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Apologia pro Marcel Lefebvre: Part One 1905 - 1976

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Called by Paul H. Hallett of the National Catholic Register «a definitive history of the Lefebvre case down through 1976», *Apologia Pro Marcel Lefebvre* is the first of a three-volume series covering the Archbishop's life from 1970 to 1982.

Having devoted a mere ten pages to Marcel Lefebvre's exemplary life from his birth in Tourcoing, France in 1905 to his would be retirement from public life in 1968, Michael Davies moves on to what is the real focus of the book: the so-called «Econe affair» and the ensuing conflict between Mgr Lefebvre and the Vatican.

In 1970, Mgr Lefebvre founded the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) and its seminary at Econe, Switzerland, with full canonical approval (contrary to later claims that it was a «wildcat seminary.») In the post conciliar climate, however, this seminary was perceived by the liberals as a threat to their on-going dogmatic and liturgical revolution, because the Archbishop was forming priests along pre-Vatican II lines, trained to say the Tridentine Mass and fully cognizant of the tradition.

A Visitation was ordered by the Commission of Cardinals in 1974, hoping to find something wrong with the seminary. The report however was full of praise for the work being done at Econe. Only the leaking of a document called the «Declaration» provided any grounds for action against the SSPX: originally written for the seminarians and not intended in any way as a rebellious manifesto, it expressed Marcel Lefebvre's rejection of «the Rome of Neo-Modernist and Neo-Protestant tendencies», as evinced in the Visitors' heretical statements in favour of a married clergy and against the immutability of Truth and the Resurrection of Christ.

Mgr Lefebvre was summoned to an «interview» with the Commission of Cardinals, which later turned out to have been an informal trial, the only one he ever got. On the basis of the interview, the SSPX was suppressed, only two months before the final examinations at Econe, and the Archbishop was left without any possibility of an appeal because of some canonical subtlety involving the Pope's fiat.

Considering the suppression of his society to have been perhaps uncanonical and obviously unjust, Mgr Lefebvre demanded to be tried by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (the modern Inquisition), arguing that his society and seminary should not be penalized for whatever personal opinion he might have expressed. This was denied to him. Confronted to the Vatican's closed and rather devious attitude, he simply chose to await a genuine trial and went on with the work of the SSPX.

*Apologia Pro Marcel Lefebvre* is a chronologically arranged documentary history of the whole «Econe Affair», which truly enables the reader to understand the dramatic series of events leading to the Archbishop's willful disobedience to Pope Paul VI. Not only has Michael Davies collected an impressive array of letters and articles, but he also offers brilliant contextualisations and analyses of the various documents presented, demonstrating a real gift for philosophical detection.

The book also includes a twenty-page diary of the author's 1975 stay at the Econe seminary and a first hand account of the 1976 mass in Lille, which he personally attended. The 90 pages of appendices include a chronology of the events; parallels between Mgr Lefebvre, St Athanasius in the fourth century and Robert Grosseteste in the thirteenth; a history of pontifical abuses showing that Popes, although infallible when speaking ex cathedra on matters of faith and morals, are nonetheless not inerrant or necessarily just in their decisions; and, among other things, an in-depth article by Reverend Dr. Boyd A. Cathey on the «Legal Background to the Erection and the Alleged Suppression» of the SSPX.

Like all of the works by Michael Davies I have read so far, *Apologia Pro Marcel Lefebvre* is a book that really helped me clarify my thinking on the topics covered. Anything by Michael Davies is worth purchasing and studying, and I certainly look forward to reading the next two volumes, also available from Angelus Press. As for those looking for a full biography, watch out for a translation of the recently published «Marcel Lefebvre: Une Vie» by Mgr Bernard Tissier de Mallerais, one of the founders of the SSPX.

In a controversial life such as that of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, usually the facts take a back seat to wild accusations, speculation and recriminations. The Archbishop's case is no different. He was accused of being a "dinosaur" (horror of horrors!), undermining papal rule and being a tool of the extreme right in European politics. Michael Davies' three volume "Apologia Pro Marcel Lefebvre" cuts through all of the sound and fury and presents only the facts through interviews with the principals, reprints of articles in various Catholic periodicals, diaries etc. One of the best things I got from these books was a real sense of objectivity. Davies doesn't apologize for everything Lefebvre has done, he contextualizes them within the post-conciliar church. It is a tragedy that so many dissenting theologians were allowed to run rampant and teach their errors that endanger souls without fear of reprisal while the Vatican seemed to cower at their attacks and fearful of the press while the SSPX, which could've been a strong boon for renewal withing the church, was suppressed.

I enjoyed the books, although at times they could be a dry read, and I think that it desperately needs to be re-released because the events in the third volume wrapped up almost 6 years before the Archbishop's excommunication. Although I don't want to praise Lefebvre's actions in that matter, I would certainly benefit from Davies' insight into the situation.

All in all, I found these books to be very interesting and informative. <...