The Inside Story of Vatican II

The Inside Story of Vatican II - A First Hand Account of the Council's Inner Workings, was ormerly entitled 'The Rhine Flows into the Tiber' by Rev. Ralph M. Wiltgen, SVD.

Only two years after the Second Vatican Council concluded in 1965, Catholics around the world welcomed the publication of The Rhine Flows Into the Tiber, a history of the Council published worldwide in four languages. Widely hailed for its balanced, factual reporting, this eye-opening insider’s account was written by Fr Ralph M. Wiltgen, a priest and professional journalist who was an eyewitness with unparalleled access to the principal figures and events of the Council.

The Inside Story of Vatican II is a revised, updated edition of that ground-breaking contemporary account, which details in particular the crucial influence on the Council’s proceedings exerted by its German-speaking bishops. As Catholics continue to debate the meaning and impact of Vatican II, they will find this book an indispensable guide for understanding what actually took place there behind the scenes.

About the Author
The Rev. Father Ralph M. Wiltgen, S.V.D. (1921-2002), was born in 1921 at Chicago, Illinois. After become a Divine Word Missionary in 1938, he received Holy Orders twelve years later, and eventually composed a history of Vatican II entitled The Rhine Flows into the Tiber. Father Wiltgen also authored such works as The Religious Life Defined and Gold Coast Mission History. His The Rhine Flows was originally published in the 1960s with the Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur.
“Masterly coverage of what went on behind the scenes.”The Catholic Weekly

“The best contemporary account of the proceedings . . . an historical testimony of great value.”The National Catholic Register