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I Accuse the Council
A major player at Vatican II, Archbishop Lefebvre made these 12 official statements at the Council exposing the danger of its documents. He warned that the faithful would become confused, doubting the necessity of the Church, the sacraments, the conversion of non-Catholics, and the necessity of authority. Covers collegiality, the priesthood, marriage, religious liberty, and ecumenism.
89 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1998
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About the author
Marcel Lefebvre
48 books61 followersMarcel François Marie Joseph Lefebvre (29 November 1905 – 25 March 1991) was a French Roman Catholic archbishop. Following a career as an Apostolic Delegate for West Africa and Superior General of the Holy Ghost Fathers, he took the lead in opposing certain changes within the Church associated with the Second Vatican Council.
In 1970, Lefebvre founded the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX). In 1988, after he consecrated four bishops to continue his work with the SSPX against the expressed prohibition of Pope John Paul II, the Holy See immediately declared that he and the other bishops who had participated in the ceremony had incurred automatic excommunication under Catholic canon law. In 2009, 18 years after Lefebvre's death, Pope Benedict XVI lifted the excommunication of the four surviving bishops.
There is more than one author with this name
In 1970, Lefebvre founded the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX). In 1988, after he consecrated four bishops to continue his work with the SSPX against the expressed prohibition of Pope John Paul II, the Holy See immediately declared that he and the other bishops who had participated in the ceremony had incurred automatic excommunication under Catholic canon law. In 2009, 18 years after Lefebvre's death, Pope Benedict XVI lifted the excommunication of the four surviving bishops.
There is more than one author with this name
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
June 17, 2021
Liberal Catholics: gO BaCk anD ReAd tHe DoCuMeNtS oF vaTicaN ii!!!!
*We read the VII documents together; I fight back tears and prepare to crusade*
Me: The documents ARE the problem.
Liberal Catholics: Oh yeah?? Prove it!
Me: Let's read some of Archbishop Lefebvre's criticisms of the Council documents, presented AT THE COUNCIL itself! Can't get closer to the Council than that!
Liberal Catholics: SCHISMAAAAATIK!
*We read the VII documents together; I fight back tears and prepare to crusade*
Me: The documents ARE the problem.
Liberal Catholics: Oh yeah?? Prove it!
Me: Let's read some of Archbishop Lefebvre's criticisms of the Council documents, presented AT THE COUNCIL itself! Can't get closer to the Council than that!
Liberal Catholics: SCHISMAAAAATIK!
April 13, 2022
Proof of Archbishop Lefebvres first rate theological excellence and orthodoxy, as well as his great piety and love towards the Holy See and Mother Church. First hand evidence of the erroneous ambiguities of the Second Vatican Council, and the Archbishops and other faithful Council Fathers clear and rigorous refutation of said errors, before during and after the sessions. Great read as both a historical account and sound catechism.
December 2, 2014
Excellent. Archbishop Lefebvre was a humble and courageous man during a difficult time in the Church's history; his concerns seem to have all come true. This little book is a compilation of his texts written during the council with a few other conservative dissenters. There is also a text from Paul VI.
October 4, 2018
Collection of Archbishop Lefebvre's interventions during Vatican II. This small book helps make it clear that the destruction that followed Vatican II wasn't the work of a few "bad apples" misinterpreting the council, as many neo-conservatives insist, but instead was built into the documents themselves.
December 5, 2021
This is an important set of historical documents outlining the contemporaneous thoughts of Archbishop Lefebvre during the Vatican Council (1962-6), which prompted him to subsequently go into opposition with the Catholic Church.
The author explains his position as reacting against what he calls a ‘plot’ by Rhineland Cardinals working with Pope Paul VI to effectively wreck the Catholic Church (Preface) at Vatican II. Later in the book he glosses their ‘poison’ as ‘the greatest victory for Communism.’ The author also notes that he was proposed as a member to vet documents, but he was vetoed at the last minute (p38). This vetoing becomes further evidence of the conspiracy. But the tone of the author’s writings evident in this collection present an alternative thesis, which does not seem to have occurred to him.
