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JMJ
A General Chapter is not an event I am likely to ever witness first hand ... because I am not a priest or member of a religious order.
However these 'after the Chapter' reports provide some insights to how they are conducted.
P^3
Source: Angelus Press
AFTER THE GENERAL CHAPTER
Fr. Alain Lorans
After the General Chapter
Your Excellency, the General Chapter of the SSPX has just come to an end. Without betraying the secret of the debates which took place behind closed doors, could you tell us your impression after these two weeks at Econe?
It was a very good Chapter. Of course, given the number of subjects to be treated, it was an intensive work meeting. But everything was done very serenely. We could easily see that for all the major issues–the root questions–there was a profound unity in the Society, whether it be about Rome, the care for our priests, the concern for their sanctification, or for the apostolate in general. The faithful prayed much and we could feel it.
Will your two new assistants keep their positions in Germany and Italy, or will they reside in Menzingen? Will they have particular missions entrusted to them? Are visits to foreign countries already planned?
The two new assistants will reside at Menzingen and will be freed from all other responsibilities. Given the expansion of the Society, it is absolutely normal that the number of people at headquarters increase, and there is enough work to give the two assistants a full-time job. They will have to grow accustomed to the administration of the Society, and this will obviously imply a certain number of journeys to foreign countries. The multiplicity of apostolates and countries in which the Society operates means, of course, that this will take some time.
Although the Chapter was composed of priests, were any decisions made regarding the faithful?
As you say, the Chapter is a meeting of priests, but even more it is the main decision-making body of our Society, which is a clerical congregation. Thus the Chapter considers primarily questions concerning the Society and the lives of its priests. Since a large portion of the life of a priest is consecrated to working with the faithful, there is a sense in which a certain number of decisions made regarding priestly work will also concern indirectly the faithful.
Did the chapter members decide anything regarding the Society's relations with Rome?
The Chapter drew up a declaration stressing the most important aspects of our relations with Rome. This declaration was published and sent to our faithful. [See the September 2006 issue of The Angelus–Ed.]
The July 13th edition of the Italian daily Il Giornale mentioned that an agreement between Rome and Econe is imminent. Is such a statement to be believed?
I can only wonder where they get such stories! They have a decidedly fruitful imagination, for no agreement has been proposed to the Society in recent days. I think the Chapter's declaration is sufficiently explicit on that point.
And what will be your top priorities, Your Excellency? Where will your first trips take you?
At the beginning of a new term in office we must apply the priorities as they were defined at the Chapter and consider long-term plans. Since that will require a certain amount of thought, the next two months should be rather calm. I have no long trips planned before the end of autumn.
The General Chapter: The Inside View
Your Excellency, we are now in the midst of a General Chapter. Can you enlighten us with regard to it? It's a little mysterious–one wonders how it works. Is it a conclave? It's not just a question of electing a Superior General; there are certainly other functions. First of all, tell us about the members of this Chapter. Do you know them? Do they know you? How do they get to know each other? How do they go about electing and carrying out other functions in this Chapter?
Our Chapter is composed of 40 members, in keeping with our statutes. If we look at the preceding Chapters, the members were all more or less of the same age. Almost all of them had been at Econe for their training. Thus, given the more limited number of members of the Society, they had known each other since the seminary, or since their apostolate. But as we move forward and the Society grows, the origins of the members and their ages will be more and more diverse. And so we will encounter the problem–it has already appeared this year–of those, especially the young, who say, "But I don't know the older ones," and of the elders who say, "Who are these youths?"
We therefore instigated meetings preliminary to the Chapter itself, which made it possible for the members to get to know one another. And we came up with an idea which I like a lot–it didn't originate with me–which was to make a pilgrimage together, to place all our concerns and our Society in the hands of the Holy Virgin. It was also a chance to get to know each other a little better from a practical point of view, not too theoretical. And so the forty members know each other a bit better now. I think that in the days to come, they'll know each other better still.
