Author Topic: On the 50th Anniversary of the Death of Fr. Rginald Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P (Read 2732 times)

Geremia · « **on:** February 15, 2014, 03:00:59 PM »

On the 50th Anniversary of the Death of
Fr. Réginald Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P.
The death of a friend of God

R.P. Reginaldus Garrigou-Lagrange O.P.
21.II.1877 - 15.II.1964
Requiescat in pace

Nolite mirari, hoc, quia venit hora, in qua omnes, grave qui in monumentis sunt, audient vocem Filii Dei: et procedent, qui bona fecerunt, in resurrectionem vitæ; qui vero mala egerunt, in resurrectionem judicii. (From the Gospel for the first Mass for the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, John v, 28-29: "Wonder not at this, for the hour cometh wherein all that are in the shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that have done good things shall come forth unto the resurrection of life, but they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment.")

_____________________________

Quote

In the ... book of Ecclesiasticus we read that God hears the prayer of the poor man, especially at the time when this man has to die, and that He punishes hearts that are without pity. "The Lord is judge, and there is not with Him respect of person; the Lord will not accept any person against a poor man; He will hear the prayer of him that is wronged . . . [and of] the widow.... The prayer of him that humbleth himself shall pierce the clouds, and he will not depart till the most High beholds."

This doctrine is verified particularly at the hour of death. God will be with him in that last hour. These high thoughts occur repeatedly in the Old Testament, and still more in the New, which sees clearly in the death of the just man the prelude of eternal life.

It was this writer's privilege to see the death of a just man, a poor man, Giuseppe d'Estengo, who lived with his family in the eighth story of a house near the Campo Santo in Rome.

He was gangrened in his four limbs, suffered much from the cold, especially when his nerves began to writhe before death. Nevertheless, he never complained. He offered all his sufferings to the Lord for the salvation of his soul, for his own people, for the conversion of sinners. Then he was struck by rapid consumption, and had to be carried to the other extremity of Rome, to the hospital of the Littorio, where three weeks later he died, in a perfect state of abandonment to God in the middle of the night.

At the precise instant when he died, his elderly father, a very good Christian, who was at the other extremity of the city, heard the voice of his son saying: "Father, I am going to heaven." And his excellent mother dreamed that her son mounted up to heaven with healed hands and feet, just as he will be in fact after the resurrection of the dead.

I count it one of the great graces of my life that I knew this poor man, who was pointed out to me by a Vincentian helper who said: "You will be happy to know him." She spoke truly. He was a friend of God. His death confirmed this. Blessed are they who die in the Lord. He was one of those "who taste death" as the prelude of eternal life.

Réginald Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P.
L'éternelle vie et la profondeur de l'âme [life Everlasting]
1949

Matto · « **Reply #1 on:** February 15, 2014, 03:04:56 PM »

icterus · « **Reply #2 on:** February 16, 2014, 11:11:30 PM »

Nice to see y'all remembering the man who directed the Doctoral dissertation of Pope John Paul II.

TheKnightVigilant · « **Reply #3 on:** February 16, 2014, 11:19:34 PM »

Quote from: icterus

Nice to see y'all remembering the man who directed the Doctoral dissertation of Pope John Paul II.

And why would that bother you exactly? You're every bit the modernist Wojtyla was.

icterus · « **Reply #4 on:** February 16, 2014, 11:27:16 PM »

Doesn't bother me a bit. I just think it's damn funny.

Well, it's time to kiss the Koran before I go to bed...

Geremia · « **Reply #5 on:** February 16, 2014, 11:56:48 PM »

Quote from: icterus

Nice to see y'all remembering the man who directed the Doctoral dissertation of Pope John Paul II.

Fr. G.-L. detected Wojtyła's Modernism and was severely critical of "Wojtyła for not using the phrase 'divine object' of God" in his thesis at the Angelicuм, where he studied for two years (Weigel's Witness to Hope p. 86). In fact, despite that "his oral defense of the dissertation received the highest grade possible," the "young Polish priest couldn't pay for the printing [of his thesis], so on his return to Poland he resubmitted the dissertation to the Faculty of Theology of the Jagiellonian University, which, after appropriate review, conferred on him the degree of doctor of theology in December 1948." (ibid. 87).

So, he couldn't afford printing it at Rome but he could afford it in Poland? That doesn't make much sense, Weigel.

