Catholic group seeks priests for Latin Mass

The Age ^ | February 4, 2005 | Barney Zwartz

[narses]

A schismatic ultra-conservative Catholic group, whose leader was excommunicated in 1988, has sent a letter to Australia's 1400 Catholic priests trying to recruit them.

The Society of Pius X, followers of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, rejects the 1960s Vatican II council that liberalised much Catholic practice and teaches that only the Latin (Tridentine) Mass is valid.

The eight-page letter, from Father Francois Laisney of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour in Hampton, invites priests to return to "the Traditional Mass, the Mass of all times, the Mass of the Saints", and offers a free kit to enable them to say the Latin Mass.

Kate Mannix, editor of the independent Catholic internet magazine OnlineCatholics, said yesterday it was significant that no Australian bishop had objected to the letter and the society was being quietly rehabilitated by forces opposed to Vatican II.

Swiss Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre formed the Society of Pius X to reject the "novelties" of Vatican II, which the recruiting letter identifies as collegiality (as opposed to hierarchical authority), ecumenism and religious liberty. He was excommunicated in 1988 for consecrating his own bishops.

Advertisement AdvertisementMs Mannix said most Australian bishops did not support the Latin Mass but did not want a row with Cardinal George Pell, who favoured conservative groups.

"There's been enormous concern about liturgical abuses (by liberal priests) in recent years, yet every time this organisation conducts a Mass it perpetuates liturgical abuse," she said.

Former priest and Catholic author Paul Collins said the concern about the society was its links with neo-fascist groups in Europe and South America.

"For example, they act as de facto chaplains for the Le Pen movement in France," Mr Collins said.

Now officials in Rome understood their fascist connections less and had more sympathy for their conservative view on liturgy. "The Vatican have been falling over themselves to get these people back into communion with Rome," he said.

In Australia the society remained small, with only a few thousand adherents and one church in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth.

Brian Lucas, secretary of the Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference, said he was aware the society had sent the letter.

"The position of this small group is well known, and we look forward to the day when through dialogue and understanding there can be a reconciliation," he said.

Father Laisney, who is overseas, could not be contacted.

[ultima ratio]

Sure he ordained bishops without a papal mandate--because the Pope wished to starve the traditional Mass of priests and thus deny Catholics the spiritual benefits of the ancient Mass. That was an intolerable assault on the Catholic faith. You bet he disobeyed! The real question serious Catholics should be asking themselves is why the Pope was thinking along those lines in the first place--a shocking reality people like you don't like to think about. But it's nevertheless true: the present pope is not orthodox--and has many ideas and attitudes which are and have been destructive of the Catholic faith. Catholics are uncomfortable dealing with this--but it is the bottom line.

[Mershon]

"Every single seminary in the world--except for Econe--was in open dissent against established doctrines of faith and morality."

I was answering this misnomer. The seminaries of Opus Dei and the Legion of Christ were NOT in open dissent against the established doctrines of faith and morality.

Since both offer the Novus Ordo, this might poke a hole in your case that the Novus Ordo singlehandedly was responsible for the crisis we are now in.

[Mershon]

"because the Pope wished to starve the traditional Mass of priests and thus deny Catholics the spiritual benefits of the ancient Mass."

If that is premise, then isn't it odd that he permitted an indult in 1984, then in 1988, asked for a "wide and generous application of the indult" by beginning a traditional order from his very hand--the only pope to ever do so as reigning Pontiff? Wouldn't this be strange for him to do this and allow dozens of other traditional orders to begin and fluourish with his full approval, all the well knowing they intended to administer the 1962 Mass and sacraments? Strange way of "starving the traditional Mass of priests."

Quite odd. Perhaps I am missing something.