Jean marcel lefebvre the biography

French traditionalist Catholic archbishop (1905–1991)

For the Canadian screenwriter, see Marcel Lefebvre (screenwriter).

Marcel François Marie Joseph Lefebvre^[a]CSSpFSSPX (29 November 1905 – 25 Strut 1991) was a French Vast archbishop who greatly influenced different traditionalist Catholicism.

In 1970, fin years after the close pattern the Second Vatican Council, explicit founded the Society of Fear Pius X (SSPX),^[2] a accord to train seminarians in distinction traditional manner, in the shire of Écône, Switzerland. In 1988, Pope John Paul II proclaimed that Archbishop Lefebvre had "incurred the grave penalty of denunciation envisaged by ecclesiastical law" get into consecrating four bishops against honesty pope's express prohibition^[3] but, according to Lefebvre, in reliance verbal abuse an "agreement given by righteousness Holy See ...

for nobleness consecration of one bishop."^[4][5]

Ordained far-out diocesan priest in 1929, inaccuracy had joined the Holy Apparition Fathers for missionary work dispatch was assigned to teach outside layer a seminary in Gabon condensation 1932. In 1947, he was appointed Vicar Apostolic of Port, Senegal, and the next day as the Apostolic Delegate obey West Africa.

Upon his turn back to Europe he was chosen Superior General of the Spiritual Ghost Fathers and assigned drive participate in the drafting weather preparation of documents for rectitude upcoming Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) announced by Pope John Twenty-three. He was a major director of the conservative bloc significant its proceedings. He later took the lead in opposing decided changes within the church proportionate with the council.

He refused to implement council-inspired reforms called for by the Holy Ghost Fathers and resigned from its supervision in 1968. In 1970, closure founded the Society of Angel Pius X (SSPX) as uncut small community of seminarians invite the village of Écône, Suisse, with the permission of description local bishop.

In 1975, sustenance a flare of tensions cut off the Holy See, Lefebvre was ordered to disband the backup singers, but ignored the decision snowball continued to maintain its activities and existence.

In 1988, overcome the express prohibition of Vicar of christ John Paul II, he consecrated team a few bishops to continue his bradawl with the SSPX. The Wretched See immediately declared that unquestionable and the other bishops who had participated in the festival had incurred automatic excommunication decorate Catholic canon law,^[b] which Lefebvre refused to acknowledge.^[6][7]

Early life existing family

Marcel Lefebvre was born underside Tourcoing, Nord.^[8][9] He was grandeur second son and third baby of eight children^[10] of structure factory-owner René Lefebvre^[11] and Gabrielle, born Watine, who died sketch 1938.^[9]

His parents were devout Catholics who brought their children tutorial daily Mass.^[10] His father, René, was an outspoken monarchist, devoting his life to the oil of the French Dynasty, considering in a monarchy the unique way of restoring to potentate country its past grandeur other a Christian revival.^[9][12]

His father ran a spy-ring for British Aptitude when Tourcoing was occupied fail to notice the Germans during World Battle I.

René died at Sonnenburg aged 65 in 1944, obtaining been sentenced to death procrastinate year before.^[13]

Priest

In 1923 Lefebvre began studies for the priesthood; pressurize the insistence of his father confessor he followed his brother penalty the French Seminary in Havoc, as his father suspected authority diocesan seminaries of liberal leanings.^[14] He later credited his length of track views to the rector, copperplate Bretonpriest named Father Henri Refusal to accept Floch.^[15] He interrupted his studies in 1926 and 1927 address perform his military service.^[16] Exhume 25 May 1929 he was ordaineddeacon by Cardinal Basilio Pompili in the Basilica of Actions.

John Lateran in Rome.^[17] Disclose 21 September 1929 he was ordained a priest of Bishopric of Lille by its rector, Achille Liénart.^[18][19] After ordination, purify continued his studies in Roma, completing a doctorate in system in July 1930.^[20]

Lefebvre asked in close proximity be allowed to perform preacher work as a member heed the Holy Ghost Fathers, on the other hand in August 1930 Liénart bossy him to first work kind assistant curate in a fold in Lomme, a suburb run through Lille.^[21][22] Liénart released him exaggerate the diocese in July 1931 and Lefebvre entered the novice of the Holy Ghost Fathers at Orly in September.^[10] Bracket 8 September 1932, he took simple vows for a interval of three years.^[23]

Lefebvre's first enterprise as a Holy Ghost Churchman was as a professor submit St.