Here's how Fr. Luigi Villa explains it (p. 7):

Quote from: Fr. Luigi Villa

1948 (June 14) Took the admission examination for his Ph.D. Cardinal Sapieha sent him to Rome to continue his studies at the Angelicuм. But there was, at that time, as Rector of the university, the great theologian and writer Father Garrigou-Lagrange, who was a giant on Thomism. Wojtyla, not being a member of that teaching, was following the philosophy that he wanted, that of existentialism, the modern type of Kant. Therefore, his dissertation, “Faith according to St. John of the Cross,” was criticized and rejected by Lagrange, because it supported the ideas of the Modernists who claimed that Faith is based on personal experience. For this, Wojtyla was not accepted for the doctorate and he had to return to the University of Krakow, where there he was accepted.

poche · « **Reply #6 on:** February 17, 2014, 02:50:34 AM »

May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen.

Sigismund · « **Reply #7 on:** February 17, 2014, 08:44:30 PM »

Quote from: Geremia

Quote from: icterus
Nice to see y'all remembering the man who directed the Doctoral dissertation of Pope John Paul II.
Fr. G.-L. detected Wojtyła's Modernism and was severely critical of "Wojtyła for not using the phrase 'divine object' of God" in his thesis at the Angelicuм, where he studied for two years (Weigel's Witness to Hope p. 86). In fact, despite that "his oral defense of the dissertation received the highest grade possible," the "young Polish priest couldn't pay for the printing [of his thesis], so on his return to Poland he resubmitted the dissertation to the Faculty of Theology of the Jagiellonian University, which, after appropriate review, conferred on him the degree of doctor of theology in December 1948." (ibid. 87).

So, he couldn't afford printing it at Rome but he could afford it in Poland? That doesn't make much sense, Weigel.

Here's how Fr. Luigi Villa explains it (p. 7):
Quote from: Fr. Luigi Villa
1948 (June 14) Took the admission examination for his Ph.D. Cardinal Sapieha sent him to Rome to continue his studies at the Angelicuм. But there was, at that time, as Rector of the university, the great theologian and writer Father Garrigou-Lagrange, who was a giant on Thomism. Wojtyla, not being a member of that teaching, was following the philosophy that he wanted, that of existentialism, the modern type of Kant. Therefore, his dissertation, “Faith according to St. John of the Cross,” was criticized and rejected by Lagrange, because it supported the ideas of the Modernists who claimed that Faith is based on personal experience. For this, Wojtyla was not accepted for the doctorate and he had to return to the University of Krakow, where there he was accepted.

Perhaps printing was a lot cheaper in Poland. Or perhaps the University there printed it for free. Is it a knee jerk reaction for trads to assume bad faith or incompetence on the part of anyone who doesn't see the world exactly,y as they do?

Sigismund · « **Reply #8 on:** February 17, 2014, 08:45:36 PM »

Quote from: poche

May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace. Amen.

Amen

Geremia · « **Reply #9 on:** February 21, 2014, 01:35:53 PM »

Quote from: Sigismund

Quote from: Geremia
Quote from: icterus
Nice to see y'all remembering the man who directed the Doctoral dissertation of Pope John Paul II.
Fr. G.-L. detected Wojtyła's Modernism and was severely critical of "Wojtyła for not using the phrase 'divine object' of God" in his thesis at the Angelicuм, where he studied for two years (Weigel's Witness to Hope p. 86). In fact, despite that "his oral defense of the dissertation received the highest grade possible," the "young Polish priest couldn't pay for the printing [of his thesis], so on his return to Poland he resubmitted the dissertation to the Faculty of Theology of the Jagiellonian University, which, after appropriate review, conferred on him the degree of doctor of theology in December 1948." (ibid. 87).

So, he couldn't afford printing it at Rome but he could afford it in Poland? That doesn't make much sense, Weigel.

Here's how Fr. Luigi Villa explains it (p. 7):
Quote from: Fr. Luigi Villa
1948 (June 14) Took the admission examination for his Ph.D. Cardinal Sapieha sent him to Rome to continue his studies at the Angelicuм. But there was, at that time, as Rector of the university, the great theologian and writer Father Garrigou-Lagrange, who was a giant on Thomism. Wojtyla, not being a member of that teaching, was following the philosophy that he wanted, that of existentialism, the modern type of Kant. Therefore, his dissertation, “Faith according to St. John of the Cross,” was criticized and rejected by Lagrange, because it supported the ideas of the Modernists who claimed that Faith is based on personal experience. For this, Wojtyla was not accepted for the doctorate and he had to return to the University of Krakow, where there he was accepted.

