June 1988 Print

Given by the Superior General, May 24, 1988

It is a great joy for me to be here among you; I want to speak to you a little bit about the crisis of the Church, and especially the negotiations between the Society of Saint Pius X and the Holy See in the past months, and in the past few days. I am quite sure that in the past few years, you have heard a lot about what is going on in the Church, the loss of the faith, the destruction of the structures of the church. It is always good to come back once again on these issues, to understand better the roots, the basics of what is going on and in order to see the consequences. It seems to me that there are especially four sources of this crisis of faith in the Church: Collegiality, Religious Liberty, Ecumenism, and the new Liturgy. I want to speak a little bit about these four errors, which are very serious and are a threat to the life of the Church.

Four Errors in the Crisis:

1. Collegiality

First of all Collegiality. What is the Church in its very essence? Nothing other than a gift of God! Our Lord was sent by His Father, and He is in the same manner sending His apostles, with the same charge and the same authority and the same gift of the faith and the same measure of grace. As the Father has sent me, so I send you, he said to his disciples. And so the Church comes from above. The Church is not the result of human efforts; it is not the result of human thinkings, of man-made things; she has nothing to do with the opinions of the day; She does not come from the basement; she descends from Heaven, from the Father of lights. And so in the Church, there is no place for a democratical principle. A democratical principle would be completely contradictory to the mission of the Church, but this democratical spirit is introduced and spread in the womb of the Church herself. For example, the synod of the Bishops which has regular meetings in Rome, is more and more paralyzing the Pope in the exercise of his power. These bishop conferences, in the same manner, on a lower level, are paralyzing the bishops in their dioceses. The same is the case for the priests in the parishes, they are more and more replaced in their authority and in their fatherhood, by pastoral assistants, permanent deacons, catechists, and by their parish council. In fact, the notion of the people of God, is more and more replacing the hierarchical order of the Church herself. The introduction of this democratical spirit then continues on in human civilization and human society. Nowadays, parents often do not dare to order their children to do something, and the same is true in schools between professors and students. In the state politicians are swayed by opinions of the day, and the media often leave aside the principles of justice and common good.

2. Religious Liberty

The second source of the disaster of our days, of this post-conciliar tragedy, you find in religious liberty. What does this mean? Nothing other than, that every religion is put on the same level in the eyes of the State, in the eyes of society, that every religion is treated in the same manner in legislation, in the constitutions of the States, and so they cherish no special religion, for which the State would have an obligation. The State itself, according to the promoters of such a doctrine say that the State has to be neutral; the State has to be indifferent, the State is not competent in religious matters, and so they are abolishing the Catholic principle in society. Before the Council, you had a good number of Catholic States, where the Catholic religion was the only official recognized religion, as for example, in South America, Spain, in Italy or in some parts of Switzerland. By the decree of religious liberty in the Second Vatican Council, these Statese were pushed by the Vatican to give up, to suppress this principle in their countries; especially, for example, in Spain, in Colombia, and Argentina. What was the immediate effect? Well, take the example of South America. These people were not prepared for attacks from other sects. But these attacks came, and especially from the United States. The Mormons, the Jehovah's Witnesses, the Adventists, the Lutherans, and all these different sects and denominations. They went with their false doctrine, their false bibles, with their false customs, with all their propaganda; in like wolves, into countries of South America, and began an enormous work as missionaries, to bring these people away from the Catholic religion, the Catholic Faith, and to bring them to their errors. Since 1968, twenty years, there are 60 million Catholics who have given up their faith in South America. Sixty million Catholics!

 