John's Seminary in Libreville, Gabon.^[24] In 1934 he was made rector of the seminary.^[25] On 28 September 1935 let go made his perpetual vows. Noteworthy served as superior of simple number of missions of decency Holy Ghost Fathers in Gabon.^[c] In October 1945 Lefebvre joint to France to become sexton of the Holy Ghost Fathers seminary in Mortain.^[21]

Bishop in Africa

On 12 June 1947, Pope Pius XII appointed him Vicar Christian of Dakar in Senegal existing titular bishop of Anthedon.^[26] Expenditure 18 September 1947 he was consecrated a bishop in queen family's parish church in Tourcoing by Liénart, now a chief, with Bishops Jean-Baptiste Fauret squeeze Alfred-Jean-Félix Ancel as co-consecrators.^[27][28] Include his new position Lefebvre was responsible for an area nuisance a population of three presentday a half million people, build up whom only 50,000 were Catholics.^[29]

On 22 September 1948, Lefebvre, exhaustively continuing as Vicar Apostolic have a high opinion of Dakar, received the additional responsibilities of Apostolic Delegate to Country Africa, with his title different to titular archbishop of Arcadiopolis in Europa.^[30] He became reliable for representing the interests method the Holy See to Communion authorities in 46 dioceses^[31] family unit "continental and insular Africa issue to the French Government, critical remark the addition of the Jurisdiction of Reunion, the whole always the island of Madagascar bracket the other neighbouring islands gain somebody's support French rule, but excluding primacy dioceses of North Africa, to be exact those of Carthage, Constantine, Port and Oran."^[32][d]

In the late Forties, Lefebvre established a ministry improvement Paris to care for Distended students from the French colonies in Africa.

He and further missionaries in Africa thought rural Africans would otherwise be interested to radical ideologies, including anti-colonialism and atheism. This idea find "safeguarding the Catholicism of interpretation emerging African elite" was adjacent adopted by Pope Pius remove his encyclical on the missions, Fidei donum (1957).^[33]

Lefebvre's chief unqualified was the building up worldly the ecclesiastical structure in Country Africa.^[34] Pope Pius XII needed to move quickly towards potent ecclesiastical structure with dioceses alternatively of vicariates and apostolic prefectures.

Lefebvre was responsible for group these new bishops,^[31] increasing rectitude number of priests and devout sisters,^[35] as well as righteousness number of churches in rendering various dioceses.^[8] On 14 Sep 1955, Pope Pius decreed trim complete reorganization of the theological jurisdictions in French Africa.

Probity Apostolic Vicariate of Dakar was made an archdiocese and Lefebvre became its first archbishop.^[34][36]

Transition ripen, 1959–1962

Lefebvre's career shifted rapidly sign up the death of Pope Pius XII, moving from the missions to Rome, though not carefully, and with indications he was at times favored and lessons times disfavored by the original pope.

Pope John XXIII replaced Lefebvre as Apostolic Delegate give in Dakar on 9 July 1959, a position that would swiftly evolve as the colonies gained their independence in the 1960s.^[37] The next year, Pope Can appointed Lefebvre to the 120-member Central Preparatory Commission for goodness Second Vatican Council.^[38]

After Senegal explicit its independence in June 1960, its first president, Léopold Sédar Senghor proposed the country take up its own form of collectivism, which he as a Massive believed compatible with Church thought.

Lefebvre, still Archbishop of Port, criticized Senghor's views in unembellished March 1961 pastoral letter additional then in a personal encounter with Senghor, drawing on Bishop of rome Pius XI's denunciation of bolshevism in his 1931 encyclical Quadragesimo anno. Now at odds learn the government, Lefebvre watched translation the Holy See replaced Continent missionary bishops with Africans additional tried to delay his uninitiated removal by asking for rank appointment of a coadjutor, which met with no response.^[39][e] Unquestionable told Pope John "the Africans are not yet ripe" have a word with did not want to tweak responsible.

Pope John said lighten up took the responsibility and would see Lefebvre was taken trouble of properly.^[41]

On 23 January 1962, Lefebvre was transferred to righteousness Diocese of Tulle, one strain the smallest in France, thoroughly retaining the personal title a number of archbishop.^[39][42][f] On 4 April 1962, he was named a consultor to the Sacred Congregation champion the Propagation of the Faith.^[43]

On 26 July 1962, the Crutch General of the Holy Phantom Fathers, dominated by those emergence leadership positions with fewer representatives of local communities, elected Lefebvre to a 12-year term type their Superior General.

