True Catholic News

In Today's Catholic World News Blog

Poison of Lefebvre Church Warned of 35 Years Ago

Notes: 1. The following excerpts from William F. Strojie's Newsletters are cited for specific research purposes, and should not be interpreted as an endorsement for his works as a whole. 2. In TCW's 04/19/13 post we showed why Mr. Marcel Lefebvre according to true Catholic Tradition (Thomism) was never a priest or bishop. Any reference(s) below to layman Lefebvre as a "priest" or "bishop", are erroneous/false (although they were likely made in good faith). -TCW

"I most firmly admit and embrace the apostolic and ecclesiastical traditions and other observances

and constitutions of the Church." From the Professio fidei Tridentinae (Tridentine Creed)

"Better that only a few Catholics should be left, staunch and sincere in their religion, than that they should, remaining many, desire as it were, to be in collusion with the Church's enemies and in

conformity with the open foes of our faith." -St. Peter Canisius

More than 35 years ago William F. Strojie sounded the alarm for True Catholics regarding the damning consequences then, and forthcoming, of the novel Lefebvre church, if it were not crushed. His unemotional insights and analysis of the schismatic Econe Operation are of great importance for the small uncompromising flock still remaining - in its War against this dark, deceptive and destructive foe.

W. F. Strojie warned True Catholics 35 years ago

about the poisonous Lefebvre & Sede churches.

"One thing I can pass on as a fact: The Econe affair has split the Catholic resistance sharply. What is the significance for the future of the Econe movement? It will take into schism many of those who have been resisting the Vatican II outrages."

-William F. Strojie Letter NO. 15, September 10, 1976 ECONE Part II"

"It has been the neatest of diabolic tricks to get both the blind-obedience followers of Paul 6 and the Traditionalists to equate Paul 6 with the Papacy. The first group does this by approving or at least taking part in the destructive program of Vatican II and Paul 6, erroneously taking it to be the Law. The second group looks for a Solution and Leader outside the Papacy, and sets aside such laws of the Church as found opposed to Traditionalist initiatives. One enterprising young Traditionalist priest comes up with NECESSITY KNOWS NO LAW, grossly misrepresenting this from St. Thomas Aquinas, who applies it to a dying man’s need for absolution. This twist of St. Thomas’s “Necessity knows no law” is in complete harmony with Montini’s action in completely ‘revising’ Canon Law. The Traditionalists see themselves as the Church, with the law as obstacle or advantage, depending on Traditionalist requirements of the day. In a talk at Portland, Oregon, an Econe priest (non-priest -TCW) repeated this idea, of Econe as the Church, several times; it was the main thrust of his talk, full of questionable statements. I give here these exact words of his, uttered in criticism of the Cardinal in whose archdiocese the seminary at Armada, Michigan, is located: “to attack us is to attack the Church.” By “us” he meant Archbishop Lefebvre and Econe, as the manifest divinely chosen new instrument of salvation, obvious answer to Traditionalist prayers. I marveled at the glib presumption of the young priest-speaker, but considered that he was only echoing headquarters.

One gentleman has suggested that I wait and see concerning the Lefebvre affair. There is no need to see more. Lefebvre has ordained (invalidly, it never occured -TCW) outside the Church’s jurisdiction, he has gone into numerous diocese to confirm, a privilege only of Cardinals, and he has his priests operating as a separate Church in the United States and elsewhere, without jurisdiction. He thereby has excommunicated himself. This regardless of whether Paul 6 be validly elected or not, for it is the Church’s own Jurisdiction Lefebvre rejects, not merely (as Lefebvre obviously sees it) the orders of Paul 6. Regardless of who occupies the papal Chair, and even if it be vacant, he who sets up a sacramental system on his own, puts himself outside the Church. That is where the Econe supporters are putting themselves.

The Great Temptation of the Traditionalists is nothing new. It is the ancient, so frequently accepted work of revolt, of disregard for Authority, doing one’s own thing, that Satan offered to Eve. If those who resist the evil reforms of Vatican II and Paul 6 will not go to the left, Satan, appearing at a late hour as (an) angel of light, will induce them to go with him to the right. The respectable Moderates, once so self-righteously ‘obedient’ in their refusal to say a word against Paul 6, will mostly join in the late-hour revolt. (Against the One Church of St. Peter and His Perpetual Successors -TCW) This will be a consequence of their failure to oppose the Montinian revolt—of their silence concerning the guilt of that evil revolutionist, Paul 6, of their resisting and covering up for so many years the known truth about Paul 6.

I write for those who simply want to remain Catholic. Why then do I not stay in the parish and oppose those who are forcing on us the iniquitous changes? The principle of Vatican II Dialogue is evil, meant to destroy the faith of those who take part in it, raise doubts concerning every doctrine and practice, so I will have nothing to do with it." ...

"... the Law is for our protection..."

"It would be very foolish to suppose that the plan for total destruction now evident is not to be applied against those who resist the evil reforms, and who set up for themselves substitute arrangements for Mass and Sacraments. It will be through this demand for Mass and Sacraments (1.) outside the law that the devil, always appearing as an angel of light, will approach these people. He will send those who seem to give a guarantee of preservation of the Mass, valid Orders, etc.; and in this, of course, he lies. Or he might arrange to lure them into the counter-church of Paul VI as a Traditionalist sect. I have written this before but it bears repeating. It is the final Great Deception for those who resist Vatican II." ...

(1.) "outside the law" ... The "Trads" always seem to forget (?) the later part of this canon: “The laity has the right to receive from the Clergy the spiritual goods and especially the necessary means of salvation, according to the rules of ecclesiastical discipline (Canon 682).”

In ferocious persecutions throughout Church History - the true Faithful in grave emergency (i.e. with no priests with jurisdiction [from Rome] available) would baptize, get married, and do perfect Acts of Contrition - and of course they always prayed for the pope! (See: Denzinger #1825).

Note: Anyone may baptize in an emergency. And Canon Law provides for marriage in cases of a certain time without a priest.

Long before this, I’m sure, the reader will have gotten the idea that I think we must all abide by the Law, not joining in with the followers of Paul 6 in rejecting it or changing it to suit one’s own purpose. After much observing of developments since Vatican II, I am convinced that the Law is for our protection, especially against various charlatans who falsely come in the name of Orthodoxy and Tradition, always with a hand extended for large sums of money." -William F. Strojie, April 27, 1977 Letter No. 21