3. Ecumenism

From religious liberty, by consequence, we arrive at the ecumenism of our days. And we see the extent to which it has gone from the October 27, 1986 general meeting in Assisi of all religions to pray for the peace in the world. It was the Pope himself, who had invited all religious leaders of the world for this event. And in his invitation he said that these different religions in the world were a little bit comparable to the different instruments in a concert. But you know that the different instruments in a concert, have all a positive part to play, all are contributing to the total harmony of the music; and so it seems that the Pope in this statement, is attributing to these false religions a positive part in the eyes of God; in the worship of Him, and in the salvation of the souls. Some months later, on the 3rd and 4th of August, 1987, there was a new meeting in Kyoto, Japan. This time it was the Buddhists who had given the invitation, to celebrate the introduction of Buddhism in this country, and they transformed this celebration to promote peace in the world. They also invited the Pope, and he sent a cardinal as his personal representative. Some months later, October 28, 1987, there was a new meeting under the different religious leaders, not in Assisi, and not in Kyoto, but this time in Rome itself, in the very venerable, ancient, Marian sanctuary, Sancta Maria Castello. There were high dignitaries of the Catholic Church present; such as the president of the Polish Bishops' conference, Cardinal Clement, also Cardinal Martinez of Milan, Italy, and Archbishop Silvestrino, of the Vatican. And to the different world religions, the Buddhists, Hindus, Moslems, Jews, and whosoever, they gave the different side chapels for their false worship; and after this meeting the different religious leaders were received in private audience by the Pope. So it seems, that this spirit of Syncretism, of one world religion, is blessed from the top of the church. What does the man on the street think of all these celebrations and all these events? What he would think is that there is one God, who has revealed Himself among the different religions, in one way or another; and so that these different religions are, more or less, all ways to salvation. The absoluteness and oneness of the Catholic Church is destroyed, suppressed; and by this also the absoluteness and oneness of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the bridegroom of His Immaculate Spouse, and Who has founded only one Church. There is only one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism. But this ecumenism means, by consequence that Our Lord is not God; so we arrive to a certain naturalism, putting away all supernatural order. The different religions concentrate on what unites them—the temporal order, the struggling and fighting for peace, for social progress, for the third world, for the progress in science, etc., etc. We are more and more, reaching a certain humanism, which does not know any longer the supernatural order, that is to say, God in His Holy Trinity, Our Lord with His grace and His Church, and everlasting salvation for man.

 

4. The New Liturgy

Once we have reached this state of things, it is also clear that these people want one day to pray together; but to pray together, they must establish a common religion. And this is a little bit of what happened in the establishment of the New Mass. Archbishop Bugnini, one of the main creators of this new mass, said that all stones of scandal for the so-called separated brethren, were suppressed, they were eliminated in this new mass. But what are these stones of scandal in the Catholic Mass? It is especially the difference between the priest and the layman; it is the notion of Transubstantiation and the real presence; it is especially all that is reminding us of the Divinity of Our Lord, the communion of the Saints, the supremacy of the Pope, the everlasting virginity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the dogmas about Our Lady. All this must disappear. It is a scandal to the Protestants, and so they removed it. And so they transformed the altars to tables, and they make the priests presidents of the assembly; and of the sacrifice a new meal. They have taken away more and more all what is giving to the mass and the liturgy, this supernatural atmosphere; this atmosphere of praise, of adoration, of love of God, of the cross of Our Lord; they have taken away all this. They have replaced the vessels, which were made with precious metals, and replaced them with common metal, or even with wood; communion is distributed in the hands, or even by laymen. All we see is an enormous desacralization, and so we must not be astonished that faith is decreasing more and more.

 

A Counter to the Crisis: Archbishop Lefebvre

I think in the middle of all this disaster, of this tragedy, God has given a special mission to one man, to reconstruct Christianity, to reconstruct the church from its very center, in as far as it is destroyed. I speak of Archbishop Lefebvre, who founded in 1970, his priestly Society of St. Pius X; and he did not have the idea to preserve and to defend only the Mass, but the complete Catholic concept; yet, this idea and this problem has always been the problem of the Church, to make the world Catholic. The freemasons and the liberals want a freemason world and a liberal world, and the Marxist and Communists are working for a Marxist and Communist world; and so the Catholic must not hesitate to say and to want to work for a Catholic world. This good work and aim of Archbishop Lefebvre could not stay hidden from the modernists and liberals in the Church; and so especially the French Bishops, went to see their friend, Cardinal Villot in Rome, the Secretary of State in these times, asking for the suppression of this priestly Society, and they finally succeeded. Rome sent an apostolic visitor to Ecône in 1974, the 11th of November. They were full of praise at what they had seen, but they themselves, gave very strange statements, which were the reasons Archbishop Lefebvre gave a Declaration about the state of the Church, in August of that year. So, in 1975, there was a so-called suppression of the Society of St. Pius X. Archbishop Lefebvre, realizing that this measure did not come from the men of the Church, but from the men in the Church who had become the enemies of the Church, continued his work. He went ahead and ordained priests in 1976, which brought him the suspension. Now this state of things stayed essentially and substantially the same until 1987. The Society of St. Pius X extended; it extended to different countries, different continents, so much so that it is today established on all continents, and in 23 countries, in about 100 houses, working with its 203 priests, training about 250 seminaries, having in its womb about 100 sisters, perhaps 30 brothers, lay brothers, etc., with 6 seminaries, retreat houses, schools, and priories. It is true, that there were a lot of exchanges of letters, meetings, dialogues; there were proposals for a solution, from one side and from the other side, during all these years; but there was no solution found; nothing succeeded.

