[Major Catholic Schism Partially Ended!!!]: Lefebvre Catholics opt for full communion with Rome

www.FIDES.org ^ | 1-18-2002 | staff

[Notwithstanding]

Fides News 020118

BRAZIL
Lefebvre Catholics opt for full communion with Rome

Rio de Janeiro (Fides) – Today Friday January 18, the only schism in the Church on the most Catholic of continents, Latin America, is over. Brazilian Catholics who had followed the line of the late French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, are being welcomed back to the bosom of the Church after 20 years of separation. The "traditionalists", as the group is called, led by Bishop Licinio Rangel and 26 priests, are mostly in the state of Rio de Janeiro, in Campos dos Goytacazes region. They have decided to return to full communion with the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church of Rome. The decision was strongly opposed by Mgr. Bernard Fellay, head of the Saint Pius X Fraternity, who even traveled to Brazil to try to persuade the group not to make the step of reconciliation with Rome.

The official ceremony, with the reading of the statement of welcome written by Pope John Paul II, will take place in Campos, at Sao Salvador Cathedral at 6pm. After reciting the Creed and singing the Te Deum the congregation will move to the church Imaculado Coracao de Nossa Senhora do Rosario de Fatima – built by the traditionalists – for a prayer to Our Lady. The Holy Father will be represented by Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos, Prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Clergy. Others present will include the Nuncio in Brazil, Archbishop Alfio Rapisarda; emeritus Archbishop of Rio, Cardinal Eugenio Sales; the Bishop of Campos Roberto Guimaraes; the Metropolitan Archbishop of Niteroi Carlos Alberto Navarro.

Also present an official of the Congregation for the Clergy Rev. Fernando Guimaraes who spoke to Fides on the eve of the ceremony. "The great victory today is for Christ and his Church", Fr Fernando says, explaining that reconciliation began in 2000, during the Great Jubilee, when the group made a pilgrimage to Rome and was welcomed by Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos with a lunch and dialogue. Not long afterwards the group sent a letter with a request for reintegration which was granted by Pope John Paul II in a document, which will be read during the ceremony, containing indications to be followed. From now on they recognise: the authority of the Pope as Vicar of Christ and Shepherd of the Church; the legitimacy of the Second Vatican Council; the validity of the Mass approved by Pope Paul VI. The Traditionalists have permission to celebrate Mass in Latin (St Pius V rite ), using the Pope John XXIII Missal.

During these twenty years the Traditionalists have built churches and chapels, opened a seminary, a school, social centres and monasteries. Today in Brazil there are about 28,000 of them. The priests will form the Apostolic Administration of St Jean Marie Vianney, a form of ecclesiastical circumscription which will depend directly on the Pope. Their Bishop Licinio Rangel, now officially recognised Apostolic Administrator, says he and his priests will travel to Rome to thank the Pope personally. Bishop Rangel says that thanks to John Paul II the diocese of Campos is now in peace and "in full communion with the Vatican". He also said that the diocesan Bishop will continue to be Mgr. Roberto Guimaraes whom he praised highly attributing to him the merit for the end of the schism.

Fr Fernando Guimaraes told Fides that in Campos there is "an air of great rejoicing and participation". This event is "reunion in the spirit of Jesus Christ – <that they may be one>". Fr Guimares sees the event as "a moment of great historical value because the schism had its apex in this Pontificate of Pope Paul II, and now during the same Pontificate it is healed" and he added that "this is the first group to request reintegration. Dialogue with other groups remains open but, time is in God’s hands".

The Traditionalist Catholics of Campos diocese were followers of the French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre and the Brazilian Bishop Antonio de Castro Mayer, contrary to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council. In a joint celebration in Switzerland, both men ordained four bishops, in open contrast with directions issued by Pope John Paul II.

The situation in Campos is isolated while in other places dialogue is hampered by a certain rigidity on the part of the interlocutors. It is estimated that Lefebvre followers are about 300 priests and circa a million faithful. Some lay groups are forming communities which have no contact either with the Catholic Church or with the Traditionalist.    (Fides 18/1/2002)

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[Lent]

Just so we understand what 'duck' is talking about here. This is a loose coalition of the Maronite with the Druze (heretical Muslims) against SYRIAN occupation of Lebanon and has nothing to do with ganging up on Jews.

[ventana]

Is the picture of the Pope with a Muslim verified that he is kissing the Koran, or is it a bible. Does anyone know? V's wife.

[sinkspur]

Thanks. I often can't discern what "duck" is talking about.

[EODGUY]

If we continue to receive encouraging news, you may never sleep again.:)

[Dog Gone]

I don't mind it posted at all. I guess I was hoping for something that lived up to its billing in the editorialized headline and justified it as breaking news.

