October 2000

Dominicans visit England

Four priests and four lay brothers from the Dominican convent of Haye-aux-Bonshommes in Avrille, France (Maine-et-Loire), visited our Monastery in England on the occasion of the ordination of one of their students on 23 September. For several of the Dominican Brothers, it was their first visit to England, “Mary’s Dowry”. Frere Louis-Marie, originally from Lille in the north of France, was ordained to the subdiaconate. Pere Innocent-Marie, the Father Prior of the Dominican convent, was deacon for the pontifical Mass, and Pere Pierre-Marie was assistant priest for one of the ordinands. The five other Fathers and Brothers formed the schola (or choir), and beautifully executed the Gregorian chant for the Mass of Ember Saturday. The following day, Pere Albert was subdeacon for the sung Mass in London.

The ordinations were an opportunity to renew the strong ties which have bound our two communities together over the years. As Pere Innocent-Marie commented after the ceremony, although our two communities differ in certain ways, the Dominicans and Redemptorists have a strong common point: preaching the Word of God in order to save souls. The Order of Preachers (commonly called Dominicans) was founded in the thirteenth century by St Dominic Guzman for the purpose of opposing the Cathar heresy, and they have distinguished themselves through the ages as philosophers and theologians of the first rank. The Dominicans have always held a special place in the Holy Office, and with their aid many heresies were quickly put an end to. Many preachers from among their ranks have been canonised: St Albert the Great, St Thomas Aquinas, St Vincent Ferrer….(They have about twenty saints and several hundred beati and venerables!)

The Dominican convent of the Haye-aux-Bonshommes was founded in the 1970’s with the aid and blessing of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. Our Redemptorist community owes a great debt of gratitude to our Dominican confreres for all their devoted charity and fraternal helpfulness during the twelve years of our own existence. And in a special way we are grateful to them for the two years they have spent teaching theology to our students. The thomistic philosophy and theology which the Dominicans teach is truly an ark of salvation which keeps minds afloat in the deluge of false doctrine which threatens to engulf the modern world.

We should also like to make mention of the wonderful spirit of penance and charity which animates our Dominican confreres – having come from such a distance for the ordinations, they nevertheless cheerfully accepted the frequently difficult life style which is lived at our monastery on Sheppey, and made themselves all things to all men by helping with the preparations for the ceremony.

We would like to extend a hearty thank-you to all the Dominicans, congratulations to Frere Louis-Marie, and we hope that they will come back to visit our Monastery on Papa Stronsay soon! Those who are interested in the Dominican vocation should write to the Father Prior at the Dominican address below:

Covent de la Haye-aux-Bonshommes
F-49240 Avrillé, France
Ph: (02) 41 69 20 06

Fathers Nicholas Mary and Alponsus Maria are ordained to the priesthood.

February 2001

		Above, Fr. Albert and Fr. Thomas from the Dominican Convent in Avrillé, France, during their recent visit to India. The Dominicans have a well-deserved reputation for excellence in study and learning.

November 2001

A Little Catechism on Sedevacantism
by Dominicus

What is sedevacantism?
Sedevacantism is the theory of those who think that the most recent popes, the popes of the Second Vatican Council, have not really been popes. Consequently, the See of Peter is not occupied. This is expressed in Latin by the formula sede vacante.

Where does this theory come from?
This theory has been conceived in reaction to the very grave crisis that the Church has been undergoing since the Council, a crisis that Archbishop Lefebvre justly called “the third world war”. The main cause of the crisis has been the dereliction of the Roman Pontiffs, who teach or allow to be propagated serious errors on the subjects of ecumenism, religious liberty, collegiality, etc.

The sedevacantists think that real popes could not be responsible for such a crisis, and consequently they consider them not to be “real” popes.

Do the sedevacantists agree amongst themselves?
No, far from it. There are many different positions. Some think that, since the Chair of Peter is vacant, someone should occupy it, and so they have elected a “pope”. Such is the case of the sect of Palmar in Spain, for example. Among those who do not go so far, there are different schools. Some think that the current pope is an anti-pope, others that he is only partly pope, a pope materialiter but not formaliter.

