Controversies and politics
Controversies and politics
In French society, there is a significant overlap between Traditionalist Catholicism and support for very conservative political positions. French supporters of the SSPX are known to frequently denounce the French Revolution, which overthrew the Catholic House of Bourbon, and the secular French Republic which emerged from it (see Reign of Terror). It has further been claimed that a very large number of French SSPX supporters vote for the Front National, a controversial French political party which is generally regarded as being on the extreme right of the political spectrum. Certainly, in 1991, the well-known SSPX member Father Philippe Laguérie, self-proclaimed parish priest of Saint-Éloi, Bordeaux, recognized the Front National as "the party least removed from natural law", in particular because it rejected abortion, which all the other parties had always accepted or tolerated.[42] However, whatever may the political opinions of these figures, the last-named of whom has since founded the Institute of the Good Shepherd, the SSPX officially takes no political stance, and others among its members and supporters support other parties.
There is an ongoing controversy with respect to the SSPX's occupation of the church of St Nicolas du Chardonnet in central Paris. The occupation has continued since 1977, though it has been declared illegal by the French civil courts.[43] Mass attendance at the church has consistently been very high.[citation needed] An SSPX attempt in 1993 to occupy another church in Paris, that of Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois, was unsuccessful.[citation needed] Churches in France are owned by the French State and as such given in use to groups having the longest history of usage of a particular building.[citation needed]
[edit] Accusations of anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism appears to be existant, but not universal, within the Society. The Society also possesses a subculture based around various conspiracy theories, many of which revolve around around the Jews, Freemasons, and Communists. Some prominent members of the Society have expressed views about Jews and Judaism that have led to accusations of Anti-Semitism. It should be added, however, that the traditional doctrine of the Catholic Church identifies Judaism as a "false religion," the practitioners of which are to be evangelized and converted to Catholicism.[44]
A particular source of controversy is Bishop Richard Williamson, one of the four Prelates consecrated by Archbishop Lefebvre in 1988. For example, Bishop Wiliamson has written:
"Supernaturally seen, such a scenario, capable of many adaptations, represents one more in many steps of the Jewish people towards their appointment with God at the end of the world, when, maybe converted by the heroism and endurance of the Catholics undergoing persecution by their Anti-Christ, they will at last convert (Romans XI) and discover their own true Messiah, Jesus Christ, who has never ceased to love them as his own people. 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."[45]
(The article on Richard Williamson gives more of his statements about Jews. A collection of his letters can be consulted on the Canadian website,[46] and another traditionalist Catholic site[47] gives the text of new letters as he issues them.) Bishops Bernard Fellay, Bernard Tissier de Mallerais, and Alfonso de Galarreta are viewed as being much more moderate in their opinions and extremelye diplomatic in their statements and writings.
Additional controversy followed the 1989 arrest of Paul Touvier, an aging Nazi collaborator, inside the SSPX Priory in Nice. The SSPX stated at the time that Touvier had been granted asylum at the Priory as "an act of charity to a homeless man." [6] Paul Touvier was convicted in 1994 of ordering the 1944 execution of seven Jewish hostages and was sentenced to life imprisonment. He died of cancer at Fresnes prison in 1996.[48] A Tridentine Requiem Mass was offered for the repose of his soul at the SSPX Chapel of St Nicolas du Chardonnet.[citation needed]
The SSPX was most recently accused of Anti-Semitism in a 2006 report on Traditionalist Catholicism conducted by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Defenders of the Society have pointed out alleged inconsistencies in the report and accused the SPLC of using the word "Anti-Semitism" as a means of "silencing opponents of liberalism." [7]
Source : wikipedia
In French society, there is a significant overlap between Traditionalist Catholicism and support for very conservative political positions. French supporters of the SSPX are known to frequently denounce the French Revolution, which overthrew the Catholic House of Bourbon, and the secular French Republic which emerged from it (see Reign of Terror). It has further been claimed that a very large number of French SSPX supporters vote for the Front National, a controversial French political party which is generally regarded as being on the extreme right of the political spectrum. Certainly, in 1991, the well-known SSPX member Father Philippe Laguérie, self-proclaimed parish priest of Saint-Éloi, Bordeaux, recognized the Front National as "the party least removed from natural law", in particular because it rejected abortion, which all the other parties had always accepted or tolerated.[42] However, whatever may the political opinions of these figures, the last-named of whom has since founded the Institute of the Good Shepherd, the SSPX officially takes no political stance, and others among its members and supporters support other parties.
There is an ongoing controversy with respect to the SSPX's occupation of the church of St Nicolas du Chardonnet in central Paris. The occupation has continued since 1977, though it has been declared illegal by the French civil courts.[43] Mass attendance at the church has consistently been very high.[citation needed] An SSPX attempt in 1993 to occupy another church in Paris, that of Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois, was unsuccessful.[citation needed] Churches in France are owned by the French State and as such given in use to groups having the longest history of usage of a particular building.[citation needed]
[edit] Accusations of anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism appears to be existant, but not universal, within the Society. The Society also possesses a subculture based around various conspiracy theories, many of which revolve around around the Jews, Freemasons, and Communists. Some prominent members of the Society have expressed views about Jews and Judaism that have led to accusations of Anti-Semitism. It should be added, however, that the traditional doctrine of the Catholic Church identifies Judaism as a "false religion," the practitioners of which are to be evangelized and converted to Catholicism.[44]
A particular source of controversy is Bishop Richard Williamson, one of the four Prelates consecrated by Archbishop Lefebvre in 1988. For example, Bishop Wiliamson has written:
"Supernaturally seen, such a scenario, capable of many adaptations, represents one more in many steps of the Jewish people towards their appointment with God at the end of the world, when, maybe converted by the heroism and endurance of the Catholics undergoing persecution by their Anti-Christ, they will at last convert (Romans XI) and discover their own true Messiah, Jesus Christ, who has never ceased to love them as his own people. 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."[45]
(The article on Richard Williamson gives more of his statements about Jews. A collection of his letters can be consulted on the Canadian website,[46] and another traditionalist Catholic site[47] gives the text of new letters as he issues them.) Bishops Bernard Fellay, Bernard Tissier de Mallerais, and Alfonso de Galarreta are viewed as being much more moderate in their opinions and extremelye diplomatic in their statements and writings.
Additional controversy followed the 1989 arrest of Paul Touvier, an aging Nazi collaborator, inside the SSPX Priory in Nice. The SSPX stated at the time that Touvier had been granted asylum at the Priory as "an act of charity to a homeless man." [6] Paul Touvier was convicted in 1994 of ordering the 1944 execution of seven Jewish hostages and was sentenced to life imprisonment. He died of cancer at Fresnes prison in 1996.[48] A Tridentine Requiem Mass was offered for the repose of his soul at the SSPX Chapel of St Nicolas du Chardonnet.[citation needed]
The SSPX was most recently accused of Anti-Semitism in a 2006 report on Traditionalist Catholicism conducted by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Defenders of the Society have pointed out alleged inconsistencies in the report and accused the SPLC of using the word "Anti-Semitism" as a means of "silencing opponents of liberalism." [7]
Source : wikipedia
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