[Major Catholic Schism Partially Ended!!!]: Lefebvre Catholics opt for full communion with Rome

www.FIDES.org ^ | 1-18-2002 | staff

[Notwithstanding]

Fides News 020118

BRAZIL
Lefebvre Catholics opt for full communion with Rome

Rio de Janeiro (Fides) – Today Friday January 18, the only schism in the Church on the most Catholic of continents, Latin America, is over. Brazilian Catholics who had followed the line of the late French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, are being welcomed back to the bosom of the Church after 20 years of separation. The "traditionalists", as the group is called, led by Bishop Licinio Rangel and 26 priests, are mostly in the state of Rio de Janeiro, in Campos dos Goytacazes region. They have decided to return to full communion with the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of Rome. The decision was strongly opposed by Mgr. Bernard Fellay, head of the Saint Pius X Fraternity, who even traveled to Brazil to try to persuade the group not to make the step of reconciliation with Rome.

The official ceremony, with the reading of the statement of welcome written by Pope John Paul II, will take place in Campos, at Sao Salvador Cathedral at 6pm. After reciting the Creed and singing the Te Deum the congregation will move to the church Imaculado Coracao de Nossa Senhora do Rosario de Fatima – built by the traditionalists – for a prayer to Our Lady. The Holy Father will be represented by Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos, Prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Clergy. Others present will include the Nuncio in Brazil, Archbishop Alfio Rapisarda; emeritus Archbishop of Rio, Cardinal Eugenio Sales; the Bishop of Campos Roberto Guimaraes; the Metropolitan Archbishop of Niteroi Carlos Alberto Navarro.

Also present an official of the Congregation for the Clergy Rev. Fernando Guimaraes who spoke to Fides on the eve of the ceremony. "The great victory today is for Christ and his Church", Fr Fernando says, explaining that reconciliation began in 2000, during the Great Jubilee, when the group made a pilgrimage to Rome and was welcomed by Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos with a lunch and dialogue. Not long afterwards the group sent a letter with a request for reintegration which was granted by Pope John Paul II in a document, which will be read during the ceremony, containing indications to be followed. From now on they recognise: the authority of the Pope as Vicar of Christ and Shepherd of the Church; the legitimacy of the Second Vatican Council; the validity of the Mass approved by Pope Paul VI. The Traditionalists have permission to celebrate Mass in Latin (St Pius V rite ), using the Pope John XXIII Missal.

During these twenty years the Traditionalists have built churches and chapels, opened a seminary, a school, social centres and monasteries. Today in Brazil there are about 28,000 of them. The priests will form the Apostolic Administration of St Jean Marie Vianney, a form of ecclesiastical circumscription which will depend directly on the Pope. Their Bishop Licinio Rangel, now officially recognised Apostolic Administrator, says he and his priests will travel to Rome to thank the Pope personally. Bishop Rangel says that thanks to John Paul II the diocese of Campos is now in peace and "in full communion with the Vatican". He also said that the diocesan Bishop will continue to be Mgr. Roberto Guimaraes whom he praised highly attributing to him the merit for the end of the schism.

Fr Fernando Guimaraes told Fides that in Campos there is "an air of great rejoicing and participation". This event is "reunion in the spirit of Jesus Christ – <that they may be one>". Fr Guimares sees the event as "a moment of great historical value because the schism had its apex in this Pontificate of Pope Paul II, and now during the same Pontificate it is healed" and he added that "this is the first group to request reintegration. Dialogue with other groups remains open but, time is in God’s hands".

The Traditionalist Catholics of Campos diocese were followers of the French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre and the Brazilian Bishop Antonio de Castro Mayer, contrary to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council. In a joint celebration in Switzerland, both men ordained four bishops, in open contrast with directions issued by Pope John Paul II.

The situation in Campos is isolated while in other places dialogue is hampered by a certain rigidity on the part of the interlocutors. It is estimated that Lefebvre followers are about 300 priests and circa a million faithful. Some lay groups are forming communities which have no contact either with the Catholic Church or with the Traditionalist.    (Fides 18/1/2002)

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[The Old Hoosier]

This is big news, in and of itself. It'll probably be in the NYTimes, that bastion of Catholicism, this weekend.

[The Old Hoosier]

Whatever. Ever hear of the Society of St. Peter?

