Education of the Youth: The Future of the Church
This is an edited transcript of the conference given on October 17 at the SSPX’s 40th Anniversary Conference in Kansas City.
Fidelity
Archbishop Lefebvre often said that we prepare the future by remaining faithful to the past. As the title of this talk indicates, the education of youth is the future of the Church. St. Pius X himself taught that there can be no restoration without a proper formation, without religious instruction, without schools. Pope Pius XII wrote that not only the fate of the country, but that of the Catholic Church itself depends to a large extent on our schools. We can see clearly the importance of this topic and the role education and true Christian formation played in the life of the Archbishop, both before the Society and with the Society. The word “fidelity” summarizes everything in this regard. In remaining faithful to the past, the Archbishop ensured he could build for the future.
Our Lord Jesus Christ is meant to be King; He is meant to rule. He is also the Priest; He is meant to sanctify. In addition, He is the Prophet; He is meant to teach. He cannot rule or sanctify, however, unless He first teaches. This is the great mission statement of the Church given by her Divine Founder: “Go forth and teach all nations.” Our Lord first says to teach, to form people, souls properly, that they might be sanctified and get to Heaven.
This formation and education in schools was always dear to the heart of the Archbishop. In response to his critics, he often responded that he had 2,000 years of Tradition on his side. We can apply this also to education, to the formation of priests, and to the formation which necessarily precedes the formation of priests, the formation done in our schools. Teaching, he said, lies at the very heart of the Catholic Church and her mission. There can be nothing more important than the formation of our children. As the popes have said, as the Magisterium has taught, as any wise man has thought, there is nothing more important than the proper formation of the next generation. All of our hope depends upon that.
The Education of Archbishop Lefebvre
As the saying goes, the child is the father of the man. The Archbishop’s own formation and education were of critical importance; to know a man well, look at his formation. In this case, look at his family, his schools, and his time spent at the seminary in Rome. His parents, René and Gabrielle, were profoundly Catholic. We know just how important this is. The Faith was truly lived in their home. It was not something that was merely part of their lives, one component; it permeated everything. The home became a sanctuary, which resulted in service outside the family as well.
Both of the Archbishop’s parents were educated in boarding schools. They were married in 1902. For a honeymoon, so indicative of a Catholic family, they went to Lourdes. They went to praise the Blessed Virgin Mary, to thank her for blessings received thus far, and to implore blessings for the future. Then they went to Rome to receive the benediction of newlyweds from the Pope.
René was a strong man, a hard worker, and a devout Catholic. He lived and died for his principles, as we see with his death in the prison camp in 1944. The Archbishop himself said of his mother that she was an elite soul. She had made a vow to always do what was more perfect. She was a beautiful Catholic mother and soul. She herself was formed to give life, both physically and spiritually.
The family attended daily Mass as often as possible or at least received Holy Communion. At that time, there was a custom to give Communion to the workers in the morning. So even if they could not attend Mass daily, they would at least receive Communion. Then, they participated in true Catholic Action, carrying the Faith into the world. They participated in the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Mrs. Lefebvre volunteered to be with the most difficult and sickest cases in the hospital. What a beautiful example of the charity which serves God and neighbor.
We can summarize by saying that it was a true Catholic home, shown by its fruit: of their eight children, five had vocations, including two priests, one of whom was the great Archbishop. The future of a country depends upon fruitful Catholic marriage, both materially and supernaturally. So the home was the cradle from which the Archbishop would come.
He went first to a primary school run by the Ursuline Sisters, then on to the Sacred Heart School, founded in the 1700’s. It was dedicated in 1871, after the Revolution, to the Sacred Heart. There were 35 teaching priests there. He was there from 1912 to 1923. The Archbishop noted that the entire school was centered upon the vast chapel, where he often served Mass at the altar of sacrifice. Everything pointed to and emanated from the Holy Sacrifice.