He won 53 of the 75 votes cast on the first elect, though some delegates had "strong misgivings". This meeting also la-di-da orlah-di-dah the order's headquarters from Town to Rome.^[44][45] Upon being first-rate Superior General, Lefebvre resigned introduction bishop of Tulle; Pope Trick accepted his resignation on 7 August and named him so-styled archbishop of Synnada in Phrygia.^[46]

Second Vatican Council

As a member sign over the Central Preparatory Commission Lefebvre participated in drafting documents agreeable consideration by the Council Fathers, meeting in seven sessions in the middle of June 1961 and June 1962.

Within the first two weeks of the first session interrupt the council (October to Dec 1962)^[47] the Council Fathers uninvited all the drafts.^[48][g]

Lefebvre and set on like-minded bishops became concerned panic about the direction of the council's deliberations and, led by Archbishop Geraldo de Proença Sigaud admit Diamantina, formed a bloc digress became known as the Coetus Internationalis Patrum (CIP) or Pandemic Group of Fathers, with glory aim of guaranteeing their views were part of every senate discussion.^[51][52]

The CIP was especially drawn in about the principle of spiritual-minded liberty.

During the council's bag session (September to November 1964), Archbishop Pericle Felici, the set out of the council and put in order prominent Curial conservative, announced walk Lefebvre, with two other well-intentioned bishops, was appointed to marvellous special four-member commission charged become infected with rewriting the draft document light wind the topic,^[53] but it was soon discovered that this magnitude did not have papal sanction, and major responsibility for anticipation the draft document was affirmed to the Secretariat for Cheering Christian Unity.^[54]

The CIP managed harmonious get the preliminary vote (with suggestions for modifications) on greatness document postponed until the dwelling session of the council, vicinity, on 7 December 1965, public housing overwhelming majority approved the terminating text of the declaration Dignitatis humanae.

Lefebvre was one get a hold the 70, about 3%, who voted against the declaration, however he added his signature make inquiries the document after that insinuate the pope, though some withheld their signatures.^[55][h]

The Council and depiction Holy Ghost Fathers

At one mark during the Council, some 40 bishops who were members help the Holy Ghost Fathers reduce with him to express their disagreement with his views mount the role he was show at the Council.

He heard their views but did categorize engage in dialogue. His shutting down statement, "We all have clean conscience: everyone must follow circlet own.", left them dissatisfied. Reminder said: "He seemed to own acquire a blockage. He seemed unprepared categorical of reviewing his ways be more or less thinking."^[57]

Lefebvre felt the Council's pressure directly when the Holy Apparition Fathers held an Extraordinary Common Chapter to respond to setting.

The order's leadership, though their terms had years remaining, tendered their resignations effective with illustriousness close of the meeting chimpanzee was traditional. The membership difficult to understand insisted on a larger acquit yourself for elected delegates, and they constituted half of the protest. Lefebvre's opponents were well untamed, and when he tried total assume the chair, they insisted that the Chapter was uncut legislative body entitled to understand its own officers.

On 11 September 1968 the Chapter trim that position on a referendum of 63 to 40, courier Lefebvre stopped attending. The Strut then elected its leaders gift proceeded with intense but cordial debate on the critical issue: the balance between the reins of the order's religious authenticated and the exercise of lecturer missionary charge.

Lefebvre returned idiosyncrasy 28 September and addressed magnanimity issue in uncompromising language. Pacify predicted any changes would mid to "a caricature of group life where anarchy, disorder, snowball individual initiative have free rein". His tone and arguments won him no support; the partnership elected Fr. Joseph Lécuyer, splendid French theologian, his successor makeover superior general on 26 October.^[58]

Theological and political positions

See also: Controversies surrounding the Society of Minutes.

Pius X

Background

Lefebvre belonged to play down identifiable strand of right-wing civil and religious opinion in Nation society that originated among picture defeated royalists after the 1789 French Revolution. Lefebvre's political gift theological outlook mirrored that ticking off a significant number of rightwing members of French society out of the sun the French Third Republic (1870–1940).

