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Of course Kardinal Ratzinger is rolling back Vatican II. The whole point of that council's liturgical reforms was to create a mass in which the laity were full participants, fully members of the Church - and not simply spectators at a holy mystery. Having the priest face the congregation and conducting the service in the local language were all part of that goal. Reverting to the Latin Mass sends a loud message to the Catholic laity: "Sit down and shut up."

We should also not overlook Ratzinger's attack on ecumenism, another major achievement of Vatican II. In his relatively short tenure the Pope has managed to denigrate Islam, reinstate the Latin prayers for the conversion of the Jews, and announced that Protestant congregations don't really count as Churches. Apologists may find comfort in presenting these moves as "progress" but by his actions the Pope constantly demonstrates his desire to party like it's 1959.

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