<h1>[Catholic Caucus] The Lefebvre/Mindszenty Connection</h1>

Editor’s Note: I am pleased to present Father Wilson’s crucial historical observation about the context of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre’s reservations where trusting the Vatican in 1988 was concerned. With rumors flying today that Francis is allegedly claiming the “SSPX is not in schism” and that he may even be planning to confirm a SSPX bishop or two, I can’t help but to ask the obvious question: Do those celebrating this rumor somehow imagine that the Vatican hadn’t offered Lefebvre the same deal in 1988? I lived through that drama. I remember it well. It wasn’t that Archbishop Lefebvre had not been offered a way out of his predicament; it was, rather, that he didn’t trust the Vatican, pure and simple! He turned down their offer because he believed that hierarchs who had betrayed God (at Assisi, for example) could not be trusted to honor agreements with men (Just look how they'd betrayed Mindszenty!). Today, 35 years later, when the situation has only gone from bad to apocalyptic under Francis, it seems to me we are left with two alternatives: Either Lefebvre was wrong in 1988 for not trusting the Vatican in the first place; or the SSPX would be foolhardy to trust the Vatican today. If this is more than a mere rumor, and Francis really is about to approve a new bishop for the SSPX – right after his fatwa against the Latin Mass – I would paraphrase the Trojan priest, Laocoön, in reference to that other Trojan Horse: Beware of Romans bearing gifts. MJM

The Remnant has a fine article on Archbishop Lefebvre on its website, dealing in part with the contentions of those who think that he should not have proceeded with the consecration of the four bishops, that he should have trusted in the promises of the Vatican that he would be provided with an auxiliary, etc.

I always wonder when I hear that sort of thing why Cardinal Mindszenty has been so utterly forgotten. After years of refuge in the American Embassy in Hungary, he found himself an unwanted guest. He was in the way of Nixon’s outreach to the East as well, of course, as the baleful Ostpolitik of Paul VI’s Vatican.

Obviously, Archbishop Lefebvre was aware of this story. I have no doubt that he was very aware of other stories about the workings of the Vatican. It has always seemed to me necessary to understand this context if one is to understand Lefebvre’s decision not to trust the promises of the Vatican.

Eventually he told the Pope that reluctantly he would leave the Embassy and leave Hungary (Cardinal Stepinac had privately sent him word that he must not let himself fall into the hands of the Communist authorities. Stepinac was under house arrest in his sister’s house, under very grim restrictive conditions which had ruined life for his family). But he made it clear to the Pope several times that for the good of the Church in Hungary he had to remain Archbishop of Esztergom and primate of Hungary.

Mindszenty left Hungary and first went to Rome. Paul VI welcomed him effusively, hung his own pectoral cross around Mindszenty’s neck, put a large Vatican apartment at his disposal, had him concelebrate at his right hand at the opening Mass of the Synod of Bishops and invited all present to welcome him.

2012 Cardinal Mindszenty Paul VI 300x242
Cdl. Mindszenty and Pope Paul VI

Eventually Mindszenty decided upon residence in a seminary in Austria, as near to Hungary as he could get. Before leaving he concelebrated a final Mass with the Pope and the Hungarian priests and seminarians in Rome. Pail VI said to him privately, “You are and remain Archbishop of Esztergom and primate of Hungary. Continue working, and if you have difficulties always turn trustfully to us!” A Hungarian prelate was asked by the Pope to reiterate this promise to him: “The Cardinal will always remain Archbishop of Esztergom and primate of Hungary.”

United Socialist States of America: Cardinal Mindszenty’s Warning

This was in 1971. By the turn of 1973 Mindszenty was holding a Letter from the Pope declaring the see of Esztergom vacant. And soon afterwards Mindszenty was obliged to issue a public correction of press stories that he had voluntarily resigned. All of this story can be found in the Memoirs of Cardinal Mindszenty (Macmillan, 1974, page 237ff). The last line of the book: “This is the path I traveled to the end, and this is how I arrived at complete and total exile.”

Obviously, Archbishop Lefebvre was aware of this story. I have no doubt that he was very aware of other stories about the workings of the Vatican. It has always seemed to me necessary to understand this context if one is to understand Lefebvre’s decision not to trust the promises of the Vatican. Today, of course, any sensible person can see that his judgment is vindicated.

After Lefebvre had initially signed the document but before he backed out, I was on the phone with Fr. Williamson, who had told me not to be so sure this was going to happen. Of course, now Bishop Williamson has gone his own way, but he was right.

After the agreement was signed, the Vatican kept on stalling on a date, trying to add conditions. While I wanted a healing at that time, I now see why Archbishop Lefebvre acted as he did. Even under the agreement, he would have only had one bishop.

The thought is that the latae sententiae excommunication would not apply if the Archbishop was subjectively acting on what he perceived as a genuine emergency, much as a bishop in Red China or the USSR dominated eastern European satellites had.

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