Bishop Huonder’s Testimony (3)
In a testimony filmed by the Certamen YouTube channel, Bishop Vitus Huonder, former Bishop of Chur, explains how he retired to a school of the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) after leaving the diocese for which he was the pastor, and how he has since evolved. The third episode is titled: “Getting Out of the Crisis.”
The first part of this third episode returns to the observation that “the Church is in one of the greatest crises of its history. It is a crisis within the Church. It covers all areas of the life of the Church.” It is particularly noticeable in the liturgical domain. The Church suffers from a great and growing wound.
Now, Francis wrote in Desiderio desideravi that he wanted to re-establish the unity of the Church in the Roman Rite. But, asks Bishop Huonder, “Is this how unity can be restored. By suppressing the authentic liturgy?” And he replies: “It is precisely illegitimate, because this liturgy is part of the strength of Tradition, of the treasury of the faith of the Church, and therefore comes under divine law.”
In a second part, the bishop emeritus of Chur makes a long quotation from St. Basil who was lamenting during the time of Arianism where he said in particular: “The faithful observation of the traditions of the Fathers is henceforth punished terribly as a crime.” This description can be applied to the current ecclesial situation.
In a third part, Bishop Huonder explains that he would like to ask the Pope a question: “I would like to ask the Pope why he takes bread away from the children. What prompts him to let them starve? What prompts him to let them perish?” He continues: “The point here is not that the Pope gives something, but that he takes something away from his children, something vital: the Holy Sacrifice [of the Mass] of the Fathers.”
Finally, in the last part, the prelate ends with a request addressed to the authorities of the Church: “I seek justice for the Society of Saint Pius X. The study of their affair calls for this petition. It would be fitting for the Church to offer, like in other cases, an apology in relation to this Society.”
Bishop Huonder concludes his testimony thus: “It would do well for the authority of the Church to express together with this apology their gratitude for the work of the SSPX, and to express their appreciation of this deeply Catholic work without any ifs or buts.”
Bishop Huonder speaks in German, but his testimony is subtitled in English. The third part is available online here.
(Sources : Certamen/MG – FSSPX.Actualités)
Illustration : Certamen