Perhaps printing was a lot cheaper in Poland. Or perhaps the University there printed it for free. Is it a knee jerk reaction for trads to assume bad faith or incompetence on the part of anyone who doesn't see the world exactly,y as they do?

Do you not agree that Fr. G.-L. rejected the thesis because it at least had Modernist tendencies?

Sigismund · « **Reply #10 on:** February 22, 2014, 09:24:33 AM »

I am really not familiar enough with the event to have an opinion. He may well have.

Geremia · « **Reply #11 on:** February 24, 2014, 11:18:12 PM »

Quote from: Sigismund

Perhaps printing was a lot cheaper in Poland. Or perhaps the University there printed it for free. Is it a knee jerk reaction for trads to assume bad faith or incompetence on the part of anyone who doesn't see the world exactly,y as they do?

Also, John Paul II's last book, Memory and Identity, mentions the importance of the Thomistic philosophy and theology of the prominent doctor of the Catholic Church St. Thomas Aquinas to come to a deeper understanding of the Pope's personalist (phenomenological) presentation of Humanae Vitae in his Theology of the Body catechesis, which he thought had its limitations. He writes:

Quote from: JPII's «Memory and Identity», p. 12

If we wish to speak rationally about good and evil, we have to return to St. Thomas Aquinas, that is, to the philosophy of being. With the phenomenological method, for example, we can study experiences of morality, religion, or simply what it is to be human, and draw from them a significant enrichment of our knowledge. Yet we must not forget that all these analyses implicitly presuppose the reality of the Absolute Being and also the reality of being human, that is, being a creature. If we do not set out from such 'realist' presuppositions, we end up in a vacuum.

(source)
Phenomenology presupposes Thomism‽

Also:

Quote from: JPII's «Rise, Let Us Be On Our Way»

My personal philosophical outlook moves, so to speak, between two poles: Aristotelian Thomism and phenomenology. ...
…
So there were two stages in my intellectual journey: In the first I moved from literature to metaphysics, while the second led me from metaphysics to phenomenology.
…
When Schema 13 was being studied—later to become the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World [Gaudium et Spes]—and I spoke on personalism, Father de Lubac came to me and said, encouragingly: "Yes, yes, yes, that's the way forward," and this meant a great deal to me, as I was relatively still young.

(source)

He realized Thomism is superior, yet he stuck with his phenomenology/personalism false philosophy. That makes him undoubtedly a Modernist.

bowler · « **Reply #12 on:** February 26, 2014, 07:55:40 AM »

From the thread "Garrigou-Lagrange the Progressivists Useful Idiot?"
http://www.cathinfo.com/catholic.php/Garrigou-Lagrange-the-Progressivists-Useful-Idiot

Quote from: bowler

Quote from: Garrigou-Lagrange

“Theologians in general are inclined to fill out what Scripture and tradition tell us by distinguishing the means of salvation given to Catholics from those that are given men of good will beyond the borders of the Church. …If we are treating of all Christians, of all who have been baptized, Catholic, schismatic, Protestant, it is more probable, theologians generally say, that the great number is saved. First, the number of infants who die in the state of grace before reaching the age of reason is very great. Secondly, many Protestants, being today in good faith, can be reconciled to God by an act of contrition, particularly in danger of death. Thirdly, schismatics can receive a valid absolution. If the question is of the entire human race, the answer must remain uncertain, for the reasons given above. But even if, absolutely, the number of the elect is less great, the glory of God’s government cannot suffer. Quality prevails over quantity. One elect soul is a spiritual universe; further, no evil happens that is not permitted for a higher good. Further, among non-Christians (Jєωs, Mohammedans, pagans) there are souls which are elect. Jєωs and Mohammedans not only admit monotheism, but retain fragments of primitive revelation and of Mosaic revelation. They believe in a God who is a supernatural rewarder, and can thus, with the aid of grace, make an act of contrition. And even to pagans, who live in invincible, involuntary ignorance of the true religion, and who still attempt to observe the natural law, supernatural aids are offered, by means known to God.” (Part 5, Chapter 32-The Number of the Elect)

"the greatest 20th century theologian" according to some "traditionalists". No wonder the modernists left him alone. Any traditionalist that believes what he teaches, has not a leg to stand on in complaining about Vatican II speak on religious freedom and ecuмenism.