 

The Consecration of a New Bishop

Archbishop Lefebvre realizing very well, that he is getting older, and that he will not have everlasting life on this earth, decided to consecrate some auxiliary bishops to succeed him. In such a state, he did not want nor did he seek any separation from the Holy See; he did not think, not one moment, about establishing a parallel hierarchy or causing a schism. He just wanted to continue the work of the Church, in its Priesthood, and that is why he never considered giving those bishops any jurisdiction; he just wanted them to ordain the priests and to give the sacrament of Confirmation to the children in our parishes. This intention of his he published on the 29th of June, on the occasion of the ordination of priests in Ecône. Only, before publishing this intention, he asked a meeting with Cardinal Ratzinger in Rome. This meeting, in fact, took place the 14th of July; and the Archbishop said to the Cardinal, that he intended to consecrate some bishops in order to continue the work. As a result of this meeting, Cardinal Ratzinger wrote a letter dated the 28th of July to Archbishop Lefebvre, with very astonishing statements. First of all, he said, the Society of St. Pius X may continue to celebrate the liturgy according to the books of 1962; so it could continue to celebrate the old mass, the old sacraments, the old breviary. Secondly, he says the Society of St. Pius X may continue to train priests according to its own charisma, and then he said that the Holy See was ready to appoint an apostolic visitor; to see the different houses of the Society, and he should also have a certain power, he said in this letter, in the interior of the Society, till a definite solution could be found; he should decide who would be ordained or not ordained; he should watch over the orthodoxy of the teaching in the Society; he should watch over the ecclesiastical spirit in the Society; he should see if the members of the Society are really attached to the Holy See and the Pope. You understand that such conditions, concerning this Apostolic Visitor, were absolutely unacceptable for us; and so Archbishop Lefebvre hesitated to answer. In September, he had then some very interesting information; in Rome there is a group of Cardinals who really want a solution for the Society and this whole family of the tradition. Secondly, we learned that probably it would be Cardinal Gagnon, who would be the Apostolic Visitor; and it was Cardinal Gagnon, who all these years, had been most favorable toward us, of all the Cardinals. Some years ago, he said to me personally in Rome, it is clear that you are doing the work of the Church. Thirdly, we heard about a proposal of a retired American Bishop, living in California; a proposal which says that the whole family of tradition should be established as an old rite, a little bit like the Maronites, the Ukrainians, with its own hierarchy, which would mean that they would be not submitted to the local bishops. This was a very important point, and this proposal, he said, was the best for the Pope. And fourthly, we heard the answer to our letter that he did not insist on the authority of the apostolic visitor over the Society.

Now, what were the reasons for this change of policy of the Holy See toward the Society of St. Pius X? I think there can be given 5 reasons. First of all, there are a certain number of persons in the Church, and also in Rome, realizing the daily decline in the Church, in Faith, in morals, in its life. Especially the trip of the Pope to the United States in September, 1987, may have helped to open, a little, his eyes. And I also think that the trip of Cardinal Ratzinger, to the United States has helped in this sense. He was generally in New York, where there were a lot of pressure groups, demonstrations against him, homosexuals, feminists, and they spit in his face. Second reason; there are people in Rome with a certain dialectic spirit, which we do not share, but which has a certain importance in this regard. They consider the Society of St. Pius X as a certain corrective element; they would say, there are the progressives, why not also accept these people on the other side, and bring a certain balance in the Church. We have the Marxists, Liberation Theology; why not have the Society of St. Pius X? They perhaps have the rule of a dog owner; let the dog make others a little bit afraid, but this dog must be kept on a line; he may make some noise, but not too much damage. The third reason, there are numbers of people who are having a certain esteem for our work, a positive esteem, and are thinking that this is the way and perhaps the only way to bring a spiritual renewal of the Church. The fourth reason, I would say is, that they consider the announcement of the Archbishop to consecrate some bishops, as a threat and a danger to their ecumenism, in the sense that it would be a disaster for their new politics in the Church, to bring everybody in, to embrace every religion. And to have in the interior of the Church such a Bishop, is a difficulty. The Fifth point may be the most important and the most decisive, that is, the prayer and the sacrifice of a lot of souls around the world, and also in this parish. So, your generosity, your zeal, your sacrifice, has certainly helped a lot to change things. In fact, we are seeing a crisis of the whole supernatural order, and so the only way and the only means to overcome this crisis would be by supernatural means. I'm sure that also, the sacrifice of the lives of two of our young priests has contributed to a solution. You know that Father Abdoo, in Australia, died in a car accident, the 26th of July, last year. He was a very active, pious, intelligent, charitable young priest, 24 years old. The 28th of July, Cardinal Ratzinger wrote his letter. Then there was a second of our young priests dying in a car accident, Father Bazire, a Frenchman, also a pious young priest, 23 years old, ordained only five months. He died the 8th of November; the 11th of November, Cardinal Gagnon arrived in Ecône. I do not think that these things happened by chance. No, I think much more in the spirit of the Gospel, that the seed must fall on the earth and die, and so bring forth fruit. As St. Paul said, "There is no forgiveness of sins without the shedding of blood." And according to the words of the first Christians, the blood of the martyrs is the seed for new Christians; and we pray in the Mass, in the prayers right before Holy Communion, "Lord Jesus Christ, who by your death, has given life to the world." By your death. The 17th of October, there was a new meeting between Cardinal Ratzinger and Archbishop Lefebvre in Rome, where the very important function of Cardinal Visitor was decided. But, there are still some days of hesitation, of uncertainty, because it was not yet absolutely sure that Cardinal Gagnon would be the one chosen. Then on October 29th Cardinal Ratzinger announced to the Synod Fathers, gathered in Rome that the Pope, in fact, had appointed Cardinal Gagnon for this mission. And there was immediately rumors, protests and demands for discussion about this issue. Cardinal Ratzinger said then that it is not the hour for discussions, that it is the hour for prayer. So Cardinal Gagnon arrived the 11th of November, at Ecône, together with his Secretary, Msgr. Perl, from Luxembourg. Now you realize that his visit is exactly thirteen years after the first visit, exactly on the date. And so, one can imagine that perhaps the Blessed Virgin Mary, plays an important part in the development of these relations. In fact, the 22nd of August, we had gone on the pilgrimage to Fatima, and we had renewed the consecration of the Society of St. Pius X to her Immaculate and Sorrowful Heart. And the Archbishop, also at this moment, consecrated Russia to Her Immaculate Heart, according to the wishes of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

