Immaculate Heart of Mary,pray for us!

Declaration
On Relations with Rome

Made In Honour of
Our Lady of Good Counsel
April 2008

We hold firmly with all our heart and with all our mind to Catholic Rome, Guardian of the Catholic Faith and of the traditions necessary to the maintenance of this faith, to the eternal Rome, mistress of wisdom and truth.

We refuse on the other hand, and have always refused, to follow the Rome of Neo-Modernist and Neo-Protestant tendencies, which became clearly manifest during the Second Vatican Council, and after the Council, in reforms which issued from it.

That is why, without any rebellion, bitterness, or resentment, we pursue our work of the sanctification of souls in the spirit of Saint Alphonsus under the guidance of the never-changing Magisterium, convinced as we are that we cannot possibly render a greater service to the Holy Catholic Church, to the Sovereign Pontiff, and to posterity.

That is why we hold firmly to everything that has been consistently taught and practiced by the Church (and codified in books published before the Modernist influence of the Council) concerning faith, morals, divine worship, catechetics, priestly formation, and the institution of the Church.

But now we must ask ourselves if a glimmer of light has not begun to show through the clouds of confusion that for many years have darkened the sky of eternal Rome. For we now have a Pontiff, a successor of Peter, ready to allow us to adhere fully to this timeless tradition of the Church and its complete expression in Catholic life without apparent compromise. He seems ready to "let us do the experiment of Tradition" as Archbishop Lefebvre asked so many years ago.

This glimmer of light has manifested itself above all in recent months in the courage with which the successor of Peter stood up against opposition from many quarters in promulgating his letter motu proprio "Summorum Pontificum". As far as Roman diplomacy could allow, the Supreme Pontiff declared the vindication of all those who for years had been fighting to keep the traditional Mass, since "it was never juridically abrogated and, consequently, in principle, always permitted."1 Moreover, Article 3 of Summorum Pontificum foresees the erection of communities like our own that would "permanently" use the Missal of 1962 – it is an invitation to be in recognised communion with the Holy Father while remaining simply as we are.

If, however, Benedict XVI has shown himself ready to allow the "experiment of Tradition" to be done in communion with him and with his blessing, what are we to make of the storm of abuses and confusion that reigns in the universal Church?

If these troubled waters are the very setting for the most important Papal motu proprio letter of the past years, then this document ought to be understood as a call for change. These forty years of crisis, the empty convents, the abandoned presbyteries, the empty churches and the sad state of Catholic education has finally awakened the realisation at the highest level of the Church that we are in a period of crisis. This realisation has produced a visible change in the will of Rome: no longer are the orientations of the 1960's and 70's to be imposed with the uncaring absolutism of "that period with all its hopes and its confusion." Rome is ready to admit that "omissions on the part of the Church have had their share of the blame..." Rome is ready to ask pardon for the "arbitrary deformations of the liturgy (that) caused deep pain..."2

Will we require more than one apology? The Pope wishes to see traditional Catholic life flourish once again in the bosom of the Church, and he has given approval to all the means that will allow this to happen: not only the Mass, but the sacraments, the ritual, the breviary, etc. But it is the Holy Ghost that is at work, guiding the successor of Peter even beyond what he himself may intend, for it will be through the restoration in practice of the traditional life of the Church that will be asphyxiated slowly but surely the modernist theological poison that still circulates in the bloodstream of the Church.

Henceforth, the combat for the Faith finds itself on an extended front: we are called to play a humble part in the revival of traditional Catholic practice in the universal Church for a new generation that no longer cares for the novelties of the Second Vatican Council, but thirsts for the solid Catholicism that is inseparably joined with the Mass of all time. This is the way the Church has arisen phoenix-like from all challenges she has faced in the past: by a resurgence of life in traditional Catholic practice, the doctrinal aberrations that caused decadence are shown for what they are. These are arguments that all can understand: not the intricate subtleties of the modernist mind, but the new spring shoots of the tree whence comes life.

