Excellent Communiqué? - His Excellency Bishop Richard Williamson

[Michael]

Excellent Communiqué?

Superiors putting cushions under lies
Make Catholics’ non-reaction no surprise.

On October 31 Pope Francis held in Sweden an ecumenical meeting with leading Lutherans to prepare for next year’s 500^th anniversary of Luther’s revolt against the Catholic Church. After the meeting the Pope signed with the President of the Lutheran World Federation a joint Declaration, which is yet another utter scandal, coming as it does from the man who is meant to be the Vicar of Christ. On November 2, in protest, the Superior of the French District of the Society of St Pius X issued a Communiqué to condemn that scandalous Declaration. Much of the Communiqué is excellent, and it should be what is needed from Society Superiors in order to place a serious obstacle in the way of the Archbishop’s Society being betrayed to the Roman neo-modernists, but the conclusion is weak, and so the Communiqué may have the opposite effect.

Fr Bouchacourt opens his Communiqué by stating that the scandal of the Pope’s pro-Lutheran Declaration is such that he “cannot keep silent.” And the whole passage where he denounces Luther is beyond reproach. Here it is:—

How can we be “profoundly thankful for the spiritual and theological gifts received through the Reformation” (quotation from the joint Declaration) , when Luther manifested a diabolical hatred towards the Sovereign Pontiff, a blasphemous scorn for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, as well as a refusal of the saving Grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ? He also destroyed the doctrine on the Eucharist by refusing Transsubstantiation, turned souls away from the Most Blessed Virgin Mary and denied the existence of Purgatory. No, Protestantism brought nothing to Catholicism! It ruined the unity of Christendom, separated whole countries from the Catholic Church, plunged souls into error, putting their eternal salvation in peril. We Catholics want Protestants to return to the unique fold of Christ which is the Catholic Church, and we pray for this intention. In these days when we celebrate all the Saints, we call out to Saint Pius V, Saint Charles Borromeo, Saint Ignatius and Saint Peter Canisius who heroically fought the Protestant heresy and saved the Catholic Church.

But compared with this denunciation, Fr. Bouchacourt’s conclusion is relatively lame:—

We invite the faithful of the District of France to pray and do penance for the Sovereign Pontiff so that Our Lord, whose Vicar he is, may preserve him from error and keep him in the Truth of which he is the guardian. I invite the priests of the District to celebrate a Mass of reparation and to organise a Holy Hour before the Blessed Sacrament, to ask pardon for these scandals and to beg Our Lord to calm the tempest which has been shaking the Church for more than half a century now. Our Lady Help of Christians, save the Catholic Church and pray for us!

Fr Christian Bouchacourt, SSPX French District Superior.

This conclusion is pious, and perfectly respectful towards Pope Francis, but does it give any idea of the gravity of the Pope’s disorientation when the Pope so praises one of the greatest anti-Christian heretics in all Church history? It is difficult to imagine Fr Bouchacourt not having obtained from Bishop Fellay prior permission to publish his Communiqué. Was it Bishop Fellay who had no problem with the Luther of 500 years ago being denounced, but insisted on toning down the criticism of the major wrecker of the Church here and now? In any case the Communiqué serves Bishop Fellay’s purpose of deceiving Traditional priests and laity and putting them to sleep by suggesting that the supposedly imminent Personal Prelature will prevent none of them from denouncing Papal scandals, etc . . .

Then does Fr Bouchacourt realize how, like his predecessor, he may be serving, even against his own will, the betrayal of the Society? Let us be “simple as doves” but also “as wise as serpents” (Mt. X, 16).

Kyrie eleison.

Excellent Communiqué? - His Excellency Bishop Richard Williamson

[Jake]

What spiritual and theological gifts?  The only thing the Reformation - more properly called the Rebellion, as it was in the history books I studied as a child - gave us was division and conflict.  We all know that Martin Luther started out as a Catholic priest.  His frustration with the abuses going on in the Church of his day, along with a few serious weaknesses in his faith, constituted the foothold the devil needed to make this poor man his instrument.

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The division that Luther gave us is still going on today.  Ever wonder why there are so many churches in the South?  It's not because their are so many believers, but rather, because every time a congregation disagrees with something a preacher says, they split off, form their own church, and find a pastor more amenable to their preferences.  And nearly EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM preaches hatred of the Catholic Church.  Literally, from the pulpit.  I attended one with a friend a few years ago, when her children's Sunday School class had some special activity or other; it was the day the Vatican announced the opening of the cause of the beatification of Mother - now Saint - Theresa of Calcutta.  In a backdoor acknowledgement of the authority of the Pope in this matter, he admitted that the woman very likely was a saint, especially since it was said she died with the Holy Name on her lips, but had to add the remark, "How a Catholic could possibly manage that, I'll never know."  Highly insulted, I got up to walk out, but then, incredibly, several members of the congregation sprang to the Catholic Church's defense.  Granted, it was limited to a number of dirty looks cast the preacher's way, but he got the message and backpedalled REAL quick.  One lady came to me after the service and apologized for the preacher's gaffe.  The preacher in question wasn't their usual one, she told me, but a guest, and the congregation was going to be having a few words with him about preaching hate.  I have to admit that, after years of verbal abuse by Protestants who knew I was Catholic, I was deeply moved.

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This church was clearly the exception to the rule. 

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As for Lutheran churches, the pastors no longer preach that sort of thing, so the "accord" between the Lutherans and the Catholics has borne some good fruit.  There's still a long way to go, but for a Pope to join in celebrating the beginning of one of Satan's worst attempts to divide the Church is  beyond scandalous.  St. Athanasius, pray for us!

[Flavia Talladen Schott]

St. Athanasius, pray for us! Amen.