Archbishop Lefebvre had dedicated his life to the Church, for Rome, the Papacy, he lived for it and for him to serve the Church meant to save souls.
Lefebvre seen by his close collaborator by Mark Bongi
present the report of an interesting conversation with one of the first employees of Bishop . Marcel Lefebvre. Chalard Du Don Emanuel, known for being the pioneer of the presence in Italy and SSPX has always maintained informal diplomatic contacts between the Society and Rome, he describes some aspects of the personality of the founder, leaving, perhaps for the first time since its proverbial reserve and humble.
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Don Emanuel, you are one of the first priests ordained by Mgr. Lefebvre after the founding of the SSPX. He has also been close for many years. Can you briefly describe your personality in daily life, beyond the public events?
First Mgr. Lefebvre was for us a father and an example. Always attentive to everything, even the smallest details. He wanted the seminar was simple but clean and tidy. He lived in the seminary as we followed the same time, it was always present at all the community prayers, ate their meals in the refectory with the students, did not ask for anything special for him. On the other hand not liked favoritism. He was very attentive to people, always ready to listen to the students, could visit him in his office when he wanted, he never seemed to do other things. It was an example of availability. He always had a lot of attention for the guests, a pleasant conversation and he liked the humor or the joke. Conveyed a sense of joy as well as peace and serenity. It was a good man, but he was above all a priest and a bishop close to all. To view or make an appointment was not difficult: he had a private secretary, he managed all by myself, appointments, correspondence, travel arrangements.
His lifestyle was an example to us all. And I can confidently say that the Society of Saint Pius X has stamped his way of living more example of its founder that drawing it from his teaching.
Can you tell us some anecdotes from her unpublished lived close to Msgr. Lefebvre?
do not know, but I can say that I have known and most popular mgr. Lefebvre, especially in the Roman context, the more I realized that it really was a great man of the Church. Few people have had the experience gained from the responsibilities received. He knew the Roman Curia and its mechanisms to perfection. In fact, for one reason or another, had attended all i dicasteri vaticani. Non solo conosceva bene la Chiesa e i suoi problemi ma aveva di essa una visione di fede e soprannaturale. Tutto ciò faceva di lui un ecclesiastico di gran statura.
Lei accompagnò spesso mons. Lefebvre nelle sue visite in Vaticano. Con quale animo venivano vissuti tali momenti, come si conciliava in lui l'amore per la Roma cattolica ed il desiderio di difendere la dottrina di sempre, spesso contraddetta dalle medesime autorità?
Mons. Lefebvre aveva consacrato la sua vita per la Chiesa, per Roma, per il Papato, viveva per essa e per Lui servire la Chiesa voleva dire salvare le anime. Per questo la crisi post-conciliare fu da lui vissuta as a drama. The sense of mission was entered deeply into his soul. We can say that his reaction to the crisis in the Church was determined by an awareness of what were the true needs of souls. If faith is no longer transmitted, the souls can not be saved.
I will always remember his reaction to the first day of Assisi in October 1986. Of a transfer to ECON, I was in his office and told him what it was whispered about the project. He put his head in his hands and said in a very sad tone: "And 'the destruction of the mission." It was his soul deeply missionary who responded.
I have always found in him a great respect for the hierarchy. Perhaps his shyness and even this respect, meant that if a cardinal in the conversation said a mistake or said something wrong, usually Monsignor was silent and did not speak any more. For him it was inconceivable that a clergyman could so to speak. Emerging from the meeting I said "How is it possible that the Cardinal can say these things!" He was stunned.
was certainly a tragedy for him being in opposition to Rome and the Pope who for decades he was encouraged by the Pope for his apostolate in Africa, could not conceive how he could not work any more in the spirit and with the same zeal. Something had changed with the Council. In such situations it was only his great faith to guide him, and it was a faith point of heroism. He paid with his person.
In faith there is in fact an order. The Church is at the service of Truth (Truth supernatural), the Church is the guardian of truth, the truth does not and can not change it. Then it must pass it in its entirety. The Church is also at the service of souls, and is responsible for their salvation. Everything else must be arranged according to the faith and the salvation of souls.
these concepts, which were led by Bishop Lefebvre in these years of difficulties with Rome. He was convinced that one day Rome thank the Society for his defense of the faith and for all the sacrifices. I am personally convinced that one day the Church will recognize the heroic faith of this bishop.
She was close to Msgr. Lefebvre also when he decided to order the four bishops of the SSPX. How were those days lived? What was the decisive event that led him to this difficult choice?
I was not the only priest to closely monitor this delicate moment of the existence of Monsignor and the internal life of the Fraternity. I think that Father Franz Schmidberger who was then the Superior General and the four bishops who were consecrated, better than I could bear witness. There were three main stages to this process: the decision to consecrate, when to do it and finally the consecration itself.
The first stage was long prepared with a personal reflection on the crisis in the Church. probably asked advice by competent people, and above all prayed a lot. We know, for example, that for at least a year rose Monsignor pray every night for an hour before the Blessed Sacrament in order to have the graces necessary to understand what to do. I heard him say: "I could leave things as they are, and then the Lord will provide for the future of the fraternity, but the Lord I could also say: Judgement Day: did all he could as a bishop? "In my humble opinion it would be wrong to think that my lord has taken this decision only for the fraternity and its future.
course, rather he saw the need of the Church in general and believed, in good conscience, that this step was necessary for a return of tradition, especially through the renewal of a genuine priesthood.
This was the first step and, once the decision, as there was for him a sense of relief because he understood clearly that this was the will of the Lord.
