Fr. Libietis: A Bishop Speaks from Beyond the Grave

[Stone]

THE SEED IS PLANTED

[Fr. Helmuts Libietis - Resistance Brochure #4 of 7]

Lasting change takes time. Effective change takes time. Disease takes its time. Recovery of health takes time. In education, constantly repeating and reviewing ideas, over a long period of time, is essential to make the ideas “stick” in the mind. The masters of propaganda know this! When a massive unpopular change is the goal, it usually must be brought about by small acceptable steps. A forced change is not as good as a desired change. You can always force people to do something, but it works better if they want to do it. So you have to “sell the product” to those who don’t really want it. This calls for a gradual introduction of and acclimatization to thing you want “to sell.” We have seen that approach followed in the introduction of sinful laws in many countries. Talk about it rarely (and condemn it)—then talk about it more (but condemn it less)—talk even more (and condemn even less)—then talk all the time—then when the shock factor wears off and people are used to the idea—THEN DO IT!

It is just like the musical transition referred to in first of these four flyers. So the SSPX introduces the idea or possibility of union with Modernist Rome, but at the same time refuses it vehemently. Then it will bring the idea back more and more often, and oppose it less and less vehemently, until, at last, it will put it into practice. The perfect “sales pitch”! In the following quotes, you will see Bishop Fellay speak of both ideas—the idea of union with Rome and, at the same time, a refusal of it. At first the refusal is powerful, and then, over time, by 2012, it loses its strength. The comments seeming to favor the idea of union with Modernist Rome are highlighted in RED and the comments that seem resistant to the idea of union with Modernist Rome is in GREEN. [Note, the source of these brochures did not provide the color-coding referenced here. But with our attention drawn to the differences, it is easy Fr. Libietis' points to follow without it. - The Catacombs] Whether Bishop Fellay was slowly working towards a deal or not, the ‘music’ of his words skillfully intertwines the two opposing ideas.


2001
“If Rome calls upon us as firemen to help put out the fire, we will not refuse our services, but before we get involved in the blaze, we do ask for the gas-line, which is the source of the fire, to be cut off! .... We are being offered a practical solution not to be held up by points of dispute [over doctrine]. Rome neither denies that there are points to be disputed, nor does it refuse to deal later with such questions, but it is inviting us to re-enter the fold without further delay. As a sign of good-will, we are being offered a solution acceptable in itself, in fact a solution which would suit us down to the ground from a purely practical point of view. Yet it is an offer we must refuse....this division cannot be healed by a merely practical agreement. We embody the contradiction without meaning to do so, and a practical agreement will not change this basic situation. The solution to the problem is to be sought elsewhere ... For Rome’s part, to settle the question, of the seeming separation, is of primary importance, and takes priority over all else; doctrinal questions will be talked about later. Through this pursuit of unity, Rome has indeed changed its position towards us, it [Rome] is indeed seeking for a solution, but as far as we are concerned it is missing the point. For sure, we wish to see this crisis come to an end. For sure, we wish to cease being opposed to Rome. But that calls for a different approach altogether ... we would by no means refuse a true discussion with Rome of the real questions, but we have not yet reached that point.” (Bishop Fellay, May 2001, Letter to Friends & Benefactors, No. 60)



The following quotes, from a very long conference in Kansas City, MO, in 2002, continue this ‘musical transition’ that seeks to reconcile two opposing ideas. The old melody of Archbishop Lefebvre still dominates, but the new tune surfaces more and more. The whole conference is very traditional and powerful, but talk of union with Rome will start to dominate over the next ten years. Already we see subtle favorable comments about Rome appearing, while we are made to feel safe by also hearing the usual condemnations. The seeds of change are thus sown!

2002
“We are able to say that a new phase in the history of the Society of St. Pius X has begun. It touches seriously on the question of our existence and of our future ... we first have to remind ourselves of the principles which guide us... first...we are Roman Catholics and we want to stay Roman Catholics...; second ... the Catholic Church is our Mother, that the bad things that happen to the Church hurt us, crush us ...; third...we are Romans! ... That’s why whenever we look to Rome, we expect to hear the voice of the Lord from the mouth of the Vicar of Christ....when Rome approaches us, our first reaction as Catholics is to look at it with a favorable eye because we constantly expect that one day we will be able to hear again the voice of the Lord ... At this meeting [with Cardinal Castrillón Hoyos in December 2001] I wanted to stress two things, the first of which was that whatever happens—even if there is an agreement with Rome—the Society of St. Pius X is going to “continue to fight against Liberalism, Modernism, and Freemasonry....I re-stated all our objections to Vatican II—religious liberty, ecumenism, collegiality. I spoke of the new Code of Canon Law. I threw a lot of punches and I was really amazed to see how much he was able to absorb and still continue in a pleasant way. I really admired that. I thought, well, he is really a mediator, because I really threw a lot of things at him....The cardinal seemed to be happy with my answers....

“At the end of the discussion, he asked, ‘When will you be back in Rome?’ I said, ‘Around January 15th.’ ‘Okay, come here, we’ll have a formal meeting, and we’ll sign an agreement.’ Done! Two weeks! I replied, ‘No, that’s not possible.’ He said, ‘We’ll have a little meeting with the pope and, once it’s signed, we’ll have a formal meeting with the pope.’ Without committing myself, I anticipated I would receive a visit around January 15th.... Later that evening, on December 29th, I received a phone call from Cardinal Castrillón: ‘The meeting with the pope is scheduled for tomorrow at 11am.’ I said, ‘I’m sorry, but my plane’s at noon.’ I asked if he could reschedule. ‘No!’ he answered, ‘there’s a general audience at St. Peter’s Square.’ I tried to change my plane, but couldn’t, so I called back and said, ‘I can’t, I’m sorry. It’s Saturday; Sunday, I’m busy. I cannot be there at 11am. There are no seats available on the planes.’ The cardinal said, ‘I’ll take care of that.’ And he did! He got me on each plane from Rome to Zurich on that Saturday afternoon and night! I don’t know how he did it! It’s unbelievable, really! So, I had no excuses....

