The Missal of 1962

Some priests in the Resistance refuse to use the liturgical books approved and published by John XXIII in 1962: the Pontifical, Ritual, Breviary, and Missal.

Archbishop Lefebvre, on the contrary, adopted these books and explained the reason in a conference:

“From the moment that a reform such as that of Pope John XXIII does not go against our faith and does not diminish our faith, sincerely I do not believe… If this does not wound our faith, we must recognize the authority of the Sovereign Pontiff who publishes these books, this new breviary, and we must submit ourselves, even if we have some preference for the breviary or the missal of St. Pius X. There is an obedience that we must have as long as our faith is not touched, as long as it is not diminished.”

Indeed, it is necessary to safeguard not only the principle of faith and doctrine, but also that of authority. When a legitimate authority commands something that is not against the faith, it is not lawful to refuse it because of a personal preference.

Archbishop Lefebvre even required the priests of the Society to sign a commitment stating that they would use the Missal of 1962.

I believe it is a mistake to disregard the position of Archbishop Lefebvre. His position is founded on objective reasons.

There is, in Tradition in general and in the Resistance in particular, a tendency to underestimate authority. This is a grave error. If we are traditionalists, we must have the esteem that the Church has always had for obedience to authority. To act otherwise is to side with those whom we oppose and who have departed from the right path of Tradition.

If Archbishop Lefebvre allowed, out of condescension, for a certain time, that some priests use the Missal of St. Pius X, he later reversed this decision when he saw that it was not good. Moreover, in Écône the liturgy of 1962 has always been used.

This is what we do in our monastery, and what we exhort everyone to do likewise, thus preserving the unity of faith and the unity of the liturgy.

Divisions in the liturgy always end up having sad consequences. The rejection of the liturgical books of 1962 was the occasion of serious and numerous divisions in the Society. Frequently, it is accompanied by a tendency toward sedevacantism.

Let us strive to avoid these deviations if we wish to be true sons of Archbishop Lefebvre and, following his example, to be true sons of Holy Church.

+Thomas Aquinas O.S.B.