Some sedevacantists consider their position as a “likely opinion”, and consent to receive the sacraments from non-sedevacantist priests, while others, called “ultra” by Abbé Coache¹, make it a matter of faith, and refuse to assist at Masses where the priest prays for the pope. But what is common to all the sedevacantists is that they think that the pope should not be prayed for in public.

What is meant by being pope materialiter?
The main difficulty of sedevacantism is to explain how the Church can continue to exist in a visible manner (for She has received from Our Lord the promise that She will endure until the end of the world) while being deprived of her head. The partisans of the so-called “Cassiciacum Thesis”² have come up with a very subtle solution: the current pope was validly designated as pope, but he did not receive the papal authority because there was an interior obstacle (heresy). So, according to the theory, he is able to act in some ways for the good of the Church, such as, for instance, appointing cardinals (who are cardinals materialiter), but he is not really pope.

What do you think of this solution?
For one thing, this solution is not based on Tradition. Theologians (Cajetan, St Robert Bellarmine, John of St Thomas, etc.) have examined the possibility of a heretical pope, but no one prior to the Council ever devised such a theory. Also, it does not resolve the main difficulty of sedevacantism, namely, how the Church can continue to be visible; for if the pope, cardinals, bishops, etc., are deprived of their “form”, then no visible Church hierarchy is left. Moreover, this theory has some serious philosophical defects because it supposes that a head can be head materialiter, that is, without authority.

What arguments do the sedevacantists adduce to prove their theories?
They use a theological argument and a canonical one. The theological argument consists of positing that a heretic cannot be head of the Church, but John Paul II is a heretic, therefore….

The legal argument consists of pointing out that the laws of the Church invalidate the election of a heretic; but Cardinal Wojtyla was a heretic at the time of his election, therefore….

But isn’t it true that a pope who becomes a heretic loses the pontificate?
St Robert Bellermine says that a pope who would formally and manifestly become a heretic would lose the pontificate. For that to apply to John Paul II, he would have to be a formal heretic, deliberately refusing the Church’s Magisterium; and this formal heresy would have to be open and manifest. But if John Paul II often enough makes heretical affirmations or statements that lead to heresy, it cannot easily be shown that he is aware of rejecting any dogma of the Church. And as long as there is no sure proof, then it is more prudent to refrain from judging. This was Archbishop Lefebvre’s line of conduct.

If a Catholic were convinced that John Paul II is a formal, manifest heretic, should he then conclude that he is no longer pope?
No, he should not, for according to the “common” opinion (Suarez), or even the “more common” opinion (Billuart), theologians think that even a heretical pope can continue to exercise the papacy. For him to lose his jurisdiction, the Catholic bishops (the only judges in matters of faith besides the pope, by Divine will) would have to make a declaration denouncing the pope’s heresy.

“According to the more common opinion, Christ, by a particular providence, for the common good and the tranquillity of the Church, continues to give jurisdiction to an even manifestly heretical pontiff until such time as he should be declared a manifest heretic by the Church.”³

Now, in so serious a matter, it is not prudent to go against the common opinion.

But how can a heretic, who is no longer a member of the Church, be its leader or head?
The Dominican Father Garrigou-Lagrange, basing his reasoning on Billuart, explains in his treatise De Verbo Incarnato (p. 232) that a heretical pope, while no longer a member of the Church, can still be her head. For, what is impossible in the case of a physical head is possible (albeit abnormal) for a secondary moral head.

“The reason is that, whereas a physical head cannot influence the members without receiving the vital influx of the soul, a moral head, as is the Roman Pontiff, can exercise jurisdiction over the Church even is he does not receive from the soul of the Church any influx of interior faith or charity.”

In short, the pope is constituted a member of the Church by his personal faith, which he can lose, but he is head of the visible Church by the jurisdiction and authority that he received, and these can co-exist with his own heresy.

How does their canonical argument fare?
The sedevacantists base their position on the Apostolic Constitution Cum ex Apostolatus of Pope Paul IV (1555-1559). But some good studies have shown that this constitution lost its legal force when the 1917 Code of Canon Law was promulgated. See, for example, the article of Fr Albert, O.P., in Sel de la terre, Summer 2000, pp 67-78. What remains in effect from this constitution is its dogmatic teaching. And, consequently, it cannot be made to say more than the theological argument already examined.

