France: Archbishop Gilson condemns the document of the Society of St. Pius X against ecumenism.
In an account published by La Croix of March 11, the Archbishop of Sens-Auxerre, Mgr. Gilson, was indignant over the document against ecumenism, addressed at the end of January by Bishop Fellay to all the cardinals, and to all the priests of France in mid-February. (see DICI n° 90 and subsequent and the downloadable complete text)
Here are the exact terms: Some people dare to judge lightly, not only conciliar teaching as erroneous, even heretical but the Pope himself. All the priests of France have just received a letter, and accompanying volume, which deals with ecumenism and summons John Paul II to the tribunal of their inquisition. This is intolerable! From ecumenism to silent apostasy, 25 years of pontificate, such is the title of this booklet written as a sentence which condemns and crucifies the Bishop of Rome! On this memorial day of Cardinal François Marty, who welcomed John Paul II to Paris in the month of May 1980, I condemn these remarks: Truly, their authors are blinded by the pride of their scholarly intellects. I pray that they may one day experience, by the grace of Gods mercy, their road to Damascus.
In Présent of March 13, Jean Madiran makes the following comments:
In his malicious extremism, (Archbishop Gilson) has not seen that this letter and the attached note, consist of a complaint, a request and an argumentation.
A complaint: founded or not.
A request: acceptable or not.
An argumentation: contestable or not.
But that is precisely the whole question: is it founded, is it acceptable, is it contestable?
The malevolent Archbishop has not seen the question, or else he does not feel capable of answering it. He claims that the letter is scholarly, because he is himself (or because he is only) a graduate in theology and canon law. And it in this that he has shown himself lacking in philosophy and theology, preferring invective to debate.
And this is what he offers at the tomb of Cardinal Marty, whose memory he thus wishes to honor, on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of his death.
He had been his secretary, admittedly. But that does not excuse everything. Archbishop Marty (Fr. Marty, as he liked to be called, everywhere from offices to bars) was the president of the French episcopate at the time when this episcopate brought out a New Sunday Missal, who endeavored to impress on the faithful, as a reminder of Faith, that the New Mass was no longer a sacrifice, as it was now simply a matter of remembrance of the unique sacrifice already accomplished.
