+Marcel Lefebvre's glowing tribute to sedevacantist Fr Henri Mouraux
Yet more evidence that things just are not as simple as some want them to be. Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre delivered this tribute at Abbé Henri Mouraux's jubilee Mass, at the Écône Seminary itself.
Editors’ Notes
In 1987, at the SSPX Seminary of Écône, Archbishop Lefebvre delivered a sermon which was a glowing tribute to Abbé Henri Mouraux, on the occasion of his golden jubilee of priestly ordination.
Abbé Mouraux was a known sedevacantist.
Mouraux was responsible for a bulletin (Bonum Certamen) in which he advanced controversial theses, such as the invalidity or doubtfulness of the reformed rites of Holy Orders:
In his jubilee sermon, which we have translated and published below, Lefebvre…
Emphasises Mouraux’s fidelity to the Catholic faith and to the Mass
Says that he and the Society of St Pius X “rejoices” in Mouraux’s “example and steadfast witness to those around you”
Expresses his gratitude for Mouraux’s kindness and support of the seminarians
Praises Mouraux’s “legendary boldness” and refers to the “courage and the gift of fortitude that characterises you [Mouraux]” and which “you have shown throughout your life”
Says that God gave him this fidelity so that he could “understand that it is better to remain faithful to the faith, even at the risk of appearing disobedient, than to abandon it for the sake of obedience”
Holds Mouraux up to his seminarians as a “lesson” in fortitude
Thanks God for the witness of many priests who are not a part of the Society—like Mouraux—”who are making every effort to remain faithful to the Church, faithful to the faith of all time, and faithful to the Holy Mass.”
Says he and the Society will “[follow] the example of those faithful priests who encourage us and who are a great support to us”—and adds, “I must emphasise this because it is true.”
This sermon was not delivered in ignorance of Mouraux’s views on the post-conciliar papal claimants, or based on a passing enthusiasm for the elderly priest. Mouraux had been working with Lefebvre for years.
(NB: The original version of this article published accidentally omitted the words “was not” in the paragraph above, suggesting that Archbishop Lefebvre did not know what Mouraux thought, wrote and said: but he did know.)
We must insist that those who are most opposed to the sedevacantist conclusion remember that Lefebvre made all these comments, within the context of the Mass, about a known and acknowledged sedevacantist. The Mass itself was in thanksgiving for the golden anniversary of his priestly ordination.
Nor is this sermon a secret: it is freely available on the SSPX’s French website, where one can even listen to Lefebvre delivering it, if one wishes.
No doubt such glowing praise, during this Mass, of a known sedevacantist may come as a surprise to many today, whether they are favourably disposed towards Archbishop Lefebvre, or not.
There are many who believe that Lefebvre, and his Society, are necessarily and dogmatically “sedeplenist”—that is, thinking that the post-conciliar popes have all been true popes; that any alternative ideas are anthema, and that those who adopting or espousing such alternatives are outside the Church as a result.
But as Hamlet said to Horatio, after seeing his father’s ghost:
“There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”
Following Lefebvre’s sermon, we have included some texts about Mouraux’s life, views on the post-conciliar claimants to the papacy, and how his legacy has been received.
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