Seeking
First the Kingdom of Heaven
“Amid the storms through
which She passes today, She [the Church] could proudly
and tranquilly say: ‘Alios ego vidi ventos;
alias prospexi animo procellas’ (‘I have
already seen other winds, I have weathered other storms’).
The Church has fought in other lands, against adversaries
from among other peoples, and she will undoubted continue
to face problems and enemies quite different from those
of today until the end of time.”
Bishop Juan Rodolpho Laise quoted these
words of the TFP founder, Professor Plinio Corrêa
de Oliveira at the beginning of his talk, “A Capuchin
Bishop Reflects on the Crisis in the Church.” It
set the tone for an evening of conversation and thought
at the American TFP Washington Bureau October 15.
Bishop Laise emphasized that persecution
has been the normal state of the Church throughout Her
history. Thus, it is imperative that Catholics learn to
face persecution with strength and serenity.
He affirmed that this is why he has
a great respect for Prof. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira
and the members of the TFP. “There is something
that I admire in this movement (TFP) here in the United
States, as in Europe, Brazil, Argentina,” Bishop
Laise said. “Wherever they are, its members confront
adversity with fortitude. This is not easy, but it shines
through, even when facing incomprehension.”
He continued, relating his own experiences
of fortitude in the diocese of San Luis, Argentina, where
he served as bishop from 1971 until his retirement in
2001.
When Bishop Laise first arrived, the
diocese had only one seminarian and had not ordained a
priest in 18 years. Through painstaking efforts and limitless
confidence, he began to traverse a long hard road. By
the time he retired, the diocese had a huge seminary with
50 seminarians and 65 young, newly-ordained priests. Throughout
all his struggles he was inspired by the words of Our
Lord: “Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God,
and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto
you.” (Matt. 6:33)
He recounted a touching story of his
confidence in the Blessed Mother. After traveling to Fatima,
he bought a small statue of Our Lady. Once a month he
would process, together with 100-150 faithful, through
the streets of San Luis with the statue, praying the rosary.
During the procession he would walk behind the statue
of the Virgin, beseeching her: “Open the way! Open
the way!”
And open the way she did.
One point he stressed was the necessity
to oppose relativism, which Cardinal Ratzinger dubbed,
“the greatest evil of our days.” He emphasized
that his success was not due to watering down truth to
make it palatable to the mainstream, but rather in forcefully
presenting the truth in all its splendor. Thus, during
his reign, he published 15 short catechisms and never
shied away from taking unpopular stands.
One exemplar stand was his refusal to
allow communion in the hand. Bishop Laise studied the
issue in detail and even published a book supporting his
position. After a long and difficult struggle, with the
support of Cardinal Ratsinger, he prevailed and, to this
day, communion is only given in the traditional way, on
the tongue, in the diocese of San Luis, Argentina.
When the evening ended, those who had
attended left refreshed. They had seen a bishop who maintained
his orthodoxy, despite the pressure that the “prophets
of change” exert on all those who oppose their progressive
agenda.
They left refreshed and firmly committed
to seek first the kingdom of Heaven, confident that if
they do, everything else shall be added unto them.