The ambiguities of the Second Vatican Council remain to be clarified, this is certain. But far from denying the bi-millennial tradition of the Church, the Roman authorities seem ever more acutely aware of the need to reconcile the Second Vatican Council with tradition. How exactly to do so remains the poignant question of our day. It is a question that will not be solved easily nor soon – this we can gather from the manner in which the Church has dealt with problematic declarations of councils in the past. But another lesson from these past problems is that false doctrines die out over time, as their fruits are sterile. The Holy Ghost will show where the truth lies, because it is He who guides and gives life. Hence, it is sufficient for us to ask what Archbishop Lefebvre asked: Laissez-nous faire l'expérience de la tradition, ("let us do the experiment of Tradition") and for the rest, the answer shall soon be clear, for by their fruits we shall know them.

Can ambiguities and the confusion and false interpretations to which they give rise be the justification to stop us from accepting visible communion with Rome? As long as interpretations in contradiction to the tradition of the Church are not imposed upon us, these problems do not have to be an obstacle to union. We must simply remain free to preach the perennial doctrines of the Church, while trying to reconcile what can be reconciled "in a positive line of study and communication with the Holy See."3

Ah, but could not these offers from Rome be a "trap"? In answering this, we ought to reflect upon the extent of the liturgical reform granted and willed by the Pope. He reintroduced not only the Mass, but also the sacraments, the ritual, the pontifical, the breviary, etc. If all this were only a scheme to trick the traditionalist communities, this extension would be very dangerous for the progressivists and would ultimately run contrary to their intentions, for it makes possible the return of the entire mindset and life associated with the traditional Mass. We cannot believe that it is a trick, but a sincere attempt on the part of the Sovereign Pontiff to aright a wrong and to remedy the situation of the Church.

Given this situation where we have at least the appearance of Rome's willingness to accept us as we are, there are certain matters of Faith that will not allow us to remain inactive. It is a fundamental principle of the Church and of the Faith that in the person of the successor of Peter is to be found the lasting principle and the visible foundation of the double unity of Faith and communion.4 It is "in his person" that this unity is found, not in the Vatican bureaucracy. This is why we feel particularly touched by the personal intervention of the Pope in our favor.

Also, there is the visibility of the Church that urges us. During these long years of crisis our position – we feel – has not harmed the visibility of the Church because there were visible problems to account for the apparent visible break in unity. We in tradition were the object of visible injustice and of visible abuses of power. But now that the successor of Peter has diplomatically apologised and has extended his hands to us, welcoming us simply as we are, what further visible justification will we find to refuse communion with him? We cannot expect him to solve all of the problems in the Church first, for the Pontiff sadly finds himself deprived of much of the control we would have associated with the Pontiffs of ages past. He rules now more by diplomacy than by monarchical authority. Nor can we ask the Pontiff to change the course of the bark of Peter too rapidly – a rapid movement of the rudder could sweep even more souls off the ship's deck and into the sea. And after all, this is his prudential judgment to make, not ours.

Can we choose to remain where we are under these circumstances? We have argued for years now of our "state of necessity" and of the resulting supplied jurisdiction that the Church supplies to us. But can we continue to argue this when ordinary jurisdiction is offered to us without any compromise in the Faith? Can we choose freely to remain in this irregular canonical situation where we are? In other words, can a state of necessity be the object of a choice without moral fault? Clearly not And on the other hand: are the authorities ready to accord us regular faculties? If the answer to this second question is affirmative, then we are no longer in the same case of necessity!

All these serious considerations, dear friends, move us to go and see what Rome has to say. Let not our contacts with Rome be understood as meaning that we will break off our friendship with the Society of Saint Pius X and the other traditionalist organisations around the world. On the contrary, we positively want with all our hearts to remain in contact, sharing all that we may learn with Bishop Fellay and the other heads of traditional orders for the good of tradition as a whole.

Only time will tell if the moment has come for an agreement with Rome. Prudence requires of us to proceed slowly and cautiously, reflecting well at each step of the discussions. In this, we will rely on the continued support and advice of our traditionalist friends. Our agreement must be founded upon the fundamental principles of the Church and the safeguarding of the Faith.

