Michael Sean Winters had an interesting article in NCR (March 2, 2026) on the lead-up to St. John XXIII calling Vatican II:
What led St. Pope John XXIII to call Vatican II? | National Catholic Reporter
"Vatican II did not drop out of the sky. There were three essential precursors to St. John XXIII's decision in 1959 to announce he was calling an ecumenical council: The first was spiritual and theological; the second was pastoral and existential and the third was personal and historical."