 

Visit of Cardinal Gagnon

Let us now say some words about the visit with the Apostolic visitor. The Cardinal limited his mission to three countries; Switzerland, France, and Germany, because he was thinking of time. He wanted to give his report to the Pope by Christmas. In these three countries he saw especially the three seminaries of Ecône, Flavigny and Zaitzkofen, where he investigated about the life there; he saw all the professors and a good number of the seminarians. He then visited the general house in Rickenbach, Switzerland, where he met with all the priests of the Swiss District, and so, the whole administration. He then saw some schools in France, priories, especially the University in Paris; he visited the sisters, in their Novitiate in France; he heard the testimony of a good number of our priests, also of priest friends; he also visited other communities, who are linked with us in a friendly manner. He spent for example, one day, with the monks of Le Barroux, Benedictine monks. He also heard the testimony of laymen; for example of seventeen laymen, gathered in Stuttgart in Germany. These laymen were more or less the coordinators of the different chapels around the country, and everywhere, he encouraged us to continue to be very unified, and he gave us the Apostolic Benediction, the Benediction of the Pope. It was in France, at Fanjeaux, when visiting the Dominican Sisters, with their schools, that he said the Church must be reconstructed in such a manner. Cardinal Gagnon asked all whom he met in his meetings to pray, and to pray especially to the Blessed Virgin Mary, because, he said, before a solution is found, there has to take place the conversion of many hearts. He did not relate of what hearts he spoke. The 7th of December, he met then with the General Council, at Ecône, to give a little report about what he had seen, and to discuss the juridical solution. The 8th of December, Archbishop Lefebvre celebrated a Pontifical Mass at Ecône, in honor of the Immaculate Conception. The whole seminary of Flavigny, in France, joined the seminary in Ecône; the Cardinal assisted in the ceremony, where there were the engagements of 27 new members in the bosom of the Society. We found this to be a very strange situation, because you know that Archbishop Lefebvre was suspended; and so he has no right to celebrate any Mass. And then, the Society of St. Pius X is suppressed; but how can a non-existent Society accept members into its bosom? The Cardinal seemed to be very much impressed by the ceremony, and the 9th of December he returned to Rome to write his report. The 5th of January he may have handed his report to the Pope, and it seems that the Pope read it immediately; in fact, there were no consequences, at least, not then. So at the end of February, Archbishop Lefebvre wrote a letter to the Pope, saying that a solution is very urgent. And that any solution, whatsoever, must at least contain three elements. First of all, a certain independence from the local Bishops, who are always ready to kill us. Secondly, that there must be established a certain organization in Rome, let me say a Secretariat, a Commission, or whatsoever, to establish a juridical standing for the other communities, monasteries, and convents that follow the Tradition of the Church; and also this commission or secretariat would have the powers to see for the ordinations. And thirdly, the Archbishop said in his letter that it is urgent that there be consecrated some auxiliary Bishops, and that he cannot wait any longer than the 30th of June. Now, the Pope established a commission in Rome, to study the whole case; a commission, which had as members, Cardinal Ratzinger, Cardinal Gagnon, some Canonists, some Theologians. And on the 8th of April, the Pope wrote a letter to Cardinal Ratzinger, entrusting him once again with the whole case. So it seems that Cardinal Gagnon only had to perform the Apostolic visit; but since the 8th of April, it is once again Cardinal Ratzinger who has to see to the solution. Some days later there was a meeting in Rome, between some members of the Curia and some members of the Society, to seek for a solution. They worked very hard for several days; now they found a certain agreement, let me say, a basis for agreement; and at the beginning of May, there was a new meeting of these same members of the Society and of the Curia, together with Cardinal Ratzinger, and the Archbishop himself. And there was then a certain agreement signed the day after (May 5). In this agreement, it is said that the Society of St. Pius X could have a Bishop, that there would be the consecration of one bishop. But in this agreement there was no date fixed. And so the Archbishop wrote a letter to Cardinal Ratzinger saying that it is not possible to wait any longer, that he must perform this consecration the 30th of June. Now, Cardinal Ratzinger was upset, the Pope himself, in South America, was upset. And just now, today (May 24) there was a new meeting in Rome, between Cardinal Ratzinger and His Excellency; and it seems, according to the latest information, that Rome does not agree with the consecration on the 30th of June, but they want it the 15th of August. So this is some weeks later, but not an essential change in the whole thing. You must not think that the fight is over when something is signed, and a bishop is consecrated; on the contrary, I would think that then the fight begins.

