Out of the limelight, the Society of St. Pius X continues serving God and His Church through the work of its priests exercising their apostolate in more than 60 countries. Thus, the Holy Sacrifice of the Altar is never interrupted and at every moment God receives the homage due to Him.
In these last two months, 16 new priests have been ordained. Soon they will enter the vast battlefield of the apostolate, where they will have to fight every inch of the way against the Devil and his desire for domination. The harsh battle that awaits them makes us think of David and Goliath. Let us pray that these young priests – and their elders also – will have the same strength and the same humility as the saintly king of Israel.
Dear Friends and Benefactors,
Out of the limelight, the Society of St. Pius X continues serving God and His Church through the work of its priests exercising their apostolate in more than 60 countries. Thus, the Holy Sacrifice of the Altar is never interrupted and at every moment God receives the homage due to Him.
In these last two months, 16 new priests have been ordained. Soon they will enter the vast battlefield of the apostolate, where they will have to fight every inch of the way against the Devil and his desire for domination. The harsh battle that awaits them makes us think of David and Goliath. Let us pray that these young priests – and their elders also – will have the same strength and the same humility as the saintly king of Israel.
Here at the Seminary, under last June's radiant sun, Bishop Williamson ordained four priests and three deacons. Almost 2,000 people attended this ceremony, and among them the presence of different religious orders was noticeable, vividly manifesting the catholicity of Holy Mother Church and the vitality of Tradition: the Sisters of the Society of St. Pius X, coming from their neighboring novitiate in Browerville, the Dominican Sisters of Post Falls, the Franciscan Sisters of Kansas City, and the Benedictine Monks of Silver City.
After these very busy days, quiet returned to the Seminary, and life continued at the rhythm of the retreats and study sessions. Two Ignatian retreats were given this summer, and in the second week of August we will host the retreat for the priests of the US District. A study session of doctrinal formation on the Revolution and its consequences attracted 23 men. We recommend that you buy the tapes of this Session, which will be available this Fall. Today, doctrinal formation cannot, and must not, be neglected. The intelligences in darkness must receive the light of Truth in order to avoid the traps of the modern world.
During this month of August, most of our Seminarians are following the 30-days Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. Two priests will preach this great Ignatian Retreat at our priory in Ridgefield, CT. As the training of future priests must be proportionate to the duty that awaits them, we entrust to your prayers this intense and important spiritual exercise. The First Year seminarians will follow a 10-day retreat in September, also according to St. Ignatius' method.
On the material side, we have to keep up the maintenance of our seminary, so as not to find ourselves one day forced to undertake huge repairs. Always careful to keep our buildings and installations in a reasonable state of repair, we are constantly working on the renewal or the replacement of parts of our house, and this necessary maintenance explains why so frequently we ask explicitly for your help.
But today, we simply wish to thank you for your constant charity towards us. We know that the economic situation is now difficult. Nonetheless, your donations never fail and express in a touching manner your love for the Priesthood. We understand that these gifts are also the concrete manifestation of your most important spiritual support: the formation of a priest is not possible unless the prayers of the faithful sustain the work being done here at the Seminary.
We give thanks to God, for continuing – out of this apostate and sensualist world – to raise souls willing to hear and answer His call. Each vocation is a victory of grace, and it requires the support of our prayers. For the time being, we are expecting 20 new seminarians for the next academic year, to be split between the years of Spirituality and Humanities.
The year of Humanities has a particular importance, and we consider it as part of the Seminary courses, as a year in which the young man receives a natural formation, indispensable to be able to receive afterwards the specific priestly formation. The soil must be plowed before planting the seeds...
Allow us to end this simple, familiar conversation by giving you some more general news. The firmness shown by the SSPX in its talks with Rome has begun to yield fruit, as Rome is now obliged to consider the doctrinal issue and answer our repeated and pressing questions. The Roman authorities will have to understand that our position is not the result of a sentimental nostalgia, but a question of faith. With the grace of God, we are resolved never to embrace that spirit of compromise that would lead us to sign a practical agreement without having first considered the doctrinal questions. In conscience, we cannot accept the pernicious orientations that insidiously un dermine the Faith. Quietly assured, we oppose Rome for grave motives of Faith.
There cannot be any compromise when the Faith is at stake.
We do not work for ourselves. Our hope is not in this world, and we do not crave any kind of worldly recognition or recompense. Our fight goes beyond our persons, and the real issue of the battle is grave enough for us not to compromise. We must thus ask for the virtue of humility, to remain faithful in our place and in spite of our weakness. The struggle against the massive forces of destruction arrayed against the Faith is not ours, but Christ's. We are defending the interests of God, not ours.
Let us, then, ask from Our Lady the grace of a humble fidelity. This will be our prayer for the beautiful feast of Her Immaculate Heart that we will celebrate this August.
May God keep and protect you.
Fr. Yves le Roux