In this, we follow closely in the path traced out for us by our venerated founder, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. A luminous path in the midst of the shadows of the most terrible trial that can come to a Catholic: that of finding himself in the situation of contradicting the Roman authorities and even the Vicar of Christ. These forty years are so full of lessons that show just how right Archbishop Lefebvre’s perception was. Of the Council, the causes of the crisis, the decadence of the priesthood, the weakening of the doctrine, the Church’s unprecedented friendliness towards the world and other religions, liberalism. But also of the remedies to be applied, that depend upon fidelity to the doctrine as well as to the plurisecular discipline of the Church. Indeed, we have no inventing to do! The means given by Our Lord to His Church are still as fruitful as ever and they always will be, for they come from God, Our Creator and Savior; the faith and grace surpass all circumstances of time and place, all contingencies, for they essentially surpass human nature, its capacities and its hopes. These means are properly supernatural.
Bishop Fellay stays the course for the SSPX. There's no mention of canonical regularity or the theological discussions. There is, of course, more harsh rhetoric like the example above, which we have come to expect from these letters to benefactors and friends.
While the criticisms of the Church's current leadership are accurate for the most part, one wonders what is accomplished by a stubborn refusal to seek canonical recognition. Why continue to claim obedience to the office and to the principle at the heart of Catholic authority, while at the same time thwarting the very same principle in action? Bishop Fellay is speaking two different things out of either side of his mouth. When the current leadership is so rotten, why does Bishop Fellay deny the Church his leadership?
The whole letter can be read at DICI, here.
"one wonders what is accomplished by a stubborn refusal to seek canonical recognition"
ReplyDeleteIt is always safer to be inside of the ship during a storm than outside on the deck!