PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE?
by
Eberhard Heller
(transl. by Gladys Resch)
Wether Mgr. Lefèbvre's effort, during these last years, to restore "normal" relations with the Vatican as soon as possible, was rooted in the fear to become isolated - this can only presume - because the world-wide tactics of Rome and the press were aimed ta total hush-up of his activities; but there may have been other reasons as well. The fact remains that the negociations which took place with the intermediary de Saventhem (to his person see EINSICHT VII (1) 25-28) failed. (see the collection of the Italian "UNA VOCE": "Il Dossier Saventhem") The desire to be soon received in audience by Luciani failed probably only because of the sudden decease of the latter. On 20/11/ 78 the press surprised the (public) world with the news, that according to his desire, Lefèbvre was received by Wojtyla on saturday, 18.11.1978. This had been confirmed by the press-speaker of the Vatican Romeo Panceroli already on sunday, 19.11.1978. He has revealed no details of his interview lasting two hours. However, the general opinion was that Lefèbvre was searching for a reconciliation of the (points of vue) positions and "favour the return to a normal situation", as he had already written to Montini in July 1978 (Stuttgarter Zeitung of 20.11.78). The prospects for a reconciliation with Rome appeared to be never as favourable as now since the (illegitimate) occupier of the Cathedra Petri is a member of the Po1ish episcopate, who, at one time, had declared his solidarity with Lefèbvre's traditionary efforts.
Since then ambitions are of considerable interest to the faithful, who, to a great extent, regard Lefèbvre as a leader of the traditionalists (in spite of the contrary affirmations by himself). I shall here retrace the way of these negociations as far as I am able to do so.
Only sparingly details of the first meeting reached the public. According to an indiscretion of the newspaper "Vita Sera" Wojtyla had affirmed Lefèbvre "that he would redress all abuses, all faulty interpretations or erroneous arguments of the post-conciliar development. However he stressed particularly that the validity of the Second Vatican Council was for the Catholic Church a well established fact. (NZ. 25/ 11/1978) (Underlining of the text by myself, also in the following.) Another meeting was supposed to take place 2-3 weeks later. As one learned later Mgr. Lefèbvre assured the respecting of the papal authority and the decisions of Vatican II as conditions for the granting of the papal audience of November 18th. (DT of l0/1/1979)
Lefèbvre gave the first official informations concerning his discussions with the Vatican shortly before the date of the next meeting, planned for the 10/1/1979. In an interview, transmitted by the Suisse Television, he was hopeful that there would be "reconciliation" between Rome and the Traditionalists. In his next visit, he would "render an account" to the "Congregation of Faith". He said: "To expect a discussion concerning the 'disciplinary question' only, as my answers to the questions, concerning the Dogma, were satisfactory." (FAZ of 8/1/1979) What does it mean: my answers to the questions concerning the Dogma were satisfactory? The solution of this enigma follows soon. It is also astonishing that, at the discussions, Lefèbvre felt to be at least the speaker for the traditionalists. He had previously reclined strictly all the requests and prayers in this regard. Who of the traditionalists had commissioned him? De Saventhem, the intermediary? Mgr. Lefèbvre explained at a Mass, he was celebrating in Zürich, "he hopes that in some month' time, perhaps after a further discussion with the Holy Father, we might be allowed to carry on our traditional practice of faith to the well-being of the Church and for her unity, because then we would find ourselves at once to be again in harmony with the Swiss episcopate." (FAZ of 8/1/79)
The 10th January, 1979 Lefèbvre was received by Franjo Seper and answered written questions, which were sent to him beforehand. In the "bulletin of the Congregation of Priests of Pius X for German speaking countries" January, February 1979 (4) Franz Schmidberger is of the same opinion as Lefèbvre, up to the smallest detail, concerning the contents of the negociations, as J. Schilling writes in "Münchner Merkur" (13/1/1979): "another problem concerns the legal establishment of his institutions, which are: buildings, grounds, and other values. Normally these should be handed over to the respective dioceses, as the permission for all this was taken back years ago. Of course, Lefèbvre is not willing to dissolve his foundations". There are no dogmatic problems anymore but those of power and money.
