October 11, 2012, marks the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council. Perhaps more than any other event in recent years, Vatican II can define a generation, an attitude, an outlook, an understanding of both the Church and the world, perhaps even an understanding of faith itself. The Catholic Update Guide to Vatican II explores the world to which the council was reacting, the direction that changed the Church forever to be a sign of joy and hope, and how its spirit is very much a part of the Church today as Catholics continue to experience the implications of its teachings.