An Outstanding Catholic Bishop renowned world-wide as the standard bearer of Roman Catholic Tradition -- the only Bishop in the world to denounce publicly the radical Vatican II Reforms (until joined in November, 1983 by Bishop Antonio de Castro-Mayer of Brazil.) Distinguished by extraordinary zeal, organizational ability and an affable, courteous nature. Born of devout parents, one of eight children (five were priests and nuns).
40 years as a missionary and seminary professor.
15 years Archbishop of Dakar and Apostolic Delegate to French-speaking Africa.
6 years Superior General of the Holy Ghost Fathers (largest missionary congregation in the world, Bishop of Tulle, and Head of Rome's French Seminary.
Helped form Coetus Internationalis Patrum at Vatican II (effort to uphold Sacred Tradition.)
Founded Priestly Society of St. Pius X (preserving the Holy Priesthood and the Latin Tridentine Mass.)
Ordained also traditional Benedictines, Dominicans, Capuchins, and the Fraternity of the Transfiguration.
Travelled throughout the world to confer Confirmation in the traditional rite.
"Those who refuse the Magisterium of the Church . . . have separated themselves from the Church . . . We do not want to separate ourselves from it. Never!" (6/83)
"Be assured that if any Bishop breaks wih Rome, it will not be I." (3/75)
"We continue in the Church, as did our predecessors, our parents and our ancestors." (6/83)
"We are not linked with any particular movement, party or organization; we are bound to the Church, the Roman Catholic Church . . ." (3/73)
An official congregation of Roman Catholic priests presently headed by Bp. Bernard Fellay, founded by Archbishop Lefebvre with canonical approval in 1970 in Switzerland. Now numbering well over 400 priests, 180 seminarians, 55 Brothers, 120 Sisters, 65 Oblates and hundreds upon hundreds of Third Order members, it operates seven major seminaries (Switzerland, United States, Argentina, Australia, the Phillipines, France and Germany) and chapels all over the world. It is a proven antidote to the poison of Modernism, the heresy which has all but destroyed the Catholic Faith.
After Vatican II -- when most prelates rushed to make drastic changes and innovations, turning their parishes, seminaries and convents upside-down, disdaining Papal Authority -- Archbishop Lefebvre instead carefully steered his Society along the sure path of Sacred Tradition, clinging to the Latin Tridentine Mass and to the Church's classic formation of priests, all the while remaining loyal to the Successor of Peter and attached to Eternal Rome.
Thousands upon thousands of Catholics flocked to his support. Confused by the upheaval in the Church but wisely fearful of breaking with the Pope, they recognized in Archbishop Lefebvre a faithful shepherd of Our Lord's sheep who proclaimed courageously all that they understood to be the same Faith into which they had been baptized.
Some have accused the Society of breaking with the Pope because it refuses to embrace changes which are Modernist; on the other hand, because it refuses to break with the Pope, others accuse it of compromising with Modernists! But, neither charge is true . . .
The Society of Saint Pius X has neither given way on Doctrine nor broken off with Rome. Thus, the Society serenely goes its way, as Archbishop Lefebvre said, with "no rebellion, no bitterness, no resentment", carrying on the work of the Church in the same way she has done since the days of the Apostles.
We are Roman Catholics, professing filial loyalty to Pope John Paul II as Successor to St. Peter. We accept all that comes from proper authority which is in keeping with the Truths, Doctrines and Traditions of Holy Mother Church, and we necessarily reject all that does not conform to those criteria.
In particular, we pay humble tribute to the Blessed Virgin Mother of God, Mediatrix of all graces, who plays a crucial role in our sanctification and in the welfare of society.
We are simply striving to save our souls in the way that Roman Catholics have always done, through:
The Traditional Latin Mass, the same Mass canonized for all time by order of the Council of Trent;
The Sacraments instituted by Our Lord Jesus Christ;
The pious practices which for generations have nourished sanctity and forged saints, especially the Divine Office and the Holy Rosary.
Most importantly, we are handing down to today's youth the same Faith passed on to us as children, a Faith unchangeable in its essence for 2,000 years.
"We cleave, with all our heart and with all our soul, to Catholic Rome, the guardian of the Catholic Faith . . . and of the traditions necessary for the maintenance of that Faith." -- Archbishop Lefebvre, 1/75.
"It is a principle of our Faith that we MUST HAVE a superior, an authority." -- Fr. Schmidberger, 3/83.
"The priests of the Society of St. Pius X are validly ordained priests. The Catholics who follow Archbishop Lefebvre belong to the Catholic Church." -- Msgr. Johannes Tobei, Vicar General of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Berlin, 12/86.
In these turbulent times, it is a blesing to have places where we can still find peace of soul . . . where the Divine Presence is reverently adored . . . where priests preach ONLY sacred doctrine! However, the exceptional crisis in the Church today places us under the Holy Father and attached to the Church not through local dioceses but DIRECTLY through the Society of St. Pius X.
"Pray to the Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, for She is at the heart of all these disputes and She has always defeated heresies." -- Archbishop Lefebvre, 11/64
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