Fr Max Vodola from Catholic Theological College and the University of Divinity presented the May ACI webinar on Wednesday 20 May 2026 looking at Pope Leo’s catechesis on the role of lay people in the Church.
He drew on Pope Leo’s series of reflections on Lumen Gentium, the Second Vatican Council’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, particularly on Chapter IV on The Laity.
Fr Max Vodola
Rev. Dr Max Vodola lectures at Catholic Theological College where he is head of the Department of Church History. He specialises in the history of the Church in Australia, 19th/20th century Catholicism and Vatican II, and the history of Ecumenical Councils.
He is parish priest of All Saints, Fitzroy, and Chair of the Melbourne Diocesan Historical Commission.
Max Vodola holds the degrees of Bachelor of Theology and Master of Theological Studies from the University of Divinity, a Master of Arts from Monash University, and a Doctorate in Church History from Monash University.
He has travelled extensively across Australia giving talks to priests, school and parish groups on Vatican II.
In 2021, he published a revised edition of his A Friendly Guide to Vatican II (Garratt Publishing) which discussed the Australian Plenary Council, Pope Francis and Synodality and the lay women auditors at Vatican II, including the outstanding and internationally respected theologian, Rosemary Goldie.
Read more
Pope Leo’s catechesis on Vatican II (Joseph Cardijn Digital Library)
