I remember Vatican II, which started when I was in high school. Many of us were filled with idealism and hope. As Wordsworth said about the French Revolution, "Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive,/But to be young was very heaven!" I know what happened to the ideals of the French Revolution -- the red terror, the 18th Brumaire, and so on. The idealism of that revolution was lost; and the idealism of the late 60s was lost also. I will not speak of the political reasons for the loss of idealism: Vietnam, Kent State, Watergate; but our idealism was also in our Church.

We felt a spirit saying "Behold! I make all things new!"  I have been to a Mass concelebrated by a Catholic priest and an Episcopalian priest, and we expected reunion between Rome and Canterbury because each would recognize the other as sisters in Christ. We were foolish to think such things, but it was such a wonderful dream, and far better than the more cynical attitude I have been left with.