Quote from: hollingsworth

I've never heard of Dom Gerard Calvet.

He was the Benedictine priest, a close friend of Mgr. Lefebvre's prior to 1988, who restored Le Barroux as a monastery, and in doing so preserved and restored traditional Benedictine liturgy and practice. His book "Demain la chretiente" was basically the blueprint for the traditionalist movement in France and the French-speaking traditionalist world during my generation.

I translated it into English with a good friend of mine, but we ran into some issues during the publication stage. Gary Potter - an American journalist and early pioneer of the traditionalist movement in the U.S. - considered it essential reading for all young traditionalist men and women.

The book (and Calvet's writings) simply never gained the traction and influence on the American side of the Atlantic that they did in Europe. Which is unfortunate since the book remains the best case ever written for adherence to and restoration of Catholic Tradition.

Quote

So, it appears, it is not a question of Bp. W's honesty or basic integrity.

Heck no. It is exclusively his words and his actions. In terms of integrity, I consider Mgr Williamson one of the most honest and candid individuals I (and others I know) have ever dealt with--although my dealings with him were many years ago. I will even add that in my experience, he also one of the least clericalist among FSSPX clergy when it comes to dealing with laity.
   

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Certainly, at this point in time, you are not going to lay off on His Excellency total blame for splitting the Society.

As one generally sympathetic to Dom Gerard's thinking when it comes to traditionalist controversies, I think the split between the SSPX and the Resistance, and where to assign the blame, is something for the SSPX & Resistance to work out internally.

I am sure that if Dom Gerard were still among the living, he might offer an opinion after careful reflection and prayer. But he is not.

Needless to say, Dom Gerard would not have been surprised by the split, having told me personally back in the late 90's it was just a matter of time.

It is interesting you say that Dom Gerard predicted a split back in the late 1990s.

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Peter Vere is the author of the book - Annulment: 100 Questions and Answers for Catholics

All American Bishops have lost God's Grace because of their participation in the  USA conciliar Church annulment scam. All wisdom comes from God. Without God's Grace we are blind. Peter Vere makes a living in the  annulment racket. Until he repents for his participation in this abomination, he will remain a dumb guide, just like everyone else who participates in  granting these bogus annulments.

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"I do not speak rashly, but as I feel and think., I do not think that many priests are saved but that those that perish are far more numerous. The reason is that the office requires a great soul. For there are many things to make a priest swerve from rectitude, and he requires great vigilance on every side. Do you not perceive how many qualities a bishop must have that he may be apt to teach; patient towards the wicked, firm and faithful in teaching the Word? How many difficulties herein.

Moreover the loss of others is imputed to him. I need say no more. If but one dies without baptism, does it not entirely endanger his salvation? For the loss of one soul is so great an evil as no man can understand. If the salvation of one soul is of such importance that, for its sake, the Son of God became man and suffered so much, think of the penalty the loss of one soul will entail. (St. John Chrysostom, Third Homily, Acts of the Apostles)

Quote from: SeanJohnson

That in turn causes me to question his conception of "traditionalism" which one might find within the covers of the book you are recommending.

His conception of Tradition is that its restoration must go hand-in-hand with the restoration of Christendom and the restoration of the monastic life.

Certainly history would prove him correct, especially on the second point. If there is one thing Protestant Reformers, Communists, French Revolutionaries and Islamic extremists have in common - their attacks against Catholic faithful and their attempts to suppress the Catholic faith always begin with a suppression of monasteries and the monastic life.

Thus the state of the traditional monastic life with a given society is one of the best barometers of the state of Catholic Tradition within that society.

Quote from: Pete Vere

Quote from: SeanJohnson

It is interesting you say that Dom Gerard predicted a split back in the late 1990s.

Actually, spring of 1988 to be exact. Remember he was one of Mgr Lefebvre's strongest and most vocal supporters with regards to the consecrations. At the time, Mgr Lefebvre had only named then-Fathers Fellay, Tissier and de Gallereta [sp?] as his candidates for episcopal consecration. Then-Father Williamson's name was added subsequently. I don't have it with me at the moment, but I believe the book "Archbishop Lefebvre and the Vatican" published by Angelus Press contains all the docuмentation. Though it may have been Michael Davies' three-part apologia of Mgr Lefebvre. Regardless, Mgr Williamson was not named on the original list.

Dom Gerard withdrew his support for the consecrations when Mgr Lefebvre added then-Father Williamson's name to the list. This led to a confrontation between Mgr. Lefebvre and Dom Gerard, in which Dom Gerard predicted Mgr Williamson would split the FSSPX within a decade or two of Mgr Lefebvre's death.

