[Question]{.underline}: Could the traditional movement have existed without the four bishops consecrated in 1988?
[Answer]{.underline}: Let me answer with another question: How many entirely traditional bishops are there in the service of the Ecclesia Dei Commission, to provide for the needs of the “traditionally” minded communities, that have made a deal with modernist Rome? There is just Bishop Rifan, who is limited in action to the work of the Priestly Association of the Curé of Ars in the diocese of Campos and who has concelebrated the New Mass. Nor is there any question of there being any other, since the modernist bishops who flip flop from the “ordinary” to the “extraordinary” form are considered sufficient. There is no question of a bishop entirely dedicated to defending Tradition, nor standing up against Vatican II and its modernist errors, nor even of one celebrating uniquely in the traditional rite.
It is manifestly obvious that the fact of having bishops is what has made the Society of Saint Pius X independent from the modernist hierarchy. Knowing that it has the fullness of the power of holy orders, and in the present crisis the perfect right to use it, the Society has resisted every effort to make it give way to a compromise. Without bishops and without future priests, this would not have been possible. After all, the Society grew from 194 priests in September 1987 to 471 in February 2007 and now has more than 500.
It is also perfectly true that the fact of the Society’s having bishops has really made Rome stand up and pay attention; for no threats, no pressure, no manipulation or politics has any power over us precisely because we have bishops and do not depend upon the modern, post-conciliar church. It is the only reason why the Ecclesia Dei communities exist, all being established as the result of certain attractive promises made to split and divide the work of Tradition. The best known examples are the Fraternity of St. Peter, founded by 16 former Society priests; the Institute of the Good Shepherd, likewise founded by former Society priests; the regularization of the priests of Campos.
Moreover, without the existence of the Society’s bishops, and hence its priests, the declaration that the traditional Mass had never been abrogated would never have been obtained. In fact, Pope Benedict XVI himself explained in his letter presenting the Motu proprio that the faithful followed the movement led by Archbishop Lefebvre, in which “fidelity to the old Missal became an external mark of identity.” The reason he gives is the deformations and infidelities to the new Missal. The problem, as he sees it, is not the new Missal, its errors and deficiencies in the Faith (for he does not admit them at all), but the abuse of the new Missal. But at the present time, he can see no other way of shaking off the mark of identity between the traditional Mass and Archbishop Lefebvre than to declare the truth, namely that the traditional Mass has never been abrogated, and allow all priests to celebrate it. If it had not been for the Society and its bishops, he would simply have implemented the “reform of the reform” that he has been talking about for years, nor would he have had any reason to approve modern priests celebrating the traditional Mass. What a statement of the importance of the Archbishop’s consecrations!
Some people accused Archbishop Lefebvre of failing to trust in Divine Providence when he consecrated the bishops, hoping that God would provide some other means for the continuation of the Society and Tradition. History, however, has proven that the Archbishop was entirely correct in considering it presumption to refuse to use the ordinary means for continuing the Church’s work of teaching and sanctifying, and rather expecting God to work a miracle. It would have been a refusal to do his duty: “So, I cannot, in good conscience, leave these seminarians orphaned. Neither can I leave you orphans by dying without providing for the future. That is not possible. It would be contrary to my duty…Thus I believe that, with the grace of God, we, Bishop De Castro Mayer and myself, by these consecrations, will have given to Tradition the means to continue, given the means to Catholics who desire to remain within the Church of their parents, their grandparents, their ancestors” (Consecration sermon: June 30, 1988).
Answered by Father Peter Scott, SSPX.