December
2002
Dear
Faithful,
As we come to the close of this year here is some news regarding
our Society since my last letter.
Last
September at Holy Family School in Lévis Québec a few days
of celebration were organized on September 21st
and 22nd to mark the 25th anniversary
of our Society in Canada.
The well attended ceremonies were held under the presidency
of His Lordship Bishop Williamson and with the presence
of yours truly, of Father Jacques Emily now district superior
for Great Britain, Father Emeric Baudot, bursar general
representing our Superior General, Father Paul Aulagnier,
Father Laisney as well as the four priests of Holy Family
School. On Saturday the 21st conferences were
given by Father Yves le Roux on Christian nobility, by yours
truly on the history of the SSPX in Canada,
by Father Jean de l’Estourbeillon on the scouting movement
and a masterful conference by H. L. Bishop Williamson on
Vatican II which was summarized in his October letter.
Sunday during the pontifical high Mass His Lordship spoke,
amongst other things, of why the SSPX had to reject the
apparently generous offer from the Roman authorities.
The following Saturday, the 28th, in Midland,
north of Toronto, the pilgrimage of thanksgiving was held
in honour of the Canadian Martyrs, these Jesuit missionaries
who planted the cross and the faith in our country. Well
over 175 pilgrims from our Ontario parishes attended this
pilgrimage. In addition to Fr Sulzen and myself, Father
Emily and Father Stephen Somerville were in attendance.
Father Zendejas came all the way from Ridgefield to take
part. The Mass on the very site of the martyrdom of St
John de Brébeuf and Gabriel Lalemant was followed by lunch
and a 5km walk to the shrine. There we were able to venerate
the relics and make the Stations of the Cross.
In
other news: Father Dominique DeVriendt has been transferred
from Winnipeg to help with St John Bosco School in Calgary,
bringing to three the number of priests for Alberta. His
arrival will greatly help Fathers Angele and Ockerse in
their vast apostolic work. Immaculate Heart of Mary parish
is the largest SSPX parish in Canada and with a growing
school and the five missions they service a third priest
became necessary. Father arrived at his new post for the
first Sunday of November. Father Rusak received as his
new assistant in Winnipeg Father Patrick Girouard who had
spent the previous year in Shawinigan. Father Girouard
will also take over the Communicantes. Unfortunately this
means that again the priory in Shawinigan is without a resident
priest and this will obviously have an effect on the retreats.
We will keep you informed as to what will happen.
During my travels many ask what is the situation between
Rome and the Society. Not much, as a matter of fact there
are no discussions. Nothing has changed. “When it comes
down to it, Rome never answers the essential question.
They demand of us a statement which would make us tilt ever
so little in their direction, but on their side there is
no calling in question of their basic liberalism and modernism…
As I wrote them … however courteous our conversations have
been, they have persuaded us that the moment for an understanding
has not yet come. We must have some protection against
the spirit of Assisi… We have been at cross purposes in
these conversations. On our side, we are expecting the
return of Tradition to Rome. On their side, they do not
budge.” [1] The situation has not changed from 1988. Sure the bait is
bigger and nicer, but the line pulling us in is still the
same. In the minds of the present Roman authorities they
want us to admit we were wrong, to admit we have created
a schism and left the Church. They want to bring us into
the new church of Vatican II by the acceptance of the new
mass, the new theology, the new catechism and ecumenism
with its clear manifestation: the Assisi prayer meetings.
They will give us anything we want if we accept this. At
the same time we see that those who have compromised have
been silenced. All we need to do is look at the Society
of St Peter, Una Voce, and the latest victim; the Fraternity
of St John Mary Vianney of Campos. As far as Campos is
concerned, the slide is faster than anticipated. Recently
the newly consecrated Bishop Rifan asked Dom Gérard, Abbot
of Le Barroux, for forgiveness and in a conference at the
same monastery said: “There are two Bishops de Castro
Mayer. The first until 1981, that was submissive to the
authorities ... and a second after he retired, which was
much harsher towards Rome…We have chosen the first…”.
It is quite clear.
