Fr. Hewko: Sedevacantism [2020]

[Stone]

'Abp. Marcel Lefebvre: A Resignationist? A Sedevacantist? Let Him Speak!'

An excellent sermon on the error of Sedevacantism - explaining and reminding how Archbishop Lefebvre always refused to usurp the authority of the Church's Magisterium by personally passing judgement on the Conciliar popes.

The 1917 Catholic Encyclopedia tells us the

"Magisterium is a teaching authority; it not only presents the truth, but it has the right to impose it, since its power is the very power given by God to Christ and by Christ to His Church. This authority is called the teaching Church. The teaching Church is essentially composed of the episcopal body, which continues here below the work and mission of the Apostolic College. ... At the head of this episcopal body is the supreme authority of the Roman pontiff, the successor of St. Peter in his primacy as he is his successor in his see."

This is why no "lay armchair theologian" nor "Father X,Y, or Z" can make declarations on who is Pope and who is not. This is one of the fundamental errors with the sedevacantist theories, including the resignationist theory.

Archbishop Lefebvre allowed for the possibility that one day these popes may be declared not to have been popes or that their teachings may very well be reversed, their new Rites reversed, etc. but he always reminded us that it is up to the Church's Magisterium to make these pronouncements. Not even he - an Archbishop of the Church - with certainly more authority than any one of us, refrained from making such declarations. Sedevacantism begins in anarchy and ends in anarchy.

God bless Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre for always thinking and acting as the Church thinks and acts! Let us imitate his prudent and humble example and beg Our Lord and Our Lady to guide us through these treacherous days, where 'even the elect may be deceived'!

When Pope Honorius was condemned, he was condemned as Pope. And yet, the Council of Constantinople – I believe it was Pope Leo II, although I’m not sure - condemned Pope Honorius for favoring heresy.

He didn’t say “he favored heresy, so he was no longer the Pope.” No. And neither did he say "since he was the pope, you had to obey him and accept what he said.” No, because he condemned him! So what did [Catholics] have to do then? Well, one had to admit that Pope Honorius was the Pope, but one did not have to follow him because he favoured heresy! Isn't that the conclusion then? That seems to me the normal conclusion. Well, we're in that situation. One day these popes will be condemned by their successors. One day the truth will return. (Archbishop Lefebvre, Conference on Sedevacantism and Liberalism, Econe, 1984)

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Most of us know that the prudence of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre was such, that in these times of terrible assaults against the Faith, he never took upon himself an authority he did not have.

He strongly condemned the errors and heresies spawned in Vatican II by his words and actions. He did this by his words in giving sermon after sermon, conference after conference, and writing book after book, explaining how these errors rose up against the teachings of the true Catholic Church. He did this also by his actions when he erected the SSPX as a structure to counter those Conciliar errors, and the "reforms" that issued from them, to help ensure the perpetuance of the traditional Priesthood from which a flood of graces would flow.

But he did not claim the pope was not the pope. He simply said 'it is not for me to decide, the Church must decide.' This position is one that took great courage and even greater humility. Many souls are tempted to want to solve the problems afflicting us now. They do not want to practice the patience required in waiting for the Church to eventually condemn these evil popes. Instead, they rather usurp an authority they do not have and themselves declare this one is not a pope for this reason or that one is not a pope for another reason. This is anarchy disguised as piety, an angel of darkness masquerading as an angel of light.

One of the greatest and most eloquent rebuttals to the sedevacantist error comes from Our Lady Herself. For even Our Lady of Fatima recognizes and "waits" for the Church's Magisterium!

At Fatima She requested the solemn public Consecration of Russia to Her Immaculate Heart by the Pope and all the Catholic bishops of the world. The Pope in union with bishops of the world isthe Church's Magisterium!

[If Our Lady is 'forced' to wait for the Consecration of Russia until that time when there is a good Pope on the Throne of St. Peter, can we do any less? Are our individual needs and desires for a resolution to this Conciliar mess more important than Our Lady's request for the Consecration of Russia? Have we not been taught from our earliest days to imitate Her in Her virtues, particularly Her humility, which was so pleasing to the Blessed Trinity?

Dear friends, we are all struggling to hold onto 'the Faith of our Fathers, our Holy Faith.' Let us do so by fervently uniting ourselves to Our Lady and imitating Her sweet virtue of humility. It is this humility that Archbishop Lefebvre imitated and with it for his guide, he continues to guide us now. May we all be found faithful - clinging to the true Church, in Her true teachings, Her true Traditions,  Her true Sacraments, and Her true Holy Mass. - from the Archived Catacombs