While asking for your prayers for this matter, we place ourselves under the patronage and protection of our Mother of Perpetual Succour, She ‘who by Herself has crushed all the heresies in the whole world’ qui cunctas haereses interemit. May She, whom St Alphonsus ever invoked as the Mother of Good Counsel, teach us to be "wise as serpents and simple as doves"5, while showing us how to "generously open our hearts to make room for everything that the Faith itself allows."6

In the octave of Our Lady of Good Counsel
28 April, 2008

Fr Michael Mary, C.SS.R.
Fr Anthony Mary, C.SS.R.



1 Benedict XVI, Letter accompanying the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum
2 ibid
3 Archbishop Lefebvre, Protocol of May 5th, 1988
4 Vatican Council I, Pastor Aeternus, DS. 3051
5 Matt 10:16
6 Benedict XVI, op. cit.

Seminarians return to Papa Stronsay

To answer the questions posted on Angelqueen, I make the following clarification.

Before the new seminary year began at the Holy Cross Seminary in Goulburn, Australia, I advised the seminary Rector of my reply to William of Norwich. On March 10th, the Rector replied:

“…I am very happy to hear that the Brothers will be coming back to Holy Cross to continue their studies. They are not only welcome, but very edifying for all of us. I am certainly not one of those narrow-minded persons who is unwilling to tolerate a difference of opinion on issues, and I am fully aware of the fact that as your own community, you the Redemptorists must make your own decisions, without in the slightest questioning the extraordinary wisdom, equilibrium and catholic sense of Bishop Fellay and his counsel. I am confident that these ripples will not affect our union in the combat of the Faith and for the conversion of souls, starting with our own. Please be assured of my prayers. …”

However, on the second day after their arrival in the seminary, one of the three Brothers was called to the Rector’s office. During the course of the interview the Rector suggested that possibly the only way to stop me from carrying out negotiations with Rome was by threatening to start up a breakaway community. This suggestion was also repeated at another time to all three Brothers.

I later received an email from the Society saying that if we made an agreement with Rome, our seminarians would not be welcome in any SSPX seminary.

Life is full of choices. The seminary and Society must make their choices. The much smaller Council of the Transalpine Redemptorists must also make its choices; from prayer, not pressure.

‘Let nothing disturb thee,

nothing afright thee,

all things are passing,

God alone suffices,

he who has God lacks nothing!’

(St Teresa)

To this day we have had two informal talks with a Redemptorist bishop who works with the Holy See. We have not had any formal discussions, but unwilling to leave our seminarians under pressure, and not wanting to be coerced, we decided that, under the circumstances, it would be better for all concerned if the seminarians were recalled to Papa Stronsay.

Fr. Michael Mary, C.SS.R.

Relations with Rome

Notice

Today’s Angelqueen posted as news a question asking if we have

‘done an agreement with Rome.’

There is no agreement with Rome.
If there was one, it would not be kept secret.
It would be posted on this site.


Fr. Michael Mary, C.SS.R.


“Seek a convenient time to search your own conscience,

meditating on the benefits of God.

Restrain curiosity;

read only those things that will move you to contrition rather than give you distraction.
“If you will withdraw from unnecessary talk

and useless running about

and listening to the latest gossip,

you will find time to occupy yourself in devout meditation. …”
(Imitation of Christ, Book 1 Chapter 20)

Easter's first fruits

On Easter Tuesday, our two novices took their first, temporary vows of poverty, chastity and obedience for a period of three years. We wish them every happiness in their chosen vocation, but more importantly we wish for them the grace of perseverance in this vocation until death, no matter what trials and sufferings may come their way.

Our Mother of Perpetual Succour,
Pray for them.

The novices kneel before God and their superior, and are questioned on their desire to enter the Congregation.

They prostrate themselves while the Veni Sanctae Spiritus is sung.

During Holy Mass, after the Priest's communion, and before their own, each in turn profess their vows of poverty chastity and obedience, before that God to Whom they will have to render an account of them.