Very surprised of all this Mgr. protests. These protests were reported by "Welt, 22/1/79". In an interview in the Milanese newspaper "Domenica de Corriere" Mgr. would have said: "Rome makes the mistake, not I". - He sees the decadence of the Church in Vatican II. The "Reforms" are moderniste and liberal communist. Who is meant?
Shortly afterwards, Lefèbvre announced again the quarrel with the Vatican would soon come to an end. At the question of the Pope if Lefèbvre would accept the reforms of the Council in the meaning of the Tradition, Mgr. approved. Then he was told, "So, there are no more dogmatic difficulties between us. (SZ of 4/2/79). How can the reforms be accepted which gave us - amongst others - an ivalid Mass, a protestant teaching of the Last Supper, doubtful rites, even invalid ones for the ordination of priests and bishops, the abolition of the practice of confession, etc. This would be a super treatise of Berlin, which everyone could interprete his own way. Such a way of playing with opinions has only been realised, before Lefèbvre, by Döpfner, who said: We have reached the unity with the Protestants by still remaining Catholics.
Enlightening too are the affirmations of Lefèbvre at the conversation he had with the Suisse Agency La Dépêche, published by "Mysterium Fidei" in March 1979 and edited by Badener Tageblatt of 29/1/1979: (The question): "How does, Your Grace, stand now the situation after the last interview?", we asked. "Nothing has been finalised, but many questions enlightened" explained Mgr. Lefèbvre. "Now Rome would not dare to say that my opinion of the Council is not acceptable. The Holy Father at our meeting declared that he approved of my declarations concerning the Council, e.g. that I approve of the documents of the Council but had I interprete them in understanding with the Tradition." (...) Asking which would be his solution, Mgrs. answered that this question had already been put to him in Rome. His answer was: "There is not much to be said about it. May they let us use those aids of sanctification which the Church has always used for the salvation of souls. And this is all. It is not difficult. The solution is found and this should suffice to satisfy everything on all levels." - "As you did not meet the Pope on your last visit to Rome, one has mentioned a want of success on your side." "A meeting was not supposed to be", explained Lefèbvre, "I have met cardinal Seper and the experts. They asked me different questions. I answered them. All these documents are supposed to be signed in a few days' time (...) I, on my side, shall not step back. Once more shall I ask one may permit us the experiment of the Tradition. This is the interview, so far, concerning Lefèbvre's firmness, one must admit francly, that it does not mean anything definite. So far he has not taken any consequent, clear and true attitude in the meaning of Tradition, to the problems concerned. Therefore his assurance is an empty explanation.
However the answer to the question why Wojtyla would be satisfied by his answers concerning the Dogma, was given by Lefèbvre to the french newspaper l'Aurore. Here, printed by FELS March 1979 page 92: (paper taking its news from the KNA (french catholic Agency) "Archbishop Lefèbvre hopes to be received again by Pope John Paul II on 2nd March." (It should be 12th March - the catholic press should be able to give the right date of the inthronisation of Pius XII, as this is what matters in this case, as what is to be understood by the next news of FAZ. - By the way Lefèbvre was in Munich on the 4th March) Lefèbvre reports in the interview the questioning of the 11th and 12th January in Rome. He deplored that the representatives of the Congregation of the Faith, who put those questions to him, refused to allow him to bring a witness with him. He had insisted on a witness, as he had a bad experience before, in 1975, when he was not even given the access to the report of the proceedings of the sitting. At the questioning he was misquoted twice in important questions. So he has neither declared that Vatican II is against the faith nor that the "New Mass" is a "heresy". But he is of the opinion that there are texts of the Council like e.g. the declarations of the liberty of religion - that are not in accordance with the traditional teaching of the Church and that the "New Mass" contains some Protestant poisonous matters. (...) In his interview the Archbishop confirmed that he would not ordain priests for the time being until the final decision of the Pope, and also not found new seminaries and communities. (The editor: the major orders he administered in Munich on 4th March do not count, of course, they had been abolished by Rome anyhow.) This promise was given under condition that a precise and quick solution would be prepared soon. "What I ask for is simply: that Rome allows us to continue peacefully and quietly the experiment of the Tradition" said Lefèbvre. He hoped justly that his "Fraternity of Plus X" would be recognised officially by Rome and incorporated into the Congregation of the Order, and secondly, that he could carry on saying Mass, according to the rite of Pius X (rather Pius V) and to stand firm to the old rites for the sacrements of Confirmation and Holy Orders. This is the position of Lefèbvre.
