Holy Cross Seminary

1984

     The Society of Saint Pius X has reached the number of 120 priests, and Ecône also counts 120 seminarians. Fr. Schmidberger insists on a stabilization and consolidation with a happy expansion, and to hold on to the motto, "Neither heretics nor schismatic."

     The Pope, to the great scandal of Catholics traditional or not, preaches in the Lutheran temple of Rome in March. On the 10th of May, he bows before a bonze [a pagan priest - Ed.]in a Buddhist temple in Thailand; at the same time the Vatican abrogates the concordat with Italy. At this point the Archbishop starts to consider seriously the necessity of an episcopal consecration.

     Also in May, Mother Mary Jude is named Superior General of the Society of Saint Pius X Sisters, and in the US the northeast and southwest districts are reunified.

	Archbishop Lefebvre appears with Sisters of the Society of Saint Pius X at their mother-house shortly after the election of Mother Mary-Jude (from the US) as Superior General of the Order.

     Msgr. Ducaud Bourget dies in Paris in the middle of June. Chaplain of the Order of Malta, renowned poet and writer, |faithful to the traditional Mass, he was responsible for the liberation of St. Nicolas de Chardonnet. When the Osservatore Romano announced his suspension, in the literary pages of the same issue an article praised the latest book of a great Catholic (French writer, Francois Ducaud Bourget. No greater tribute I could please more the ironic character of our dear Abbé.

     During summer the happy expansion starts with foundations in Mexico, Colombia, South Africa, Holland, and Portugal. Our seminarians spend one month in Rome inaugurating what will become a yearly summer tradition. Directed by a priest, they are exposed during four weeks to the history, the art, and majestic beauty of the eternal city.

    October 3, the Indult. The Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship communicates to the presidents of the episcopal conferences that the diocesan bishops may allow the celebration of the Mass according to the 1962 typical edition of the Roman Missal. Among the draconian conditions, public evidence should exist that the petitioners have no ties with those who deny the doctrinal soundness of the missal promulgated by Paul VI, and that the celebration may take place only on those days and circumstances approved by the bishop. The letter is signed by Archbishop Mayer, afterwards Cardinal in charge of the Ecclesia Dei commission. He indicates that this Indult is to be used without prejudice to the liturgical reform.

     On October 18, in the so-called Document of Flavigny, the Society of Saint Pius X and 40 priests and laymen leaders of traditional works, refuse the conditions of the Indult and ask for a wider application without compromise regarding the Liturgical Reformation.

     In November, a Gallup poll requested by traditional Catholics of Vienna, VA, reveals that 40% of American Catholics want the return to traditional Mass, 53% will be happy to attend if it is restored.

     The Archbishop travels to Chile in November. 400 confirmations are announced in Santiago; 1,200 arrive. During a ceremony of four hours the Archbishop proceeds to the longest confirmation session in his life.

     On December 8 in Ecône, all the superiors make the Consecration of the Society of Saint Pius X to the Immaculate and Sorrowful Heart of Mary, prepared by an evening of prayers at Martigny attended by more than 4,000 faithful.

Fr. Emmanuel Du Chalard succeeded to the Editor's office at he death of Don Putti. Under his leadership, SiSiNoNo recently celebrated its tenth anniverwsary of publication with a series of conferences headlined by Bishop Bernard Fellay. here he speaks with Fr. Peter Scott, US District Superior, on a recent visit to the States. They are picturedin the library of Regina Coeli House.

     On December 21, Don Francesco Putti dies. A close spiritual dirigé of Padre Pio, he was a late vocation. Staunch defender of tradition in Rome, he founded the Disciples of the Cenacle, a feminine congregation, and the journal SiSiNoNo, which can be found hidden under every desk in the Roman Curia. Don Putti was feared by the Modernist hierarchy because of his no-nonsense approach and his tenacity that took him to sue the L'Osservatore Romano, obtaining the first public apology that the newspaper ever published. He was with us till the end.

     At the end of the year, Archbishop Lefebvre visits Card. Ratzinger, then goes to Africa, and at his return to Rome he sees Card. Gagnon, who gives shocking details of the network of conspiracy and corruption in Rome. The Archbishop comments:

     The situation is even worse than what we had thought until now.

Fr. Marcel lefebvre poses with seminarians from the Grand Seminary in Libreville, Gabon (1936), of which he became Rector in 1934.
Three of his students will become bishops: Bishop Makouaka, Bishop Okamba an Bishop François Ndong (circled),
who will become the first Gabonese bishop. Archbishop Lefebvre himself will perform the episcopal consecration in 1961.
Two others will become heads of state. Fr. Lefebvre wears the hat.

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