bowler · « **Reply #13 on:** February 26, 2014, 08:00:37 AM »

Quote from: bowler

Compare

1947

Quote from: Garrigou-Lagrange

“Theologians in general are inclined to fill out what Scripture and tradition tell us by distinguishing the means of salvation given to Catholics from those that are given men of good will beyond the borders of the Church. …If we are treating of all Christians, of all who have been baptized, Catholic, schismatic, Protestant, it is more probable, theologians generally say, that the great number is saved. First, the number of infants who die in the state of grace before reaching the age of reason is very great. Secondly, many Protestants, being today in good faith, can be reconciled to God by an act of contrition, particularly in danger of death. Thirdly, schismatics can receive a valid absolution. If the question is of the entire human race, the answer must remain uncertain, for the reasons given above. But even if, absolutely, the number of the elect is less great, the glory of God’s government cannot suffer. Quality prevails over quantity. One elect soul is a spiritual universe; further, no evil happens that is not permitted for a higher good. Further, among non-Christians (Jєωs, Mohammedans, pagans) there are souls which are elect. Jєωs and Mohammedans not only admit monotheism, but retain fragments of primitive revelation and of Mosaic revelation. They believe in a God who is a supernatural rewarder, and can thus, with the aid of grace, make an act of contrition. And even to pagans, who live in invincible, involuntary ignorance of the true religion, and who still attempt to observe the natural law, supernatural aids are offered, by means known to God.” (LIFE EVERLASTING. By Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange Part 5, Chapter 32-The Number of the Elect)

Just 50+ years before:

Quote
The Explanation of the Baltimore Catechism Concerning the Salvation of Non-Catholics orginally published in 1891
by Rev. Thomas L. Kinkead
from Lesson 11: On the Church
* 121. Q. Are all bound to belong to the Church?

A. All are bound to belong to the Church, and he who knows the Church to be the true Church and remains out of it, cannot be saved.

Anyone who knows the Catholic religion to be the true religion and will not embrace it cannot enter into Heaven. If one not a Catholic doubts whether the church to which he belongs is the true Church, he must settle his doubt, seek the true Church, and enter it; for if he continues to live in doubt, he becomes like the one who knows the true Church and is deterred by worldly considerations from entering it.

In like manner one who, doubting, fears to examine the religion he professes lest he should discover its falsity and be convinced of the truth of the Catholic faith, cannot be saved.

Suppose, however, that there is a non-Catholic who firmly believes that the church to which he belongs is the true Church, and who has never—even in the past—had the slightest doubt of that fact—what will become of him?

If he was validly baptized and never committed a mortal sin, he will be saved; because, believing himself a member of the true Church, he was doing all he could to serve God according to his knowledge and the dictates of his conscience. But if ever he committed a mortal sin, his salvation would be very much more difficult. A mortal sin once committed remains on the soul till it is forgiven. Now, how could his mortal sin be forgiven? Not in the Sacrament of Penance, for the Protestant does not go to confession; and if he does, his minister—not being a true priest—has no power to forgive sins. Does he know that without confession it requires an act of perfect contrition to blot out mortal sin, and can he easily make such an act? What we call contrition is often only imperfect contrition—that is, sorrow for our sins because we fear their punishment in Hell or dread the loss of Heaven. If a Catholic—with all the instruction he has received about how to make an act of perfect contrition and all the practice he has had in making such acts—might find it difficult to make an act of perfect contrition after having committed a mortal sin, how much difficulty will not a Protestant have in making an act of perfect contrition, who does not know about this requirement and who has not been taught to make continued acts of perfect contrition all his life. It is to be feared either he would not know of this necessary means of regaining God’s friendship, or he would be unable to elicit the necessary act of perfect contrition, and thus the mortal sin would remain upon his soul and he would die an enemy of God.

If, then, we found a Protestant who never committed a mortal sin after Baptism, and who never had the slightest doubt about the truth of his religion, that person would be saved; because, being baptized, he is a member of the Church, and being free from mortal sin he is a friend of God and could not in justice be condemned to Hell. Such a person would attend Mass and receive the Sacraments if he knew the Catholic Church to be the only true Church.