Pete-

That is an interesting post, since the Resistance claim exactly the opposite:

It was Fr. Fellay who did not appear on the original list of consecrands, and was only added later, at the behest of wealthy Swiss benefactors.

I would love to see some docuмentation which could prove the matter one way or the other.

Yes, I too would like to see this. Pete, both the books you mention can be found online on the Society's Asia website (specifically here and here). Perhaps you could  tell us which specific letter you are talking about?

Number CCCXXXV (335)               14 December 2013

FATHER RIOULT II


Let me quote Fr Olivier Rioult from his October 6 interview in Paris (cf. EC 333) on another question, much disputed within today's Catholic Resistance – the question of organization. Fr Rioult was asked whether he thought it was possible to set up a new worldwide organization, or would he rather opt for some kind of free association such as has grouped together sedevacantists for a number of years ? Here is his answer, this time in his very own words:--

"In the months to come I may be setting up a broad kind of association based on friendship with other Catholics in the Resistance, whether or not they are sedevacantists, sedevacantism being for me an opinion.

"But the situation is not ripe here and now for such an association. In any case whatever is Catholic is ours. So any Catholics ready to operate as Catholics and to resist the modernism reigning supreme within the Church, we will work with. Therefore yes, to a broad kind of association sharing the same common good: the Faith and worship of the Catholic Church, the defence of the Faith.

"Having this same common good can create friendship amongst all our groups.

"I think that the closer we come to the end times, the more Catholics will have to be anarchists, not in principle but in practice. By which I mean, they will have to be against all the powers that be, because these will all have been neutralized, undermined or subverted, operating contrary to the natural order.

"Hence, in practice, Catholics will have to stand up to them all, in Church or State... because they will all be twisted out of shape, under Masonic influence... serving in any case the Prince of this world.

"So I think it will be very difficult to create any more worldwide structures. The French Dominican priest, Fr Roger Calmel, had a clear view of things. As far back as 1970 he said that the natural leaders in any given place will have to make their ministry shine out in that one place, being tied by bonds of no more than friendship to the leaders in any other place.

"In 1970, in the French periodical 'Itineraires' (#149), he wrote":

    The fight for the Faith will have to be fought by little groups
    refusing to enter into any structured or universal organizations.
    Within these various groups, such as a small school, a humble
    convent, a prayer group, a gathering of Christian families or the
    organizing of a pilgrimage, the authority is real and accepted by
    everybody... All that is needed is for each Catholic to reach as
    far as his grace and authority will carry him in the little sphere
    which is certainly his to lead, and which he will take charge of
    without having over him any grand administrative structures to
    make him do so.

If Fr. Calmel wrote that in 1970 for the circuмstances of 1970, one might say either that he was seeing too far ahead, or that Archbishop Lefebvre proved by organizing the Society of St Pius X what could still be done in 1970. But I do think that Fr. Calmel was right in the long run.

One might say, watching what happened to the Society last year, that it was bound to run into the sand.

Archbishop Lefebvre, like Pope St Pius X, conducted a marvelous rearguard action, but one notes how much less the Archbishop could achieve, coming70 years later than the Pope, and now we are 40 years on from the Archbishop.

In a world marching to its ruin the realization of Fr. Calmel’s prophecy could not be indefinitely delayed.

Dear readers, if we wish to stay with Our Lord, we have no choice but to gird our loins. In my opinion, Fr Calmel and Fr Rioult are right. Mother of God, Help of Christians, help !

Kyrie eleison.

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It would be nice to think that ABL, knowing his countrymen's capacity for duplicity, chose Bp. W as the English thorn in the sides of those who were expected to defect after his demise and take his organisation with them.  Another Englishman could take pride in that.

And in the political sphere, it is a joy to see the bishop upset the comfortable lives of clerics and remind them that their role is as much political as it is spiritual.

In this respect he took his cue from the archbishop who had a lot to say about post-war politics.  As for monastic gurus contemplating their navels and naively retreating into themselves when the enemy comes banging on the door, they should learn to take up the sword as well as the prayer book.

It is good to admit that other groups are needed to fight the nєω ωσrℓ∂ σr∂єr outside the narrowed confines of the curent SSPX. To be a true Catholic is to be a hostile citizen and the harbingers of the anti-Christ ensconced in Rome are a prime target because they help buttress the doomed Western establishment. Non-Catholics have a role too and the bishop recognises this. One almost feels sorry for the suicidal pact with the devil that most inside the new church have entered into. Traditionalists should always be fighters .... and please save me from lawyers!