“Our relations with Rome are made difficult because of the behavior of Rome itself, which does unbelievable things and, on the other hand, allows bishops to do even worse things. As long as Rome continues like this, we will continue as we do. Even if Rome gives us a beautiful administration, we’ll continue to fight where we must fight. That is why we request that we enter into real, true discussion on doctrinal matters. But they don’t want to.” (Bishop Fellay, Conference in Kansas City, MO, March 5, 2002)



In the following quote, Bishop Fellay condemns the way in which the compromising traditional priests of Campos, Brazil, were acting towards Rome. Yet, what Campos did then, the SSPX is doing today! Little by little one can go far!

2003
“Rome means—all things being equal—to come to an agreement with the SSPX. On all sides we hear that the pope would like to settle this matter before he dies. [Bishop Fellay then speaks of the traditional priests of Campos who had reconciled with Rome] So little by little the will to fight grows weaker and finally one gets used to the situation. In Campos itself, everything positively traditional is being maintained, for sure, so the people see nothing different, except that the more perceptive amongst them notice the priests’ tendency to speak respectfully and more often of recent statements and events coming out of Rome, while yesterday’s warnings and today’s deviations are left out. The great danger here is that in the end one gets used to the situation as it is, and no longer tries to remedy it .... we are bound to say that the Campos priests, despite their claims to the contrary, are slowly being re-molded, following the lead of their new bishop. ” Bishop Fellay is now doing the exactly the same thing that he had condemned Campos for doing in 2002.  (Bishop Fellay, January 2003, Letter to Friends & Benefactors, No. 63)


2004
“We are sensitive to your [Cardinal Castrillón Hoyos] efforts and those of the Holy Father to come to our aid, and we see that this overture on your part is certainly very generous... before constructing a roadway on a bridge, one must lay its foundations. Otherwise the enterprise is doomed to failure. We do not see how we could arrive at a recognition without passing through a number of steps. ” Bishop Fellay then says those two steps must be the lifting of the excommunications and the granting of permission to all priests to say the Latin Mass. (Bishop Fellay, January 6, 2004, Letter to Cardinal Castrillón Hoyos)


2004
“Rome demands that we accept their proposition of a “personal jurisdiction.” The problem lies not in the juridical formulation, which seems acceptable to us in principle, although we do not know the concrete elements and implications of such a “juridical formula.” The problem remains as always on the level of doctrine. ” (Bishop Fellay, June 2004, Letter to Friends & Benefactors, No. 66)


2004
DICI (SSPX news website) asks: “In this interview for the Latin Mass magazine, Cardinal Castrillón-Hoyos does more than just stretch out a hand to the faithful attached to Tradition, he affirms that the Holy Father holds his arms open. Aren’t you touched by such a generous offer?”

+Fellay: “I am very much touched by this gesture and do not doubt the generosity behind it. But ... the Cardinal minimizes, as much as he can, the real difficulties which exist on both sides. ”

DICI: “So, for you, it is doctrine, integral doctrine, or nothing? Doesn’t this position of “all or nothing” lack realism?”

+Fellay: “We are firm, but not unreachable. Doubtless, doctrine is fundamental, but we do think there are some preliminary stages to go through. That is the reason why, from the very beginning, we proposed two preliminary conditions to the Roman authorities...These conditions are: the withdrawal of the decree of excommunication against the bishops of the Society and the acknowledgment of the right for every priest to celebrate the traditional Mass. ” (Bishop Fellay, July 20, 2004, DICI interview)


After the 1988 Episcopal Consecrations, Archbishop Lefebvre said after that the only way there could be union with Rome was if Rome returned to Tradition—otherwise it would be a dialogue of death. In other words, it is a doctrinal problem, not a practical problem. Bishop Fellay here sets out on a path that devalues the issue of doctrine, and will eventually lead to a “cut-price-deal” on a practical level, while leaving doctrinal differences for a later date! Little by little one can go far!


2004
“We see a certain development for the better. What I say, we cannot take as a general law, that is, I cannot say that now everything is fine—that wouldn’t be correct. But what we see is a certain lessening in the opposition which we are facing. Till about the year 2000, there was a huge wall. We were facing one thing, and that was a big, big “No” to Tradition. Since the year 2000 we see little by little certain things, certain bishops, certain persons in the hierarchy who are no longer so heavily against us. The wall is crumbling. “We request from Rome, that Rome confirm us in the Faith ... We have the strict right to request this from the Roman authorities, and we do not think that we will really progress towards an agreement as long as Rome has not shown a concrete will to dissipate the smoke that has invaded the temple of God ...There will be no agreement before then.” (Bishop Fellay, November 10, 2004, Conference in Kansas City, MO)


Due to increasing bad health (Parkinson’s disease from 2001), Pope John Paul II was little involved in the talks with the SSPX. On April 2, 2005, he died. Cardinal Ratzinger replaced him as Pope Benedict XVI. This would see the rapid sprouting and growth of the seeds planted in the earlier years.