Archbishop Lefebvre and the Vatican - Part I: The Documents (1988) - 24 May Letter of Archbishop Lefebvre to Cardinal Ratzinger

On May 24, Archbishop Lefebvre met with Cardinal Ratzinger once again. He insisted once more on the necessity of consecrating several bishops and of having a majority of members on the Roman Commission, indispensable requirements for protecting Catholic Tradition from the deleterious influences of Modernist Rome and conciliarist bishops. He was asked by a reporter from the magazine 30 Days: “A few weeks later, on May 24, the Holy See fixed the date of the ordination for August 15, as you had requested. Why didn’t you accept?” His Grace replied: “I had lost faith. It was necessary to threaten continually in order to obtain something. No collaboration was any longer possible. The case of the Roman Commission, in which they wanted to put us in a minority, confirms this.”⁶⁸

The Archbishop gave to the Cardinal the following letter, insisting on the same requests he had already made to Cardinal Gagnon in November 1987.

Eminence,

It seems necessary to me to stress what I wrote to you on May 6 past.

Upon reflection, it appears clear that the goal of these dialogues is to reabsorb us within the Conciliar Church, the only Church to which you make allusion during these meetings.

We hoped that you would give us the means to continue and develop the works of Tradition, especially by giving us some coadjutors, at least three, and by giving a majority to Tradition in the Roman Commission.

Now, on these two points which we deem necessary to maintain our works outside of all progressivist and conciliar influence, we are not satisfied.

Therefore, with much regret we feel obliged to ask that, before the date of June 1, you indicate clearly to us what the intentions of the Holy See are on these two points: consecration of three bishops asked for June 30, and a majority of members from Tradition in the Roman Commission.

Without an answer to this request, I shall proceed with the publication of the names of the candidates to the episcopacy whom I will consecrate on June 30 with the collaboration of His Excellency Bishop de Castro Mayer.

My health and the apostolic necessities for the growth of our work, do not allow for any further delay.

In the hope that these requests will be taken into consideration, please accept, Your Eminence, my respectful and fraternally devoted sentiments in Jesus and Mary.

† Marcel Lefebvre

 

68. .30 Days, July 1988, pp.13 14.