The Line of Archbishop Lefebvre

The Line of Archbishop Lefebvre - Reboot 2

JMJ

Another proxy for the 'no canonical regularization ...' mantra is the following quote from the 1991 interview given by Archbishop Lefebvre.

However, one day they will be obliged to recognize that the Society represents a spiritual force and a strength of the Faith which is irreplaceable and which they will have, I hope, the joy and the satisfaction to make use of, but when they have come back to their Traditional Faith.

The underlined section is also a favorite proof text of the 'Resistors' and I suspect their fall-back position to my last post on this topic.

In 2013, in comparing interviews and statements given one year apart I wrote the following:

How to reconcile these two phrases uttered but a year apart? Does one negate the other? That does not seem likely since the first half of this later quote basically repeats the first words given a year earlier.
As for the second half, it clearly manifests a direction for the SSPX that leads back to Rome, when Rome will make use of the SSPX with both joy and satisfaction. Some would say that this indicates that the principle of 'no regularization without a doctrinal agreement' is embodied in these words and therefore fixed.
This mindset leads leaves unanswered more questions:

How would a return to the Traditional Faith be manifested?

Who needs to manifest it? The entire Church or just the Pope who is the foundation of the Church?

Which is the higher level of authority? The Pope or Archbishop Lefebvre?

Is it lawful to refuse a legitimate command of the Pope because of these words?

The answer to my question is actually embedded within the words of Archbishop Lefebvre from both interviews.
When a Pope realizes the vitality and value of Tradition as embodied in the SSPX, is willing to recognize as them as they are, to allow them to continue Tradition as they are doing, (words of Archbishop Lefebvre), then that Pope will have "come back to [his] Traditional Faith."

Even taking the quote out of context ( a favorite habit of the 'Resistors'): What signs would be required to conclude that 'they' have come back to their Traditional Faith?

I would stand by my thesis that "accept us as we are", would be a first step in demonstrating that change of heart.

P^3

Further Reading
Tradicat: Resistance mis-perception
Tradicat: Bishop Williamson denounces the resistance
Tradicat: Open letter to Canadian 'Resistors'
Tradicat: What is the 'Resistance' hiding? Part 1
Tradicat: What is the 'Resistance' hiding? Part 2
Tradicat: What is the 'Resistance' hiding? Part 3
Tradicat: What is the 'Resistance' hiding? Part 4
Tradicat: What is the 'Resistance' hiding? Part 5
Tradicat: One and two years after the consecrations

Comments

Count Capponi - RIP

+ JMJ I had heard of Count Capponi over the years and was happy to hear a voice crying in the wilderness. I suspect that his conscience was clearer than many. This part of the article caught my attention: Capponi defended the right of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre to continue his work without the label “schismatic,” which term Capponi rejected, saying: “You cannot apply the standards of the new code of canon law and the mentality of the old code. According to the new code, Lefebvre could do what he did with a Catholic intention, and he did what he did in ‘sincerity’ and invoked the ‘state of emergency’ argument, which the new code permits. You might not like the new code, but it’s what governs the Church.” I know a few people who tried to stir up a fuss when the SSPX cited the New Code in one of the documents with Rome. Yet, the truth is what it is --- the New Code was promulgated by a reigning Pope and flawed as it is ... there are some benefits to its liberality. ...

Is it sinful to attend the Novus Ordo (New Mass) - Is it Sinful to Not Attend the Novus Ordo on Sunday?

+ JMJ A non-SSPX Catholic is upset over the SSPX statements on not attending the Novus Ordo Missae. Ladies and gentlemen, what the SSPX, or at least its website editor, is advocating is a mortal sin against the Third Commandment. Unless the priest deviates from the language of the Sacramentary, the consecration, and thus the rest of Mass is to be considered valid. No one may elect not to attend Mass simply because abuses are occurring therein. Might I suggest that such absenteeism is its own abuse? The Third Commandment binds under mortal sin. Father So-And-So from the SSPX has no authority whatsoever to excuse attendance at Mass, be that Mass ever so unpalatable. Source:Restore DC Catholicism Well, this is interesting. First why does the SSPX issue this statement? Because it is sinful to put your faith in danger by attending a protestant service. It is likewise dangerous to put your faith in danger by attending a protestantized ma...

Those who return to the past are not outside the Church - Rorate Caeli

+ JMJ I had been thinking about putting together a post explaining some of the history of how the SSPX has arrived at its current position. Now I see that Rorate has posted a translated editorial that shows the roots of the SSPX principles. In reading these words, I see patterns and themes that were put forward by Archbishop Lefebvre decades ago. Perhaps his sight was clearer than most. P^3

Fr. Burfitt on Fr. Pfeiffer's Attempted Consecration

+ JMJ Amidst the shadows cast by the publication of Traditionis Custodes, I am working on a map of the 'resistance' splinters to put their reaction in contrast with that of the SSPX. In the midst of this, I just came across Fr. Burfitt letter on the attempted consecration. Breaking it down (see below) items 2 and 3 are key. Just as the consecrating bishop is 'doubtful', even if he hadn't muffed the first attempt, Fr. Pfeiffer remain doubtful and therefore this impacts those men is attempts to 'ordain'. There were rumours that Fr. Pfeiffer was seeking episcopal consecration for years as he cast about for various bishops (also doubtful) to help him achieve this goal. I wonder how he convinced the 'doubtful' bishop to provide (twice) the doubtful consecration. What a mess! This creates a danger to the souls of his followers and wonder where it will end. Will he go full sede and have himself 'elected' pontiff as others have done before him...

SSPX Transfers

+ JMJ Eponymous flow posted the following list of transfers etc. Source: http://eponymousflower.blogspot.com/2020/04/castling-of-leadership-at-sspx.html The departures Bishop Bernard Fellay, the third Superior General until 2018, leaves the General House in Menzingen and moves to the Seminary of St. Thomas Aquinas in the USA. Bishop Bernard Tissier de Mallerais, suffering from ill health, is being referred to the Seminary of St. Pius X in Ecene as a retreat. Fr. Christian Thouvenot, until now Secretary General of the General House, becomes a professor at the seminary in Ecene. Fr. Franz Schmidberger, until now Rector at the Seminary of the Heart of Jesus in Zaitzkofen, moves to the district of Germany. Fr. Jürgen Wegner, until now district superior of the DISTRICT USA, moves to the district of Austria. Fr. Philippe Brunet, until now Superior of the Autonomous House of Spain-Portugal, becomes professor at the Seminary U.L.F. and co-saviour of La Reja in...

Tradicat

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