The second stage involved the making such as episcopal consecrations. The solution of the problem was a result of successive events. Before Rome would still groped with the opportunity to see what could be done: meetings with Cardinal Ratzinger, then visitation with Cardinal Gagnon, then the commission between the Holy See and the Fraternity, and finally the famous Protocol of 5 May 88.
This would not however allowed to continue his work calmly, though Monsignor recognized that the Protocol to the Holy See made significant concessions such as the use of traditional liturgical books.
course also did not was secondary to his advanced age. He realized that he could no longer continue to travel to give orders and make the confirmations. And so he decided to consecrate four bishops June 30, 1988.
The third stage we know it all. They lived with a little 'tension, because of some threats, and the large crowd of journalists from all over the world.
Add in that regard, two considerations. The first concerns the serenity and peace that accompanied Monsignor in all three stages and that he always knew how to communicate with those who were near. The other consideration to its determination. Once a decision, nothing stops him. Before the consecration had so many pressures from Rome and from other environments, so give up. This reminds me of how he maintained the same behavior at the conference held in June 1977 in Rome, in the palace of the Princess Pallavicini. At that time there was a strong media pressure of Italian newspapers, and visits to different personalities, but nothing and no one had stopped. It was not a man hasty in his decisions. But when the decisions had been taken, especially if they have suffered, nothing stopped him.
It 's true that the meeting in Assisi in 1986 rappresentò un elemento importante che spinse mons. Lefebvre alla scelta delle consacrazioni episcopali?
Non direi che l’incontro d’Assisi fu l’elemento decisivo. Esso rappresentò piuttosto un segno evidente, e sotto gli occhi di tutti, della gravità della crisi. Indicava infatti con chiarezza dove potevano portare le novità del Concilio Vaticano II. L’Osservatore Romano all’epoca aveva giustificato Assisi con il Concilio. Ecco dove portava la famosa libertà religiosa e l’ecumenismo del Concilio, al di là di tutte le interpretazioni artificiose che si intesero dare a tale evento.
In fin dei conti la crisi current leads to apostasy and what we live today, makes it even more obvious than in 1988.
Archbishop Lefebvre never told her about his meeting with Padre Pio? Some authors tell about that on this occasion the saint of Pietrelcina rebuked Mgr. Lefebvre, others deny it. Do you know something more?
Monsignor was very discreet about what he had done and did. But on this point, we stated that the meeting was very brief. Asked Padre Pio to pray for the General Chapter of the Congregation of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit which was then the Superior General. It was indeed very worried and asked a blessing. Padre Pio's answer was: It 's that you should bless me. There were no other words. Against rumors that Padre Pio would have said that Monsignor would have been a source of schism, we could have the testimony of the two priests who had accompanied him to San Giovanni Rotondo. These testimonies confirm what my lord has always said about this meeting.
Even in the most difficult Mgr. Lefebvre maintained friendly relations with some senior prelates. Can you tell us something about this, especially with respect to his successor in Dakar Cardinal Thiandum and Cardinal Siri?
Monsignor fu sempre rispettato da molti prelati a Roma. Da una parte per gli incarichi che aveva svolto: Arcivescovo di Dakar, Delegato Apostolico per tutta l’Africa francese, poi Superiore Generale dei Padri dello Spirito Santo, congregazione questa che contava allora cinquemila membri. Egli compì un lavoro enorme, è un fatto che nessuno può negare. Fu rispettato anche perché era un uomo integro, non ricattabile, coerente e poi parecchi sapevano che in fondo aveva ragione, mentre loro non avevano avuto il suo coraggio per delle questioni di opportunità. Essere criticato, ingiuriato, disprezzato, umiliato, condannato, considerato come fuori della Chiesa, scomunicato, e accettarlo per amore di Gesù Cristo e della sua Chiesa non è given to all.
Dakar Cardinal, Msgr. Thiandium was certainly one of the bravest. He had a great admiration for Monsignor, owed him everything, priesthood, episcopacy and we can also say as a cardinal, in a sense, paved the way for him. It was for that reason alone estimated that the Cardinal Archbishop. Lefebvre, knew his qualities and receiving work visa in Dakar. I know that the Cardinal spoke at Paul VI, John Paul I and John Paul II in favor of Bishop. Lefebvre. During the Synod on the family had arranged a meeting between Cardinal Ratzinger, Msgr. Lefebvre and himself. There were also meetings with Cardinal Siri, but not I can say that climate took place.
Then, it was always received by the Cardinal Oddi and buildings.
What is the Bishop. Lefebvre had mystical experiences?
While, admittedly, Monsignor was a man very open, loving and friendly approach, however, was very discreet about what they had done for example in Africa. He told stories of happy adventures in the bush but not its function. One day I asked her sister Caramel, Mother Marie Christiane if he knew anything of the apostolate in Africa, he said: Every time I asked my brother news about what he did as a missionary or Bishop, he changed the subject.
Since he was always very secretive about his person, would be unable to tell if you have had mystical experiences. I know for sure that he prayed a lot especially when he had difficulties to solve, and on the other side of that dream in the cathedral of Dakar on the restoration of the priesthood which alludes to the beginning of the spiritual, the book that look a bit 'as its will. What kind of dream was, however, do not know.
Some journalists argued that Msgr. Lefebvre, in the last days of life, was distressed and in a sense, "repented" of some his gestures. The results? When was the last time you saw him?
From what I can know, my lord has never regretted what he did. Personally I have had the grace to spend a week with him a month before his death, three days in three days in Tuscany and Sardinia. I have not seen him in hospital in Martigny, for an hour, a week before his death and before the surgery that he underwent. I can testify that it was very peaceful, I spoke about the fraternity of the believers and also joked several times.