Lefebvre and the art of identifying ducks: Why Novus Ordo Catholics should take note of his 1974 Declaration

21 November was the half-century anniversary of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre’s prophetic 1974 Declaration that traditionalist orthodox Catholics could view as a sort of line-in-the-sand moment.

I have briefly, as an aside, explained in another article the dilemma orthodox traditionalist Catholics in South Africa face.

The biggest of these is that none of the “legitimate” fraternities offering the Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) is active in South Africa, only the Priestly Society of St. Pius X (SSPX). By using the word “legitimate” in inverted commas I am in no way implying that I frown upon the legitimacy of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest (ICKSP) or the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter (FSSP), but rather that I find it sad and troubling that the SSPX don’t share the same status.

I would also like to make it clear that many good priests in my country pursue orthodoxy and tradition to the best of their capabilities within the Novus Ordo (NO) milieu. However, I suspect it is becoming increasingly more difficult as the tension grows between the modernist lies coming out of Rome and the unchanging and unchangeable truth of Catholicism that has been taught for close to 2000 years. The laity that wants to hang on to Christ’s Catholicism (as opposed to the religion of the Post-Conciliar Synodal Church) of course is in the same lamentable boat.

Many fantastic works are available that argue both for and against the legitimacy of the SSPX. (In the “pro” camp Apologia pro Marcel Lefebvre by Trad hero Michael Davies, and more recently Kennedy Hall’s SSPX: The Defence, springs to mind). On both sides of the argument, you will find many great minds from within Catholicism, of which I am not one.

I base my pro-SSPX/ anti-synodal church sentiments rather on the “if-it-walks-like-a-duck” model of argumentation. It is easy.

Go to an SSPX parish and you will find the following:

·       The Traditional Mass of the Ages, which they were never allowed to change in the first place.

·       Ultra-reverent priests (and parishioners.)

·       Absolute reverence for the Eucharist and its sacrificial nature.

·       Catechetical homilies based on unadulterated Catholicism as in Tradition, Magisterium, and Scripture.

Swing past your local NO parish (which I admittedly attend at least five days a week, occasionally visiting the SSPX priory for my dose of TLM, orthodoxy, and tradition) and you are likely to find:

·       A protestantised, watered-down Mass that hardly even looks Catholic anymore.

·       Priests and laity who clearly have no reverence for Jesus Christ and His Church

·       Hardly any reverence for the Eucharist (after all, it is a celebration, not a sacrifice). You will probably be hard-pressed to find NO attendees who really believe in the Real Presence of Christ

·       Homilies that espouse heretical, anti-Catholic, anti-Christian, New Age nonsense.

Like I said. If it walks like a duck.

21 November was the half-century anniversary of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre’s prophetic 1974 Declaration that traditionalist orthodox Catholics could view as a sort of line-in-the-sand moment for Mother Church—one of many that would consequently follow.

The good Archbishop’s Declaration read as follows:

“We hold fast, with all our heart and with all our soul, to Catholic Rome, Guardian of the Catholic Faith and of the traditions necessary to preserve this faith, to Eternal Rome, Mistress of wisdom and truth.

We refuse, on the other hand, and have always refused to follow the Rome of neo-Modernist and neo-Protestant tendencies which were clearly evident in the Second Vatican Council and, after the Council, in all the reforms which issued from it.

All these reforms, indeed, have contributed and are still contributing to the destruction of the Church, to the ruin of the priesthood, to the abolition of the Sacrifice of the Mass and of the sacraments, to the disappearance of religious life, to a naturalist and Teilhardian teaching in universities, seminaries and catechectics; a teaching derived from Liberalism and Protestantism, many times condemned by the solemn Magisterium of the Church.

No authority, not even the highest in the hierarchy, can force us to abandon or diminish our Catholic Faith, so clearly expressed and professed by the Church’s Magisterium for nineteen centuries.

“But though we,” says St. Paul, “or an angel from heaven preach a gospel to you besides that which we have preached to you, let him be anathema” (Gal. 1:8).

