The pre-Vat II church only preached the gospel of fear, not Jesus' Good News of love, service, forgiveness and peace -- I was there for 25 years of it, complete with 100% Catholic education.  There was plenty of "hell" included then, especially for the grievous sins of eating meat on Friday, "impure thoughts" in an curious eight-year-old's imagination, sassing a priest, etc.  We learned an awful lot about the rules, rules, rules, the primacy of an abusive institution, yet very little about the essence of Jesus' Message of hope and love. 

The Council was called for many valid reasons.