In the middle of the book there is an exchange of letters between the author and Pope Paul VI. The pope listens and responds, saying that he cannot see the alleged conspiracy at Vatican II, which the author is citing; and the pope says that he cannot see the theological problems which the author insists upon (p77). Rather than accept the pope’s judgement, the author judges the pope to be doctrinally wrong, and rejects obedience to him (and then, to his successor, Pope John Paul II).
This leads to a strange kind of double-think, as the author elsewhere in this book insists upon the need for ‘obedience’ to the Pope and the need to submit to the Church. He cites a 1949 Holy Office decree to prove it (p22). The very last document in the book is his lament that the council is leading to less obedience to the pope (p102).
Some of the author’s concerns raise valid queries. For example he worries that collegial approaches to bishops (ie bishops conferences) may undermine the role and accountability of a bishop as the individual person responsible for a diocese (p12). This is a valid concern which, arguably, the Church still needs to resolve.
Some of the other concerns seem less well founded. For example, the author insists that the council documents should express themselves using medieval scholastic theology (p6), but the whole point of the council was to talk to the modern world in a language which it can understand.
Similarly, the author laments the 'grave omission' that council documents do not cite enough doctrine (p84). But that doesn’t follow. Vatican II doesn’t need to cite every previous doctrine, as it is not abrogating them. It is intended to be read in continuity with them.
The author’s main criticism seems to be the decree on Religious Liberty, which he sees as a surrender to ‘Liberalism, Liberals, Masons and Protestants’ (p25). The author’s contention is that the decree cannot be read in continuity with previous doctrine. But Pope Paul VI disagreed and even added a line to the document commanding bishops to read it in continuity with previous doctrine. The author doesn’t mention that fact, he just insists that it is doctrinally discontinuous.
This collection of documents illustrate well, how the author’s concerns developed and were expressed during the course of Vatican II. But this is still a difficult book to read ‘cold,’ with no previous understanding of the issues. The author’s documents are discussing drafts of council documents which are not always provided, and they refer to characters (like Yves Congar), whom readers may know nothing about.
Ideally these documents should have been annotated with notes by an editor, to help readers fully understand them, and their context. It would have also been good to cross reference them to the correspondence which exists between the author and the Vatican in the years following the council.
This is an important set of historical documents, but they are not presented in the most reader-friendly way.
The author explains his position as reacting against what he calls a ‘plot’ by Rhineland Cardinals working with Pope Paul VI to effectively wreck the Catholic Church (Preface) at Vatican II. Later in the book he glosses their ‘poison’ as ‘the greatest victory for Communism.’ The author also notes that he was proposed as a member to vet documents, but he was vetoed at the last minute (p38). This vetoing becomes further evidence of the conspiracy. But the tone of the author’s writings evident in this collection present an alternative thesis, which does not seem to have occurred to him.
In the middle of the book there is an exchange of letters between the author and Pope Paul VI. The pope listens and responds, saying that he cannot see the alleged conspiracy at Vatican II, which the author is citing; and the pope says that he cannot see the theological problems which the author insists upon (p77). Rather than accept the pope’s judgement, the author judges the pope to be doctrinally wrong, and rejects obedience to him (and then, to his successor, Pope John Paul II).
This leads to a strange kind of double-think, as the author elsewhere in this book insists upon the need for ‘obedience’ to the Pope and the need to submit to the Church. He cites a 1949 Holy Office decree to prove it (p22). The very last document in the book is his lament that the council is leading to less obedience to the pope (p102).
Some of the author’s concerns raise valid queries. For example he worries that collegial approaches to bishops (ie bishops conferences) may undermine the role and accountability of a bishop as the individual person responsible for a diocese (p12). This is a valid concern which, arguably, the Church still needs to resolve.
Some of the other concerns seem less well founded. For example, the author insists that the council documents should express themselves using medieval scholastic theology (p6), but the whole point of the council was to talk to the modern world in a language which it can understand.
Similarly, the author laments the 'grave omission' that council documents do not cite enough doctrine (p84). But that doesn’t follow. Vatican II doesn’t need to cite every previous doctrine, as it is not abrogating them. It is intended to be read in continuity with them.