Don’t the sedevacantists claim to find a confirmation of their theory in the errors of Vatican Council II and the harmful liturgical and canonical laws of the Conciliar Church?
Indeed, the sedevacantists think, in general, that the teaching of the Council should have been covered by the infallibility of the ordinary and universal Magisterium, and consequently should not contain any errors. But, since there are errors, for example, on religious liberty, they conclude that Paul VI had ceased to be pope at that moment.

Really, if one accepted this argument, then it would be necessary to say that the whole Catholic Church disappeared then, too, and that “the gates of hell had prevailed” against her. For the teaching of the ordinary, universal Magisterium is that of the bishops, of the whole Church teaching.

It is simpler to think that the teaching of the Council and of the Conciliar Church is not covered by the infallibility of the ordinary, universal Magisterium for the reasons explained in the article of Fr Pierre-Marie, O.P., on the authority of the Council that appeared in Sel de la terre, “L’autorite du Concile”, pp 32-63.

One of the arguments set forth there consists in showing that the Council does not present its teaching as “necessary for salvation” (which is logical, since those who profess this believe that it is possible to be saved without the Catholic Faith). Since this teaching is not authoritatively imposed, it is not covered by the guarantee of infallibility. The same thing can be said about the liturgical laws (the New Mass) and the canonical laws (the 1983 Code of Canon Law) promulgated by the most recent popes: they are not covered by infallibility, although normally they would be.

Aren’t the sedevacantists right, though, in refusing to name the pope at Mass in order to show that they are not in communion with (una cum) a heretic (at least materially) and his heresies?
The expression una cum in the Canon of the Mass does not mean that one affirms that he is “in communion” with the erroneous ideas of the pope, but rather that one wants to pray for the Church “and for” the pope, her visible head.
In order to be sure of this interpretation, in addition to reading the erudite studies that have been made on this point, it is enough to read the rubric of the missal for the occasion of a bishop celebrating Mass. In this case, the bishop must pray for the Church una cum…me indigno famulo tuo, which does not mean that he prays “in communion with…myself, your unworthy servant” (which does not make sense!), but that he prays “and for…myself, your unworthy servant.”

But doesn’t St Thomas Aquinas say that in the Canon one should not pray for heretics?
St Thomas Aquinas does not say that one should not pray for heretics (Summa Theologica, III, Q79, A7 ad 2), but merely observes that, in the prayers of the Canon of the Mass, one prays for those whose faith and devotion are known to God (quorum tibi fides cognita est et nota devotio). For, he says, so that this sacrifice obtain its effect (effectum habet) those for whom one prays must be “united to the passion of Christ by faith and charity”. He does not say that praying for heretics is forbidden. He only means that this prayer will not have the same efficacy as one for a Catholic, and is not provided for in the Canon.

In conclusion, what should we think of sedevacantism?
Sedevacantism is a theory that has not been proven speculatively, and that it is imprudent to hold practically (an imprudence that can have very serious consequences). That is why Archbishop Lefebvre never adopted this position, and even forbade the priests of the Society of St Pius X to profess it. We should have confidence in his prudence and theological sense.
Fr Muñoz⁴ points out that no saint in the Church’s history was ever a sedevacantist, while several openly and forcefully resisted a pope’s errors. Let us do likewise. †

1. Abbé Coache (1920-1994), Doctor of Canon Law, was the pastor of the parish of Montjavoult until 1973. He was one of the pioneers of the Catholic resistance against the Conciliar revolution. His parish bulletin evolved into The Combat for the Faith, which was widely distributed, and which he edited until his death. He organised with Msgr Ducaud-Bourget the epic taking of St Nicholas du Chardonnet in Paris, France, in February 1977.

2. “Cassiciacum” is the name of the place to which St Augustine withdrew with some friends after his baptism, and where he studied and deepened his faith. In the late 1970’s, Fr Guerard des Lauriers, O.P., together with a group of like-minded priests, founded a review called Les Cahiers de Cassiciacum to defend the sedevacantist position. The “Cassiciacum Thesis” is the name given to the theory that the pope is pope materialiter but not formaliter.

