August
2001
Dear Faithful,
The last few months have been times of great graces. Let
us first thank divine Providence for the graces of the priestly
ordinations in June. On the 23rd seven new priests
and five deacons were ordained at St Thomas Aquinas Seminary
in Winona by H.L. Bishop Williamson. This means there should
be five new priests next year.
June 29th at Ecône H.L. Bishop Fellay ordained
twelve new priests: nine for our Society, two for the Capuchins
of Morgon and one for the Community of the Transfiguration
both French communities. There were also ordained 16 deacons.
And finally at Zaitzkofen in Germany 2 new priests were
ordained. So there is hope for the future.
This year was of course a very good year for Canada as we
have two new priests in the persons of Fathers Emmanuel
Herkel and Patrick Girouard as well as a deacon Rev. Mr.
Robert MacPherson who, God willing, should ascend the altar
next year.
I was very pleased to see an important Canadian delegation.
Indeed most provinces were represented from New Brunswick
to British Columbia. Many undertook the long journey by
car. Holy Family School also sent a delegation: Father de
L'Estourbeillon came with his scouts who by their discipline
and manners made a very good impression. We hope the ordination
ceremony made a good impression on them, as well as on the
other young boys, so that many of them may hear the call
of Our Lord to serve him more closely.
In July many of you were also able to attend the first Masses
and receive the first blessing of the newly ordained priests
which is also a great grace.
Four camps were also held this summer: two in Quebec and
two by Fr Sulzen in Ontario. All were well attended and
all seemed to have profited from the experience. I hope
the fruits will last at least until next year. I want to
thank all those who helped financially or by giving their
time to help in the organisations of these camps. They are
great for the children but they are also a great amount
of work for the priests.
The month of August is the "official" month of
transfers in the SSPX. This month will see the opening of
our new priory in Vernon BC. Fathers Dominique Boulet and
Emmanuel Herkel will take up residence there. Some other
changes for the district: Father Nicolas Kergall has left
Holy Family School to return to France. We thank Father
Kergall for his devotedness and hard work at the school.
I'm sure he will be missed. We welcome Father Roger Gueguen,
who comes to us from France, who will be replacing him at
the school. After many years in Quebec Fr Gerard Rusak is
moving to Winnipeg, where he began his ministry with me
in 1987. It's been a while! He will be assisted by Fr De
Vriendt. In Calgary Fathers Todd Angele and Francis Ockerse
will continue the good work already started. Fr Mery will
join Fr Sulzen and myself in Toronto. I had hoped I could
have news from attempts at purchasing a house in the the
Montreal area, but at the time of writing there is no reply
to our offer to purchase. In the meantime Fathers Stephen
Delallo and Patrick Girouard will take up residence in Shawinigan
and from there serve Montreal and Ottawa. Please continue
to pray that we can find a suitable house in the Montreal
area.
I enclose excerpts from last exchange of correspondence
between H.L. Bishop Fellay and H. E. Cardinal Castrillon
Hoyos in June. In his letter the cardinal says: "All
the guaranties will be given so that the members of the
Fraternity (of St Pius X) and all those who have
a special attraction for this noble liturgical tradition
can celebrate it freely in all your churches and places
of worship." Haven't we heard that one before?
They are basically granting us an indult we did not ask
for and do not need and which we do not want. We are not
asking for charity but for justice! They really have no
idea what the struggle is about. For them the Mass is only
a matter of "special attraction". So we continue.
No the fight is not over. Are we living the times Dom Gueranger
prophetically spoke about: "woe to those times when
the dispensers of the divine word, having themselves nought
but halved or use principles, give but weak; shriveled
seed to the souls entrusted to them! The Holy Ghost
is not bound to supply their insufficiency; ordinarily speaking,
He does not supply it, for such is not the way established
by Christ for the sanctification of the members of His Church.
The
common Mother, however, has supplementary aid for such of
her children as may be thus treated.‑ it is her liturgy.
There they will find, not only the holy sacrifice which
will support them, and the graces of the Sacrament of love
which will nourish spiritual life within them, but moreover,
the surest rule of conduct and the sublimest teaching of
every virtue."1
There you have it! Maybe this is why they are so against
Tradition and especially against the Mass: it is contrary
to their false principles. They know their new religion
is doomed if they allow the Mass. Dear Faithful keep the
faith! It is all that matters. Stay attached to the traditional
liturgy without compromise! Leave the rest to God; He will
take care of it.
I remind you of the pilgrimage to Midland in honour of the
Canadian Martyrs Saturday September 29th. They
planted the Catholic Church in our country and watered it
with their blood. Let us ask them the grace to be faithful
to this same Church and for many more vocations to continue
the work they began. A flyer will me mailed as soon as it
is ready.
Be assured of our prayers and gratitude for your continued
prayerful and financial support. As usual the monthly Mass
for friends & benefactors will be on the last Sunday
of the month.
With
my blessing,
Father
Jean Violette
1
Dom Gueranger The Liturgical Year
vol. XI Time after Pentecost Book 11 page 202.
