https://nonpossumus-vcr.blogspot.com/2025/05/sermon-de-mons-tomas-de-aquino-en-la.html

Tuesday, May 27, 2025

SERMON OF BISHOP THOMAS AQUINAS AT THE ORDINATION OF FR. RENOULT, SAJM



THE STRENGTH OF RESISTANCE DOES NOT CONSIST IN NUMBERS OR ANYTHING ELSE VISIBLE, BUT IN BEING WITH THE TRUTH

(Excerpt)

Another ordination, and every time we speak of an ordination, it is impossible not to think of Mgr Lefebvre. How wonderful were those ceremonies in which he not only transmitted to us the priesthood - therefore, the Mass - but also all the doctrine that accompanies the Mass, and the combat that accompanies that doctrine! These three things were always present.

All those who knew Mgr Lefebvre knew that he was permanently in a state of crusade. His whole life was a crusade, especially at the end, after the Second Vatican Council, when he had to admirably lead this struggle, founding the Fraternity of St. Pius X. He remained faithful to the grace of God at every stage of this struggle and passed on to us this same flame, this same ardent disposition to protect and guarantee the continuity of the Church.

It was not his Fraternity that he sought to protect at all costs: it was more than that. He once told me: “If Rome were capable of forming Catholic priests, he would have no reason to consecrate bishops. But Rome is no longer capable.

Monsignor was, then, a providential man, as was St. Athanasius at the time of Arianism. Archbishop Lefebvre was the providential man of our time. His work with Bishop de Castro Mayer was immense. And, in fact, the work of Archbshop Lefebvre was even greater, because he tackled more aspects, more fronts of combat.

Today, what remains today is a small Resistance, very small, fragile, marked by weaknesses and defects. But this Resistance has a strength: the strength of being with the truth. And it is with the truth because it intends to follow Monsignor Lefebvre. Although it may sometimes fail, its goal is clear: to continue this struggle, the struggle of Monsignor Lefebvre, which some carried on up to a certain point - until 2012 - but ended up abandoning. Others realized that they could not walk alongside those who, in one way or another, had adopted a reckless attitude towards Rome. Monsignor Lefebvre instructed us very well. He warned us clearly: “If we approach Rome, we will be contaminated”. And that is true. It is better to be small but faithful to Monsignor Lefebvre's legacy than to be bigger and make certain compromises. Some went too far, as we know.

I remember that, once, the faithful of the rural parishes of Campos, simple peasants, came to our monastery to ask us to build a bridge between them and the Fraternity. They were well organized. Then a priest from the Fraternity came to speak. He began by explaining that there were certain difficulties, certain aspects to be adjusted in the pastoral work they were requesting. After all, they wanted the Fraternity to go to their parishes, and our monastery had already visited them a few times at the beginning of the resistance.

When the priest finished speaking, an elderly peasant stood up and said very clearly: “Father, what we want is doctrine”. They already had Mass, because Bishop Rifan and his priests celebrated Mass. But... they did not have the doctrine.

That simple man continued: “Father, what we want is doctrine”. The Fraternity's way of working was not exactly the same as that of the priests of Campos, and the priest thought that this could be a difficulty: after all, the pastoral modalities were different. But that peasant responded with admirable wisdom. Afterwards, the priest confessed to me: “I did not expect this. It filled me with joy”. And rightly so! Because the Mass is not enough; doctrine is also necessary. And doctrine alone is not enough: it must be defended. Combat is necessary.


This is what we admired so much in Archbishop Lefebvre: this perfect harmony. Everything in Catholicism is a block, a coherent unity. Just as the revolution is also a block, Catholicism is a block infinitely more harmonious, more coherent, where all the parts come together.

This is what Archbishop Lefebvre taught us: to defend, to know and to love this integrity of faith. The Resistance, although weak, and we will always be weak - everything that is human is weak - at least wants to follow Monsignor Lefebvre.

He is the model. But unfortunately the Fraternity took another path. It began to follow another path, it began to believe in other things. Monsignor Lefebvre wanted to warn them. And if he were alive, how sad he would be to see these initiatives, these deviations!

He himself said: “I went too far”. And today, however, others go even further. How sad he would be! There is no doubt about it.

The one who is to be ordained will then be able to celebrate the Mass, the Mass that is above all. It is more sublime than the blood of the martyrs, higher than all the praises of the angels. For all these are finite things. But the Mass... the Mass is Our Lord Jesus Christ himself! It is He who offers Himself, who gives Himself, who pours out His blood and sacramentally renews the sacrifice of Calvary.


It is by faith that Our Lord reigns and will reign. Therefore, it is not enough for the priest to limit himself to celebrating Mass. He must also preach. Preach Christ the King, who reigns by the cross, who reigns because he is God and because he is Redeemer. As Redeemer, He shed His blood. And this is what gives us all our strength: the Mass, with the doctrine of the Mass and the doctrine of the Popes who condemned modern errors. They protected the whole integrity of the sacraments, of the Mass, of the whole deposit of faith.

But there is a danger: even with the Mass we can weaken ourselves. If we do not have the doctrine, the Mass retains its infinite value-it never loses its value-but its efficacy for souls may not bear the fruits it should. To receive Communion well, to attend Mass well, one needs a faith that is whole, a faith that is not diminished by modern conceptions and current errors.

It is not normal for us priests to offer the Holy Victim, Our Lord, and be left out of this sacrifice. The true priest is the one who offers... and offers himself.

Let us ask our Blessed Mother to preserve us from illusions. Illusion is a terrible thing, because he who lives in illusion does evil thinking he is doing good. Our Lady never had illusions. She saw things clearly. She knew, from Sacred Scripture, that her Son would be sacrificed on the cross. And she never had any illusions.

May we too, as children of the Blessed Virgin, be preserved from illusions. May she guide us to combat... and from combat to eternal life.


Deepl.com translation modified.