If one holds the decisive affirmations of his, appart from the recognition of the apostate Rome, as legitimate ecclesiastical authority, we see the following:
1) Lefèbvre affirms the validity of the so-called "NOM" of Paul VI. This also comes to light in a letter he wrote to de Saventhem: "For the universal Church I see, like you do, the peaceful co-existence of the pre- and post-conciliar rites for the future. One should then let the believers choose 'the family of rites' tnat they want to belong to. One then should wait to experience the judgement of God concerning the truth and the effects of these corresponding values for the salvation of the Catholic Church and the whole of Christianity." (letter of 17/9/76: in "II Dossier 'Saventhem'" of the Italian UNA VOCE, to which we do not belong.) With this we would have the "freemasonary in the Church", expression apostrophated by Reinhard Lauth. (Comp. EINSICHT VIII (5) l90 f.) In connection with this one is referred to the attempt of Schmidberger to confiscate from all Mass-Centers under his care pamphlets, in which clear positions are taken against the 'NOM".
2) The true faith is for Lefèbvre a matter of experience. His "prayer" to the apostate organisation to give him the experiment of the truth, e.g. the Tradition, is not a once made mistake, but a repeated way of expression. The faith, e.g. the revelation of God can never be put to the liking of the people, the faith is absolute binding. (Apart from this, it is incredible to beg the occupants for something one is obliged to do.)
BOTH DECLARATIONS ARE NOT CONFORM WITH THE TEACHING OF THE CHURCH.
Finally FAZ informs on 2/3/1979: "According to the weekly paper 'IL MODO' the french suspended bishop of the Tradition Lefèbvre is about to address a "letter of submission" to the Pope, which should be handed to John Paul II by the Archbishop of Genoa, Cardinal Siri, on the occasion of the, would be, golden jubilee, of the Inthronisation of Pius XII (rather 40 years)" This would habe been the 12/3/79.
If the informations are right - so far there have been no details in the news - one would also have a reason to keep the submission discreet; Lefèbvre would ave detached himself officially from the true Roman Catholic Church, as he recognises definitely the apostate organisation and submits to its authority, e.g. the heretic occupant Wojtyla. Then there would be no reason to treat him and his institutions differently than the Clementine Secte - he and his followers would have become - what I described in EINSICHT VIII (4) - an orthodox secte.
Because of the consequence, resulting of this perhaps already committed act of Lefèbvre, e.g. the annulation ipso facto of his membership of the true Church, I cousel all Mass-Centers: IN THE NAME OF THE MATTER REMAIN INDEPENDANT, and do not let yourself be intimidated by warnings that there will be no (Ecône) priests at your disposal if you refuse to compromise.
With such perspectives in front of us our situation seems fatal. And surely we have arrived to the situation where the way of Christ to Calvary is being renewed in His mystical Body of the Church. But God is faithful to those, who are faithful to Him. He certainly will not let us down. We can not do much more than to stand under the cross with Mary and John and to pray for the conversion of those, who have gone astray, that He may revive His Church to a new life and give her a new apostle to lead her. Probably the torments will become stronger for everyone. God did not foretell us unnecessarily, that all would betray Him if He does not shorten the days of the visitation. Then there will be no place for pride or self-righteousness left for anyone. Everyone should know where he stands.
(April 1979, pag.233-236) |
