If you are calling the 'scholarly work' slip-shod----you are going to have to do much better than that.  I expect you to cite scholars who can PROVE that there was slip-shod work there.  What about all the biblical source work done?  What about the contributions of the bishops BEFORE Vatican II [there were committee meetings].

Joseph Ratzinger did participate in Vatican II [he did not vote on anything, he was not yet a bishop--- but he was hired as a periti---as was Hans Kung----for Cardinal Joseph Frings of Cologne].  Ratzinger was a seminary professor, as was Hans Kung, who used Latin daily in teaching seminarians.  Most of the bishops coming into Vatican II---knew Latin, of course, but were not capable of debating in it.  It was the Curia, at that time, who wanted to get this Council over quickly, and it was THEIR decision to have everything in Latin.  It was John XXIII who had two Bars [coffee only] established where bishops could meet and discuss issues in their modern language.