The author’s main criticism seems to be the decree on Religious Liberty, which he sees as a surrender to ‘Liberalism, Liberals, Masons and Protestants’ (p25). The author’s contention is that the decree cannot be read in continuity with previous doctrine. But Pope Paul VI disagreed and even added a line to the document commanding bishops to read it in continuity with previous doctrine. The author doesn’t mention that fact, he just insists that it is doctrinally discontinuous.
This collection of documents illustrate well, how the author’s concerns developed and were expressed during the course of Vatican II. But this is still a difficult book to read ‘cold,’ with no previous understanding of the issues. The author’s documents are discussing drafts of council documents which are not always provided, and they refer to characters (like Yves Congar), whom readers may know nothing about.
Ideally these documents should have been annotated with notes by an editor, to help readers fully understand them, and their context. It would have also been good to cross reference them to the correspondence which exists between the author and the Vatican in the years following the council.
This is an important set of historical documents, but they are not presented in the most reader-friendly way.
September 20, 2024
THE CONTROVERSIAL ARCHBISHOPS ATTACK ON ‘LIBERAL/MODERNIST’ TRENDS
Marcel François Marie Joseph Lefebvre (1905- 1991) was a French Roman Catholic archbishop who was a strong opponent of the Second Vatican Council, and in 1970 founded the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) to continue “traditionalist” teachings. He was excommunicated in 1988 after consecrating four bishops, despite the prohibition by Pope John Paul II against this. He was not reconciled to the Roman Church prior to his death [although several of the bishops were]. He wrote several books, such as 'Open Letter to Confused Catholics,' 'The Mass of All Time,' 'They Have Uncrowned Him,' 'Spiritual Journey,' 'Against the Heresies,' etc. A full-length biography of him is 'Marcel Lefebvre.'
He wrote in the Preface to the 1976 French edition, "These documents, with supporting evidence, will make it clear that Liberal and Modernist tendencies came to light during the Council and had an overwhelming influence on those present, thanks to the downright plot of the Cardinals from the banks of the Rhine, supported, unfortunately, by Pope Paul VI." (Pg. x)
He wrote in the Preface to the English edition, "Vatican II, which should have been the anti-Communist Council as the Council of Trent was anti-Protestant, was taken over by the Liberals and became the instrument for the destruction of all the moral and spiritual barriers against Communism." (Pg. xi)
He states, "Is conscience an absolute reality or merely a relative one? Is conscience the ultimate basis of religion, both objective and subjective? How can man in following his conscience find his eternal salvation? Is it not because, in objective truth, he finds God and our Savior? Conscience cannot be defined without relation to Truth, ordained as it essentially is to that quality." (Pg. 24)
He advises, "Let us return to the Roman Church, Mother and Mistress of all our Churches. In her we must all be united. She alone among all the Churches is indefectible in the Faith. Let us again listen to the voice of the Sovereign Pontiffs, especially the voice of Pope Pius XII. He is truly, now and forever, the Doctor of the Church in the modern world." (Pg. 60)
He argues, "Innumerable propositions contain ambiguities because in reality the doctrine of those who drafted them is not traditional Catholic doctrine, but a new doctrine, made up of a mixture of Nominalism, Modernism, Liberalism, and Teilhardism." (Pg. 67)
He adds, "We have lived to see the marriage of the Catholic Church with Liberal ideas. It would be to deny the evidence, to be willfully blind, not to state courageously that the Council has allowed those who profess the errors and tendencies condemned by the Popes named above, legitimately to believe that their doctrines were approved and sanctioned." (Pg. 81)
He concludes, "The destruction of the Church is advancing at a rapid pace. By giving an exaggerated authority to the episcopal conferences, the Sovereign Pontiff has rendered himself powerless. What painful lessons in one single year! Yet the successor of Peter and he alone can save the Church." (Pg. 83)
Traditionalists and supporters of Lefebvre will appreciate this book.