There is really nothing to negotiate. The Faith is not
negotiable. What is more we do not negotiate with our superiors.
If we resist our prelate, as St Thomas Aquinas says we have
the right and obligation of doing, it is only because our
faith is endangered, and we see the ruins mounting all around
us, and not because we are rebellious children. “We
continue to pray that modern Rome, infected by modernism
become again Catholic Rome and return to its 2000 year old
Tradition. Then the problem or reconciliation will be solved…” [2] . But as long as they want to lead us down
the path of the new religion we have to continue turning
a deaf ear and even resist their efforts.
Some
ask also regarding the Rosary and the new “mysteries of
light”. You will find a good commentary of it by Father
Peter Scott, Rector of Holy Cross Seminary in his November
newsletter which can be found at: www.holycrossseminary.com.
You can find it as a link to the Canadian website: www.sspx.ca.
So I will not repeat what has already been said. Suffice
it to say that in his apostolic letter Rosarium Virginis
Mariae dated October 16 2002, Pope John Paul II says
beautiful and true things about the Rosary especially how
it is a prayer for peace and the renewal of the family.
“The
Rosary is by its nature a prayer for peace, since it consists
in the contemplation of Christ, the Prince of Peace…” [3] Yes but maybe not in the same way the Pope thinks.
The Rosary is the prayer of peace because it seeks to establish
the reign of Christ the King. It is the Rosary which has
kept the Muslims at bay for hundreds of years and kicked
the communists out of Austria. It is to devotion to the
Immaculate Heart and its principal devotion: the Rosary
that God has linked peace in the world. Certainly, the
daily Rosary would be more useful for world peace than the
scandalous prayer meetings at Assisi. Now if he could only
go one step further and fulfill the request of Our Lady
by consecrating Russia to Her Immaculate Heart.
“The
Rosary is also, and always has been, a prayer of and for
the family. At one time this prayer was particularly dear
to Christian families, and it certainly brought them closer
together. It is important not to lose this precious inheritance.
We need to return to the practice of family prayer and prayer
for families, continuing to use the Rosary.”
[4]
On
the other hand, his effort to render the Rosary a tool of
ecumenism is unfounded. The Rosary is not ecumenical, unless
by ecumenism you mean to lead all non-Catholics to the true
faith. But judging by the last 24 years I do not think
it a rash judgment to doubt that this is what he means.
Even more unfounded is the use of the Rosary as a tool for
promoting the new religion of the “mystery of man” and the
“Paschal Mystery” of Vatican II.
“What
has been said so far makes abundantly clear the richness
of this traditional prayer…”
[5] . Then why change it? In 1972 Father Annibale
Bugnini proposed to change the Rosary. “Paul VI responded
to this ridiculous proposal… ‘The faithful would conclude
that the Pope has changed the Rosary, and the psychological
effect would be disastrous… Any change in it cannot but
lessen the confidence of the simple and the poor.”
Not happy with this answer Bugnini tried again in 1973.
This time Paul VI admonished him saying: “The Rosary
is to remain single in form and unchanged from what it is
now. Let any new forms of Marian devotion take their place
alongside the Rosary.”
[6] Needless to say there is no need to change or
to “improve” the Rosary. We will change absolutely nothing
and pay no attention to these “mysteries of light”. This
apostolic letter is unfortunately a perfect example of what
Saint Pius X called a modernist text: on one page the doctrine
is traditional and on the other it is modernist. Enough
said.
I
thank all of you, priests and faithful who have offered
Masses and prayers for the repose of the soul of my father
who died October 7, the feast of the Holy Rosary.
Thank you all for your continued support. Be assured of
our daily prayers for you and all your intentions. The
usual monthly Mass for friends and benefactors is offered
on the last Sunday of the month. Accept our wishes for
a happy and holy Christmas. Prepare for it by prayer and
penance. Even if Advent is not officially a time of penance,
as Lent, it is none the less liturgically a time of penance
and preparation. In addition to the monthly Mass, a Mass
will be offered Christmas day for all our friends and benefactors.
With
my blessing,
Father
Jean Violette
