Ecce sacerdos magnus qui in diebus suis placuit Deo. Non est inventus similis illi, qui conservaret legem Excelsi. Alleluia, alleluia. Tu es sacerdos in aeternum, secundum ordinem Melchisedech. Alleluia
Behold a great priest, who in his days pleased God. There was not found the like to him, who kept the law of the Most High. Alleluia, alleluia,. Thou art a priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedech. Alleluia.
Gradual from the Mass "statuit" in honour of a Confessor Bishop
Seventeen years ago yesterday, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre was called to his eternal reward. But thanks to his indefegatable missionary work that continued to the day of his death, he left behind not a void but a great heritage. I do not hide the fact that I am an "adherent" of the S.S.P.X, but I think that anyone who calls himself traditionalist, of any stripe, must admit that if it weren't for Archbishop Lefebvre, there would have been no such heritage left to us. For even if one rejects the argument that neither the indult of days past nor Summorum Pontificum would have come to pass were it not for the actions of Abp. Lefebvre, we must realise that all of the founders of the F.S.S.P. were at one time his seminarians.
In those black days following Vatican II, Archbishop Lefebvre was the only one who gave succour to those lost seminarians who begged for a proper formation in the tradition of the Church. And alongside Bishop de Castro Meyer, he was the only one who forcefully and without equivocation passed on that which he had recieved.
I am convinced that whenever this crisis is finally over, the gradual prayer above will be prayed at the feast of Saint Marcel Lefebvre, Confessor and Bishop. Perhaps even a doctor, for his clear and faithful teaching in an era of anything but. For him, no sacrifice was too great, no price too high, for the Mass of All Time and the Faith of the Ages. Thus, he was prepared to face the accusation of "schism" when it came time to either abandon the orphans left in the wake of Vatican II, or to ensure for the future. Thus he, preferring the glory which comes from God to that which comes from men (Jn. XII,xlii) consecrated four spritual sons to the episcopate to continue the fight and raise up new soldiers for Christ.
He is remembered by many for his adherence to the Mass, which as "source and summit" rightly serves as a "banner" around which traditionalists rally. But I shall cherish him also for his great teaching of the Catholic Faith as it has always been in such works as They Have Uncrowned Him, Against the Heresies, and Open Letter to Confused Catholics. "What a marvel today for the scandalized People of God us a bishop who believes, who believes in the unchanging truths of the Faith with the profundity of the theologian and the simplicity of a child!" (SiSi NoNo, 31 March, 1991)
He could not, and he would not compromise. Deo Gratias. Were it not for him, I would not be a traditionalist. I would probably not even have any children, and if I did, I would not be able to give them the gift of the Catholic faith. I am eternally indebted to Abp. Lefebvre, and so are all those who call themselves traditionalists.
Blessed are ye when they shall speak all that is evil against you, untruly, for my sake (Mt. V,xi)
To those legal positivists who refuse to consider Natural Law, the injustice of the alleged "excommunication" or even Canon 1323, those who join with his enemies in hurling at him even more furiously the insult of "schismatic", recall that even in the worst case scenario that you are correct, the very law you use to support your abuse towards the Archbishop says that excommunication no longer seperates one from the Church and Abp. Lefebvre did recieve last rights (see Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legal Texts letter dated March 13, 2006).
Posted on Easter Wednesday, a.D. MMVIII
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