...the Lefebvrists have been having their first official meeting with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and everyone is being very nice to them. The general view seems to be that if the Prodigal Sons want to return, it would be right to make fatted-calf noises even if they are some way from being repentant, in the hopes that repentance might eventually follow even if it's not verbally expressed for some while...probably at some stage it will dawn on at least some of the SSPX members that they could have avoided a lot of unpleasantness if their Society had stuck to the original agreement which was signed in 1988 and on which Archbp Lefebvre then changed his mind. When he decided to split from the Church and ordain his own Bishops he made a dreadful choice,led many people astray, and the results have been tragic. If he had remained obedient, a great many things might have been different...
And what about Williamson? It would be something - I am being perfectly serious here - if he could do the right and honourable thing and make a genuine statement of contrition for the horrible things he said, and make reparation, perhaps with a visit to an appropriate place to acknowledge the truth of what occurred there and to kneel in sympathy and sorrow. He need pay no price except that of his pride...
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Looking back at the history of the SSPX, one of the strongest impressions given is the bad judgment of Archbishop Lefebvre. It is true that he lived at an intractable period of recent Catholic history, but it is amazing that he did not see the potential instability of Williamson. On the other hand, Williamson's views embody those of a large residual body of Vichyite, anti-Dreyfus French and these people and their descendants continue to form a significant part of the lay support of the SSPX. Many, I suspect, would agree with him. Surely this strand of French Catholicism is well-known in Rome and recognized as part of the problem?
When you look at the video of the episcopal ordinations on YouTube, it is obvious that Lefevbvre knew exactly what he was doing and didn't care a damn about its irregularity or consequences. I suspect that, in the end, it was snobbery which commended Williamson to him as a candidate, in addition to the 'soundness' of his political and racial views. Anti-semitism, despite Margaret Thatcher's embrace of Jewish amanuenses, continues to lie at the heart of the conservative outlook, however masked by politeness. And abroad it's even worse.
Indeed. I have learned, from horrid anti-Jewish material sent to me, that this is a nasty reality. I think the Pope's statements against anti-semitism, and his planned visit to a synagogue in January, show that there is an awareness of this problem. We must hope so. Meanwhile the tone from the Lefebvrists - at least from the statements made public - continues to be one of smug pride, an assumption that they are in the right and that it is they who must correct the Church, and not the other way round. Pride cometh...
Well put, Maureen and Joanna.
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