THE 1974 DECLARATION OF ARCHBISHOP LEFEBVRE


THE 1974 DECLARATION
OF ARCHBISHOP LEFEBVRE
made at Econe, Switzerland on November 21, 1974


Appendix I

On November 11, 1974, 2 apostolic visitors from Rome arrived at the International Seminary of St. Pius X in Econe. During their brief stay, they spoke to the seminarians and professors, maintaining scandalous opinions such as, the ordination of married men will soon be a normal thing, truth changes with the times, and the traditional conception of the Resurrection of our Lord is open to discussion. These remarks prompted Archbishop Lefebvre to write this famous Declaration as a rebuttal to Modernism:

 
We hold fast, with all our heart and with all our soul, to Catholic Rome, Guardian of the Catholic faith and of the traditions necessary to preserve this faith, to Eternal Rome, Mistress of wisdom and truth.We refuse, on the other hand, and have always refused to follow the Rome of neo-Modernist and neo-Protestant tendencies which were clearly evident in the Second Vatican Council and, after the Council, in all the reforms which issued from it.All these reforms, indeed, have contributed and are still contributing to the destruction of the Church, to the ruin of the priesthood, to the abolition of the Sacrifice of the Mass and of the sacraments, to the disappearance of religious life, to a naturalist and Teilhardian teaching in universities, seminaries and catechectics; a teaching derived from Liberalism and Protestantism, many times condemned by the solemn Magisterium of the Church.No authority, not even the highest in the hierarchy, can force us to abandon or diminish our Catholic faith, so clearly expressed and professed by the Church’s Magisterium for nineteen centuries.

“But though we,” says St. Paul, “or an angel from heaven preach a gospel to you besides that which we have preached to you, let him be anathema” (Gal. 1:8).

Is it not this that the Holy Father is repeating to us today? And if we can discern a certain contradiction in his words and deeds, as well as in those of the dicasteries, well we choose what was always taught and we turn a deaf ear to the novelties destroying the Church.

It is impossible to modify profoundly the lex orandi without modifying the lex credendi. To the Novus Ordo Missae correspond a new catechism, a new priesthood, new seminaries, a charismatic Pentecostal Church —all things opposed to orthodoxy and the perennial teaching of the Church.

This Reformation, born of Liberalism and Modernism, is poisoned through and through; it derives from heresy and ends in heresy, even if all its acts are not formally heretical. It is therefore impossible for any conscientious and faithful Catholic to espouse this Reformation or to submit to it in any way whatsoever.

The only attitude of faithfulness to the Church and Catholic doctrine, in view of our salvation, is a categorical refusal to accept this Reformation.

That is why, without any spirit of rebellion, bitterness or resentment, we pursue our work of forming priests, with the timeless Magisterium as our guide. We are persuaded that we can render no greater service to the Holy Catholic Church, to the Sovereign Pontiff and to posterity.

That is why we hold fast to all that has been believed and practiced in the faith, morals, liturgy, teaching of the catechism, formation of the priest and institution of the Church, by the Church of all time; to all these things as codified in those books which saw day before the Modernist influence of the Council. This we shall do until such time that the true light of Tradition dissipates the darkness obscuring the sky of Eternal Rome.

By doing this, with the grace of God and the help of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and that of St. Joseph and St. Pius X, we are assured of remaining faithful to the Roman Catholic Church and to all the successors of Peter, and of being the fideles dispensatores mysteriorum Domini Nostri Jesu Christi in Spiritu Sancto. Amen.

http://ghyheart.wordpress.com/the-1974-declaration-of-archbishop-lefebvre/

 

Catholic Family News Editor John Vennari conducted this interview with Father Arnaud Rostand

CFN: Could you comment on the 1974 Declaration of Archbishop Lefebvre (see below), and how this Declaration still guide the Society of St. Pius X today?

Father Arnaud Rostand: This declaration was clearly written under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Nothing in principle has changed and it remains today the charter of our fight. The best illustration or proof of its importance and of the loyalty of the Society to it, is the declaration of the General Chapter of our Society in 2006: “(...) The Priestly Society of Saint Pius X wishes to express its firm resolution to continue its work, God willing, in the doctrinal and practical line drawn by its venerated founder, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. Walking in his footsteps in the struggle to defend the Catholic Faith, the Society fully endorses his criticisms of Vatican II and its reforms, as he has expressed in his lectures and sermons, and in particular its Declaration of 21 November 1974: ‘We adhere with our whole heart and our whole soul to Catholic Rome, the Guardian of the Catholic Faith and of those traditions necessary for the maintenance of that Faith, to eternal Rome, Mistress of Wisdom and Truth. Because of this adherence we refuse and have always refused to follow the Rome of neo-Modernist and neo-Protestant tendencies, such as were clearly manifested during the Second Vatican Council, and after the Council in all the resulting reforms’.”