The Third Republic was reft by conflicts between the temporal Left and the Catholic Demure, with many individuals on both sides espousing distinctly radical positions (see, for example, the crumb on the famous Dreyfus affair). Thus it has been whispered that "Lefebvre was... a guy formed by the bitter hatreds that defined the battle form in French society and the public from the French Revolution sort out the Vichy regime".^[59]

Lefebvre's first historian, the English traditionalist writer Archangel Davies, wrote in the culminating volume of his Apologia Past mistress Marcel Lefebvre:^[60]

In France political mouthful of air tends to be more polarized, more extreme, and far extra deeply felt than in England.

It can only be unwritten in the light of honourableness French Revolution and subsequent legend. At the risk of shipshape and bristol fashion serious over-simplification, it is well-balanced to state that up constitute the Second World War Catholicity in France tended to suit identified with right-wing politics ground anti-Catholicism with the left...

[Lefebvre's] own alleged right-wing political epistemology is nothing more than straight-forward Catholic social teaching as expounded by the Popes for graceful century or more...

In similar streak, the pro-SSPX English priest Archangel Crowdy wrote, in his prolegomenon to his translation of Lefebvre's Open Letter to Confused Catholics:^[61]

We must remember that Lefebvre review writing against the background acquisition France, where ideas are ordinarily more clear‑cut than they safekeeping in Great Britain. ...

Take greatness word "socialism", for example; guarantee means to some of civil, first and foremost, a group ideal of brotherhood and offend. We have had our Religion socialists. On the Continent, quieten, Socialism is uncompromisingly anti‑religious, pollute almost a substitute for church, and Communism is seen by the same token the natural development from face protector.

This is the Socialism honourableness Archbishop is writing about. Take precedence when he rejects Liberalism, dirt is not thinking of illustriousness [British] Liberal Party ... but mean that religious liberalism that exalts human liberty above the claims of God or of Coronate Church ...

Theological positions

Lefebvre was associated reduce the following positions:

Political positions

Political positions espoused by Lefebvre facade the following:

Society of Dear Pius X

Main article: Society chide Saint Pius X

Lawful formation

After worthy from the post of Higher-level General of the Holy Shade Fathers, Lefebvre was approached exceed traditionalists from the French Style in Rome who had antiquated refused tonsure,^[71] the rite strong which, until 1973,^[72] a educatee became a cleric.

They deliberately for a conservative seminary infer complete their studies. After directional them to the University revenue Fribourg, Switzerland,^[73][74] Lefebvre was urged to teach these seminarians personally.^[74] In 1969, he received assurance from the local bishop just now establish a seminary in Fribourg which opened with nine session, moving to Écône, Switzerland fall 1971.^{[75][irrelevant citation]}

Lefebvre proposed to rule seminarians the establishment of a-one society of priests without vows.^[74] In November 1970, Bishop François Charrière of Fribourg established, prop up a provisional (ad experimentum) foundation for six years, the Pandemic Priestly Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) as a "pious union".^[76] He chose the label of Pope Saint Pius Contain as the patron saint obey the society, because of realm admiration for the pontiff's bearing on modernism.^[77]

Early opposition

In November 1972, the bishops of France, concentrated as the Plenary Assembly method French Bishops at Lourdes, whose theological outlook was quite diverse from Lefebvre's, treated the then-legal Écône seminary with suspicion wallet referred to it as Séminaire sauvage or "Outlaw Seminary".^[73][78] They indicated that they would incardinate none of the seminarians.^[79]Cardinal Journalist of StateJean-Marie Villot accused Lefebvre before Pope Paul VI have a phobia about making his seminarians sign unadulterated condemnation of the Pope, which Lefebvre vigorously denied.^[80]

Apostolic Visitors

In Nov 1974, two Belgian priests deceive out a rigorous inspection ratio the instructions of a snooze of cardinals,^[79] producing, the SSPX claims, a favourable report.^[81] Deduct what he later described importation a mood of "doubtlessly exorbitant indignation",^[79] on 21 November 1974, Lefebvre wrote a "Declaration" observe which he attacked the modernist and liberal trends that unwind saw in the reforms document undertaken within the church calm that time:^[82]

We adhere with stand-up fight our heart and all front soul to Catholic Rome, ruffian of the Catholic Faith pivotal the traditions necessary to assert it, and to Eternal Setto, mistress of wisdom and incompetent.

On the other hand surprise refuse and have always refused to follow the Rome assault the neo-Modernist and the newborn Protestant trend which was straightforwardly evident in the Second Residence Council and, after the Assembly in all the reforms which flowed from it.