 

Conclusion

Let me just draw the conclusions of my talk. I will separate it into four parts. First of all, I make an appeal to you to be very strong in your Faith; to keep up the everlasting principles of the holy Church; to not think about compromise in the Faith. We are Christians, we are Catholics, and we must work for a complete Catholic world; we must have this program, this aim of totality. We must not live in a liberal spirit by thinking that all the other religions also are good, also are pleasing God, or that any collaboration with them is possible. It is not. You must be very clear on this point. Secondly, it seems to be very important to lead a very intensive, interior and spiritual life. A life of prayer, a life of meditation, contemplation, and life of loving the cross of Our Lord and Saviour. You know that all people in this world, more or less, have to carry their cross. Here in the eighties, it is not a question of carrying the cross, but it is a question of how; and as Christians, we must love the cross; we must be crucified with Our Lord; we must be buried with Our Lord, in order to be able to resurrect with Him. We must renounce ourselves; this is what it means to lead a Catholic life, this is Christianity. Christianity is essentially humility; a profound humility to forget yourself in order that we may find God, that we may find the crucified and resurrected Lord. The third point I would recommend to you is that you be true missionaries, lay apostles; in your family and in your workshop, in your office, among your friends, in your professions, wherever you can. You must be missionaries, you must spread the Gospel, you must spread the life and the warmth and the heat of Our Lord, that is to say, the truth, the Faith, and Christian charity around you. God has chosen you as instruments; God operates His miracles through you, by you; He wants you to be completely at His disposal, so that He can build up His kingdom on this earth, by you and through you, and in you. The fourth point is a special devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, which I recommend to you. Do not hesitate every day to say the Rosary, especially with your family. Wear the Scapular, the Miraculous Medal; think about the five First Saturdays of the month, to go to Mass and to receive Communion in reparation, as the Blessed Virgin Mary has asked; and if you have come to the five First Saturdays of the month, then continue to do it and especially imitate the Blessed Virgin Mary and love her by a pure and holy life; that is what she wants of us. When in a difficult situation in life, you might be a little bit afflicted or discouraged, think about the words she pronounced to Lucy at Fatima. In the end, she says, the Holy Father will consecrate Russia to my Immaculate Heart; Russia will be converted, there will be given a time of peace to the world, and in the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph. Pray that the Holy Ghost may clearly enlighten all who are involved in these negotiations, and pray also for the one(s) who will be consecrated Bishop(s).

 

And yet in spite of this universal world which we see, there is another world, quite as far-spreading, quite as close to us and more wonderful; another world all around us, though we see it not, and more wonderful than the world we see, for this reason if for no other, that we do not see it. All around us are numberless objects, coming and going, watching, working, or waiting, which we see not: this is that other world which the eyes reach not unto, but faith only. —John Henry Newman