District Newsletter – March 2009

My Dear Brethren,

Many significant events have happened since I last wrote to you.

Father Jordie Stephens was ordained by Bishop de Galarreta at the seminary at Goulburn on 27th December and he has now been appointed to Sydney to begin his priestly apostolate by taking up the position formerly held by Father Christopher Curtis.  The latter has been transferred to the seminary to teach there in place of Father Bourmaud who has gone to labour in the Lord’s vineyard in Kenya.

Father Anthony Esposito preached a retreat to the priests in January and was guest of honour, together with the new seminary rector, Father Vincente Griego, at our annual Australia Day Dinner at Rockdale.  Father Emeric Baudot, the Bursar-General of the Society has just completed a visit to all of our major houses and other properties accompanied by Father Elias who has recently been appointed as District Bursar of Australia.The Rosary Crusade for the lifting of the putative excommunications of our four bishops was swift in its efficacy!   The number of rosaries recited far exceeded the one million which Bishop Fellay requested; the total being 1,703,097 of which 39,465 were offered from Australia.  The Crusade having ended on Christmas Day, the bishop personally took his Spiritual Bouquet to Rome on 17th January and the excommunications were lifted only a few days later by a decree of the Congregation of Bishops which was made public on the 25th January.  This event, of course, is of singular importance to us.  As Bishop Fellay wrote, “Throughout the whole world, Catholics attached to tradition will no longer be wrongfully stigmatized and condemned for having kept the faith of their fathers.  Catholic tradition is no longer excommunicated.”

Furthermore, taken together with the Motu Proprio of 7th July 2007, which acknowledged that the Mass had never been abrogated it may represent a turning of the tide or change of direction in the disastrous policies of the last forty years which have brought the Church to ruin.  Needless to say this perception is shared with those who approve of all that has happened during these years and this has resulted in an unprecedented attack by these people on the Pope himself.  So seriously has he felt this that he has taken the most unusual step of writing, on 10th March, a public letter to all of the bishops of the world explaining his reasons for this action. Therefore, it is clear to all that Traditional Catholics no longer have the monopoly of being “against the Pope”!

All of these events are greatly encouraging and their significance cannot be underestimated.  On the other hand however, it would be very mistaken to overestimate – or rather, misunderstand – what all of this means.

In a letter such as this it is impossible to examine all of the details, nuances and possible ramifications of a very complex situation.  However, it must first and foremost be borne in mind that the Motu Proprio and the lifting of the excommunications, most welcome as they are, represent merely the fulfillment of the preliminary conditions requested by Bishop Fellay on behalf of the Society before we could begin with any degree of trust and confidence discussions about the canonical regularization of the Society.  All of our troubles over the years have not been confined only to the question of the liturgy but also serious points of doctrine concerning certain documents of the Second Vatican Council and all of the negative consequences which have stemmed from them.  These grave difficulties are yet to be resolved and until then the essential problems remain.  Obviously, the Society has not taken its stand over all these years simply in order for us to have our comfortable little corner in the Church where we may be undisturbed in indulging our own religious sensibilities while abrogating the duties and responsibilities as members of the wider Church!

It may also be surprising to some that, as far as Church Law is concerned, the lifting of the excommunications does not have a major impact on the situation of the Society.  Since the excommunications took place so long ago it is easy to forget that both Archbishop Lefebvre and the Society were suffering canonical penalties long before the excommunications were declared.  As the Pope has pointed out in his letter to the Bishops mentioned above, these still remain in force.

The nature of the Church demands that all she teaches be believed by each of her members and that they acknowledge and obey the authority which Christ has placed over her.  To reject any part of her teaching is heresy and a refusal to recognize the authority which she claims is schism.  Note that simple disobedience to authority does not imply schism which is a refusal to acknowledge that the hierarchy actually possesses the power or authority which it claims.  Heretics and schismatics are not members of the Church by the very nature of their situation so that no declaration of excommunication is necessary to be made against them.

Excommunication is sometimes, however, used as a penalty against members of the Church who are neither heretics nor schismatics but whom the Church feels the need to discipline for serious crimes by removing them from the body of the visible Church.  In this case, a declaration of excommunication must be made by the competent authority and, of course, it may be lifted once the problem is resolved.  It is inevitable that, as in all legal procedures, mistakes may be made and especially in cases where penalties are applied to persons who feel unable to obey because they perceive the commands of superiors to be contrary to the moral or divine law which is our own case.

Another canonical penalty which is known as suspension may be applied to priests and bishops.  This forbids (or suspends) them from legally administering the Sacraments or celebrating Mass and they commit a grave sin if they do so.  Note here that the sacramental power is not and cannot be taken away but only the authority to make use of the power.  This, technically, is the situation of all of the bishops and priests of the Society and therefore the Vatican is not saying that it approves of our apostolate at the present time even although the putative excommunications of the bishops have been removed.

Obviously we have always considered the penalties against us to be unjust and the situation in the Church to be so grave that we are justified in continuing to celebrate Mass and administer the Sacraments in spite of the opprobrium which has been heaped upon us for doing so.  What is now remarkable is that the Pope himself appears to be prepared to acknowledge that we have been acting in good faith.  In a Press Release of 12th March Bishop Fellay stated:

“The priestly Society of St. Pius X assures Benedict XVI of its determination to enter into the doctrinal talks recognized as ‘requisite’ by the Decree of January 21st, with the desire to serve revealed Truth, which is the first act of charity to perform towards all men, Christians or non-Christians.  It assures him of its prayers so that his faith fail not and that he may confirm his brethren.  (cf. Luke 22:32)”

May our Resurrected Saviour grant you every grace and blessing this Easter.

Yours sincerely in Christ,

Father Edward Black
Superior.