3. Billuart, De Fide, Diss. V, A.III, No. 3, obj. 2

4. Of the diocese of Barcelona, Spain. He was ordained in 1952, and was vicar of a parish in Barcelona. With women active in the Catholic Action movement, he founded a contemplative religious community called the Oasis, near Barcelona. The special mission of this community is to pray for priests. Becoming acquainted with Archbishop Lefebvre in the early 1970’s, he chose to remain faithful to the traditional Mass. Archbishop Lefebvre had a deep affection for the community of the Oasis, whose apostolate he judged to be very necessary for the Church today, and would go there to visit. In October 2000, Fr Muñoz founded a second Oasis in the south of France. He plans a foundation to be started in Oregon, USA, in 2002.

Translated from Sel de la terre, Spring 2001. Sel de la terre is a quarterly review published in French by the traditional Dominicans of Avrillé, France.

DOMINICAN FATHERS
Couvent de la Haye-aux-Bonshommes
F-49240 Avrillé, France
Ph: (02) 41 69 20 06

The traditional Dominican monastery at Avrillé, France

May 2002

In memoriam: Brother Marie-Joseph, O.P.
(1958-2001)

Brother Marie-Joseph, O.P., perpetually professed serving brother of the Dominican community at Avrillé in France passed away on the morning of 11 December, 2001, after seventeen years of religious life.

Born in Quebec, Canada on 24 November 1958, of a good Catholic family rich in the Faith and in children, he was clothed in the holy habit in August, 1984 at the age of 25 and made his perpetual vows of religion on 22 February 1992. He was the first serving brother of this community of strict Dominican observance founded with the blessing and encouragement of Mgr Lefebvre.

On the morning of his death, Brother had begun his day, as ever, by reading Holy Scripture. Then he had joined his confrères in the choir in order to hear the daily portion of the martyrology and to make his morning meditation. He assisted at the 6 am Mass, at which he received Holy Communion. The words he had heard in the Holy Gospel that morning were to prove particularly appropriate: Watch ye therefore, because you know not what hour your Lord will come. But this know ye, that, if the goodman of the house knew at what hour the thief would come, he would certainly watch and would not suffer his house to be broken open. Wherefore be you also ready, because at what hour you know not the Son of man will come. Who, thinkest thou, is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath appointed over his family, to give them meat in season? Blessed is that servant, whom when his lord shall come he shall find so doing. Amen I say to you: he shall place him over all his goods. (Mt 24: 42-47) After his thanksgiving and breakfast he took provisions over to the nearby cloistered Dominican nuns, as was his duty. Moments later he collapsed and died. Our Lord had come for him and found him a faithful and wise servant.

A hidden life, a life of perfection and absolute conformity to the Will of God, a life of devotion to Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament and Our Lady in her Holy Rosary, a life of prayer, penance and intercession for the conversion of sinners: such a life is chosen only by a few wise souls today. Preaching at his funeral on Friday, 14 December, his superior Rev. Fr Innocent-Marie, O.P. described what he called “the grace of the serving brothers: to be able to imitate the Blessed Virgin Mary more perfectly”:

“Because of their humble state they imitate her more easily, more surely. Like her, they are hidden; like her they accomplish humble and simple domestic duties; they do not preach, they are not seen, they do not go out. Like the Immaculate Virgin they are always playing apparently inferior roles. But we know well that without them this monastery would not exist, just as without Mary Immaculate the Word of God would not have become incarnate on earth.

“But religious life is not only an easier and more certain way of arriving at perfection, it is also a more rapid way. In fact, having far less to hold him back en route for Heaven, the religious travels faster. He does not possess any material goods to which he might become attached, he is not subject to human or carnal affections nor troubled by the running of a family, and he does not even have to concern himself with the direction of his own life: all he has to do at every moment is apply himself to observe the rule and the commands of his superiors. And so we understand how, with so little baggage, the soul can fly swiftly heavenward. [...] Our Brother prepared himself for death over 17 years; each day he died a little more to himself [...] In other words, his death was not sudden, but long and wisely prepared for.”
May his soul rest in peace.†

November 2002

From the Life of a Dominican Monastery

In the town of Avrillé, near Angers, France, are situated the monastery and convent of the traditional Dominicans. They keep the primitive Rule of St Augustine with the Constitutions of St Dominic. We are pleased to be able to present you a selection of events in their communities.

January 2006

Dominican Update

Rev. Fr François-Marie, O.P., traditional Dominican of Avrillé, France was able to pay a visit to Papa Stronsay in December. Catholic took the opportunity to update its readers of the activities of this sister religious community.

