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Editorial
Dear faithful,
Campos, a little diocese which
borders on the Atlantic Ocean at about 3 hours drive Northward from Rio
de Janeiro, is renowned for the anti-modernist resistance of Bishop de
Castro Mayer. At the Second Vatican Council (1962 to 1965), the valiant
bishop of Campos was beside Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre as member of the
Coetus Internationale Patrum, the grouping together of more than
200 conservative bishops who tried as best they could to thwart the powerful
lobby of the progressive bishops. Already before the Council, in 1953,
Bishop de Castro Mayer published his masterly Catechism of opportune
truths which are opposed to contemporary errors, in which he refutes
the principle errors of the neo-modernists on the Liturgy, the structure
of the Church, the methods of the apostolate and the spiritual life. When
the Vatican promulgated the Novus Ordo of the Mass, in 1969, Bishop de
Castro Mayer and almost all of his priests denounced the abuse of authority
by which was claimed the prohibition of the traditional Mass and the imposition
of a new rite which broke from Tradition and favoured the Protestant errors
He wrote to Pope Paul VI in 1969: "Not only does the Novus Ordo fail
to inspire fervor, but on the contrary it diminishes the Faith in the
core truths of Catholic life, like the real Presence of Jesus in the Blessed
Sacrament, the reality of the propitiatory Sacrifice, and the hierarchical
Priesthood". "Resistance" was the expression that Campos
liked to employ in taking the stand of traditional Catholics opposed to
the abuse of power from the hierarchy. In 1988, Bishop de Castro Mayer
was alongside Archbishop Lefebvre as co-consecrator in the ceremony of
the consecration of the 4 bishops, this historic "operation survival"
of Tradition. In 1981, two years after Bishop de Castro Mayer reached
the age of 75 and was forced to retire, the Vatican appointed a new conciliar
bishop to the diocese of Campos who caused such difficulty in the lives
of the traditional priests of the diocese that he ended up in chasing
them all from their parishes. These priests, rather than accept the New
Mass and the modernist reforms, constructed new churches for the traditional
Mass. They were supported by several tens of thousands of faithful. Later,
they founded a priestly association called the "Society of Saint
Jean-Marie Vianney". On April 25, 1991, Bishop de Castro Mayer, the
friend of Archbishop Lefebvre and the only diocesan bishop, at that time,
who took up combat with the founder of Ecône against neo-modernism, rendered
his soul to God. In 1992, the bishops of the Society of Saint Pius X responded
to the call for help from their comrades-in-arms from Campos by consecrating
one of their priests a bishop - Bishop Licinio Rangel.
And now we learn that an agreement
has been signed between Rome and the traditional priests of Campos during
a ceremony this past January 18th in the cathedral
of the diocese. By this event, it was also recognised by Rome that Bishop
Rangel is indeed a Catholic bishop, placed at the head of a new, personal,
apostolic administration erected on behalf of the priests and the traditional
faithful of this diocese.
That the friends who have fought
at our side until now are going at it alone without having settled the
doctrinal problems with Rome does not gladden us, because Tradition will
become weakened. We consider also that this agreement is greatly lacking
in prudence, because it has appeared still more clearly in the course
of last year's discussions that it is not the intention of Rome, at this
time, to render justice to Tradition and to renounce her modernist principles,
destroyers of the faith. Rome is just seeking to integrate the traditional
movement into the modernist system of the conciliar Church. The theme
of the "reconciliation" ceremony was precisely "unity in
diversity", according to the words of H. E. Norberto Guimaraes, Bishop
of Campos, (see the commentary by Father Peter Scott in our dossier on
Campos, in this issue of Communicantes). This principle is at the
very basis of the Indult Mass: the Mass in Latin is just a matter of religious
sensibility. It may be granted as an exception and only if the New Mass
is recognized as legitimate. The New Mass and the teachings of Vatican
II, the disastrous ecumenism, the religious liberty and the rights of
man must continue to animate the governing of the Church.
It seems for the moment that the
priests of Campos have made no substantial concession on the doctrinal
level. They assert that they want to continue the combat for Tradition.
Only the future will tell us what turn their establishment will now take.
As Father Matthias Gaudron, director
of the German-speaking seminary of the Society of Saint Pius X (Zaitzkofen,
Germany), very well stated, there are several points that leave us sceptical.
"First of all, the excessive signs of recognition towards the Pope
and the local conciliar bishop presently manifested by the priests of
Campos seem to us very strange. It is not Tradition that has to present
excuses to modernist pastors, but rather the reverse. The Pope and the
modernist bishops have shown themselves unjust towards Tradition, which
is not the case for the traditional priests who have upheld the integrity
of the faith.
"Furthermore, certain important
points of the agreement do not seem to be definitely settled, as for example
the succession of Bishop Rangel and the exact juridical status of the
apostolic administration. Under such circumstances, acting is done with
much rashness.
"Rome, who has not hesitated
to violate promises she has made to the Fraternity of Saint Peter, will
not hesitate to do the same towards the priests of Campos. Thus, the day
following the agreement there appeared an interview with the papal theologian,
Father George Cottier, a Dominican, in which he states that it is not
enough that the priests of Campos recognise the validity of the New Mass,
but that they must be led to celebrate it: 'We must expect, little by
little, other acts of reconciliation: for example, the participation in
concelebrations in the reformed rite. But it is still necessary to be
patient. It is essential that their hearts no longer refuse it. The unity
found once more in the bosom of the Church incorporates in itself an internal
dynamism which will bear fruits'."
Has the time come to put our trust
in the authorities in Rome, at the moment when the ecumenical meeting
of Assisi on the contrary provokes "our profound indignation and
our reprobation" as Bishop Fellay wrote in his press
release this past January 24th "To invite these religions
to pray is to invite them to do an act that God reproves, that He condemns
in the first commandment: one sole God you will adore. It is to mislead
the followers of these religions and to reinforce them in their ignorance
and their adversity. Still more serious: this invitation leads them to
believe that their prayer could be useful, even necessary to obtain the
peace."
No, truly, the time does not yet
seem ripe for an agreement with Rome. But we do not wish to condemn in
advance the priests of Campos, although their haste and their imprudence
are evident. We totally agree with the sound opinion held by Bishop Bernard
Fellay in his declaration of January 16th.
Only time will tell if the priestly Fraternity of Saint John Mary Vianney
will remain faithful to the principles of Bishop de Castro Mayer or if
it will not become a guarantie or a safeguard for the pluralism in the
conciliar Church. At a time when millions of souls are losing the faith
because of the scandals coming from religious authorities, God demands
of us an uncompromising fidelity. He asks us to continue to give testimony
to the Catholic truth and Tradition, without acrimony but with serenity,
patience and perseverance, with the steadfast hope that this crisis will
come to an end, and that the Pope will return sooner or later to Tradition,
even if it is through stages. Let us offer our prayers and our sufferings
for the Church, our Mother, and abandon ourselves to the Providence of
Almighty God.
P.S.: As we were ready to print,
we received a second declaration of Bishop
Fellay regarding Campos. We invite you to read it carefully.
Father Dominique De Vriendt
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