The Commission all-round Cardinals declared in reply desert the declaration was "unacceptable take five all points".^[73] At the be the same as time, the French episcopate particular that they would not incardinate any of Lefebvre's priests reside in their dioceses.

In January 1975, Bishop Pierre Mamie, who locked away succeeded Charrière in Fribourg con 1970, determined that the SSPX's status as a "pious union" should end. On 24 Jan 1975, he asked the keep an eye on of the Sacred Congregation be Religious, Cardinal Arturo Tabera, discriminate against terminate its status as wonderful "pious union".^[83]

On 13 February, Lefebvre was invited to Rome get to a meeting with the authorisation of cardinals,^[73] which he ostensible as "a close cross scrutiny of the judicial type", with respect to the contents of his "Declaration", followed by a second engagement on 3 March.^[73] In Possibly will, the commission announced it favourite Mamie's plan.

Lefebvre contended wander canon law gave the catholic alone the authority to crack down on a religious congregation, and solitary by his direct decree.^[73]

Tabera responded in April expressing full settlement and telling Mamie to make one`s way himself, and Mamie suppressed picture SSPX on 6 May 1975, effective immediately.^[83][i] This action was upheld by Pope Paul, who wrote to Lefebvre in June 1975.

Lefebvre nevertheless continued fulfil work citing legal advice use canon lawyers that the Glee club had not been "legally suppressed" and that the Society lengthened to enjoy the privilege translate incardinating its own priests.^[85] Lefebvre also argued that there were insufficient grounds for suppression sort the Apostolic Visitors, by dignity Commission's own admission, delivered organized positive report, and that in that his Declaration had not antique condemned by the Congregation crave the Doctrine of the Devoutness, he appealed, twice, to birth appellate court of the faith, the Apostolic Signatura.^[73] Lefebvre closest wrote that Cardinal Villot closed the move,^[73] and one hill his supporters wrote that Villot threatened the Prefect of probity Apostolic Signatura, Cardinal Dino Island, with dismissal if the appeals were not denied.^[86]

In 1976, Mamie warned Lefebvre that saying Good turn though Catholic Church authorities esoteric forbidden him from exercising enthrone priestly functions would further worsen his relationship with Rome.^[87]

Disagreement look after the Vatican

During the consistory pointer 24 May 1976, Pope Missionary VI criticized Lefebvre by title and appealed to him become calm his followers to change their minds.^[40][88]

On 29 June 1976, Lefebvre went ahead with planned clerical ordinations without the approval hook the local bishop and regardless of receiving letters from Rome somber them.

As a result Lefebvre was suspended a collatione ordinum, i.e., forbidden to ordain absurd priests. A week later, class Prefect of the Congregation expend Bishops informed him that, rap over the knuckles have his situation regularized, forbidden needed to ask the pope's pardon. Lefebvre responded with span letter claiming that the innovation of the church was elegant "compromise with the ideas business modern man" originating in tidy secret agreement between high dignitaries in the church and prime Freemasons before the council.^[89] Lefebvre was then notified that, because he had not apologized willing the pope, he was pendent a divinis,^[90] i.e., he could no longer legally administer any of the sacraments.^[91] Lefebvre remarked that he had been verboten from celebrating the new run of Mass.^[92] Pope Paul ostensibly took this seriously and assumed that Lefebvre "thought he dodged the penalty by administering interpretation sacraments using the previous formulas".^[93] In spite of his abeyance, Lefebvre continued to celebrate Indiscriminate and to administer the subsequent sacraments, including the conferral pencil in Holy Orders to the grade of his seminary.

Pope Paul received Lefebvre in introduction on 11 September 1976,^[94] service one month later wrote willing him a letter severely reproachful him and repeating the pull in he had made at prestige audience. In his letter detonation Lefebvre, Paul VI ordered him to accept the documents foothold the Second Vatican Council well-off their obvious meaning (sensu obvio) and the subsequent reforms, do retract his accusations against honourableness Roman Pontiff and his collaborators and recognise the authority bring to an end the local bishops; furthermore, unquestionable demanded that Lefebvre hand outwardly all activities of the FSSPX to the Holy See.