Marcel François Marie Joseph Lefebvre (1905- 1991) was a French Roman Catholic archbishop who was a strong opponent of the Second Vatican Council, and in 1970 founded the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) to continue “traditionalist” teachings. He was excommunicated in 1988 after consecrating four bishops, despite the prohibition by Pope John Paul II against this. He was not reconciled to the Roman Church prior to his death [although several of the bishops were]. He wrote several books, such as 'Open Letter to Confused Catholics,' 'The Mass of All Time,' 'They Have Uncrowned Him,' 'Spiritual Journey,' 'Against the Heresies,' etc. A full-length biography of him is 'Marcel Lefebvre.'
He wrote in the Preface to the 1976 French edition, "These documents, with supporting evidence, will make it clear that Liberal and Modernist tendencies came to light during the Council and had an overwhelming influence on those present, thanks to the downright plot of the Cardinals from the banks of the Rhine, supported, unfortunately, by Pope Paul VI." (Pg. x)
He wrote in the Preface to the English edition, "Vatican II, which should have been the anti-Communist Council as the Council of Trent was anti-Protestant, was taken over by the Liberals and became the instrument for the destruction of all the moral and spiritual barriers against Communism." (Pg. xi)
He states, "Is conscience an absolute reality or merely a relative one? Is conscience the ultimate basis of religion, both objective and subjective? How can man in following his conscience find his eternal salvation? Is it not because, in objective truth, he finds God and our Savior? Conscience cannot be defined without relation to Truth, ordained as it essentially is to that quality." (Pg. 24)
He advises, "Let us return to the Roman Church, Mother and Mistress of all our Churches. In her we must all be united. She alone among all the Churches is indefectible in the Faith. Let us again listen to the voice of the Sovereign Pontiffs, especially the voice of Pope Pius XII. He is truly, now and forever, the Doctor of the Church in the modern world." (Pg. 60)
He argues, "Innumerable propositions contain ambiguities because in reality the doctrine of those who drafted them is not traditional Catholic doctrine, but a new doctrine, made up of a mixture of Nominalism, Modernism, Liberalism, and Teilhardism." (Pg. 67)
He adds, "We have lived to see the marriage of the Catholic Church with Liberal ideas. It would be to deny the evidence, to be willfully blind, not to state courageously that the Council has allowed those who profess the errors and tendencies condemned by the Popes named above, legitimately to believe that their doctrines were approved and sanctioned." (Pg. 81)
He concludes, "The destruction of the Church is advancing at a rapid pace. By giving an exaggerated authority to the episcopal conferences, the Sovereign Pontiff has rendered himself powerless. What painful lessons in one single year! Yet the successor of Peter and he alone can save the Church." (Pg. 83)
Traditionalists and supporters of Lefebvre will appreciate this book.
December 31, 2022
This is an itemized list of every objection the Archbishop raised during the council. It may serve as a great reference for someone writing a documentary but offers no pertinent explanation for his objections to council documents but does lists such minutiae as single words which are literally lost in translation from French/Latin into English. Unless read in the original language for research purposes, don't waste your time on this book.
March 2, 2023
The analysis and warnings have certainly proven true. These writings of his will (when the crisis abates in the Church) be seen as his apologias in defense of the faith. The last chapter is certainly the best, and is a summation of the entire book, wherein his prediction proved true even not long after the Council concluded. How much more under this pontificate of Pope Francis is it clearly seen the final fruition of what he was warning us about.
October 24, 2023
A small, but very important book - whether you agree with Archbishop Lefebvre or not - for understanding the concerns that were expressed about Vatican II during the Council itself. Highly recommended as a primary source for anybody interested in understanding that Council.
June 1, 2017
Not all the attendees of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) agreed with the documents subsequently issued from that body, despite the ballot results. If you think the Church is immune from the Progressive- Conservative, Modernist-Traditionalist battle for hearts and minds and souls that pervades our at-large culture, you would be wrong. It’s at the heart of the current crisis in the Church, and, though this struggle was present long before the Second Vatican Council, it was the progressive agenda at the Council that motivated then Bishop Lefebvre and others to speak out in opposition to what they saw as an “official introduction of Liberal ideas into Church texts.”
