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Pope John XXIII reveals his plan to convene the 21st ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church

Pope John organises a group of bishops, leaders of churches around the world and theologians to organise a general overview of what Vatican II would look like i.e what topics it would cover. Over 9,300 proposals are submitted.

Pope John XXIII organises eleven different groups including the Central Preparatory Commission (CPC) which was led by the Pope himself each made up of theologians and church leaders to establish the agenda of Vatican II, from the proposals put forward in 1959. However due to most of the church leaders and theologians in the groups being based in Rome, Pope John found that the proposals put forward had very "old fashioned" and conservative views.

Pope John XXIII calls the second Vatican council to occur in Vatican City the following year. Non-Catholic churches are invited to send observers as well as Catholic churches around the world,

Pope John XXIII dies.

Arrangements are made to appoint a new Pope

The first session of the 21st ecumenical council, Vatican II, commences in Vatican City. Bishops, cardinals, theologians, observers, auditors, sisters, laymen and laywomen all made up over 3000 people who attended Vatican II. Bishops from 16 countries representing many different continents i.e Europe (1041), North & South America (956), Africa (379), Asia (256) & Oceania (70).

10 council groups are organised, elected on by cardinals and bishops attending Vatican II.

The Vatican II council establishes it's message to the wider world, "to focus its attention on the major issues of the world"

Documents concerning the liturgy are discussed and a redrafting process begins. The council is divided with some of the opinion that the document should not be changed with others believing that it should be changed to make it relevant to the modern world.

The first session of the council comes to a close.

Cardinal Giovanni replaces Pope John XXIII and changes his name to Paul, becoming Pope Paul VI. He then promises to continue running the council sessions of Vatican II.

The second session of Vatican II officially opens.

The second session of Vatican II ends after Pope Paul XV eventually approves the documents of the Sacrosanctum concilium i.e the constitution on the liturgy and the decree of social communications.

The third session of Vatican II officially opens.

The department for non-christian religions is officially opened by Pope Paul VI.

The third session of Vatican II ends, with documents concerning a decree on Ecumenism and a Decree on Eastern Catholic Churches, approved by Pope Paul VI. Ideas are also brought up concerning potential documents concerning the churches relationship with non-christians.

The fourth session of Vatican II begins.

The fourth and final session of Vatican II ends. Documents about Divine Revelation, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World and other documents concerning how the Catholic church will now look in the modern world are approved by Pope Paul VI.

After Vatican II concludes, various commisions suggest other changes in the catholic teaching e.g believing that contraception is not bad/evil as the church taught.

Priests, bishops and cardinals around the world were facing political , social and technological changes and felt there was a need for these issues to be addressed.