What the archbishop wrote about his meeting with Padre Pio
From the Society website:
On August 8, 1990, Archbishop Lefebvre wrote a personal letter to a Society priest in France who had written to ask him about the meeting with Padre Pio. Here are extracts from the letter:
For several years now this slander, a fabrication from start to finish, has been circulating in Italy. I have already refuted it, but lies die hard; there is not one word of truth in the page of that magazine you photocopied for me.
The meeting which took place after Easter in 1967 lasted two minutes. I was accompanied by Fr. Barbara and a Holy Ghost Brother, Brother Felin. I met Padre Pio in a corridor, on his way to the confessional, being helped by two Capuchins.
I told him in a few words the purpose of my visit: for him to bless the Congregation of the Holy Ghost which was due to hold an extraordinary General my Chapter meeting, like all religious societies, under the heading of aggiornamento (up-dating), meeting which I was afraid would lead to trouble...
Padre Pio kissing Archbishop Lefebvre's ring.
Then Padre Pio cried out. 'Me, bless an archbishop, no, no, it is you who should be blessing me!' And he bowed, to receive the blessing. I blessed him, he kissed my ring and continued on his way to the confessional...
That was the whole of the meeting, no more, no less. To invent such an account as you sent me the copy of calls for a satanic imagination and mendacity. The author is a son of the Father of Lies
Thank you for giving me the chance to tell once more the plain truth.
Most cordially yours in Christo et Maria,
+Marcel Lefebvre
Link to kreuz.net...
Interesting! When did he "form" the SSPX?
ReplyDeleteSo, in the end, Mgr. Lefebvre did not receive the sought for blessing?
ReplyDeleteI was interested that the letter omitted the last paragraph.
ReplyDeleteYeah, "That was he whole of the meeting, no more, no less." Except for the part we left out...!
ReplyDeleteSt. Padre Pio of Pietralcina disliked the Novus Ordo too. He celebrated only the Tridentine Latin Mass.
ReplyDeleteSt. Padre Pio may have agreed w/ Msgr.Lefebvre on the Mass, but he apparently could not bring himself to bless other aspects of his enterprise. For one thing, Msgr. Lefebvre's understanding of the Dogma EENS leaves much to be desired (and explained). For another, the virulent and uncharitable attacks on Fr. Feeney and those who follow his correct defense of EENS are scandalous and sophomoric.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't try to make too much of this. Obviously, the Saint didn't condemn Archbishop Lefebvre as reported in that bogus lie that was circulating around.
ReplyDeleteThe fragment that was omitted in the letter that's copied onto the Society site isn't pertinent to the substance of the letter, it only criticizes other Traditionalists for giving the bogus letter feet.
Ray from MN: see sspx.org, the SSPX was founded to form holy priests - simply that.
ReplyDeleteSee http://sspx.org/get_the_full_picture.htm for details.
What splendid obedience, St. Pio !!!
ReplyDeleteHe left the rest to God and the archbishop.
Perhaps as an archbishop, God was already communicating with him regarding "things" and didn't need the padre to add anything.