 Thus he became an itinerant preacher in southwest France, helping the spiritual revival of parishes and directing retreats.The way of speaking about faith introduced at Vatican II in the early 1960s by Pope John XXIII seemed to coincide with the style of preaching and writing that was by then Evely's trademark, but what he called the "Spring of the Church" proved disappointing.Evely faced many obstacles as his bishop refused him the imprimatur, a then-essential declaration for the publication of a book written by a priest.