The Ascent of Man to God Answering the Vatican II Period, the Doctrine of Acquiring Christian Perfection, and the Universal Call to Holiness

There has been a clarion call from Cardinal Sarah and Cardinal Burke for this generation to finally provide correct interpretations of what the Documents of Vatican II actually requested. As such, this work illuminates key teachings concerning the 2000-year-old tradition of the Three Stages and Three Conversions of the Spiritual Life, as evidenced from scripture, the doctors of the Church, mystical theologians, & the Summa Theologica. This evidence has subsequently been cross referenced with the documents of the Second Vatican Council, the Catechism, and recent papal documents. As such this work is epiphanic in that it finally applies the authentic traditional spirituality of the Church Fathers into the life of the Church by answering Vatican II's call for Christian perfection. By finally cross referencing the traditional spiritual language with the conciliar documents it presents a true hermeneutic of continuity, and the only solution to reignite spiritual vitality within the Church, and therefore the Universal Call to Holiness. The Three Stages and Three Conversions of the Spiritual Life are more than just a spiritual teaching. This is because they teach us how to restore the Divine Order. The Divine Order precedes all orders and supersedes all orders. It sweeps away man's imperfection and replaces it with God's perfection. Fragmentation and separation have come about within the Church. Worldwide the original perfection has been replaced by so much that is not in the original design. This has caused problems within the Church, the world, and the family. This Divine Order is founded by God and involves learning to walk in the way of perfection, and it is the spirituality of the Church in which all spiritualities are contained. This perfect order continues to be founded in all who wish to co-operate with the original grace, so that the Divine Order is founded in them. It draws the Church into one vocation so as to follow Christ with one heart, one mind, and one purpose, from the beginning to the end. 'Be you therefore perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect' (Matt. 5:48). 'Unless you become as little children you cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven' (Matt 18:3). Whilst many Church initiatives have concentrated on what is known by theologians as the First Conversion, which takes place at the beginning of the spiritual journey, this work now looks at the true nature of the spiritual life and moves us forward to the Second and Third Conversions. Without a Christian moving through the Second Conversion it is not possible to love both God and neighbour with the Christian perfection that is requested fifty-seven times in the Documents of the Second Vatican Council. As will be demonstrated, the Second Conversion is also highlighted in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Catholics often state that the three ways of the spiritual life follow on from the kerygmatic stage, but now it is time to finally set forth this reality. The evidence for this authentic spiritual hermeneutic of continuity is presented within this work. The antidote to the current crisis in the Church is to state that the future vigour and vitality of the Catholic Church lies in the Three Stages and Conversions of the Spiritual Life. Only here do we discover an intrinsic formation in the Divine Order of Christian perfection, which above all leads us to the perfection of Charity, as was repeatedly requested of all baptised Catholics in the documents of the Second Vatican Council.