... has rejected the "apology" produced by the Lefebvrist who told lies about the WWII Holocaust.This feature in an American paper, written by Sherry Tyree - a colleague and friend in the excellent Women for Faith and Family group - is a useful read.
Pray for the Holy Father: he worked with the Jewish community to build good relations and real friendships which were warmly reciprocated: it was lovely to see the gatherings at the synagogues in Cologne and New York on his visits. "The sun is shining and the heavens are rejoicing on this day" the Rabbi in New York told him. The meetings and goodwill echoed back with his time in Rome working with John Paul II, and earlier as Archbishop of Regensburg. It is heartbreaking to see a dissident Catholic group undermining this.
It is difficult to see how the Lefebvrists can be brought back to the Church without major restructuring. Williamson is no marginal figure: until publicity forced his departure he was running their seminary.
12 comments:
I think most people would consider a move from being bishop to being a seminary rector to be step downwards. My suspicion is that this flamboyant and silly Enlgishman has been an embarrassment to the mainstream members of the Society of St Pius X for some time.
Of course he's an embarrassment: Rector of the Seminary, Bishop, one of the four leaders of the group - doesn't get more mainstream than that. It was the revelation that he clearly considered his lies to be a fairly normal thing to say - couldn't see that they were particularly controversial - that made people realise something of the sub-culture of this group, and the barriers to their being reconciled to the Church.
If you think his remarks merely "silly" you really haven't got the point at all.
The ordination of Williamson as bishop clearly shows that Marcel Lefebrve was no judge of character. If you look at the YouTube film of the ceremony Williamson looks by far the dottiest of the quartet and his colleagues must have known that potentially he was a loose canon. The rest we know. Perhaps you should cycle over to Wimbledon in your Sound of Music garb to make his acquaintance.
How right you are that we must pray for our Holy Father.
BTW, he wasn't Archbishop of Regensburg. Rather, he was a professor there, but later was appointed Archbishop of Munich.
Yes, we must pray for our Holy Father. We should notice a pattern in news stories about him: when something positive occurs, such as Nancy Pelosi being unable to use her visit with him as a PR coup, there will follow several negative stories: such as Hans Kung's criticm recently, and the withdrawal of an Austrian nomination to the episcopate. I truly believe Satan increases his efforts when the Church achieves anything good. And sadly he finds willing helpers right inside the church these days.
A bit unfair to call it lies: we have no reason to believe he wasn't sincere in what he said about having to come to his conclusions on the basis of whatever reading he'd done, whatever we may think of his judgement.
Joanna, with respect (sincerely) I don't think you fully understand the matter at hand.
I'm not a member of the SSPX but it's certainly a subject that interests me.
1) You refer to "Rector of THE seminary" In fact, he was the rector of "A" seminary. The SSPX have seminaries around the world. It's not as if he were given a plum assignment. Indeed, the seminary in Argentina would probably be among the least sought after postings.
2) He's not "one of the four leaders of the group". The leader -- as in any religious order -- is the Superior General. Period.
3) I think, in charity, that it's you who "haven't gotten the point at all". To call a man a liar for expressing sincerely held views/beliefs (no matter how wrong) borders on the sin of calumny.
We can certainly agree that Muslims, Jews. Mormons, Hindus, etc believe things that are clearly "wrong", "misinformed", or "incomplete" from the Christian point of view. But does it make them all liars?
Dear Brendan
I'm not quite sure what point you are trying to make. We are perfectly well aware that the Lefebvrists have other seminaries. What is scary is that this man was heading one of them until publicity forced his departure. It is fairly usual to describe the seminary in any one country or diocese as "the seminary".
The Lefebvrists claim to be Catholic, and the expression "Bishop" among Catholics indicates, among other things, a position of leadership. He is one of the four chosen for this position in the Lefebvrists, with one of them as the superior. Actually their consecration as Bishops is illicit. But they are certainly the leaders of the group, which is precisely why this whole thing has been so embarrassing for them. I think perhaps you do not understand the significance of the episcopal office which this man claims.
It's a standard courtesy to suggest that people who say dreadful or untruthful things nevertheless do so out of sincere conviction. In this particular instance, we have been told that he now intends to spend time checking out the relevant material about the gassing of the Jews, something which he previously seemed to assume was unneccessary before stating categorically on television that it hadn't occurred.
I am a little ashamed of your obvious bias here. You condemn thousands of people throughout the world because of one man's stupidity.
Your blog has shown a lack of charity to the Society as a whole. Can I assume you want only those persons you agree with within the fold of the Church?
Forgive me if I'm wrong here, but you've made quite plain what you think of the SSPX, and yet you comment on none of the other abuses within the Church (e.g. the Austrian bishops scandal, for example).
Pity...
I do forgive you and you are wrong.
I am not condemning "thousands throughout the world". Dr Williamson may or may not be stupid (after all, he was running the seminary and must be assumed to have academic qualifications and so on?)but has most certainly said some dreadful things, and in a manner indicating that he was confident and unembarrassed about saying them. His subsequent failure to apologise, or initially even to recognise the wrong he had done, may indicate stupidity, but since 1988 the Lefebvrists have had him as a senior and leading figure, holding a major responsible position, a fact which needs to be recognised and its implications discussed.
Your quarrel is not with me but with the Holy Father and with the Church.
Stay calm, and think before you write. This is an important matter and the Church may have a wisdom that you need to recognise.
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Williamsons comments have hurt the relatives and survivors of the Shoah.They have embarrassed the Holy Father,and given the media everything they wanted.Though I do struggle with the idea of Argentina asking him to leave the country.Is this not the same Argentina that harboured Eichmann?It appears that you can be involved in the holocaust but dont comment on it .
B-16, in his spirit of goodwill, extended a hand of welcoming and peace to SSPX. They did not accept his overture. Why they hold fast in their unwillingness to "give a little" and accept the olive branch so graciously offered by Rome, only they can say. Looking at the website of the SSPX. . .what a bunch of schmucks. Aren't people who are not in communion with the Pope, and who do not recognize him as the true successor of St. Peter. . .aren't they Prots, even if they're dressed up as more-Catholic-than-B 16-Catholics?
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