An Interview With His
Excellency
By John Grasmeier
Shortly afterwards, I was contacted by and had several very engaging conversations with the owner of the Tradlist - a very decent French gentleman living in Paris - who informed me that he had a personal line of communication with Bishop Williamson and that both letters were indeed authentic. He came to understand that although we had built a good rapport over the course of our telephone conversations, Angelqueen members and readers would expect more than his word alone that the letters were for real. He then asked for my permission to give Bishop Williamson my phone number so that I may verify his side of the story myself. I of course gave it. On the first two attempts the good Bishop had made to contact me, I was indisposed. I had arrived home on both occasions only to find messages on my answering machine from a man with a British accent identifying himself as Bishop Williamson. Finally on his third try I was available, and quite eager to hear from him. What first struck me about His Excellency, was the way he conversed with me. He wasn't at all pretentious and didn't come off as one might imagine someone who holds the same offie as St. Timothy would. Then again, he wasn't overly "humble" to the point of his humility being contrived. His proper Brit accent and ecclesiastic status belied his plainspoken, matter-of-fact manner which was completely free of any airs. He laughed heartily several times. I felt so comfortable speaking with him that it became a chore to maintain the etiquette a Catholic layperson should observe when speaking to a bishop. We had two conversations after which he agreed without hesitation or qualification to answering a series of written questions. I stressed the fact that it was important to establish an impeccable line of verification, so as to remove any doubt that future communications between himself and either Tradlist or Angelqueen were to have anything less than 100% verity. He isn't very internet savvy and although he understood our dilemma, he seemed genuinely frustrated by the concept that he could be thought of as anyone other than himself. After we hung up, I phoned a well trusted Society priest who had been very reliable to me in the past on a personal level . This father has been with the Society from nearly the beginning and knew both Bishop Williamson and the late Archbishop Lefebvre very well. He also had a hand in founding a primary SSPX literature outlet and is rather well known in Society circles. It may sound silly, but for some reason I can't help but likening him to Yoda, from "Star Wars". Those of you who have deduced who the priest in question is by the above description will understand the comparison. I'm omitting his name not because he or anyone else asked me to, but because I see no need to have the possibility of causing his phone to ring or bringing him the stress of any controversy. He's getting on in years and has been a bit ill as of late, in addition to being busy enough as it is. The father called me back within the hour and confirmed that I had indeed spoken to Bishop Williamson, who he himself had just gotten off the phone with after contacting him at the number I had provided him. That settled it. The real Bishop Williamson had stood up and we could carry on without any hindrance. As to the following interview, the Bishop didn't set any rules whatsoever nor did he have my questions or myself screened by staff or anyone else. He made no hint whatsoever as to any subject matter to be covered and graciously answered every single one of the ten written questions I sent him, all of which are mine and mine alone. Enjoy. AQ: There have recently been 2 letters said to be written by you, send out via the Yahoo! “Tradlist” (website). There has been some speculation that these may have not been authentic. Would you care to settle the matter? Bp. Williamson: The two letters, called “Thoughts for August” and “Thoughts for September” were written by Bishop Williamson, He says so! AQ: The Yahoo! Tradlist is presented by the owner as a service with no official ties to the SSPX that is often used by Society clergy and episcopates as vehicle for online communication. It is said that your communications through it may become more regular. Should correspondence through Tradlist stated as authored by you be taken as such? Bp. Williamson: Until further notice, “Thoughts” for any month, published by Tradlist, will also come from Bishop Williamson. AQ: Some have wondered why if you feel the need to communicate broadly, you would use an unofficial avenue such as Tradlist as opposed to a Society asset such as DICI or SSPX.org. Can you shed any light on this? Bp. Williamson: An official Society asset such as DICI or sspx.org may reach a particular public. A different asset may reach a different public. Our Lord would like his bishops and priests to reach everybody. AQ: There has been much News about the meeting between the SSPX bishops and the pope. When the Society makes important decisions, for example on how to respond to a “deal” - if any - offered by the Curia, how are decisions reached? Is this done by a majority vote by all of the bishops or is there some other protocol in place? Bp. Williamson: The Society of St. Pius X is governed by the General Council which consists of the Superior General and his two Assistants, presently Bishop Fellay, Fr. Schmidberger and Bishop de Galarreta. This General Council takes all current decisions concerning the running of the Society. Once a year, in June, the other two bishops