What amazes me in this famous declaration of 1974 is the clarity of vision. We are less than ten years removed from the Council, the Society of St. Pius X is a legitimate priestly Society, there are already some persecutions but not yet any condemnation and the Archbishop sees the need for a public Declaration. This declaration is so clear, so prescient, that still today [2010] it expresses the Society's position without needing to change an iota. We could say it is some kind of prophecy, a prophecy of what would become clearer and clearer over the years, a prophecy of the true line of action needed to remain faithful to the Church and to the Faith.

The main points of the Declaration are, first, an adherence to Eternal Rome and a refusal of the neo-modernist tendencies of Vatican II.  Secondly it is a refusal to participate in the auto-demolition of the Church, especially by refusing to compromise on the doctrine of the Church. Next, it is a refusal of the New Mass because “This reform, since it has issued from Liberalism and from Modernism, is entirely corrupt. It comes from heresy and results in heresy, even if all its acts are not formally heretical.” Finally, we will continue our work avoiding any spirit of rebellion, bitterness, or resentment. Is the Society faithful to these points today? I certainly believe so. It is our banner.  

[even if it is no longer today, at least Fr. Rostand thought it was as of 2010, and the General Chapter in 2006]

DECLARATION OF THE SSPX'S
2006 GENERAL CHAPTER

For the glory of God, for the salvation of souls and for the true service of the Church, on the occasion of its Third General Chapter, held at Ecône in Switzerland, from July 3 to 15, 2006, the Priestly Society of St. Pius X declares its firm resolution to continue its action, with the help of God, along the doctrinal and practical lines laid down by its venerated founder, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre.

Following in his footsteps in the fight for the Catholic Faith, the Society fully endorses his criticisms of the Second Vatican Council and its reforms, as he expressed them in his conferences and sermons, and in particular in his Declaration of November 21, 1974:

   

Quote

We adhere with all our heart and all our soul to Catholic Rome, guardian of the Catholic Faith and of the traditions necessary for the maintaining of that Faith, to eternal Rome, mistress of wisdom and of truth. On the contrary, we refuse, and we have always refused, to follow the Rome of neo-modernist and neo-Protestant tendencies, which showed itself clearly in the Second Vatican Council and in the reforms that issued from it.

Quote

Catholic Family News Editor John Vennari conducted this interview with Father Arnaud Rostand

CFN: Could you comment on the 1974 Declaration of Archbishop Lefebvre (see below), and how this Declaration still guide the Society of St. Pius X today?

Father Arnaud Rostand: This declaration was clearly written under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Nothing in principle has changed and it remains today the charter of our fight. The best illustration or proof of its importance and of the loyalty of the Society to it, is the declaration of the General Chapter of our Society in 2006: “(...) The Priestly Society of Saint Pius X wishes to express its firm resolution to continue its work, God willing, in the doctrinal and practical line drawn by its venerated founder, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. Walking in his footsteps in the struggle to defend the Catholic Faith, the Society fully endorses his criticisms of Vatican II and its reforms, as he has expressed in his lectures and sermons, and in particular its Declaration of 21 November 1974: ‘We adhere with our whole heart and our whole soul to Catholic Rome, the Guardian of the Catholic Faith and of those traditions necessary for the maintenance of that Faith, to eternal Rome, Mistress of Wisdom and Truth. Because of this adherence we refuse and have always refused to follow the Rome of neo-Modernist and neo-Protestant tendencies, such as were clearly manifested during the Second Vatican Council, and after the Council in all the resulting reforms’.”

What amazes me in this famous declaration of 1974 is the clarity of vision. We are less than ten years removed from the Council, the Society of St. Pius X is a legitimate priestly Society, there are already some persecutions but not yet any condemnation and the Archbishop sees the need for a public Declaration. This declaration is so clear, so prescient, that still today [2010] it expresses the Society's position without needing to change an iota. We could say it is some kind of prophecy, a prophecy of what would become clearer and clearer over the years, a prophecy of the true line of action needed to remain faithful to the Church and to the Faith.

