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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 Fr. 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 Fr. 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.
+ Bernard Fellay
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