Letter from the Dominicans of Avrillé
No. 40: September 2025
Another new priest for the Friary!
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History’s Driving Force
Every Catholic knows that the history of the world has a purpose: it unfolds to complete the number of the elect. When this number, predetermined by God from all eternity, is reached – when the Mystical Body of Christ is whole – then history will cease. "There shall be no more time." (Apoc. 10:6)
The elect will be taken up into heaven, and the damned will depart into hell: "And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." (Mat. 25:46)
But how is the Mystical Body of Christ completed? Through Faith. For it is Faith that brings one into the Church and grants eternal life. This is affirmed by the dialogue that opens the baptismal ceremony:
– What do you ask of the Church of God?
– Faith.
– What does Faith offer you?
– Everlasting life.
It is Faith that saves. Of course, not Faith alone, but Faith accomplishing good works by Charity. However, Faith is indeed the primary condition. "Without Faith, it is impossible to please God." (Heb 11:6)
Yet, Faith cannot spread throughout the world without preaching, for Faith comes from the divine word that is proclaimed. "Faith comes from hearing – fides ex auditu – and hearing is by the [preaching of the] word of Christ." (Rom 10:17)
Saint Paul, in a famous passage (Rom 10:13–15), elaborates on this necessity of preaching the Gospel:
‘For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ (Joel 2:32) But how can they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach? [...] As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!’ (Isa 52:7)
Thus, preaching is the driving force of history, for it is through preaching that the Mystical Body of Christ is completed – and history has no other purpose than to fulfill this completion. Once the Gospel has been proclaimed throughout the whole world, history will cease:
This gospel of the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Mt 24:14)
In the 13th century, Saint Dominic sought to establish an Order of Preachers to facilitate this preaching, which is indispensable to the Church.
Principles of Action in the Current Situation
The occupation of the Church by a party hostile to Tradition – rightly called the “Conciliar Church” – has caused unprecedented turmoil among the faithful. Yet three very simple principles allow one to maintain a sure and Catholic course of action.
First, fidelity to one’s duty of state. The father of a family must faithfully fulfill his duty as head of the household and his professional obligations. The mother has her own clearly defined path. The religious must adhere to his rule, and so on.
Let us examine ourselves on this point. If we do not sufficiently understand our duty (for example, parents lacking proper instruction in raising children), let us take the means to educate ourselves.
Sub-diaconate
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Second, fidelity to the course set by Archbishop Lefebvre, who was evidently raised up by God to guide us through the present confusion. The situation has not substantially changed since his death. Admittedly, it grows worse, but we continue descending the same staircase we have been on for the past 60 years.
When listening to his conferences or reading his works, one is struck by how relevant his analysis remains today.
Finally, charity toward all. Placing this principle third does not mean it is less important than the others, but because charity itself must be guided by prudence. We must not neglect our duty of state under the pretext of charity (a warning to parents who might disregard their family for supposedly charitable activities). Nor should we behave the same way toward Catholics and non-Catholics – or, among Catholics, toward those who follow Archbishop Lefebvre’s guidance and those who adhere to the Conciliar Church or sedevacantism.
Charity particularly demands that we look beyond ourselves, take an interest in others, and adopt a missionary attitude. The current crisis risks leading some to withdraw into themselves or their small like-minded groups – a thoroughly un-Catholic approach.
Above all, charity requires giving priority to the interior life, for it must respect the proper order: love God first, then one’s own soul, then one’s neighbor. A fervent interior life places us under the guidance of the Holy Ghost, who remains the surest guide in these times – as in all times.
To achieve this, let us have the courage to minimize screen use, which poses a danger to the soul. Let us instead dedicate time to prayer and spiritual reading.
H.E. Bishop Williamson
In his role as defender of the faith, Bishop Richard Williamson, was published several times in our periodical, Le Sel de la terre.