attend the meeting of the General Council. However, Bishop Fellay has said that if there were serious question of, for instance, an important agreement with Rome involving the whole Society’s future, he would call a wide meeting of Society Superiors for consultation and decision. AQ: Leaving aside the debate in some circles as to whether the supposed latae sentiae excommunications are binding or even valid, if they were lifted “no strings attached” would you view this as a positive development? Bp. Williamson: If the present “excommunication” upon the Society’s four bishops, dating from 1988, were declared null or non-existent, with –genuinely– “no strings attached”, that could be a very positive development. Yet it should be borne in mind that Providence may have had good reason to allow the Society and its bishops to be “marginalized”. The marginalization may well have served to protect the Society, and may still be doing so. AQ: If Rome were to declare that no permission was needed for the Tridentine Mass to be offered, do you see any downside to such a situation? Bp. Williamson: If Rome liberated the Tridentine Mass so as to allow any Catholic priest to say it, with no need to ask anybody for permission, there would be a considerable upside. Grace, presently strangled by the new rite of Mass, could start flowing again in large quantities all over the Catholic world. But there would also be a downside –the risk of some Catholics, presently enjoying the Tridentine Mass embedded in the fullness of Catholic doctrine, going over to attending the Tridentine rite surrounded by Conciliar doctrine and practice, e.g. in centers of the Society of St. Peter. It is as wise to accept half a bottle of wine in place of nothing, as it is foolish to want half a bottle in place of a full bottle. However, since many more Catholics going to the liberated Tridentine rite would be going from nothing to half a bottle than would be going from a full bottle to half a bottle, then it can be safely said that the Catholic Church as a whole would gain far more than it would lose from such a liberation of the Tridentine rite of Mass. AQ: Society chapels are largely self sufficient and in the green financially. Is keeping control of SSPX property a non-negotiable point as far as you’re concerned? Bp. Williamson: The Society of St Pius X has an enormous responsibility to Catholics all over the world who have generously supported it for the last 35 years. That responsibility would be betrayed by any action of the Society permitting Society properties to fall under the control of powers that would be set on frustrating the very purpose for which those Catholics were so generous! AQ: One of the main causes for the falling out between John Paul II and Archbishop Lefebvre was that the Archbishop wanted to ensure that the Society, both then and in the future, would not come under the charge of bishops who would undermine its purpose. Would any “deal” with Rome be possible without the SSPX being assured that it will not be subject – now or in the future - to unfriendly or undesirable bishops? Bp. Williamson: In Rome’s present way of thinking and acting, Rome can only seek for an agreement with the Society which would enable it to put an end to the Society’s resistance to what Rome has been doing –and has been waiting to do- ever since Vatican II, i.e. revolutionize the Catholic religion, and make it over into quite a different religion. As things stand now, for there to be an “agreement”, either Rome – neo-modernist Rome – drops its neo-modernism, or the Society betrays its Catholicism, or half and half, etc. We pray to God that Rome may convert. We beg God that the Society may not betray. AQ: Have you ever had any regrets that you became an ordained bishop in the Society of Saint Pius X? Bp. Williamson: None. Spelt N-O-N-E. AQ: Some who attend Society chapels and partake in the sacraments offered in them may at times feel isolated from their fellow Catholics or have a sense of being “orphaned” from the earthly Church at large. Do you have any advice for them? Bp. Williamson: For Catholics to feel “orphaned” ever since at Vatican II Mother Church began no longer behaving like their mother, is a most normal feeling for Catholics. They would not be true children of Mother Church if they did not feel orphaned since Vatican II. However, let such Catholics have patience, and courage. Sooner or later, God’s purpose in allowing these “40 years in the desert”, namely the cleansing of His Church, will be achieved, and then He will restore both the true fatherhood of the Holy Father, and the true motherhood of Mother Church. Until that time, pray faithfully the Rosary. Help of Christians, pray for us. Consoler of the Afflicted, pray for us. + Richard Williamson
Bishop Take Knight
Before Reading More About Bishop
Williamson
Bishop Williamson on George Orwell’s “1984,” and the Lies of 911, Part 1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5q23ezr8DE&feature=related Bishop Williamson on George Orwell’s “1984,” and the Lies of 911, Part 2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooGBMFShUVo Bishop Williamson on the Holocaust of WWII. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6C9BuXe2RM
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Recently,
a dustup occurred on Angelqueen regarding the veracity of two
letters from Bishop Williamson that were posted on the forum via the
"Tradlist". Some members had doubted whether these letters were
authentic, one poster claimed that his Society priest informed him
that they were "fakes".