Admittedly, I'm not Catholic, and I don't know whether Jimmy Lefebvre is. He did write me a letter once which I think I still have.

I do like the trading card idea. There is money to be made there. ;-)

[duck soup]

Read the history of the Druze and Maronites. I pointed out the sources how it is coming back. You however, lambast Issa and say he has a connection with Arab terrorist and he is a Lebanese Christian.

I happen to agree there may be some sympathy held by Issa. But I draw the line when the JDL tries to "off" the guy. You don't, you support the JDL.

Your rants are riddled with contradictions.

[onyx]

True enough today! I'm still thrilled sleepless!

[Rodney King]

What's the tridentine mass?

[Smogger]

Why has the Breaking News section suddenly become a proving ground for Catholic issues?

Catholics are the largest denomination of Christians in the world. Many of them (including myself) are represented on FR. Get over it.

[roachie]

Bring Back Holy Cards! :)

[Mike Fieschko]

What's the tridentine mass?

It's the Mass the form of which was codified after the Council of Trent, hence 'Tridentine', and was the Mass celebrated up until the Second Vatican Council and shortly thereafter.

Here's a link.

[duck soup]

Catholics, Jews Unite To Attack Scholar's Latest

In addition to a relatively consensual criticism of Pius XII's inaction to help Jews, Mr. Goldhagen also claims that the pope was an anti-Semite who collaborated with Nazi Germany - like Marshall Philippe Petain in France or Vidkun Quisling in Norway - most noticeably by signing a concordat agreement with Adolph Hitler in 1933.

(snip)Mr. Goldhagen goes on to describe as insufficient efforts made by the church since the war, from the "tepid and deeply flawed" Vatican II Council in 1965, which officially recognized that the Jews did not kill Jesus, to the "half-heartedness and historical fabrications" of the 1998 "We Remember" declaration by the church on the Holocaust, which acknowledged the shortcomings of the church during the war.

Which one of you supports Goldhagen's statements. And sinkspur, lent, how many traditional Catholics were killed by the Nazis.

[sinkspur]

The Mass of Pius V, mandated at the Council of Trent, and celebrated until Vatican II, when Paul VI promulgated the Novus Ordo (The New Order) Mass.

There are many SSPXer's here who will tell you that the Novus Ordo is bastardized and illegal, since Pius V said the Tridentine Mass was to be celebrated for "time immemorial." ` They also don't like the Novus Ordo because it's in the vernacular language, the priest faces the people, and a host of other changes from the Tridentine Mass.

No Pope can bind another Pope on matters of liturgy, so the Novus Ordo is the manner of celebrating the Mass used today.

The SSPX left in a huff in 1987, ostensibly over the Tridentine Mass, but really over the fact that its members didn't accept Vatican II.

The Tridentine Mass is permitted today, but only with special permission from the bishop..

[sinkspur]

Why are you cluttering up this thread with stuff that has nothing to do with the subject at hand?

I have no idea how many Catholics, traditional or otherwise, were killed by the Nazis.

[A CA Guy]

Why has the Breaking News section suddenly become a proving ground for Catholic issues? by Psycho_Bunny

I think anytime there is negative Catholic breaking news stories that somebody should over and over again post positive ones. It kind of equalizes the bashing a little. I have no problem with that.
There are daily positive Catholic news stories being published by the hour in the news.

[duck soup]

The fact that you don't know how many traditional Catholics were killed speaks towards your own contradictions and bigotry.

After all it was the traditonal SSPXers that were killed.

You and lent sure do like to criticize the "bad" christians" and that is the point. History forgotten or ignored.

[HapaxLegamenon]

The issue is not to outlaw the "Latin Mass". It is between The Mass of Pius V (Tridentine Mass) and the Mass of Paul VI (Novus Ordo, or New Mass).

In fact the New Mass is a "Latin Mass" because:

1) It is the Mass of the Latin or Roman Rite

2) It is promulgated in Latin, and Latin is its "offical" language

3) It cannot not be translated from Latin into any other language unless the Pope give an indult (N.B. Such permission has never been turn down since Vatican II. So much so that many people do not know that the NEW MASS is a LATIN MASS

[A CA Guy]

I don't think people here would have a problem telling you millions died. They were trying to be tactfull telling you the issue you are bringing up is off topic for this thread.

An example would be like you talking about how to change a diaper while the rest of the thread is talking about abortion.

Come join THIS topic.

[sinkspur]

The fact that you don't know how many traditional Catholics were killed speaks towards your own contradictions and bigotry.

After all it was the traditonal SSPXers that were killed.

The SSPX wasn't in existence as an organization during WWII.

"Contradictions and bigotry"? What the hell is wrong with you?

Drunk already?