Reverend Father, how long have the traditional Dominicans been established. How did the foundation come about?

The Dominican Order, or Order of Friars Preachers, was founded by St Dominic in the 13th century. In 1975, several young men, members of the MJCF, the traditional Catholic youth organisation of France, wished to live the Dominican vocation but of course after Vatican II it became impossible to live as a true Dominican in the modern establishment. They began to live together in community at Clamart, near Paris, daily reciting the Divine Office. Later they moved to the south of France, near the Benedictine Monastery of Bedoin. The first fathers received the Dominican habit from Fr Guerard-des-Lauriers, O.P., and studied at Econe. In 1982 they went to the place of our present foundation at Avrillé, near Angers, in the west of France. This foundation was blessed with the support and encouragement of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre.

At the same time several young women grouped together with the same intention. They wished to live the contemplative vocation of the Dominican 2nd order and persevered on a similar course to our fathers but with the providential help of the Dominican teaching sisters of Fanjeaux for the first years of their religious life. They are today established near our friary, also in Avrillé.

How many friars are there at present?

We count nine priests, eight brothers and three clerical students not counting postulants. The contemplative Dominican nuns for some years numbered only two but now they are around 15.

Like Papa Stronsay, you surely had a great deal of material work to do in the establishment of your foundation?

Yes. When the first fathers arrived in Avrillé they found the remains of what had once been a Grandmontine Abbey. For many years the property had been used by a Catholic youth camp. To this day many of the former young campers visit the friary on the yearly open day and are pleasantly surprised to see the restoration which has taken place all round. In their day the church had been divided in two, the lower part their dining hall and the upper part their chapel. The whole building has now been renewed and a forth wing constructed to complete the cloister. At present we are undertaking work on a library to house our many thousands of books.

What areas of apostolate do you undertake?

To name just a few of them:

• A seminary for our own clerical students as well as those of other religious orders for example, Marianosses (of Brazil), Capuchins, Benedictines and Redemptorists. Several of our fathers give the necessary courses and lectures.
• The friary is also our Orders novitiate. The novices are a fundamental work if we are to continue the Order of Friars Preachers for future generations.
• We have the spiritual care of our nuns. Providing them with the sacraments on a daily basis.
• The friary produces a Thomistic review entitled Sel de la Terre, aimed at any Catholic who wishes to deepen his faith. The review is printed quarterly and contains articles on numerous subjects such as theology, apologetics, crisis in the Church, Christian archaeology. A real panorama of the actuality of Catholic life today.
• We run the College of St Thomas, a high School for boys with 23 pupils and a primary school with 50 pupils.
• This is of course aside from the apostolate of preaching which we engage upon in a number of countries.

How can our readers become more involved with your work?

The Dominican Order has a branch of tertiaries who group themselves into fraternities, especially in France where they are numerous. The fraternities have regular meetings. However this does not prevent individuals anywhere from becoming part of our Order by joining the Third Order. We have members in the United States, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand etc. All these tertiaries are united in the Order and they receive a regular letter which keeps them in contact with the friary at Avrillé.

The Dominicans were especially known for their preaching of the Holy Rosary. Is this still the case with yourselves?

Yes. We have re-established the Rosary Confraternity and the members now total around 4000. They are also united to us by a regular newsletter which is translated into numerous languages. For example it appears even in Korean!

Could you describe your vocation for a young person who may feel God calls him to become a Dominican.

The Dominican life embodies the most complete imitation of the life led by Jesus Christ during his time among us. The Dominican priest is an imitator of the Sovereign Priesthood of Our Lord. As a religious he imitates Our Lord poor, chaste and obedient. As a contemplative he nourishes his soul through faith as Our Lord nourished Himself by the contemplation of His Father, face to face. He is a preacher to carry on the mission of the Incarnate Word.

Our principal devotions are the Holy Eucharist, the Holy Rosary—resumé of the whole Gospel and Christian Doctrine—and the souls in Purgatory, because our zeal for the salvation of souls is not limited to those still living. All this is we undertake in the light of that cry of our Holy Father St Dominic: “What shall become of poor sinners?”

Rev. Father François-Marie, O.P. in conversation with Catholic

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