This volume, first produced in 1976 by Archbishop Lefebvre, exposes the behind the scenes objections raised by the Conservative-Traditionalist faction to segments of the language contained in the Vatican II documents. For each objection, or intervention as it’s called, the actual text of the proposed document is first presented, along with any pertinent administrative information, for example how much time the attendees had to review the wording before a vote would be taken. Following this, Lefebvre presents his position for a change in the document language based on Catholic doctrine and Canon Law. It was clear, however, that the Modernist/Progressive faction had overwhelming influence, and Lefebvre and his fellow Traditionalists were rebuffed in their objections.
In the 1976 preface to the book, Lefebvre said:
A non-Catholic spirit can quickly be discerned in all this. An examination of these points leads us inevitably to look at the Council in a new and strange light. Then the questions follow: Had those who brought off this astonishing maneuver thought it out in depth before the Council opened? Who are they? Did they get together before the Council?
Gradually one’s eyes are opened to behold an astounding conspiracy prepared long beforehand. Such a discovery makes one wonder what part the Pope played in all this work and how responsible he was for what happened. In spite of the desire to find him innocent of this appalling betrayal of the Church, it would seem that his involvement was overwhelming.
Whatever view one takes on the “fruits” of the Second Vatican Council, this slim volume is an interesting addition to the historical record.
This volume, first produced in 1976 by Archbishop Lefebvre, exposes the behind the scenes objections raised by the Conservative-Traditionalist faction to segments of the language contained in the Vatican II documents. For each objection, or intervention as it’s called, the actual text of the proposed document is first presented, along with any pertinent administrative information, for example how much time the attendees had to review the wording before a vote would be taken. Following this, Lefebvre presents his position for a change in the document language based on Catholic doctrine and Canon Law. It was clear, however, that the Modernist/Progressive faction had overwhelming influence, and Lefebvre and his fellow Traditionalists were rebuffed in their objections.
In the 1976 preface to the book, Lefebvre said:
A non-Catholic spirit can quickly be discerned in all this. An examination of these points leads us inevitably to look at the Council in a new and strange light. Then the questions follow: Had those who brought off this astonishing maneuver thought it out in depth before the Council opened? Who are they? Did they get together before the Council?
Gradually one’s eyes are opened to behold an astounding conspiracy prepared long beforehand. Such a discovery makes one wonder what part the Pope played in all this work and how responsible he was for what happened. In spite of the desire to find him innocent of this appalling betrayal of the Church, it would seem that his involvement was overwhelming.
Whatever view one takes on the “fruits” of the Second Vatican Council, this slim volume is an interesting addition to the historical record.
January 12, 2020
6/10
This small book requires an extensive knowledge of the workings (congregations, commissions, sessions, interventions, etc. alongside the specific personalities and agendas involved beyond 'Schillebeeckx, Kung, Ratzinger*, and Congar were modernist bishops/periti') of and preparations for Vatican II in order to understand - knowledge that I don't possess. With that knowledge, I think I may have gained more from this book with that knowledge.
Nevertheless, these few examples of the workings of the council, St Lefebvre's protestations, and papal replies do show a rupture between the Tridentine church and the Conciliar one in terms, in philosophy, in worldview, and in actual, supposedly incorrigible doctrine, though many of the chapters are more suggestive than apodictic.
*Ratzinger later repented of most of his modernism and became Pope, a position he retains in exile. Whether the modernist mafia were able to force him in to exile because of the changes to petrine primacy and collegiality defined in the 'pastoral council' or because of cowardice, history will judge.
This small book requires an extensive knowledge of the workings (congregations, commissions, sessions, interventions, etc. alongside the specific personalities and agendas involved beyond 'Schillebeeckx, Kung, Ratzinger*, and Congar were modernist bishops/periti') of and preparations for Vatican II in order to understand - knowledge that I don't possess. With that knowledge, I think I may have gained more from this book with that knowledge.
Nevertheless, these few examples of the workings of the council, St Lefebvre's protestations, and papal replies do show a rupture between the Tridentine church and the Conciliar one in terms, in philosophy, in worldview, and in actual, supposedly incorrigible doctrine, though many of the chapters are more suggestive than apodictic.
*Ratzinger later repented of most of his modernism and became Pope, a position he retains in exile. Whether the modernist mafia were able to force him in to exile because of the changes to petrine primacy and collegiality defined in the 'pastoral council' or because of cowardice, history will judge.
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