The Newly professed stand with their superiors, Rev Fr Michael Mary, C.SS.R. and Rev Fr Anthony Mary, C.SS.R. On the left, Br Matthew Mary of the Incarnation, C.SS.R. and on the right, Br Xavier Maria of the Incarnation, C.SS.R. May God bless them both.

Behold how He loved…He died for you!

After Holy Mass on the evening of Maundy Thursday, celebrating that first Mass and the institution of the priesthood, we accompanied Our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament to the altar of repose, where, like the apostles so many years before, we watched with Him, awaiting the coming of His sorrowful passion.

Good Friday, and the commemoration of that death, by which we live.

After the Good Friday ceremony the statue of the body of Christ was carried in procession to the sepulcher. However, due to very high winds, the normal procedure of carrying Our Lord on a bier had to be abandoned and a vehicle used instead. On arriving, the rosary was said, the lamentations of Jeremiah sung as well as the last part of the passion relating how Saint Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Our Lord, and the burial of Our Lord. Then some hymns were sung. After devotion had been fully satisfied, all withdrew.

Spring is in the air.

Nature is starting to show the signs of spring here on Papa Stronsay. The light is gradually creeping back into the mornings and evenings, buds are on the trees, the flowers are sprouting out of the ground and our first calf has been born. Josephine, the mother, gave birth to her new daughter early this morning, happily, both mother and daughter are fine. As the photographs below were taken, the new born calf had not yet tried to stand, but she will learn fast. We thank God for this blessing.

Reply to William of Norwich

Say a Hail Mary first!

• Below is the text of an Angelqueen poster who has styled himself ‘William of Norwich.’ I make the following reply. His texts are in blue and later I use his name to clear up some other matters using the form of an interview ….
  
  Dear William of Norwich,
  I saw your post on Angelqueen after a priest friend emailed me a link to it. I am surprised that you have not written to us yourself in order to get the answers to your questions ‘from the horse’s mouth’ as they say. Now, over 1,700 people have read your post and talked about your rumours. Thank God there has been only one person who has written an email to us to ask your questions; another kindly sent your post to our blog.
  
  I think that we are the only traditional Order that keeps two blogs and prints a newspaper. Therefore, it could perhaps be granted to our credit that we are generally prepared to share our news with those who are interested in knowing it. However the Holy Rule binds us to secrecy on many matters that concern the affairs of the Congregation. I should expect that this religious law would be respected by Catholics who want to defend the traditional religious life. Devoting 9 paragraphs to the subject of Secrecy, the Rule begins by saying:
  “ 31. As Secrecy is the soul of all important business, and, so to say, the life of a well ordered Community, so the opposite vice spoils the success of the one, and disturbs the other. Those, therefore, who have to deal with the affairs of the Congregation, shall in all things set a high value on caution and secrecy. Everyone shall scrupulously observe secrecy, not merely when it has been promised or agreed upon, but also when, by its nature, the affair in hand tacitly obliges him to it, or because of the importance of the matter, or other circumstances, call for secrecy on the ground of honourable dealing, duty, or justice, even though it has neither been promised, nor expressly counselled or commanded.”
  
