Controversies surrounding the Society of Saint Pius X
There have been several controversies surrounding the Society of St. Pius X, many of which concern political support for non-democratic regimes, alleged
Political controversies
France
There is an overlap in French society between the SSPX's constituency of support and support for reactionary political positions. In the French context, such positions include:
- Condemnation of the 1789 French Revolution and of the republic and hate democracy."[2]
- Support for the Vichy government (1940–1944). Lefebvre spoke approvingly of the "Catholic order of Charles De Gaulle.[8] The trials resulted in 791 executions and almost 50,000 forfeitures of civil rights. There have also been allegations that the SSPX had links with the Vichy functionary Paul Touvierand that Vichy songs were learned at a scout camp of the Society (see below).
- Support for the Front National political party and its former leader, Jean-Marie le Pen, who is on the Front National "the party least removed from the natural law".[11]
- Civitas, the far-right political association in France founded in 1999 has historical, formal, and informal ties to the SSPX. It maintained the status of political party in France from 2016-2023 before it was suppressed as a party by the French government for antisemitism.[12] Civitas maintains integralist, Maurrassian principles of thought stemming from the pro-Vichy intellectual and activist Jean Ousset, an influence on Lefebvre's thought[13] and who also supported Archbishop Lefebvre's movement until they parted ways over differing views of Catholic Action.[14] Nonetheless, the SSPX in France has maintained ties with Ousset's work and inheritance, including Civitas. The group is currently led by Belgian far-right activist Alain Escada, who has been influenced by the SSPX and its teachings. Abbe Xavier Beauvais, former pastor of Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet speaks and priest of the SSPX, speaks at Civitas events.[15] Civitas left the official oversight of the SSPX in 2017 for the Capuchin Friars of Morgon, who have collaborated with them in political action along far-right lines. As of 2023, the Capuchins of Morgon are led by former SSPX district superior of France, Regis de Cacqueray. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Civitas spread conspiracy and opposed pandemic mitigating measures.[16]
Archbishop Lefebvre's first biographer, the English traditionalist writer Michael Davies, wrote in the first volume of his Apologia Pro Marcel Lefebvre:
- In France political feeling tends to be more polarized, more extreme, and far more deeply felt than in England. ...Since the [Second World] war, and especially since Vatican II, the official French Church has veered sharply to the left. ...Thus, a large proportion of right-wing Catholics was predisposed to support any religious movement opposed to the policies of the French hierarchy. The political views of some of the French Catholics who support the Archbishop would certainly be odious to many English-speaking traditionalists – although such views are more understandable (if not acceptable) within the French context. However, if they wish to support the Archbishop (and not necessarily for the right reasons) there is nothing he can do about it. ...The French hierarchy has replaced [Catholic] social teaching with diluted Marxism to such an extent that anyone adopting the Catholic position is now automatically accused of fascism.
Occupation of the Church of Saint Nicolas du Chardonnet in Paris
In 1977, a group of SSPX priests and laypeople led by
The various French municipal authorities have had ownership of the older churches in France since the enactment of the
Anti-semitism and Holocaust denial
Bishop Richard Williamson
The views of Bishop Williamson have been a particular source of controversy. For example, the bishop has written:
- However, until they re-discover their true Messianic vocation, they may be expected to continue fanatically agitating, in accordance with their false messianic vocation of Jewish world-dominion, to prepare the Anti-Christ's throne in Jerusalem. So we may fear their continuing to play their major part in the agitation of the East and in the corruption of the West. Here the wise Catholic will remember that, again, the ex-Christian nations have only their own Liberalism to blame for allowing free circulation within Christendom to the enemies of Christ.[18]
In an interview with
Williamson's views on this and other subjects are controversial, even within traditionalist Catholicism. After his interview, broadcast by Swedish Television on 21 January 2009, both the Superior General of the SSPX, Bishop Fellay, and the District Superior of the SSPX in Germany, Fr. Franz Schmidberger, stated that Williamson's views represented his own personal opinions;[22] and Bishop Fellay, as superior general of the Society, "prohibited him, pending any new orders, from taking any public positions on political or historical questions."[23]
Although the SSPX authorities have thus distinguished Williamson's views from those of the Society, the
