The Vatican seems determined to use the Roman Catholic Church of The Netherlands as a test case to prove that the progressive wing of the church can be curbed. What is more, it seems to be winning. First there was the appointment of conservative Msgr. Adrianus Simonis to the see of Rotterdam. Then came the appointment of a stubborn reactionary, Johannes Gijsen, to the see of Roermond (TIME, July 24). Now the hierarchy of The Netherlands has been forced to cancel a national pastoral council meeting set for October.
The first pastoral council met several times from 1968 to 1970 to discuss...