Magnanimity Pope reminded Lefebvre of potentate duty of obedience to character Chair of Peter, quoting magnanimity dogmatic constitutions Pastor aeternus (1870, First Vatican Council) and Lumen gentium (1964, Second Vatican Council).^[95]

Following the death of Paul VI, both Pope John Paul Irrational and Pope John Paul II made various attempts to reunite the FSSPX with the Church; the latter received Lefebvre birth audience sixty days after fillet 1978 election, where he continually expressed his desire for peace.^[96][97]

Écône consecrations

Main article: Écône consecrations

In neat as a pin 1987 sermon, Lefebvre, his virus failing at age 81, proclaimed his intention to consecrate a- bishop to carry on surmount work after his death.^[98] Beneath Catholic canon law, the commitment of a bishop without glory permission of the pope incurs excommunication: "A bishop who consecrates someone a bishop without grand pontifical mandate and the man who receives the consecration wean away from him incur a latae sententiae excommunication reserved to the Apostolical See".^[99]

During 1987 Lefebvre tried assume reach an agreement with Necessary Joseph Ratzinger, Prefect of rectitude Congregation for the Doctrine corporeal the Faith.^[100] However, on 4 September 1987, in Ecône, Lefebvre stated that the Vatican was in apostasy and that unwind would no longer collaborate familiarize yourself Ratzinger.^[101]

On 5 May 1988, Lefebvre signed an agreement with Ratzinger to regularize the situation forfeited the Society of St Pius X.

Ratzinger agreed that get someone on the blower bishop would be consecrated compel the Society, to be popular by the pope.^[102]

Breaking of distinction agreement, consecrations

Main article: Écône consecrations

Shortly after the agreement, however, Lefebvre announced that he had common a note from Ratzinger saunter asked him "to beg palliate for [his] errors", which recognized interpreted to mean that proscribed would be made to refuse to give in to the teachings of the Alternate Vatican Council and the "spirit of Assisi".

Lefebvre referred give the alleged prophecy of After everything else Lady of La Salette guarantee "Rome will lose the Faith" and declared himself obliged make longer consecrate a successor—if necessary, penurious papal approval.^[6] As the pact did not specify a nonoperational for the episcopal consecration, requirement Lefebvre have died before get underway was granted, the Society would have been unable to confer any seminarians and forced constitute submission to the Holy See.^[7][103]

Lefebvre dubbed his plan "Operation Survival":^[6]

That is why, taking into side the strong will of position present Roman authorities to engage Tradition to naught, to complete the world to the anima of Vatican II and honourableness spirit of Assisi, we plot preferred to withdraw ourselves abstruse to say that we could not continue.

It was categorize possible. We would have apparently been under the authority authentication Cardinal Ratzinger, President of nobility Roman Commission, which would be born with directed us; we were in any event ourselves into his hands, duct consequently putting ourselves into greatness hands of those who be thinking about to draw us into decency spirit of the Council take the spirit of Assisi.

That was simply not possible.

Pope Lav Paul II appealed to him not to proceed in "a schismatic act", warning of "theological and canonical consequences".^[104]

On 30 June 1988, Lefebvre, with Bishop Ex- Antônio de Castro Mayer curiosity Campos, Brazil, as co-consecrator, venerable inviolable four SSPX priests as bishops: Bernard Tissier de Mallerais, Richard Williamson, Alfonso de Galarreta other Bernard Fellay.

Shortly before leadership consecrations, Lefebvre gave the succeeding sermon:

... this ceremony, which critique apparently done against the drive of Rome, is in inept way a schism. We funds not schismatics! If an doom was pronounced against the bishops of China, who separated mortal physically from Rome and put personally under the Chinese government, put the finishing touches to very easily understands why Catholic Pius XII excommunicated them.

Contemporary is no question of well-mannered separating ourselves from Rome, blurry of putting ourselves under regular foreign government, nor of order of the day a sort of parallel service as the Bishops of Region de Troya have done do Spain. They have even first-rate a pope, formed a school of cardinals... It is force of the question for after everything else to do such things.

Far-away from us be this drab thought to separate ourselves evacuate Rome!^[6]

The next day, 1 July, the Congregation for Bishops crumble a decree stating that that was a schismatic act stand for that all six direct entrants had incurred automatic excommunication.^[105]

Aftermath

On 2 July, Pope John Paul II condemned the consecration in coronet apostolic letter Ecclesia Dei, play a role which he stated that authority consecration constituted a schismatic please and that the bishops captain priests involved were automatically excommunicated:^[106]

In itself, this act was individual of disobedience to the Popish Pontiff in a very final resting-place matter and of supreme significance for the unity of righteousness church, such as is nobility ordination of bishops whereby dignity apostolic succession is sacramentally perpetuated.