  In my position I am forbidden from talking about matters until the proper time. Unfortunately the ‘proper time’ is sometimes forced upon us. I think that you have done that William and you will have to take the responsibility for setting off wild speculations for which you produce no solid sources.
• William wrote: I have been a regular reader of Angelqueen for about the last year or so, though I have never signed up before as I didn't ever think that I would like to comment on any given subject. I have done so now, however, because I have heard some very disquieting news from a number of high-ranking clerics and influential laymen in Tradition which I think needs to be aired publicly.
• This is therefore something based on words from a number of ‘high ranking clerics’…. Well, who William? How many Bishops or Cardinals do you know? Or… are you stirring up a story? If you want the clarity you claim why are you not naming your sources so that we can all work together on this?
• William continued: Some time ago, a number of your readers commented on a statement made by Cardinal Hoyos after some/the majority of the people associated with the traditionalist group, Oasis, in Spain rallied to Rome. Cardinal Hoyos said that he was also in negotiation with another traditionalist order which was seeking to "reconcile" itself with the Holy See. Some of your contributors said that they did not believe this, that Hoyos was lying in order to promote more fractures and doubts in Tradition. I say, now, that I am only paraphrasing this from memory, but I am sure the substance is correct. To be honest, I was in two minds as to whether or not this was true.
• William if you want clarity why not state the sources and get the facts right? Cardinal Hoyos could not be speaking about us since he said:
  ‘Here in Rome we have a community that has asked to return and we have already begun mediating their full return’. At least that is what Zenit said in its report given on 13 January 2008 (ZE08011305 - 2008-01-13 http://www.zenit.org/article-21481?l=english).
• Now as everybody knows we do not live in Rome. Why are you only paraphrasing from memory? Is just anything good enough for an international post on Angelqueen and to be read by hundreds of people?
• William continued: However, what I have heard in recent weeks has concerned me greatly. Clerics primarily, but also a number of laymen and women, have told me that there is an Order in negotiation with Rome. That Order is said to be the Redemptorists in Scotland. I want to emphasize the phrase "said to be" because at this stage it is a speculation.
• So William you are dealing with speculation, right? Gossip. You are making your story from a “said to be.”
• William continued: I have been told that Fr. Michael Mary has been in Rome talking to the head of the "official" Order's chief.
• Yes, you are right there! But that is old news. I spoke with the Redemptorist Father General Pfab who was in office in about 1984 which was also the first and last time that I was ever in Rome. See what happens?
• William continued: That the Redemptorist website carried a saccharine-sweet and unduly precipitous statement saying that they were humbly and submissively accepting the Holy Father's orders to change the Prayer for the Jews in the Good Friday Liturgy, a prayer that goes back at least 1,200 years, is very strange and very suspicious.
• So William, is it ‘saccharine-sweet’ for a Catholic to show a picture of the Pope on a statement that concerns the Pope’s Command? And if the Pope is traditionally dressed and seated on his throne it becomes ‘saccharine-sweet’?
• Is it precipitous to signify readiness to obey when the command is legitimate and the prayer is orthodox?
• William continued: The Redemptorists of Fr. Michael Mary have always had a reputation for being "hard-line". This being so, this public internet statement goes wholly against the grain. It may be the reed in the wind that provides the clue.
• More speculation because it could mean other things too.
• William continued: If……
• Speculation again.
• William continued: If this suggestion that they are going to rally to Rome is true, I will be most upset. My family has been a strong supporter of theirs since the earliest days.
• William if you are an SSPX supporter, and also one of our supporters, you will know that the goal of our work has been carried out with our eyes turned towards Rome, right? How many times has Bishop Fellay gone to Rome and talked with the Roman authorities? What is he aiming at? I imagine it is what you would say was in order “to rally to Rome.” That is the eventual destination of the SSPX. It is ours as well. That is why you support us. It is all a question of time; am I right? Because if I am wrong, and we are never supposed to come to the call of the colours, we are in grave error. We are Catholics. We belong in humble submission to the Pope. All who wish to be saved must submit to the Roman Pontiff; that’s De Fide, right? Your family should be very unhappy if, after years of support, this whole thing we call ‘tradition’ doesn’t end up in full and perfect union with the Roman Pontiff. That’s what I am working for. That is also what I hope and believe Bishop Fellay is working for; and it is all a question of time.
