating moments for the counter-revolutionaries came with the election of Pope John Paul II. With his election, the revolution is going through a difficult period. Under the leadership of a strong, authoritarian pope who maintained the pro-life stance, the reform movement ground to a halt. However, the damage was done. While the Church maintained Church authority, for the laity this authority was gone. Consequently, the general public ceased to recognize the educational power of the Pope.Humanae Vitae and the resulting revolution...... middle of paper ......ne. February 26, 2002. Döpfner, Cardinal Julius. La Chiesa viti oggi. Bari: Paoline, 1972Doyle, Dennis M. The Church Emerging from Vatican II, a Popular Approach to Contemporary Carolicism. Mysticism: Twenty-Third Publication, 1992McCormick, 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, 1998 Muggeridge, Anne Roche. The desolate city: revolution in the Catholic Church. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1986Pennington, Basil M. Vatican II: We have only just begun. New York: Crossroad Publishing Co..., 1994