The main points of the Declaration are, first, an adherence to Eternal Rome and a refusal of the neo-modernist tendencies of Vatican II.  Secondly it is a refusal to participate in the auto-demolition of the Church, especially by refusing to compromise on the doctrine of the Church. Next, it is a refusal of the New Mass because “This reform, since it has issued from Liberalism and from Modernism, is entirely corrupt. It comes from heresy and results in heresy, even if all its acts are not formally heretical.” Finally, we will continue our work avoiding any spirit of rebellion, bitterness, or resentment. Is the Society faithful to these points today? I certainly believe so. It is our banner.  

[even if it is no longer today, at least Fr. Rostand thought it was as of 2010, and the General Chapter in 2006]

Quote

DECLARATION OF THE SSPX'S
2006 GENERAL CHAPTER

For the glory of God, for the salvation of souls and for the true service of the Church, on the occasion of its Third General Chapter, held at Ecône in Switzerland, from July 3 to 15, 2006, the Priestly Society of St. Pius X declares its firm resolution to continue its action, with the help of God, along the doctrinal and practical lines laid down by its venerated founder, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre.

Following in his footsteps in the fight for the Catholic Faith, the Society fully endorses his criticisms of the Second Vatican Council and its reforms, as he expressed them in his conferences and sermons, and in particular in his Declaration of November 21, 1974:

   

Quote

We adhere with all our heart and all our soul to Catholic Rome, guardian of the Catholic Faith and of the traditions necessary for the maintaining of that Faith, to eternal Rome, mistress of wisdom and of truth. On the contrary, we refuse, and we have always refused, to follow the Rome of neo-modernist and neo-Protestant tendencies, which showed itself clearly in the Second Vatican Council and in the reforms that issued from it.

B from A, your post is pointless without an explanation.

It is also pointless because I quoted: (i) the founder of the Society (ii) the author of the declaration (iii) the response given in an official capacity to the Church authorites.

Still today, on the French District website:

Qui sommes-nous ?

La position de la Fraternité Saint-Pie X a été magnifiquement résumée par Mgr. Lefebvre dans sa déclaration du 21 novembre 1974 :

 
Déclaration du 21 novembre 1974

La position de la Fraternité Saint Pie X a été magnifiquement résumée par Mgr. Lefebvre dans sa déclaration du 21 novembre 1974 :

« Nous adhérons de tout coeur, .... »

C'est pour cette Déclaration que Mgr Lefebvre a été condamné. M. Jean Madiran commente simplement :

« A un évêque qui dit : "Je ne me soumets pas à votre modernisme", Rome ne répond pas : "Ce n'est pas du modernisme", mais Rome répond : "Même si c'est du modernisme, vous devez vous soumettre !" »

Selon la doctrine catholique, enseignée par St Thomas d'Aquin, l'obéissance est une vertu morale, qui tient le juste milieu entre le défaut, la désobéissance, qui refuse de se soumettre aux ordres légitimes, et un excès, qu'on peut appeler la servilité, qui se soumet même aux ordres illégitimes.

Who are we?

The Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X (SSPX)

...

The position of the Society of St. Pius X has been beautifully summarized by Mgr. Lefebvre in his statement of 21 November 1974:

 
Declaration of 21 November 1974

The position of the SSPX has been beautifully summarized by Mgr. Lefebvre in his statement of 21 November 1974:

"We adhere with all our heart [the declaration is shown in full]... Amen. "

For this statement that Archbishop Lefebvre was convicted. Jean Madiran simply says:

"A bishop who said," I will not submit myself to your modernism, "Rome does not answer:" It is not modernism, "but Rome says:" Even if it's modernism, you must submit ! ""

According to Catholic doctrine, taught by St Thomas Aquinas, obedience is a moral virtue, which holds the balance between defect, disobedience, refusing to comply with lawful orders, and an excess, which can call servility, which even subjected to illegal orders.

Archbishop Lefebvre, writing in the mid-1980s on his 1974 Declaration:

I published a declaration which began with these phrases:

“We adhere with all our heart and all our soul to Catholic Rome, guardian of the Catholic Faith and the traditions necessary to maintain it, and to Eternal Rome, mistress of wisdom and truth. On the other hand we refuse and have always refused to follow the Rome of the neo-Modernist and the  new Protestant trend which was clearly evident in the Second Vatican Council and, after the Council in all the reforms which flowed from it.”

The words were no doubt rather sharp but they expressed and still express my thinking.

Open Letter to Confused Catholics, book by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, 1986



[If anyone needs an explanation of the point of this post, please let me know.  :wink: ]