• William continued: All of our family have been enrolled in the Purgatorian Archconfraternity, and we have given generously within our means.
• Members of the Purgatorian Archconfraternity are promised that the Holy Mass is offered for them every day. For those who ask us if the Mass is “una cum” we always reply that it is; that the Pope’s name is mentioned in every Canon of the Mass. When there is the eventual “rally” that we all hope and pray for, the Pope’s name will continue to be mentioned in the Canon. What is the problem here? I think that there is no problem.
• The efficacy of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for the souls in purgatory is not going to be harmed by a reconciliation.
• William continued: I want this posting NOT to be the source of gossip, but of one action. That is, that people should write/phone/fax/email Fr. Michael Mary and ask him to confirm or deny that he is negotiations with Rome (said, I am told, to be at a mature stage) and to state publicly, clearly, unequivocally and without mental reservation that he is rallying or that he is not rallying. He does not need to write to everyone personally, he merely needs to post a declaration on their website of the utmost clarity and definition.
• Here is the paragraph that disappoints me. You stir up gossip based on no hard facts and many speculations, then claim that it is not your intention to promote gossip!
• Then you call for action.
• Dear William of Norwich why have you not written, phoned, faxed or emailed me yourself? Even once? Even just one email? And you have tried to set off an avalanche of emails, letters, faxes and phone bells. Well thanks be to God you even forgot to follow the sound of your own bugle.
• Next, why (with your slim guesses) do you want to infer that I am a rabbit to be smoked out? “Confirm/deny/unequivocal/without mental reservation/utmost clarity/ and definition”? You try to rally the people in the marketplace to ask the questions that you are not willing to ask me yourself, and you provide your crowd with all these structures for squeezing the truth out of me?
• And you are one of our supporters? I feel sorry for you: all anonymous that you are. Could you not have emailed me?
• William, I also feel sorry for me! If you are my supporter, William? And you need to call all in the marketplace to ask me your questions? And you call out to me from that marketplace? And others report it to me? And you need many, many structures to be assured that you have gotten all the truth squeezed out? And such action because of the rumours you have received!?
• Yes, William, whatever happens, and hopefully to the end of the world, the Holy Mass will be continued to be offered for you and your family. We will daily ask that God’s graces and blessings descend upon you and your! Kyrie eleison!
• William concluded: Given that he has had several million pounds donated to him for the project in Papa Stronsay by a wide range of traditionalists, I think that he has a strong moral obligation to state the Truth so that those who are disturbed by this suggestion can be enlightened one way or the other.
• With regard to Benefactors and their opinions or desires. Let me recall that an ambassador asked a favour of Pope Benedict XII but the Pope was unable to comply because of his conscience. He gave the answer to the ambassador saying that he should tell the king who sent him that if he had two souls he might be prepared to give one to the king and to keep just one for himself. But since he only had one soul he could not give that to the king for anything. This is the disposition of every man who wants to save his soul. It is especially the mindset of the religious who has a vow of poverty. He is following Christ and will never allow money to divert his course against his conscience; if he does he is corrupt and the benefactor would be the instrument of his corruption.
• Benefactors are wonderful people when they do what they do for the right motives: to give to Christ, to give alms without seeking to manipulate. Bad benefactors are eventually the agents of the devil: so we do not receive donations from secret societies.
• I am as poor as when I began. Donations are never received in our own names but in the name of the Order.
• A possible interview with William
• William, that is the end of your letter. I think that I have covered all the points. Now here are the questions I could imagine you may want to ask me. There is a time and a place for everything. This is not the time nor the place. But because I am looking you in the whites of your eyes I will make an exception and give you an update of my thoughts on the matter at hand.
• William: Well, is there anything going on between the Redemptorists and Rome?
• Our little monastery is separate from the SSPX. As one SSPX priest told us when we were having a penniless moment: “We are united in Faith and separated in finances.”