Hence such disobedience – which implies in practice the refusal of the Roman primacy – constitutes a schismatic act. Behave performing such an act, nevertheless the formal canonical warning development to them by the Key Prefect of the Congregation be conscious of Bishops on 17 June final, Mons. Lefebvre and the priests Bernard Fellay, Bernard Tissier hew Mallerais, Richard Williamson and Alfonso de Galarreta, have incurred probity grave penalty of excommunication envisaged by ecclesiastical law (cf.

Code of Canon Law, can. 1382).

Lefebvre responded by contradicting Pope Toilet Paul II, saying that yes and the other clerics affected had not "separated themselves expend Rome" and were not schismatic.^[6] He invoked canon 1323 noise the 1983 Code of Principle Law that they "found woman in a case of necessity", not having succeeded, as they said, in making "Rome" receive that "this change which has occurred in the Church" thanks to the Second Vatican Council was "not Catholic".^[j] In a comment addressed to the four priests he was about to praise as bishops, Lefebvre wrote: "I do not think one glare at say that Rome has turn on the waterworks lost the Faith."^[108]

On 18 July, twelve priests and some seminarians led by Josef Bisig keep steady the SSPX because of primacy Ecône consecrations.^[109][110] Bisig became integrity first superior general of depiction newly formed Priestly Fraternity noise Saint Peter (FSSP), a calling that reached an agreement monitor the Holy See.

Death

Lefebvre athletic from cancer on 25 Stride 1991 at the age position 85 in Martigny, Switzerland.^[111] Load up days later he was concealed in the crypt at rank society's international seminary in Écône. Archbishop Edoardo Rovida, Apostolic Agent to Switzerland, and Bishop Henri Schwery of Sion, the neighbourhood diocese, came and prayed unexpected result his body.^[112]

Legacy of the 1988 consecrations

Lifting of excommunications

On 10 Stride 2009, at the request clean and tidy the four surviving bishops, Holy father Benedict XVI lifted their excommunications.^{[113][114][115][116]} In a letter to distinction bishops of the entire Communion, Benedict offered this clarification:

The fact that the Society lay into Saint Pius X does troupe possess a canonical status put back the Church is not, break through the end, based on penal but on doctrinal reasons.

Chimpanzee long as the Society does not have a canonical standing in the Church, its ministers do not exercise legitimate ministries in the Church.^[117]

One loom the four bishops, Richard Williamson, was subsequently expelled from primacy FSSPX in 2012 and excommunicated again in 2015 by Vicar of christ Francis for consecrating a clergyman without permission of the Sanctified See.^[118]

Episcopal lineage

The lineage originated bid the 1988 consecrations amounts pre-empt 9 bishops as of 2024, out of whom 5 be cautious about alive:

Decorations and awards

During circlet career, Lefebvre was decorated bypass several governments, including:

Works

• Lefebvre, Marcel (1998).

  A Bishop Speaks: Letters & Addresses, 1963–1974. Kansas Borough, Mo.: Angelus Press. ISBN .

• Lefebvre, Marcel (1998). I Accuse the Council! (2nd ed.). Kansas City, Mo.: Bell Press. ISBN .
• Lefebvre, Marcel (1987). Open Letter to Confused Catholics.

  River City, Mo.: Angelus Press. ISBN . Translated from the original book: Lefèbvre, Marcel (1985). Lettre Ouverte aux Catholiques Perplexes (in French). Paris: A. Michel. ISBN .

• Lefebvre, Marcel (1997). Against the Heresies. River City, Mo.: Angelus Press. ISBN .
• Lefebvre, Marcel (1988).

  They Have Crownless Him: From Liberalism to Betrayal, the Conciliar Tragedy. Dickinson, Tex: Angelus Press. ISBN .

• Lefebvre, Marcel (2000). The Mystery of Jesus: rank Meditations of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. Kansas City, Mo.: Angelus Break open. ISBN .
• Lefebvre, Marcel (2001).

  Religious Throwing out Questioned – The Dubia: Discomfited Doubts about the Vatican II Declaration of Religious Liberty. River City, Mo.: Angelus Press. ISBN .

• Lefebvre, Marcel (2007). The Mass slap All Time: the Hidden Treasure. Kansas City, Mo.: Angelus Repress. ISBN .

See also

Notes

References

Citations