Is it not this that the Holy Father is repeating to us today?  And if we can discern a certain contradiction in his words and deeds, as well as in those of the dicasteries, well we choose what was always taught and we turn a deaf ear to the novelties destroying the Church.

It is impossible to modify profoundly the lex orandi without modifying the lex credendi. To the Novus Ordo Missae correspond a new catechism, a new priesthood, new seminaries, a charismatic Pentecostal Church—all things opposed to orthodoxy and the perennial teaching of the Church.

This Reformation, born of Liberalism and Modernism, is poisoned through and through; it derives from heresy and ends in heresy, even if all its acts are not formally heretical. It is therefore impossible for any conscientious and faithful Catholic to espouse this Reformation or to submit to it in any way whatsoever.

The only attitude of faithfulness to the Church and Catholic doctrine, in view of our salvation, is a categorical refusal to accept this Reformation.

That is why, without any spirit of rebellion, bitterness or resentment, we pursue our work of forming priests, with the timeless Magisterium as our guide. We are persuaded that we can render no greater service to the Holy Catholic Church, to the Sovereign Pontiff and to posterity.

That is why we hold fast to all that has been believed and practiced in the faith, morals, liturgy, teaching of the catechism, formation of the priest and institution of the Church, by the Church of all time; to all these things as codified in those books which saw day before the Modernist influence of the Council. This we shall do until such time that the true light of Tradition dissipates the darkness obscuring the sky of Eternal Rome.

By doing this, with the grace of God and the help of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and that of St. Joseph and St. Pius X, we are assured of remaining faithful to the Roman Catholic Church and to all the successors of Peter, and of being the fideles dispensatores mysteriorum Domini Nostri Jesu Christi in Spiritu Sancto. Amen.

November 21, 1974
Econe, Switzerland”

Lefebvre’s Declaration was a direct response to a canonical visitation of the Écône seminary in Switzerland 10 days earlier, where he was training priests according to traditional Catholic principles. This visitation by two emissaries of the Vatican, deeply disturbed Lefebvre and his seminarians due to the modernist and progressive theological views expressed by the visitors.

The visit was initiated by the Holy See to evaluate the seminary, which had become a center for traditionalist resistance to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council. Lefebvre had already been viewed with suspicion for his outspoken criticism of the post-conciliar Church, and Écône had become a focal point for opposition to the new liturgical reforms and theological trends.

During the visitation, the two delegates reportedly made statements that Lefebvre considered outright heretical. They questioned traditional Catholic doctrines, including the bodily Resurrection of Christ and the celibacy of priests, and appeared to endorse ecumenical and relativistic positions that Lefebvre saw as incompatible with the Catholic faith. Their views confirmed his fears that modernism had deeply infiltrated the Church hierarchy.

In reaction to this perceived attack on orthodoxy, Lefebvre drafted his Declaration. It was a passionate affirmation of his commitment to "eternal Rome" and his rejection of what he called "modernist Rome," which he believed was undermining the true faith. The Declaration became a rallying cry for traditional Catholics and marked a definitive step in Lefebvre's resistance to the Vatican's post-conciliar direction.

The Declaration was not merely an emotional response but a formal statement of Lefebvre’s theological and pastoral principles. It crystallized his critique of Vatican II and its aftermath, particularly regarding changes in liturgy, ecumenism, and moral theology. It also expressed his resolve to continue his mission to preserve the Church's tradition, even if it meant defying Vatican authorities.

The 1974 Declaration set the stage for escalating conflict between Lefebvre and the Vatican. It solidified his position as the leader of the traditionalist Catholic movement and laid the ideological foundation for the ongoing work of the SSPX. However, it also deepened the divide with the Holy See, ultimately leading to the suppression of the SSPX in 1975 and Lefebvre’s excommunication in 1988 after the unauthorized consecration of bishops.

Lefebvre’s concerns were legitimate. Since 1974, in the aftermath of the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church has been on a downward spiral that is culminating in the current attempts to replace it with the synodal ape church.

One of Lefebvre’s central claims was the erosion of Catholic tradition and authority, as found in the statement that “We adhere with all our heart and with all our soul to Catholic Rome, guardian of the Catholic Faith and of the traditions necessary to maintain this Faith, to eternal Rome, mistress of wisdom and truth."

