Editing Pope Paul VI (section)

==Legacy and controversies==
{{Social teachings of the popes}}
In 2011, newly uncovered documents went up for auction and contained, among other items, proof that beginning in September 1950, while then serving as deputy of foreign affairs for the Vatican, Montini worked with former Nazis and members of the Spanish military in planning for a mercenary style army to operate within the African continent. Another revelation was a letter from the priest of former Nazi Lieutenant Colonel [[Otto Skorzeny]] to Montini in which the priest praised Montini's efforts to fund, harbour, and give safe passage to [[Ratlines (World War II aftermath)|former Nazis evading Allied]] capture and punishment.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washington-whispers/2011/12/02/revealed-post-world-war-ii-secret-nazi-vatican-army |title=Revealed: Post-World War II Secret Nazi, Vatican Army |last=Bedard |first=Paul |work=U.S. News & World Report |date=2 December 2011 |access-date=26 July 2021 |archive-date=29 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129111053/https://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washington-whispers/2011/12/02/revealed-post-world-war-ii-secret-nazi-vatican-army |url-status=live }}</ref>

Pope Paul VI continued the opening and internationalisation of the church that began under [[Pius XII]] and implemented the reforms of [[John XXIII]] and the [[Second Vatican Council]]. Yet, unlike these popes, Paul VI faced criticism throughout his papacy from both traditionalists and liberals for steering a middle course during Vatican II and during the implementation of its reforms thereafter.{{Sfn|Graham|1983|p=75}} He expressed a desire for peace during the [[Vietnam War]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.shc.edu/theolibrary/resources/handbook_warpeace.htm |title=Pope Paul VI, Address to the United Nations General Assembly |year=1965 |publisher=SHC |website=Handbook of Catholic Social Teaching: War and Peace |access-date=13 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130301204453/http://www.shc.edu/theolibrary/resources/handbook_warpeace.htm |archive-date=1 March 2013 |quote=No more war, war never again! Peace, it is peace which must guide the destinies of people and of all mankind. |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On basic Church teachings, the Pope was unwavering. On the tenth anniversary of ''[[Humanae vitae]]'', he reconfirmed this teaching.<ref name="Graham">{{harvnb|Graham|1983|p=76}}</ref> In his style and methodology, he was a disciple of Pius XII, whom he deeply revered.<ref name="Graham" /> He suffered for the attacks on Pius XII for his alleged silences during the Holocaust.<ref name="Graham" /> Pope Paul VI was said to have been less intellectually gifted than his predecessors: he was not credited with an encyclopaedic memory, nor a gift for languages, nor the brilliant writing style of Pius XII,{{Sfn|Pallenberg|1960|p=107}} nor did he have the charisma and outpouring love, sense of humor and human warmth of John XXIII. He took on himself the unfinished reform work of these two popes, bringing them diligently with great humility and common sense and without much fanfare to conclusion.{{Sfn|Graham|1983|p=76}} In doing so, Paul VI saw himself following in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul, who, being torn to several directions, said, "I am attracted to two sides at once, because the Cross always divides."{{Sfn|Guitton|1967|p=159}}
[[File:Paul6statue.jpg|thumb|left|160px|A statue of Paul VI in Milan, Italy]]
[[File:GER Bundesverdienstkreuz 7 Grosskreuz.svg|thumb|left|160px|Paul VI received the Grand Cross First Class of the [[Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany]].]]

Paul VI refused to excommunicate opponents. He admonished but did not punish those with other views. The new theological freedoms which he fostered&nbsp;resulted in a pluralism of opinions and uncertainties among the faithful.{{Sfn|Franzen|1991|p=389}} New demands were voiced, which were taboo at the council: the reintegration of divorced Catholics, the sacramental character of the confession, and the role of women in the church and its ministries. Conservatives complained "women wanted to be priests, priests wanted to get married, bishops became regional popes and theologians claimed absolute teaching authority. Protestants claimed equality, homosexuals and the divorced called for full acceptance."{{Sfn|Martin| 1981|p=277}} Changes such as the [[Mass of Paul VI#Liturgical orientation|reorientation of the liturgy]], [[Mass of Paul VI#Changes in the Order of Mass|alterations to the ordinary of the Mass]], alterations to the [[Calendar of saints|liturgical calendar]] in the motu proprio ''[[Mysterii Paschalis]]'', and the [[Mass of Paul VI#Repositioning of the tabernacle|relocation of the tabernacle]] were controversial among some Catholics.

While the total number of Catholics increased during the pontificate of Paul VI, the number of priests did not keep up. In the United States, at beginning of Paul's reign there were almost 1,600 priestly ordinations a year, while the number dropped to nearly 900 a year at his death. The number of seminarians at the same time dropped by three quarters. More pronounced declines were evident in religious life where the number of sisters and brothers declined sharply. Infant baptisms began to decline almost at once after Paul's election and did not begin to recover until 1980. In the same period adult conversions to the church declined by a third. While marriages increased [[Declaration of nullity|annulments]] also increased but at a much greater rate. There was a 1,322% increase in declarations of nullity between 1968 and 1970 alone. While 65% of US Catholics went to Sunday Mass in 1965, that percentage had slipped to 40% by the time of Paul's death. Similar collapses occurred in other developed countries.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Jones |first1=Kenneth C. |title=Index of Leading catholic Indicators |date=2003 |publisher=Oriens Publishing Company |location=St Louis, MO |isbn=978-0972868808 |pages=13–83 }}</ref>

Paul VI renounced many traditional symbols of the papacy and the Catholic Church; some of his changes to the papal dress were temporarily reversed by [[Pope Benedict XVI]] in the early 21st century. Refusing a Vatican army of colourful military uniforms from past centuries, he got rid of them, leaving only the [[Swiss Guard]] in function. He became the first pope to visit five continents.<ref name="Josef Schmitz van Vorst, 68">Josef Schmitz van Vorst, 68</ref> Paul VI systematically continued and completed the efforts of his predecessors, to turn the Euro-centric church into a church of the world, by integrating the bishops from all continents in its government and in the Synods which he convened. His 6 August 1967 [[motu proprio]] ''Pro Comperto Sane'' opened the [[Roman Curia]] to the bishops of the world. Until then, only Cardinals could be leading members of the Curia.<ref name="Josef Schmitz van Vorst, 68" />

Some critiqued Paul VI's decision; the newly created Synod of Bishops had an advisory role only and could not make decisions on their own, although the Council decided exactly that. During the pontificate of Paul VI, five such synods took place, and he is on record of implementing all their decisions.<ref>Simmel, 80</ref> Related questions were raised about the new National Bishop Conferences, which became mandatory after Vatican II. Others questioned his Ostpolitik and contacts with Communism and the deals he engaged in for the faithful.<ref>Simmel, 82</ref>

Paul VI suffered from the responses within the church to ''Humanae vitae''. Most regions and bishops supported the pontiff, including notable support from [[Patrick O'Boyle (cardinal)|Patrick O'Boyle]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=National Catholic Reporter 9 October 1968 — Catholic Research Resources Alliance|url=https://thecatholicnewsarchive.org/?a=d&d=ncr19681009-01.2.7|access-date=6 October 2020|website=thecatholicnewsarchive.org}}</ref> However, a small part of the church, especially in the Netherlands, Canada, and Germany openly disagreed with the Pope, which deeply wounded him for the rest of his life.<ref>Simmel, 81</ref>