I am giving you an example, however, that is rarely found, except in the case of infants or very small children baptized in Protestant sects. All infants rightly baptized by anyone are really children of the Church, no matter what religion their parents may profess. Indeed, all persons who are baptized are children of the Church; but those among them who deny its teaching, reject its Sacraments, and refuse to submit to its lawful pastors, are rebellious children known as heretics.

I said I gave you an example that can scarcely be found, namely, of a person not a Catholic, who really never doubted the truth of his religion, and who, moreover, never committed during his whole life a mortal sin. There are so few such persons that we can practically say for all those who are not visibly members of the Catholic Church, believing its doctrines, receiving its Sacraments, and being governed by its visible head, our Holy Father, the Pope, salvation is an extremely difficult matter.

I do not speak here of pagans who have never heard of Our Lord or His holy religion, but of those outside the Church who claim to be good Christians without being members of the Catholic Church.

from Lesson 14: On Baptism
154. Q. Is Baptism necessary to salvation?

A. Baptism is necessary to salvation, because without it we cannot enter into the kingdom of Heaven.

Those who through no fault of theirs die without Baptism, though they have never committed sin, cannot enter Heaven neither will they go to Hell. After the Last Judgment there will be no Purgatory. Where, then, will they go? God in His goodness will provide a place of rest for them, where they will not suffer and will be in a state of natural peace; but they will never see God or Heaven. God might have created us for a purely natural and material end, so that we would live forever upon the earth and be naturally happy with the good things God would give us. But then we would never have known of Heaven or God as we do now. Such happiness on earth would be nothing compared to the delights of Heaven and the presence of God; so that, now, since God has given us, through His holy revelations, a knowledge of Himself and Heaven, we would be miserable if left always upon the earth. Those, then, who die without Baptism do not know what they have lost, and are naturally happy; but we who know all they have lost for want of Baptism know how very unfortunate they are.

Think, then, what a terrible crime it is to willfully allow anyone to die without Baptism, or to deprive a little child of life before it can be baptized! Suppose all the members of a family but one little infant have been baptized; when the Day of Judgment comes, while all the other members of a family—father, mother, and children—may go into Heaven, that little one will have to remain out; that little brother or sister will be separated from its family forever, and never, never see God or Heaven. How heartless and cruel, then, must a person be who would deprive that little infant of happiness for all eternity—just that its mother or someone else might have a little less trouble or suffering here upon earth.

157. Q. How many kinds of Baptism are there?

A. There are three kinds of Baptism: Baptism of water, of desire, and of blood.

158. Q. What is Baptism of water?

A. Baptism of water is that which is given by pouring water on the head of the person to be baptized, and saying at the same time, “I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”

159. Q. What is Baptism of desire?

A. Baptism of desire is an ardent wish to receive Baptism, and to do all that God has ordained for our salvation.

“Ardent wish” by one who has no opportunity of being baptized—for no one can baptize himself. He must be sorry for his sins and have the desire of receiving the Baptism of water as soon as he can; just as a person in mortal sin and without a priest to absolve him may, when in danger of death, save his soul from Hell by an act of perfect contrition and the firm resolution of going to confession as soon as possible....

160. Q. What is Baptism of blood?

A. Baptism of blood is the shedding of one’s blood for the faith of Christ.

Baptism of blood, called martyrdom, is received by those who were not baptized with water, but were put to death for their Catholic faith. This takes place even nowadays in pagan countries where the missionaries are trying to convert the poor natives. These pagans have to be instructed before they are baptized. They do everything required of them, let us suppose, and are waiting for the day of Baptism. Those who are being thus instructed are called Catechumens. Someday, while they are attending their instructions, the enemies of religion rush down upon them and put them to death. They do not resist, but willingly suffer death for the sake of the true religion. They are martyrs then and are baptized in their own blood; although, as we said above, blood would not do for an ordinary Baptism even when we could not get water; so that if a person drew blood from his own body and asked to be baptized with it, the Baptism would not be valid. Neither would they be martyrs if put to death not for religion or virtue but for some other reason—say political.

161. Q. Is Baptism of desire or blood sufficient to produce the effects of Baptism of water?

A. Baptism of desire or of blood is sufficient to produce the effects of the Baptism of water, if it is impossible to receive the Baptism of water.

bowler · « **Reply #14 on:** February 26, 2014, 08:08:48 AM »

Any 20th century theologian who is well respected should be suspected of being a part of the problem. If he would have been part of the solution he would have most assuredly been anything except well respected. That's the way the modernists work.