... to say a prayer for the repose of the soul of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre.
I do not think that every choice he made was the right one ... particularly his unwillingness at a crucial moment to trust Cardinal Ratzinger. But he tried to discern and to follow God's will for him as best he could. I doubt whether the Benedictine Restoration would be where it is now without the witness of Marcel Lefebvre. Cuius animae propitietur Deus.
A year before he succeeded in having him arrested and executed, Pope Alexander VI excommunicated Fra Girolamo Savonarola. A matter of decades later, St Philip Neri was championing the reputation of the Ferraran friar, who was depicted in a portait on St Philip's wall with a glory around his head. The Apostle of Rome would be joined down the centuries by other saints and beati (Pius V, Cardinal Fisher, Pius X, Giorgio Frassati) in regarding the fiery Dominican as a saint.
ReplyDeleteWhile he remains a controversial figure, the cause for Savonarola's canonization is open, and he continues to attract respect, admiration, and devotion. Alexander VI, on the other hand, is remembered as one of the worst popes to have ever reigned.
I remember well a day in 2001 the nunciature of Vienna. I was invited by the (late) Nuncio Archbishop Donato Squicciarini for lunch. He was before in Gabun als Papal Diplomat. He told me, that he has seen the admirable fruits of the missonary work of Lefebvre in francophone Africa. He considered Lefebvre the the greatest (!) Africa Missionary of the 20. century "and surely a saint". He was convinced about a future canonisation.
ReplyDeleteNo one is perfect, not even Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, of course. But, in my humble opinion, he is much more deserving of the glory of the Altars than John Paul II. The first - a Bishop in apostolic succession who witnessed to authentic orthodox catholic liturgical and dogmatic Tradition; the second, a Pope who wished to be seen as Leader amongst the world's religious leaders, for the cause of authentic Catholic worship seemed in practice to be of little importance. And I am convinced, that had Mons. Lefebvre not acted as he did, very very few priests would still be celebrating the Old Rite, and we who do, would be celebrating it only in secret.
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