We reproduce here a letter of encouragement that he sent on the occasion of the 20th anniversary (2012):
Le Sel de la terre is to be warmly congratulated on reaching its 20th anniversary. “Nihil volitum nisi præcognitum,” say the scholastics. Nothing can be desired without first being known. For Catholics, in an age of terrible confusion, which is getting worse all the time, in order to desire what is good, they first need to know what is good. Le Sel de la terre has generated a steady stream of Catholic articles and information to shed light on the faith amid the most hostile circuмstances. May the fathers of Avrillé be thanked for this demanding but immensely valuable apostolate, and may God grant them to continue long into the future.
Bishop Williamson in 1991
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Chronicle:
October 18th, 2024: Fr. Hyacinthe-Marie leaves Avrillé to join Father Innocent-Marie at “St Dominic’s Hostel” in Bartrès.
October 22nd, 2024: Br. Gabriel renews his vows.
November 4th, 2024: Fr. Emmanuel-Marie takes the student brothers on pilgrimage in the footsteps of the Vendée martyrs.
December 18th, 2024: Fr. Marie-Laurent flies off to the U.S. for 3 weeks of apostolate in New York, Texas and Kansas.
January 17th-19th, 2025: The Friary welcomes Mr. Serge Losappio, the Master of the Knights of Our Lady, for a brief study session with a group of 20 knights.
February 6th, 2025: Solemn Requiem Mass for the repose of the soul of His Excellency Richard Williamson, one of the four bishops consecrated in 1988 by Archbishop Lefebvre in his “Survival Operation” for Catholic Tradition, called to God on January 27th, the feast of Saint Francis of Sales. Bishop Williamson was one of the professors of philosophy and theology for the first brothers of the convent during their studies in Ecône (in 1978-1980); he conferred Holy Orders on several of our brothers, consecrated the altar of our St. Dominic Oratory; he was censor of our magazine Le Sel de la Terre where he wrote several articles. Providence led him to consecrate several bishops who allow us to continue to receive the Holy Oils each year and to have our brothers ordained. Two fathers represent the community at his funeral on February 26.
February 11th, 2025: Br. Marie-Thomas pronounces his perpetual vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. By these three vows, "we set out to follow Christ with no possibility of turning back, after the example of the Apostles who followed Him without bringing their boat to shore with any thought of returning," writes St. Thomas Aquinas.
March 1st, 2025: Bishop Thomas Aquinas visiting from Brazil confers the clerical tonsure on Br. Gabriel, the second minor orders on Br. Vincent, and the sub-diaconate on Br. Marie-Thomas.
March 29th, 2025: A conference given by one of our fathers on contraception, in vitro fertilization and abortion, gathers a much larger crowd than expected! It’s proof that these issues are on people's minds at a time when the complete dissolution of morality is being organized throughout the world by Masonic lodges.
April 10th, 2025: Fr. Marie-Laurent travels to the United States to assist Bishop Zendejas' missions during Holy Week. He will have the consolation of baptizing a young woman he met one day on a plane, who persevered in her search for the true religion. Two other adults will be baptized in Avrillé at Easter and Pentecost.
May 17th, 2025: Fr. Emmanuel-Marie, Fr. Alain, and Br. Marie-Thomas travel to Paris for a symposium on Saint Thomas Aquinas and law.
June 7th, (Vigil of Pentecost) 2025: Br. Michel-Marie pronounces his first vows, and two postulants become Br. Jordan of Saxony and Br. Yves-Marie. (pictured below)
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June 27th, (feast of the Sacred Heart) 2025: Ordination of Fr. Pie-Marie, by Bishop Zendejas.
July 2025: Frs. Angelico and Marie-Laurent are in the U.S. and Canada to preach three retreats. On the weekends, they visit several Mass centers of Bishop Zendejas’ circuit in New York, Kansas, Idaho, Manitoba, Colorado and Texas.
News on our construction sites
WE ARE CURRENTLY TAKING A BREAK from building, while we repay the loan taken out for the construction of “Saint Sixtus” (the school cafeteria and parish center). God willing, the repayment will be completed this year.
The next phase of work should resume with the renovation of the west wing of the convent, which has been damaged by infiltrations of rainwater. The project will start up once we have obtained the building permit and the Historic Monuments Administration has included us in its program, so that we can receive the planned subsidies.
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