[duck soup]

Better that only a few Catholics should be left, staunch and sincere in their religion, than that they should, remaining many, desire as it were, to be in collusion with the Church's enemies and in conformity with the open foes of our faith. --St. Peter Canisius (1521-1597), one of the greatest Jesuit theologians, speaking of the Protestants, who were then introducing changes such as vernacular liturgies, the abolition of fasting laws, the removal of statues, and other diminutions of traditional Catholicism

If you haven't read of late, the Maronites and the Druze are forming an alliance in Lebanon. History repeating itself? Do you think someone had made a mistake in interpreting the Pope kissing the Quran. If they go on a rampage and kill innocent Jews will the Pope have to apologize?

[onyx]

Yes, yes, yes, a thousand times yes! LOL! Sounds "all too familiar" but I pray for a "special one's" return! Miracles happen!

[Psycho_Bunny]

Really? I haven't the slightest idea what it means. Never heard of a Lefewhatever Catholic.

Not that I'm flaming anyone.

[sinkspur]

And once the SSPXers are safely back in the fold, after a decent interval, they can finally and fully outlaw the Latin Mass. That's been the Vatican's aim from the start.

The Latin Mass has NEVER been outlawed. The Tridentine Mass was forbidden after Vatican II, but was later permitted by John Paul II.

It's not the Latin Mass that's the big hang up with the SSPX; it's Vatican II.

JPII is going to insist on acceptance of Vatican II for full communion, and he's not going to allow the Tridentine Mass to be celebrated by any priest any time he wants.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

Why did you freely choose to view a thread posted in Breaking News about something Catholic?

[american colleen]

Why do you say that?

I'd love to know why you think the Vatican wants to "outlaw" the Latin Mass, I hadn't heard or read anything that would lead me to believe that, but on the other hand, I haven't read anything that leads me to doubt you.

Would appreciate some info if you can.

[sinkspur]

If they go on a rampage and kill innocent Jews will the Pope have to apologize?

No. If they go on a rampage, they ought to be shot.

[Psycho_Bunny]

Because it may have actually been Breaking News. I don't dismiss a post until I've read it. And I'm not dismissing this one.

Coupled with this mornings Nun post (which was removed from breaking news) it does seem like a untactful trend.

[onyx]

Why did you freely choose to view a thread posted in Breaking News about something Catholic?

Sometimes a person's chosen 'nic' is quite telling?

[Psycho_Bunny]

lol....I don't know if that's a slam on me or on Catholicism.

[onyx]

Neither. Just having fun with "SmedleyButler."

[Mike Fieschko]

Yes. And Fellay won't get his special prelature nor be allowed to trash Vatican II at will.

The truly important point about the news is that Bishop Rangel and the rest have an apostolic administration and not a prelature.

The difference is that a prelature restricts them from going into other diocese unless they have the approval of the other bishop.

With an apostolic adminstration, they do not need the approval of the other bishop to open chapels/churches/parishes. They are their own 'diocese'. This only covers Brazil, for now.

[pbear8]

I was at a conference this past weekend with the 'Latin Mass' magazine folks. A couple of interesting things were mentioned there.

This 'Campos' compromise and its history was explained.

As for SSPX, a person at the conference in a real position to know was personally begging Fallay to accept the compromise now offered by the Vatican.

The buzz around Rome is that they may make a separate rite out of the Latin Tridentine Mass with its own bishops and structure (like the Byzantine, Maronite, etc.)

[sinkspur]

With an apostolic adminstration, they do not need the approval of the other bishop to open chapels/churches/parishes

But they will need the approval of the Pope.

The SSPX should have accepted this compromise years ago; Fellay is just too proud to give up his power. They pay lip service to Vatican II (which they'll never really accept), and get to maintain their own parishes. Like a separate rite.

Everybody's happy.

[pbear8]

And I forgot to add that they said that the GOs are watching the Latin Rite deal very closely. Because the old Mass closely parallels their liturgy, they want the Trid Mass issue settled before they will talk seriously about coming back to Rome.

[rdf]

The Latin Mass has NEVER been outlawed.

Right on.

The Mass, Novus Ordo, is clebrated in Latin at my college every day, at least twice. My parish uses English. The main thing is, it is the Mass.Richard F.

[rdf]

The Latin Mass has NEVER been outlawed.

Right on.

The Mass, Novus Ordo, is clebrated in Latin at my college every day, at least twice. My parish uses English. The main thing is, it is the Mass.

Nice to agree with you again.

Richard F.

[Jim-FREEportPA]

Your're funny. Still good info to have as a posted topic re the schism. By the way, I had Jim L's baseball card. Maybe we should have saints cards or R. Catholic or Christian cards like the 12 apostles(I'm sure someone has thought about this and I could find this in a Christian bookstore, if not then I claim copyright!). Folks, I'm not making fun-I'm an active Roman Catholic pentecostal version.