Ratzinger: "Father Gy's declaration ... irritated me."

Two years before his death in 2004, Father Pierre-Marie Gy, O.P. published a critical review of Cardinal Ratzinger's The Spirit of the Liturgy, which appeared in La Maison-Dieu 229.1 (2002), 171-78. The future Pope Benedict XVI did not take a benign view of Fr. Gy's criticisms, and asked that he be allowed to publish a response to the review in the same journal, as soon as possible. The two articles have recently been published in English translation in Antiphon 11.1 (2007), 90-102.

The reader need not look far to find what provoked Cardinal Ratzinger to respond. A variety of issues are touched on in the debate, the most prominent being "active participation" (participatio actuosa) in the liturgy and the ad orientem celebration of the Mass. For our article featuring detailed excerpts, read "Cardinal Ratzinger's 2002 defense of his liturgy book" (Scripture and Catholic Tradition, March 15, 2008).