Williamson was forced out of the SSPX on 23 October 2012 for the "common good of the society", following his refusal to submit to the group's leadership.[26]
Bishop Bernard Fellay
During a radio interview on 28 December 2013, the then-Superior General Bishop
Paul Touvier
On 24 May 1989,
Leon Degrelle
Abbe Beauvais, who served as the SSPX priest and pastor of Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet from 2003 to 2014, publicly praises Catholic Rexist Party founder and Waffen-SS officer Leon Degrelle.[33][34] Leon Degrelle had a lengthy post-war career in Spain under Francisco Franco where he was allowed to promote Nazi ideology, Catholic integrism, and Holocaust denial.[35] Abbe Beauvais also quotes approvingly from Degrell's book Burning Souls as an inspirational source in an editorial found in the SSPX publication Le Chardonnet. [36]
Southern Poverty Law Center report
The SSPX was also accused of
Newsletters and websites
The Society was reported to have perpetuated the
The website of the SSPX in the United States carried a 1997 The Angelus article titled "The Mystery of the Jewish People in History"[40] which the Overland Express of Melbourne said "methodically repeats every slur of medieval anti-Semitism."[41] The piece was written by British priests Michael Crowdy and Kenneth Novak.[40]
The Angelus Press
SSPX's The Angelus is known to sell antisemitic publications in their bookstores such as "Liberalism Is a Sin" by Fr. Félix Sardà y Salvany, "The Jews" by Hilaire Beloc, "Freemasonry unmasked" by Monsignor George Dillon, "The Mystery of Freemasonry Unveiled", "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion", and "The Kingship of Christ and Organized Naturalism" by the Rev. Denis Fahey C.S.Sp.[42] The Angelus Press also sells a book published by the Society of St. Pius X entitled Christian Warfare, which recommends under the heading of "Good Reading Material" the works of Fr. Denis Fahey and Leon de Poncins, known antisemitic writers who spread Jewish Bolshevik conspiracy theories in the 20th century.[43]
Statements by SSPX clerics about Church authorities
One of the Society's four bishops, Bernard Tissier de Mallerais, has stated that Pope Benedict XVI "has professed heresies in the past! He [...] has never retracted his errors. When he was a theologian, he professed heresies, he published a book full of heresies."[44] In the same interview, Bishop Mallerais said of the Second Vatican Council: "You cannot read Vatican II as a Catholic work. It is based on the philosophy of Immanuel Kant. [...] I will say, one day the Church should erase this Council. She will not speak of it anymore. She must forget it. The Church will be wise if she forgets this Council."[44]
Similarly, Bishop Richard Williamson has said of
SSPX and Scouting
A number of groups whose following overlaps with that of the SSPX, such as the
Erich Priebke
When former
Allegations of abuse cover-up
On 5 April 2017
In May 2020, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) started an investigation against SSPX groups affiliated with, though not overseen by, the state's four Roman Catholic dioceses.[52] SSPX members in Kansas were accused of either perpetrating or covering up clerical sex abuse in the state.[52] For many years, the SSPX St. Mary's Rectory in Kansas faced numerous sex abuse allegations.[53] In January 2023, The KBI’s four-year inquiry into alleged child sexual abuse in four Catholic dioceses and the SSPX therein in the US state of Kansas resulted in referral of 30 cases to county prosecutors targeting 14 members of the clergy.
An executive summary of the KBI report said no prosecutor had charged any priests named in KBI affidavits with sexual crimes, citing 2013 Kansas legislation which eliminated the statute of limitations on certain sex crimes, but didn’t make the statute retroactive. [54]
Other controversies
In February 2008
In May 2012, Our Lady of Sorrows Academy in Phoenix, Arizona, also affiliated with the SSPX, forfeited the Arizona Charter Athletic Association state baseball championship game rather than play against a team with a female player. The opposing team, from Mesa Preparatory Academy of Mesa, Arizona, included Paige Sultzbach, playing infield.[57] Officials at Our Lady of Sorrows issued a statement saying that the decision to forfeit was consistent with a policy prohibiting co-ed sports. They stated that school teaches boys respect by not placing girls in athletic competition, where "proper boundaries can only be respected with difficulty."[58]
References
- ^ "SSPXAsia.com: Open Letter to Confused Catholics Chapter 13. Religious Liberty, Collegial Equality". www.sspxasia.com. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
- ^ "Je suis content d’être à Bruxelles, moi qui déteste la république et qui hais la démocratie" Les croisés de l’Occident chrétien Archived 27 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ "Spiritual Journey (in French)". Archived from the original on 17 May 2009. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
- ^ See here on the 2007 pilgrimage, with links to video footage.