• I liked the quip! It shows that the two organisations are separate. And it follows that if the SSPX is able to speak with Rome there should be no reason why we would not be able to do so either.
• A few months ago I actually wrote two letters to the Ecclesia Dei Commission to clarify who we were and to make some necessary points about our foundation in New Zealand. They were my first two letters. I never received a reply because they were letters of fact that required no response.
• I have not needed to write to them since.
• However, since I was quite open and spoke about having written to them, (William are you listening?), I was soon approached by someone from the SSPX who wanted to know if it was true that I had written to the Ecclesia Dei Commission and that I had visited the Bishop of Christchurch when I was in New Zealand. The atmosphere could have been though of as checking up on me and wondering if I was ‘going over to Rome’.
• William: What is the basis of having relations with Rome?
• It is because we believe that Benedict XVI is the Pope, of course. He is the head of the Church. We are set upon working towards reunion. If we remain in an 'imperfect communion' we will eventually become a separate organisation altogether.
• When I recall the day of the Consecrations in 1988 there were numbers of young children playing on the grass around the canvas cathedral. Do you know, now 20 years later, most of those girls and boys will be married. The 3rd generation of 1988 Tradis is on its way: that is, a generation that does not know normal Catholic life, that has no real contact with their juridical bishops, parishes and clergy. Already there are possibly 2 generations of people who are isolated from the Catholic ‘wheat and chaff’ that makes up a diocese. This is a serious situation unless we want to become a separate Church fitted out with our own bishops, parishes and clergy. We need a reconciliation asap.
• William: And do you want a reconciliation with the Holy See?
• Yes I do, asap.
• Into this situation, Pope Benedict XVI issued the Motu proprio of 7 July last year. The old Mass is vindicated; it was never abrogated. The Pope calls us to reconciliation.
• Does the Pope want it? Yes he does, asap!
• Pope Benedict is the Vicar of Christ. Christ is God. So God wants it too: he has told us through his Vicar on earth. Does this sound Catholic?
• William: But you should hold out longer. It’s too ‘precipitous.’
• Here is where we could be turning ourselves into industrial trade unionists. Is it Catholic to be ‘holding out’ against the Pope when he has clearly shown that he is doing everything possible to reach out to us? If Tradis become industrial trade unionists ‘holding out’ and raising the stakes we may well find that we have gone too far and are resisting the call of God Himself.
• You can go to hell in a lot of different ways William. You can go as a heretic. You can go with full Catholic orthodoxy. You will burn both ways. It doesn’t matter which way you do your ‘non serviam’, the choice is yours. Resist God long enough, (He is the Judge of how long he will put up with it.) and you will be a son of the devil whether you are orthodox catholic or heretic.
• So the idea of ‘holding out for more from the Pope’ is not an idea that any of us should think is very appealing; only it does sound clever. As the old French saying says so well: “Qui mange du pape meurt du pape –he who eats the Pope dies of the Pope.” In this case we would be considering eternal death and none of us knows how long he has got.
• So my frank assessment of trade unionist policies and practises is not high when the Pope himself is calling for reconciliation and fixing things up.
• William: So you won’t be a trade unionist?
• No, I won’t be a trade unionist against the will of the Pope. Up until now we have not been trade unionists. We have been men of conscience ostracised by our own fellow Catholics and higher superiors because we clung to the ‘Faith of Our Fathers’ and the Holy Mass ‘in spite of dungeon fire and sword.’
• In confused times we continued and happily we paid the price for it. But now Peter has spoken. He has spoken to all and he has spoken to us. The Vicar of Christ wants it known that the old Mass has never been abrogated. He demands that we be permitted to celebrate it freely. He says to us: ‘Our heart is open to you...’
• William: So you want to go to him?
• Yes I want to go to him and to speak with him in his representatives. He is the Chief Pastor. He is the Chief Shepherd. He is our Common Father we are his children. I will be pleased to hear what he has to say and so should we all be pleased to hear what he has to say.
• Bishop Fellay has listened. I am sure he felt it his duty to listen to the Holy Father. He was even invited to sit with him and talk face to face. That was not a betrayal, it was Catholic.
• William: Then why not leave it to Bishop Fellay? And you keep out of it!
• That’s a point of view that could be shared by a number of people. The reason why I would be prepared to speak to a representative of the Holy See is because our situation is very different from Bishop Fellay’s.