Lefebvre lamented the rise of a "modernist" Rome, which he felt had departed from the timeless teachings of the Church. Today, this concern appears prescient. The last fifty years have seen increasing debates within the Church about core doctrines, such as the nature of marriage, LGBTQ sins, the Eucharist, and the ordination of women.

Statements from some Church leaders, including many of Pope Francis’, have been interpreted as ambiguous or even contradictory to longstanding teachings, leaving many faithful confused. This perceived crisis in authority underscores Lefebvre’s warning about the Church compromising its mission by accommodating modernity rather than transforming it.

A key aspect of the 1974 Declaration was Lefebvre’s critique of the post-conciliar liturgical reforms. He expressed a strong preference for the Tridentine Mass, which he saw as a pure and unadulterated expression of Catholic worship. In contrast, the NO Mass, introduced in 1969, was criticized for diluting the sacredness of the liturgy and pandering to Protestant sensibilities. Which it demonstrably has done!

Half a century later, the resurgence of the TLM and the explosion of the so-called Radical Traditionalist movement, reflects the enduring truth of Lefebvre’s Declaration. Despite restrictions, especially under Pope Francis’ Traditionis Custodes (2021), the TLM continues to attract young Catholics seeking reverence, beauty, and continuity with the Church’s heritage. This grassroots movement underscores the relevance of Lefebvre’s vision: a hunger for worship that aligns with the transcendent rather than the transient.

Lefebvre’s declaration also decried the infiltration of secular ideologies into the Church. Any Catholic who can click a mouse and read knows that this infiltration of satanic ideologies such as relativism, “wokeism” and the gay agenda, has directly led to the grave mess the Catholic Church finds itself in today.  

Lefebvre observed that the “aggiornamento”—or “updating” of the Church to engage the modern world—had led to the adoption of worldly values incompatible with the Gospel. Over the past fifty years, societal norms have shifted dramatically, especially concerning issues like abortion, contraception, and gender ideology. In many cases, Church leaders have struggled to offer a unified response, and some have even seemed to endorse positions that blur Catholic teaching. Think here of the heretic “Fr.” James Martin et al.

Lefebvre’s call to resist these trends is strikingly relevant today, as the “recognize and resist” motto resounds everywhere where faithful Catholics find themselves. The polarization within the Church over moral issues reflects his concern that accommodation to the modern world risks betraying the faith. His stance resonates with those who see the Church’s mission as countercultural—a beacon of truth in a world increasingly hostile to Christian values.

As mentioned earlier, one of the most remarkable validations of Lefebvre’s 1974 Declaration is the growth of the traditionalist Catholic movement. The SSPX, which he founded, has expanded globally, offering the sacraments and Catholic education to countless faithful. Beyond the SSPX, other traditionalist groups and lay movements have emerged, reflecting a broad dissatisfaction with the status quo.

This revival of traditional Catholicism is not merely a nostalgic reaction but a response to the deep spiritual and doctrinal needs of modern Catholics. Lefebvre’s unwavering commitment to tradition has inspired a new generation of believers who see continuity with the Church’s past as essential for its future.

Fifty years after Archbishop Lefebvre’s 1974 Declaration, his critique of post-conciliar developments remains startlingly relevant. The crises of authority, liturgy, and morality that he identified have only deepened, confirming his warnings about the dangers of modernism and secularism infiltrating the Church. While his stance led to controversy and division, it also planted the seeds for a growing traditionalist movement that seeks to restore what it sees as the Church’s true mission.

In a world marked by relativism and moral confusion, Lefebvre’s call to adhere to eternal truth offers a prophetic reminder: the Church must remain steadfast in its mission to sanctify, teach, and lead souls to salvation. His Declaration once dismissed as reactionary, now stands as a clarion call for renewal rooted in fidelity to Christ and His Church.

I would sincerely encourage my fellow NO attendees to at the very least read Archbishop Lefebvre’s works and in doing so hone your duck-identifying skills…

Christus Rex!

Recognise and Resist!

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