- ^ ""...restaurée spirituellement et moralement..."". Retrieved 25 June 2023.
- ^ "La Porte Latine - Pèlerinage du souvenir à l'Ile d'Yeu "Pour ne pas oublier" (22 septembre 2007)". 27 September 2008. Archived from the original on 27 September 2008. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
- ^ Tissier de Mallerais, Bernard (2004). The Biography of Marcel Lefebvre. Kansas City: Angelus Press.
- ^ The journal is called Pour qu’Il Règne, and is quoted here Archived 27 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Berntson, M. , 2006-08-11 "National Preference, Gender Complementarity, and the Family Policy of France’s Front National" Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association, Montreal Convention Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Online <PDF>. 2008-10-09 from http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p104814_index.html
- ^ Far-right leader Le Pen hints at retirement Archived 2012-10-21 at the Wayback Machine, AFP report, 11 September 2008
- ^ "Philippe Laguérie qui établissait dès 1991 que le Front National était «le parti le moins éloigné du droit naturel»" (Internet Centre Anti-Racism Europe: Actualité 24/08/2005 Archived 22 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine ).
- ^ AFP. "France moves to ban far-right Catholic party Civitas for antisemitism". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
- ^ Lefebvre, Marcel. They Have Uncrowned Him. Angelus Press.
- ^ "Jean Ousset et la Cité catholique. Cinquante ans après Pour qu'Il règne, Massimo Introvigne". www.cesnur.org. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
- ^ "Civitas International - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
- ^ archive.wikiwix.com https://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/index2.php?url=https://www.la-croix.com/Debats/Rapport-Bronner-Le-Covid-19-revele-formes-complotisme-certaines-franges-catholiques-2022-01-12-1201194438#federation=archive.wikiwix.com&tab=url. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
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(help) - ^ "Le Conseil de Paris ... Emet le vœu :- que le Maire de Paris et le Préfet de police mettent tout en œuvre pour faire cesser l'occupation illégale de l'église Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet par des personnes diffusant une propagande raciste, antisémite, sexiste et antidémocratique"[1] Archived 2007-03-11 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ The Gulf War Archived 2009-01-31 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Webbextra: Längre intervju med Williamson - Uppdrag granskning | SVT Play". Archived from the original on 16 February 2009. Retrieved 11 May 2009.
- ^ Paulson, Michael (20 February 2009). "Bishop's vexing beliefs have deep roots". The Boston Globe.
- ^ Cindy Wooden (12 February 2009). "Pope says Holocaust denial is 'intolerable ... unacceptable'". Catholic News Service. Archived from the original on 22 May 2009. Retrieved 11 May 2009.
- ^ Fellay's letter; Schmidberger's statement
- ^ "Ncronline3.org". ncronline3.org. Archived from the original on 31 January 2009. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
- ^ "The Society of St. Pius X: Mired in Anti-Semitism". Archived from the original on 16 January 2013. Retrieved 11 May 2009.
- ^ The Lefebvrite case Archived 2009-02-02 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Cindy Wooden (24 October 2012). "SSPX expels Bishop Williamson, who opposed talks with Vatican". Catholic News Service. Archived from the original on 5 December 2012.
- ^ Sieczkowski, Cavan (8 January 2013). "Bernard Fellay, Head Of Traditionalist Catholic Sect, Says Jews Are 'Enemies Of The Church'". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on 13 September 2019. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
- ^ Speciale, Alessandro (7 January 2013). "Traditionalist SSPX leader calls Jews 'enemies of the church'". Washington Post.
