Iacobus, my dear friend and a man of passionate humours, is now in the third day of his refusal to repost his riposte to my post about His Lordship, Fernando Rifan. Since it was a brilliant reply and a distinguished piece of writing, this is now also the third day of my mourning. Indeed, to be wounded at an absence of rich dialogue, especially in the faith community comprised of the readers of this blog, is a sure sign of a genuine member of the Cornell Society for a Good Time. But my spirits were lifted this evening when I read Mr. Heiner’s transcription (for which labor I thank him greatly) of the homily given by His Lordship, Bernard Fellay, at the recent priestly ordinations in Winona, Minnesota.

And now I say this with all sincerity that I thought it a beautiful, touching homily. I excerpt these passages:

. . . You see a Mass, you see a priest at the altar, and the Faith tells us, there is a real priest acting at the altar as Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

It is not a picture, it is not an idea or concept. It is a reality. At every Mass, the unique and sovereign Priest is really present and making and doing this sacrifice to which we are associated, in which we participate, the Mass, which is done in the visible way by the priest. He is in this very moment an instrument in the hands of the Principal Cause – Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. . . .

When we say you are priests, it has a meaning, it is not just a nice word – it is a tremendous reality. And it is not for you. It is for souls and for God. God wants to save these souls for Him – to share, to diffuse into these souls His charity. And what is the means for this work? He could have used thousands of ways – indeed we may say He is using thousands of ways – but the one He uses the most, the most efficient is charity. . . .

This charity is in the Sacred Heart and it is in this way that the souls will be gained for God. Of course you have to preach, you have to teach, you have to preside, you have to give the sacraments, you have to baptize. All these functions are yours. But above all, you are for the sacrifice. You are offering the sacrifice in which Our Lord was not only priest, but victim, and this Cross is imprinted in your life.

That is the only thing I can promise you about your future: you are priests, you are crucified. If you accept it, your priesthood will be full, but if you reject it, you will have a tremendous life ahead of you – in a bad sense. It is beyond a human being – but the grace you receive today will help you go through it.

Of course when we hear “cross” we think of the worst thing possible. But every day we receive little “crosses” so that the black of the coal will turn into the white of burning charity. Your sacrifices are these things that look black, but will turn into burning instruments to save souls.

I thank Mr. Heiner again for his transcription and for the many wonderful photographs, out which I have taken one for the illustration of this post.

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