Memoirs

by Louis Bouyer

This is the memoir of one of the great theologians and churchmen of the last century. It is difficult to exaggerate Louis Bouyer's contribution to Catholic theology and his behind-the-scenes role in certain, important twentieth-century events in the life of the Church.  A French convert from Lutheranism; a priest of the Oratory; an expert on Scripture, liturgy, the history of spirituality, Newman, ecclesiology, and Reformation theology; and a twice-appointed member of the International Theological Commission, Bouyer was a man of immense theological vision and profound depth of knowledge and insight.  He was both a major theological contributor to the renewed vision that led to the Second Vatican Council and a staunch critic of its misunderstanding in the decades that followed it.

Bouyer recounts the story of his life and learning—the people, places, events, and ideas that shaped his profoundly Catholic life. He tells of his relationships and encounters with such theological and Church notables as Yves Congar, Jean Danielou, Henri de Lubac, Joseph Ratzinger (later, Pope Benedict XVI), Hans Urs von Balthasar, and Karl Rahner. A disciple of the Lord and a man of great love for the Church, he often writes with parrhesia—pastoral frankness—and wit about the shortcomings of Catholic institutions and life, especially with respect to changes undertaken in the name of reform but which did not truly partake of the sources of the Church's life and mission.

About the writing of his memoir Bouyer said, "In the pages that follow, what I would like to recall is what, on final, or undoubtedly very nearly final, reflection, seems to me to have the most meaning. I hope that those who read them, and especially my friends, both known and unknown (for a writer, are not many of these latter often among the closest?), will also draw some profit from them, perhaps more than I do myself. I hasten to add that the entertainment that these pages could, at least I hope, provide them is an integral part in my eyes of that potential profit. For it is a too-little-known but to me unquestionable fact that Providence has a great and, of course, the best sense of humor!"

Genres: Theology, Biography, Christianity, Memoir, France, History, Nonfiction

298 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 20, 2014

About the author

Rev. Louis Bouyer (1913-2004) was a member of the French Oratory and one of the most respected and versatile Catholic scholars and theologians of the twentieth century.

A friend of Hans Urs von Balthasar, Joseph Ratzinger, and J.R.R. Tolkien, and a co-founder of the international review Communio, Bouyer was a former Lutheran minister who entered the Catholic Church in 1939.

He became a leading figure in the Catholic biblical and liturgical movements of the twentieth century, was an influence on the Second Vatican Council, and became well known for his excellent books on history of Christian spirituality. In addition to his many writings, Bouyer lectured widely across Europe and America.

Woman in the Church (with an epilogue by Balthasar and an essay by C.S. Lewis), was one of the first three books published by Ignatius Press, in 1979. Other Ignatius Press books by Bouyer include The Word Church and Sacraments in Protestantism and Catholicism, Women Mystics, and the introduction to John Henry Newman: Prayers Verses Devotions (Bouyer wrote a biography of Newman).

He was chosen by the Pope to be part of a team to initiate the International Theological Commission in 1969.

Reviews

[Fr. Peter Mottola · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fruit of a life spent in contemplative self-reflection, Bouyer's memoirs are a must-read for anyone interested in the liturgical movement before, during, and after the Second Vatican Council. To give some indication of the importance of Bouyer's contribution: his book entitled "The Paschal Mystery" is the origin of that now-ubiquitous phrase: a phrase which "Christian Latin [...] does not have; [...] furthermore, there has never been an equivalent formula in Greek"! (p. 156)
Bouyer was a friend of many well-known persons of the time (e.g., Pope Paul VI, J.R.R. Tolkien, Joseph Ratzinger), and was a close collaborator with many others (e.g. Jean Daniélou, Yves Congar, Hans Urs von Balthasar). Bouyer's memoirs, which he commanded to be published only after his death, have at times a scathing honestly about them. But above all they are insightful perspective on what is was like to be a convert, a priest, and a lover of the liturgy in those heady days in the middle of the twentieth century.
If your only interest is in the history of the liturgical revisions, that topic has been more fully treated elsewhere, but these memoirs paint in vivid colors the circumstances and personalities that gave rise to those momentous changes.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a thrilling read, but taken for what it is, it is well written. Fr Bouyer, having been such an influential figure in the 20th-century Church, shares some great memories and personal insights. The chapter on the Council is, unfortunately, scandalizing.

The final chapter, wherein Fr Bouyer reflects on his life as a whole, especially in its dusk, contains, between the lines, a great deal of wisdom.

Being memoirs - a primary document, so to speak, I was at times conflicted about how to digest some of the words on page. For example: did Fr Bouyer have any motivation to reveal (or keep hidden) the information that he does? Is what he writes trustworthy? (As a Catholic, I should like to think so; but as a trained historian, I cannot help but ask these questions.)

[John Mcchesney-young · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chatty, rather rambling memoir, with arguably excessive footnotes by the editor or translator - admittedly easy to ignore when not of interest. I'm not sure what I expected but I ended up not particularly liking Bouyer, which may well say more about me than him. Don't come to it thinking you'll get a standard autobiography, much less a history of 20th century liturgical theology.

[Charles Coyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

First class.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was deeply impressed by the attentiveness of this man's intellect to the persons, places, and times that were part of his life, and his literate evocation of them for the reader. He was a Lutheran pastor who became Catholic, and played an important role in the Second Vatican Council. I found this a fascinating read.

[Irving H. Bennett N. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A look into the mind and soul of a good priest.

I am not a fan of reading lengthy descriptions of scenery or travels. My interest is in the II Vatican Council and the liturgy, of which Buyer was an expert and participant. His first hand knowledge is invaluable. I had to wade through a lot of trivia to get to the gold nuggets.

[Adam DeVille, Ph.D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very important and revealing memoirs from a man who was involved with the greatest catastrophe of 20th-century Catholicism: the destruction of the Latin liturgical tradition after 1965. I review the memoirs in detail here: http://easternchristianbooks.blogspot...

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I usually dislike biographies and autobiographies but bouyer and I have similar interests, so I found this book to be endlessly entertaining. The man was friends with every major Catholic since WWII and has a great story for each. And it's part of the amazon lending library if you have a kindle!