A Chapter is also–you're right to say so–something a little hidden, because there is a veil of secrecy. That's normal, entirely normal. We're going to discuss a lot of things and, in reality, what will not be secret will be the final decisions. That's not new; it's entirely in keeping with the Church. It's a bit like parliamentary discussions behind closed doors. That's the image that comes to my mind, even if the Chapter is only a small parliament. Still, it has about the same characteristics: it's a body that is going to legislate, that's going to produce directives and laws concerning what must be done in the Society in order to be yet more faithful to the Statutes, to the achievement, to the seeking out of the purpose of the Society, which is the priesthood....And then, of course, there is also Rome today, the situation of the Church...and how to develop further, to protect the priesthood in the historical circumstances in which we live.
I won't, of course, ask you to lift that veil, since you say that this must remain essentially "in the family," in the spirit of the Society of Saint Pius X. But I will ask whether all 40 members work together on all the different subjects to be treated, or work in a more specialized way.
We work (it's nothing original) in commissions–which is to say that, in order to progress a little more rapidly, we broke down all the questions into commissions that deal with the topics and then, during the general meetings, present their conclusions to the whole Chapter for discussion and agreement.
And–if the question isn't indiscreet–what types of subjects can be dealt with by these commissions?
Every type, in principle; everything can be dealt with. And every question, every motion proposed by the members of the Society must be dealt with. All the members of the Society participate in the lead-up to the Chapter. Until six months before the beginning of the Chapter, they were free to put their suggestions and their proposals to the Chapter. And the Chapter deals with all these questions–there are a lot–which fuse like fireworks on really every aspect you can imagine concerning the life of the Society. I can't say that the subjects range from the buckles on our shoes right up to the modification of our Statutes...but that's about what it is. So it's the big questions–needless to say, the Chapter doesn't deal with details!–it's the big questions of the Society which are its goal, the means of reaching this goal: how to do better. We also look for cracks in the armor and how to repair them–it's truly vast.
But you yourself, Your Excellency, you've been re-elected for twelve years as Superior General of the Society of Saint Pius X. When you arrived at the end of your term yesterday evening maybe you said to yourself, "I didn't succeed in such and such an area, and I would have liked..." What are you going to do now that you dispose of twelve years? Are there issues you would like to take up again and try to carry?
I think one often hears a famous expression in sports: "I'll do better next time." For me, such a sentence scares me; it seems presumptuous to me. So I wouldn't dare say "I'll do better." I prefer to say, "I'll try to do my best." We are, of course, men, with all kinds of weaknesses, omissions, and failures–there are those things as well. That's why I will try to profit from previous experience in order to do my best.
You are the father of a large family. How many priests and how many nuns are under your orders now? How many countries are being served by the Society?
We have 472 priests today who are members of the Society, with whom 26 priests are associated–that makes just under 500: 498 priests. Working with us, helping us in our ministry, we have 86 Brothers, 74 Oblates and the Sisters–for the Sisters we only count the communities–around 30 communities of Sisters. The Sisters of the Society are about 120 or a few more. That's a lot of people...
The Society, like its founder Archbishop Lefebvre, is missionary. Are there countries where you see possible development? Are you thinking of making any foundation?
We currently have priests living in 33 countries. We assure regular ministries in more than 60 countries. The projects for the opening of new priories are immense, but I think it wise to proceed with a great deal of prudence, in keeping with our strength and capacities. Of course, we would like to open priories everywhere, but we must be reasonable and plan to support what already exists before undertaking new foundations. That will be a priority.
A last question, Your Excellency, the one that everyone asks. You were received by the Holy Father in late August, 2005. What's going to happen now? Are you going to follow up on this audience? Do you wish to meet the Pope again?
It is the Chapter that will decide, because the Chapter is the true supreme authority. It's true that the Chapter meets only once every 12 years, but it is the Chapter–that is to say, the whole of the Society–which fixes the line of conduct for the entire Society and for the Superior General. The Superior General is not above it. A Superior General must obey, must know how to obey directives and rules...to obey what the Chapter maps out or decides. I don't think there will be any spectacular changes in our relationship with Rome. I expect us to continue along prudent lines, but I will submit with all my heart to the decisions and the reflections of the Chapter concerning the questions which so profoundly touch upon the existence and the future of our beloved Society.