As he noted, he received Holy Communion as often as possible. Hundreds would receive Communion during his years there. School was in session from 8 AM to 6:30 PM. There were some breaks and studying between, but it was a rigorous intellectual formation. Every day began with Mass and ended with a spiritual conference. The curriculum was based on the classical humanities: literature, Latin, Greek, rhetoric, culminating in philosophy, with a course of religion throughout. During the war and outside the classroom the Archbishop learned sacrifice and suffering. Providence disposed things in this way.
At his “finishing” school, the French Seminary in Rome, run by the Holy Ghost Fathers and headed by Fr. Henri Le Floch, he learned the famous phrase, sentire cum Ecclesia (to think with the Church) and the beautiful principle pietas cum doctrina (piety with doctrine). We see this integral continuity in all stages of his education. It was the way Catholic men were formed for centuries: a good Catholic home, with good Catholic schools, and, if God wills, a good Catholic seminary. It is important to return to the influence of his formation. He was a good student and became a good teacher. All of this led to a continual crusade for Christ the King. During the Archbishop’s seminary years, Pius XI’s encyclical on Christ the King, Quas Primas, was published. The proposal was simply to be faithful to the truths of the Catholic Church and what she has always taught. Now we have a man–truly educated–and a priest formed, ready to set out and form others.
The Archbishop as Educator
The Archbishop then became an educator, as every priest is. We get his philosophy from writings, sermons, and actions as well. He emphasized, as the Church did, the role of Almighty God and His grace, and the true, supernatural end of man which must predominate. But, as a realist, he understood that grace does not simply float in the air; it is meant to be put into souls. Thus, he says that grace cannot act except in well-disposed souls, it must perfect a well-formed nature. There is the key to Catholic education: disposing souls to receive the grace of God.
It is a Providential coincidence that in the year of his ordination, 1929, Pius XI published the encyclical on education, Divini Illius Magistri. It is a summary of Catholic wisdom on education. As the Archbishop begins his priestly life, the Church gives us this encyclical. The importance of education cannot be over-emphasized. In 1945, the Archbishop said that schools are the highway to the complete Christianization of the country; without them, we can no longer hope. This is a striking quote.
Proper formation is necessary; first, it serves the common good and greatly aids in Christianizing a country. In 1987, he said: “The future of the Catholic Church and her mission lies in teaching, especially in schools run by priests and religious who preach by word and example. For society to be converted, we need Catholic schools.”
Also, for vocations and families, he said that the future of seminaries, vocations, and families, lies with Catholic schools. For the Archbishop, what is the purpose of our schools? The formation of a Catholic elite. The true object of our schools, as he said at the first principals’ meeting in Paris, in 1982, was the formation of this Catholic elite.
The Elite
It merits a pause to ask what this means. What are the characteristics and qualities of this elite? The word elite comes from the Latin eligere, to choose. It is being chosen first by Almighty God and, then, once properly formed, choosing to give oneself freely to God for the Christianization of society. It is a spiritual elite, a call to be holy, to value those treasures the Church has given us.
When we say that the mission of the Church is to continue Our Lord’s role as prophet, as teacher, what does that mean? It means to enlighten man about what he is, and his end. It is about teaching him about his true liberty, to understand the spiritual life. “Be ye perfect,” Our Lord says. A Catholic soul is one that constantly strives for excellence. We should have great desires, since Heaven is the greatest desire. Look at the elect of the Old Testament: Abraham, Jacob, King David, and the Maccabees. Look at the New Testament with the Apostles. Look at Archbishop Lefebvre. Even in Africa, Bishop Tissier tells us that the Archbishop insisted on founding secondary schools for boys to develop a Catholic elite. It was an ideal which captivated and constantly motivated him. In such a way, the education begun in the family could be finished.
