Marbel, Philippines
Dear Friends and Benefactors!
Fifty years ago, soon after the end of the Second Vatican Council, Archbishop Lefebvre affirmed that the Catholic Church was on the verge of collapsing. Already in a letter written to Cardinal Ottaviani in 1966, he enumerated some of the bad fruits of the Council (see "I accuse the Council", Annex). On his death-bed, 25 years later, he deplored the devastation provoked by the frenetic ecumenism of Pope John Paul II that reached its peak in the interreligious meeting in Assisi in 1986, with its blasphemous and sacrilegious ceremonies.
Since then, the situation has not improved. The wide use of the Internet in spreading sinful behaviors, the legislation on homo-sexual "marriage" and the promotion of the Gender theory are some of the latest attacks on Christian civilization. The collapse of the faith has eventually altered what was still holding in the moral life of Catholics. In the past 25 years since Archbishop Lefebvre's death, we have witnessed the devastation of all Catholic institutions, the ruin of the very notion of family and the disappearance of the knowledge of natural law, all this promoted by many influential members of the Catholic Hierarchy.
The dire consequences of these changes in the Church are here for all to see: the closing down of so many churches and sanctuaries; the construction of strange buildings in the most prestigious pilgrimage centers of the Catholic world (Saint Giovanni Rotondo, Fatima, Krakow - Divine Mercy shrine, Guadalupe, Lourdes, etc.).
The glorification of God in architecture has given way to the exaltation of the world with churches looking like airport departure halls, underground carparks, theaters or Celtic pagan temples. This visible transformation of the holiest places on earth is achieving one purpose: changing the mentality of the faithful. Those who were accustomed to going to church to worship God, will be led to practice a new "religion", which Michael Davies called the "cult of man".
In front of the catastrophic situation in the Church one could be tempted by two opposite reactions: either discouragement leading to despondency, or bitterness engendering barren critics and judgements. In the age of the Internet, so many self-appointed experts propose easy solutions to a complex crisis. As if endowed with Papal infallibility they profusely make use of anathemas in a display of aggressiveness which has nothing to do with the spirit of Our Lord and the example of the Saints. The sedevacantists and other mind players are good at that.
The Catholic attitude is otherwise: "Faced with such powerful deeds perpetrated by the enemies of God's Church, are we al-lowed to stand about idle? Is it permissible merely to complain and shed tears? No! Consider that at the last judgment we will not only give an account of what we have done, but God will also count up all those good deeds that we could have done but failed to do. Incumbent upon each one of us is the serious duty to stand on the front lines and physically fend off the enemy's attacks. Often one hears the remark, << But what can I do? The other side is so well organized, has so much power and wealth, etc. >> Such an individual has surely forgotten what St. Paul said:
<< I can do everything in Him, Who strengthens me. >>" (St.Maximilian Kolbe, "Rycerz Niepokalanej" No. 2, 1923).
Church Project in Davao
When many things collapsed in the 12th century, Christ asked St. Francis of Assisi to rebuild his Church. How did he do it? Like all the saints before him: through fervent prayer and sacrifice, he went on to conquer those who had fallen into error. He rose and rebuilt what others had pulled down. This was exactly the attitude of Archbishop Lefebvre, this is the way of the Society of Saint Pius X too: Omnia instaurare in Christo. Restore, repair, renew all things, EVERYTHING in Christ: the seminaries, the priesthood, the religious communities, the families, the institutions, the Christianitas.
A visible sign of the fecundity of the work of the Society of Saint Pius X is the fact that wherever it goes, it builds chapels, churches, schools, retreat houses, convents, etc. Christ is the Stone, the Rock on which the Church has been established (Mt 16:18). We are not to (re) build Christianity on sand (Mt 7:24). As living stones in the great sanctuary of Mother Church (1 Pet 2:5), we have to build on the Rock. This is what the members of the Society of Saint Pius X do not tire of doing. That is the reason for its success.
The symbol of Christ as Rock becomes reality when the priests, along with the faithful, put real stones together and build their sanctuaries. These become spiritual centers of Catholic renewal and immense sources of graces, because of the presence of the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Cross renewed on the altars by the priests. Here the priest gives grace and eternal LIFE through the sacraments, blessings, sacramentals, etc.; he leads the people on the right WAY, and with the help of catechists he teaches the TRUTH.
Chapel of the Oblates' Novitiate in Davao, Philippines
You may consider it as a special homage of thanksgiving towards Our Lady, to whom all of these future churches will be consecrated. The building of beautiful churches is an expression of the main purpose of Catholic Tradition which is unveiling to the eyes and the hearts of many the most beautiful mystery and the greatest miracle on earth: the real presence of the King of Kings and His perpetual drama of Love; "unto the death on the Cross".
Around these churches there are already thousands of Knights of the Immaculata and hundreds of Legionaries of Mary. As many adult faithful discover or rediscover the greatness of Catholicism in our churches, it is our great consolation to see that a big number of young people are also drawn to the treasure of Our Holy Religion, where they have access to its richness old and yet always new, in which they can experience a foretaste of eternity.
As Advent is fast approaching and "the Lord is nigh", we wish you a fruitful preparation to the feast of Christmas, in the company of our Blessed Mother.
General Santos, Philippines
Church Project in Cagayan de Oro, Philippines