• Bishop Fellay is superior of a large organisation that has a broad spectrum of ideas. Some of his priests would like a reconciliation very soon, while others would be still highly suspicious of Benedict XVI; some perhaps even wondering if he was the Pope at all.
• Bishop Fellay has to preside over all these, often unspoken, opinions.
• While he wants reconciliation with Rome, he has a whole armada of ships to bring in to port. It is true that all the ships are flying the one flag of the SSPX but they are on different compass bearings and do not seem to move as one moral body.
• Look at the Good Friday prayer. Some of the SSPX might like to say it out of obedience and submission to the Roman Pontiff. Perhaps an even larger group do not want to say it for a whole variety of personal/theological/historical/liturgical/political reasons. There is not a lot the Superior General can do except, in my opinion, …. preside, pray and hope for the best.
• The SSPX have said that they think it will be a long time before they are able to have a reconciliation; yet already for some years Bishop Fellay has been on direct talking terms with the Holy See and the SSPX have their own ‘nuncio’ stationed in Rome at Albano. They have done this because they look forward to a reconciliation even though, at the present, they are no ready for it.
• William: Are you any different from the SSPX?
• Yes, I think so. The Redemptorist situation may well be different. We are not a fleet of cruisers but only a couple of fishing boats in comparison. We have a fairly small crew. Our boats are easier to manage. Perhaps we can bring our vessels to port with less difficulty.
• We have as yet only the name of a person through whom we could have contact with the Holy See. We have not yet exchanged a word, not a word yet, so there is no need for rumours.
• When I have something to make known I will be only too willing to tell you.
• William: Is this imprudence?
• Imprudence is a dangerous thing, so we must be careful and pray for light about what we must do.
• But remember that servile fear is also to be shunned. Our Lord tells us not to fear: ‘Fear not little flock’.
• Dear, anonymous, William of Norwich, I thank God that I am not afraid of what you or any other people may think of us for following our convictions.
• Personally, I do not suffer too much from ‘human respect’ since the day when, as a child, my graciously proud but humble mother scolded me for my fears about what other children would say when they saw me wearing gumboots to school; a minor cash flow snag.
• You see, William, someone has to move. We can’t all sit making out there is still a war raging around us, or that the emperor has new clothes.
• The fact is that we have the Mass vindicated by the Pope; he is trying to change other things quickly; and he is calling us back to himself.
• Yes there are still problems about ecumenism and collegiality, but problems are not new to the Church we can battle through them if we have the Mass.
• Sooner or later we must all heed the Pope’s call or become something different from Catholic.
• Some people will fear and will be a long time learning to trust the Pope again; God is merciful and God may wait. Some are nearly ready to accept the Pope. A lot are edified with what he is trying to do.
• William: So where is this going to leave you with the SSPX?
• For the answer to that we will have to wait and see.
• The SSPX is not excommunicated from the Church. I don’t think that we will be excommunicated from the SSPX for speaking with Rome the way Bishop Fellay has done for many years.
• I think that speaking with a representative of the Holy See is by now a tolerare potest (it can be tolerated) situation.
• In any case, we for our part continue to look well on the Society and place confidence in them.
• On Tuesday we will be sending our three seminarians to Holy Cross Seminary in Australia where I am confident they will be well received again by Fr. Scott. I could be mistaken but let us not take such a mistake into our considerations.
• Fear not little flock, God’s Providence is never lacking to those who trust in Him. I think that the situation in 2008 has changed from the early days of 20 years ago when Dom Gerard was harshly judged as a traitor to tradition. They were narrow regrettable days that could have been different. I remember hearing that a layman sent Dom Gerard, OSB an unredeemable cheque for 30 pieces of silver! Amazing. Perhaps it could be my lot too; I would certainly pray for the donors; Holy Week and Spy Wednesday are approaching…… who knows?
• But even if we thought that events would to turn very badly against us, we should not configure our consciences to avoid pains and the judgments of others. Rather we must set our compass by what God demands of us and having taken that bearing we must stay on course no matter how the storms may rage: Our Lord sleeps in the boat, it will not sink, and when He is ready He will awaken and say to the seas: Be still.
  
  
  Fr. Michael Mary, C.SS.R.
  Vicar General
  Passion Sunday, 9 March 2008