According to a famous quotation of Pius XI it was no longer permitted for us to be mediocre. The Archbishop took this to heart. The qualities and characteristics of this Catholic elite were enunciated by the Archbishop. First of all, it is true piety, piety with doctrine. The center of Catholic education is the Mass, an understanding, loving, and living of it, which is the heart of Christian culture. Whatever we do in the political or social order must be founded upon the life of prayer and essentially on the Mass. Prayer life should not be based upon emotions, but upon the teachings of Our Lord and His Holy Church. We must use our minds to realize the mystery of the Cross, the mystery of the Mass, and the sacrifice of Our Lord, with ourselves united to it. An elite soul knows how to speak to Almighty God. Also importantly, he knows how to listen.
The next quality is a proper intellectual formation. Classroom teaching is important, with the reflection upon it by the student, called homework. What is the modern world about? The destruction of the intellect. As a famous Jesuit educator stated: “The illogical mind is almost as incorrigible as the devil himself.” The Archbishop says that an elite soul is taught the importance and reality of truth. The truth is no longer important today; objective, natural truth barely exists in the minds of men, let alone supernatural truths. St. Ambrose says all truth comes from the Holy Ghost. Thus, the primacy of humanities: literature and language, important because they help form the soul, awaken it to reality and truth, then more capable to receive God’s grace.
In 1982, in a letter to friends and benefactors, the Archbishop wrote:
We need Catholic schools where young people will learn to love the Liturgy, Latin and chant, and where they will be formed in a manly and Christian fashion by sacrificing themselves for the love of Jesus Christ under the care and guidance of their heavenly Mother.
Theory in Practice
In practice, the Archbishop, according to Bishop Tissier, was a man of practical experience, contemplative rather than intellectual, active and methodical, with remarkable judgment, a strong personality with set and firm convictions. This man realized, and was in a position to act on his convictions throughout his life, one of which was that Catholic schools were necessary. His educational philosophy was Catholic. The domain of education is so critical and necessary that, as he said, without it, there is no hope.
His first assignment after ordination in 1929 was as parish curate, or assistant, in Our Lady of Lourdes parish. He was in charge of liturgical preparations, training the servers, and, as is often the lot of newly-ordained priests, preparing children for their First Communion, teaching them catechism. He was also in charge of the young men’s group, where he insisted on priests having proper and prudent contact with the youth; young men especially must be around priests to see what they are and do.
After entering religion, he was sent to St. John’s Seminary in Libreville, where he taught dogmatic theology and Sacred Scripture from 1932 to 1934. It was noted by his associates that he already had a special talent for training priests. He was a man who put his formation into forming others.
He then became Rector within five years of his ordination. Bishop Tissier notes that he kept his eye on everything, not hesitating to get rid of the bad element. If someone was disruptive or not fostering the elite, they had to be gotten rid of. He also kept the spiritual primary, without ever neglecting the material. Even when he goes back to the scholasticate in France, the food wasn’t very good, and some of the rooms were dark and dingy. Like Pius XI says in his encyclical on Christian education, the environment in which we learn is very important. Man is not an angel; he is a body and soul. He needs this material element. So while the spiritual is primary, we must take into account the material, as the Archbishop did.
It was in 1945 that he returned to the scholasticate in France. In 1947, he becomes the Vicar Apostolic in Senegal and is consecrated bishop. The first thing he does is found schools and improve the schools which are there, including their curricula. He appoints a Director of Education specifically in charge of this matter. Bishop Tissier, in the biography, says, “Bishop Lefebvre was convinced that the training of the Catholic elite was essential for the future of Senegal and French West Africa.” These young people had to be properly formed to convert these countries. Bishop Tissier continues: “Without a shadow of a doubt, the works dearest to his heart were his seminary and his school.”
The SSPX
We now come to the period which directly affects us, the time of the Society of St. Pius X and its founding. If you look at the Statutes, what is the Society’s purpose, the reason it was founded in this period and time? “The priesthood and all that pertains to it.” The Statutes continue to discuss what actions will get us to this goal. First, the formation and sanctification of priests. The Society is for the priesthood, both for the members themselves and for other priests outside who need help in this crisis.
