#60:
June 18, 2004
Dear
Friends and Benefactors,
How
happy we are to tell you from time to time about the joys
of our apostolate! Each day that passes we are privileged
to witness miracles of grace. Let us remember to thank Almighty
God, and let us be full of gratitude for the graces afforded
us by the intercession of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
We dare say that the life of the SSPX is indeed a permanent
miracle. It expresses the intervention of God in our small
history, the intervention of Our Lady, of the holy angels,
of this whole world that surrounds us, that wishes us well.
Our heavenly friends, whom we see not and on whom, unhappily,
we think so little, are so close, so ready to help us, so
effective! They are indeed real, they are part of our lives
and their sometimes tangible assistance compels us to accept
the marvelous reality of the communion of saints. When we
compare our own powers with the results of our efforts,
we are indeed obliged to recognize that these results do
not come from us.
A
great many new buildings and chapels throughout the world,
in the Philippines, in India, North and South America, Western
and Eastern Europe are also signs of an impressive vitality
of grace. Experience has taught us that even the opposition
of the clergy, generally strongest in areas where we have
become established fairly recently, serves the good cause.
“Everything comes together for the good of those
who serve God.”
We
would also like to share some pains and concerns with you.
First
of all, in the Ukraine. These last months the priests whom
we support in the Fraternity of St. Josaphat have been subjected
to the furious attacks of their bishop, Cardinal Husar.
The cardinal took to the airwaves to make a grand declaration
of excommunication against Father Wasil and his companions,
on the grounds that he has associated himself with a schismatic
movement…
This
is the gravest censure in the canon law of the Eastern Church.
It was issued without due process. Once Father Wasil appealed
to Rome the cardinal undertook to observe the legal formalities.
The whole process was designed to fill the juridical void
in order to justify a ready-made sentence. Nihil novi sub
sole [there is nothing new under the sun].
The
ecclesiastical authorities are also trying to take back
the churches, including those built by Father Wasil. This
is undoubtedly a harsh blow for them, and your prayers are
asked to support them in this new struggle. Up to now they
have had to defend their faith against a terrible enemy,
atheistic communism, but now it is their own pastors who
are attacking them. Up to now, the priests have resisted
bravely with the support of the faithful. But each attack
unsettles souls; some turn away in disgust and give up.
A familiar pattern.
And
from the side of Rome?
Let
us begin with Fatima. Last year the construction of a new
building for the use of different religions was announced.
Even
if the official publication of the shrine keeps silent about
the nature of the project, public actions go even further.
On May 5, a group of Hindus invaded the place of the apparition
of the Blessed Virgin, naturally with all the official authorizations.
They made this sacred place, so dear to Catholics, the forum
for their idolatry. “It is a unique event, without
precedent in the history of the shrine. The Hindu priest,
or Sha Tri, recited at the altar the Shaniti Pa, the prayer
for peace. The Hindus can be seen removing their sandals
before approaching the balustrade of the sanctuary, while
the priest pronounces the prayers at the altar in the sanctuary.
The bishop and the rector of the shrine were themselves
decked out in Hindu prayer shawls... a fine affair.”
What a provocation against Christianity!
Now,
are we to speak of reaching an accord?
So
long as the Roman authorities tolerate such abominations
or, worse still, support them, they are distancing themselves
from any accord with Tradition. We shall never give way
to such affronts perpetrated against Our Lady of Heaven,
the Mother of God. One sometimes wonders whether not only
the faith has been lost, but common sense as well. Deus
non irridetur (God is not mocked).
Such
actions demand reparation. We are seriously thinking of
inviting you to an act of solemn protest at Fatima next
year.
As
concerns Rome more directly, Rome demands that we accept
their proposition of a “personal jurisdiction.”
The problem lies not in the juridical formulation, which
seems acceptable to us in principle, although we do not
know the concrete elements and implications of such a “juridical
formula.” The problem remains as always on the level
of doctrine, of the Christian spirit that does or does not
inform (and that is the whole question) ambiguous texts
and reforms that have been disastrous for the supernatural
welfare of the faithful. We do indeed perceive more and
more sympathy from certain bishops, also in Rome. It seems
to us that we are moving forward, that Tradition is making
progress in the Catholic world. But that is not yet sufficient.
We recently made an official request that the decree of
excommunication be withdrawn as a first concrete step on
the part of Rome. That would change the climate and we could
better see how things develop. One thing is certain: we
do not want the situation in which the Fraternity of St.
Peter and the majority of the Ecclesia Dei groups have been
placed. They are constrained, and it is barely permitted
them to say the Tridentine Mass. Most of the time they find
themselves in truly odious situations. Cardinal Castrillon
is perfectly right to claim for traditionalists a status
better than that of second-class citizen.1 But is it not
up to Rome first of all to change this state of affairs?
These
are all so many intentions for prayer, dear benefactors.
Be assured of our profound gratitude for all your sacrifices,
so precious, so pleasing to God, and which help us greatly
in our apostolate. May God reward you, may the Sacred Heart
bless you, and may his most Holy Mother protect you and
your families.
18
June 2004,
Feast of the Sacred Heart
+
Bernard Fellay