Thank you very much indeed, Your Excellency. Our prayers–the prayers of all the faithful–are with you. And long live the Society of Saint Pius X!
Indeed–and God bless you.
The General Chapter: The Outside View
On Monday, July 10, 2006, the seminary of Econe was empty. Where were the chapter members? They were on a pilgrimage near Fribourg, at the Shrine of Our Lady of Bourguillon, Guardian of the Faith. After a five-day retreat preached by Rev. Fr. Antoine-Marie, superior of the Capuchins of Morgon [see the September 2005 Angelus–Ed.], they had gone to the Blessed Virgin to ask for the graces necessary for the success of this third General Chapter of the SSPX.
They returned around 7:00 in the evening and followed the seminary's schedule: dinner at 7:30, recreation at 8:00, and Compline chanted at 8:45. They were using the small cells of the seminarians that had gone on vacation after the ordinations of June 29. The furnishings were austere: a desk, a bed, a closet, and a sink. There are common bathrooms on each floor.
The meals were taken in the refectory where a long table had been set to enable all the chapter members to sit side by side, as in a family. The few priests and seminarians that attended to the practical organization of the chapter had their own refectory in a room behind the kitchen.
On the next day, Tuesday, the chapter members rose at 6:00am and said the office of Prime at 6:30 in the main chapel. Then the priests celebrated their Masses in turn on all the altars available in the seminary. The first group said their Masses at 6:45, the others at 7:30. Breakfast followed at 8:15.
At 9:00 in the morning, the chapter members went to the St. Theodule room, which had been turned into the chapter-room. (St. Theodule is the patron saint of Wallis). Tables had been set up in a U-shape opposite a desk where the outgoing General Council would sit: Bishop Fellay, the Superior General; Fr. Schmidberger, the First Assistant; and Bishop de Galarreta, the Second Assistant [see cover of The Angelus, Sept. 2006–Ed.].
At 9:15, they all gathered in the main chapel to invoke the Holy Ghost and take the oath: the chapter members are bound to secrecy. Back in the chapter room, after the verification of the members' titles and the designation of notaries, they listened to the report made by the outgoing General Superior.
The election of the Superior General and of his assistants took place behind closed doors. However, towards the end of the morning, in the inner courtyard we could hear the Te Deum being chanted. Coming out of the St. Theodule room, the members congratulated Bishop Fellay for his re-election; and when this latter resumed the place of honor in the refectory, we could hear loud applause.
After lunch and a period of relaxation, the chapter began again at 3:00pm. Towards 6:00, Fr. Arnaud Sélégny, the Secretary General, addressed a communiqué to all the districts of the SSPX announcing the re-election of Bishop Fellay and the election of Fr. Niklaus Pfluger as First Assistant, and of Fr. Alain-Marc Nély as Second Assistant. In the seminary courtyard, before the statue of St. Pius X, photos of the elected General Council and of all the chapter members were taken. With the setting sun in their faces, some priests found it hard to smile! Bishop de Galarreta suggested that a photo be taken of the outgoing assistants with their replacements and, with an improvised gesture, he confidently passed on the baton to his successor.
At 7:00, Fr. Alain Lorans, director of the Press Office, addressed an official communiqué to the press agencies. The first photo of the members of the new general council was released on the DICI website.
After dinner and Compline, Bishop Fellay and his assistants kindly granted a first interview to DICI. The audio file was sent to the director of DICI around 10:30pm, and was available online the next day at 9:00am.
On Wednesday July 12, work was resumed. Several commissions sat in the seminary classrooms specially furnished for the occasion. We were told that the atmosphere was quite fraternal during the plenary assemblies. But we cannot say more, because the chapter–like the good–makes no noise!
Pictures and text taken from Christendom, No.6, with permission. Fr. Alain Lorans was ordained for the Society of Saint Pius X. He served as Rector of the Society's Institut St. Pie X located in Paris from 1980-83, as Rector of the seminary at Econe from 1983-88, then again Rector of the Institut St. Pie X from1988-2002. Since then, he has been the editor of the Society's news bureau, DICI.
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