What is the very next activity or work, right after the priesthood? Schools. From the Statutes: “Schools, really free from external constraint, so as to be able to give a thoroughly Christian education to the young, will be fostered and even founded by members of the Society of St. Pius X. From these schools will come vocations and Christian homes.” You can see how every effort we make on behalf of our schools coincides perfectly with the greater object of the Society: the salvation of souls and the glorification of God. Our Lord must rule; He must be King; He must sanctify as priest, and teach as prophet.
On November 1, 1970, the Society was founded. By 1982, when Fr. Schmidberger was elected Superior General, there were already seven schools and a university in France; in America, we had four schools, including St. Mary’s. The first principals’ meeting was held in 1982 to ensure that they were doing what the Church had in mind. The Archbishop himself, to mark the occasion, presided and blessed the meeting. Allow me to quote the Archbishop from the Paris meeting:
This apostolate, foreseen in our statutes, has taken off more rapidly than anticipated. This effort must be sustained. It will save the Church.
If we celebrate this man, as we should, and we take his words seriously, we must take this quote to heart. It should inspire us to give more and more to our schools. To give you some current statistics in America, we have 26 schools in 16 states, from primary education to the college level. We also have teaching sisters, between the Franciscans and the Dominicans on both coasts. We teach over 2,000 students in this District. We’re blessed to have the largest traditional Catholic school in the world, St. Mary’s Academy, which is approaching 700 students alone. St. Mary’s College is seeking accreditation and working on attracting our best students. In 2010 alone, we have started a new school in Kentucky and, overseas, new foundations have been made in Switzerland and the Philippines. Our Lady of La Salette now has 64 boys and will approach 80 next fall, with more than 50 applicants or more every year. People want and need education for their children. This is what the Catholic Church does.
We have been conducting principals’ meetings here in America. A Director of Education has been appointed. We have been working on our curricula, on teaching sessions, improving both. A great effort is being made on our schools, which is very much necessary. In 2004, Bishop Fellay, speaking at the 30th anniversary of St. Joseph’s in Armada, Michigan, said that we must now concentrate on our schools since they are our future.
If we speak about fidelity, what does it mean? Fidelity to what? To the Providence of Almighty God. When we look at the Archbishop’s life—and he himself said this—it was not him we were to follow; we were following Jesus Christ in this Catholic man. In his life, we see Providence, and we bow down before Divine Providence. The 20th century, especially at the end, during this time of crisis, needed this man. Of course, God could have done whatever He wanted; He could have chosen someone else. But concretely, he chose this man. When we look at his life, we see how Divine Providence disposed him to do what he did. But there needed to be this fidelity.
Conclusion: Hope
In conclusion, if we look at St. Pius X’s first encyclical, E Supremi Apostolatus, he writes that the world, even at that time, was so bad that one might be tempted to believe that the “man of perdition” was already born. Imagine, in 1903, being tempted to think the Antichrist was on the earth? We look around at our small forces of good, numerically insignificant, and perhaps we are tempted to despair. What can we really do? Is there anything we can do? St. Pius X gives us the answer–God will win! He quotes Psalm 77 which says Almighty God will be like a very strong man who has drunken too much wine and has fallen asleep. But when that man wakes up, he will render justice to the household.
If God will win, perhaps we might be tempted to the other extreme: if He is going to take care of business, let’s play golf! St. Pius X tells us we have work to do. We must hasten the victory of God. At Cana, Our Lord told Our Lady it is not yet His time, yet He consents to work the miracle at her insistence. Analogically, we must hasten the victory of God. Our efforts, sacrifices, and works are necessary. This is the Divine plan!
St. Pius X says that children’s souls are worth heroic sacrifice. In other words, no sacrifice is too great for them. We see that God has greatly blessed the Society in this area. What is our hope? With every birth and baptism, there is hope. Every time a school year starts, there is hope. Therefore we can and should hope. This hope rests squarely upon the actions and their consequences of one great man: Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre.
I will finish with a quote of the Archbishop, where he talks about Fr. Le Floch. I think we can place these same words on our own lips and apply them to the Archbishop himself: “I thank him from the bottom of my heart because he showed us the path of truth.”
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