- ^ "AngelusOnline Page 831". Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
- ^ "Paul Touvier, 81, French War Criminal". www.writing.upenn.edu. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
- ^ "Vade retro soutanas". Libération.fr (in French). Retrieved 11 July 2017.
- ^ "Ncronline3.org". ncronline3.org. Archived from the original on 1 February 2009. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
- ^ "Extrême-droite : la mouvance intégriste cherche sa revanche". Le Monde.fr (in French). 27 October 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
- ^ "Les intégristes catholiques de Civitas veulent-ils s'implanter en Wallonie ?". Les intégristes catholiques de Civitas veulent-ils s’implanter en Wallonie ? (in French). Retrieved 29 October 2023.
- ^ "Léon Degrelle". encyclopedia.ushmm.org. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
- ^ "Le Chardonnet" (PDF). laportelatine.org. p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 October 2007. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
- ^ "Behind the Bishop: The Anti-Semitism of the SSPX". Southern Poverty Law Center. 26 February 2009. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
- ^ "The Liberal Inquisition". www.remnantnewspaper.com. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
- ^ Liphshiz, Cnaan. "Report: Vatican readmits society that propagates anti-Semitism." Haaretz. 29 May 2009. "The [web]site from Germany ... clarifies that 'contemporary Jews are for sure guilty of the murder of God, as long as they don't recognize Christ as God.'"
- ^ a b Crowdy, Michael; Novak, Kenneth (1997). "The Mystery of the Jewish People in History". Against the Sound Bites. Society of Saint Pius X. Archived from the original on 14 February 2006. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
- ^ "Forget Backman — meet the Pope's anti-semite". Crikey. 27 January 2009. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
- ^ Beirich, Heidi. "Radical Powerhouse - The Society of St. Pius X, which has chapels and schools across the United States, remains a font of anti-Semitic propaganda". Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
- ^ Christian Warfare (3rd ed.). Winnipeg, MB: Society of St. Pius X. 2009. p. 395.
- ^ a b Stephen L. M. Heiner's Interview with Bishop Bernard Tissier de Mallerais, of the Society of St. Pius X, for the print version of the Remnant, Sunday, April 30, 2006
- ^ «Ses écrits passés sont pleins d'erreurs modernistes. Or, le modernisme est la synthèse de toutes les hérésies (Pascendi, saint Pie X). Donc, comme hérétique, Ratzinger dépasse de loin les erreurs protestantes de Luther comme l'a très bien dit Mgr Tissier de Mallerais.» Mgr Williamson estime encore que les actes du concile Vatican II «sont beaucoup trop subtilement et profondément empoisonnés pour qu'il faille les réinterpréter. Un gâteau en partie empoisonné va tout entier à la poubelle!»."Les quatre refus de la FSSPX - par Yves Chiron - Aletheia n°104 - 28 janvier 2007". Archived from the original on 3 October 2008. Retrieved 11 May 2009.
- ^ Les Petits Soldats du Scoutisme, Le Monde, 2 septembre 1998, par Roland-Pierre Paringaux.
- ^ Mickael Tussier (6 August 1998). "Le drame de Perros-Guirec, une fatalité ?". Retrieved 5 November 2009.
- ^ "Nazi war criminal's SSPX funeral stopped by protests". National Catholic Reporter. 16 October 2013. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
- ^ a b "SSPX accused of abuse cover-up : News Headlines". www.catholicculture.org. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
- ^ "New cover-ups of assaults by Catholic priests". SVT Nyheter Gransking. 5 April 2017. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
- ^ "Pope helped SSPX after scandal with Holocaust-denying bishop". SVT Nyheter. 5 April 2017. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
- ^ a b "Kansas investigating sexual abuse claims in breakaway SSPX". Catholic News Agency. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
- ^ The Kansas City Star (subscription required)
- Kansas Reflector.
- ^ "Female Ref Banned From Boys' Game". Good Morning America. ABCNews. 18 February 2008. Retrieved 1 April 2009.
- ^ "St. Mary's Academy & College". www.smac.edu. Retrieved 11 July 2017.
- ^ "Phoenix high school baseball team balks over having to face team with a girl in title game". Retrieved 11 July 2017.
- ^ "Team forfeits due to female opponent". Retrieved 11 July 2017.