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Pius XI, Action Française, and the Cristeros
an excerpt from Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre

New Liturgical Movement: Divini Cultus, Pope Pius XI's Apostolic  Constitution on Sacred Music

Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, a great hero of the Catholic Faith, gives us an interesting insight on Pius XI’s blunders regarding deposing anti-modernist clerics, and his treatment of the Cristeros and Action Française.

Pope Pius XI was a very intelligent man who had a great faith, and wrote wonderful encyclicals. Unfortunately, however, in the actual practice of government, he was weak—very weak—and rather tempted to become somewhat allied with the world. He not only deposed Father Le Floch, but also Cardinal Billot who was an eminent and extraordinary professor at the Gregorian University. His books of theology are magnificent. He was deposed for the same reason as Father Le Floch, because he was an upright man. He would not compromise with error. For him it was always the fight for the unchanging truth, the fight against error, against liberalism, against modernism, just like Saint Pius X. He was a true disciple of Saint Pius X. So Cardinal Billot, being another target of the French government, was dismissed.

It was poor Pope Pius XI who, upon the request of the American bishops, brought about the massacre of the Cristeros in Mexico. The Mexican Catholics were defending themselves, wanting to fight against the masonic and anti-Christian, anti-Catholic government. They took up arms, as the Vendeans had done during the French Revolution, in order to save religion, to save the Catholic Faith. In the beginning the Pope had encouraged them; then one fine day, the Masonic American government which was supporting Mexico— Freemasonry again—insistently demanded that the American bishops have the fighting stopped. Oh, but they were not to worry because there would be an agreement with the Catholics! So the bishops put pressure on Pope Pius XI and the Pope ordered the Cristeros to lay down their arms. They laid down their arms and all of them were massacred. The government had them slaughtered in masses. Horrible, absolutely horrible! It was truly a betrayal for those poor people.

The same thing happened with Action Francaise Pope Pius XI was pushed to condemn Action Francaise because Action Francaise, which was not strictly a Catholic movement, was a movement of reaction against the disorders which Freemasonry was bringing into France. Action Francaise advocated a sound, definitive reaction, areturn to order, to discipline, to a moral code, to Christian morals. So the government, displeased with this movement also, insisted that Pope Pius XI condemn it. Action Francaise was made up of the best Catholics who were trying to put France back on the right track again. And yet Pope Pius XI condemned it. The best proof that his judgment was unsound is that when he died, his secretary of state, Pope Pius XII, who succeeded him, lifted the condemnation of the movement. It was too late! The evil had been done. Action Francaise had been ruined. It was frightening and had enormous consequences.

It was the same thing for Father Le Floch: an inquiry was made to see if blameworthy matter could be found concerning his direction of the seminary. It would not be hard; they could certainly find something, and would make Father Le Floch understand that it would be better for him to hand in his resignation and leave.

The inquiry was made by Dom Schuster,' an eminent Benedictine. The result of the investigation was completely favorable to Father Le Floch. Dom Schuster spoke very highly of Father Le Floch’s conduct, his direction, his seminary, his influence on the seminarians, and his faith.

Father Le Floch’s adversaries, furious at the outcome of this inquiry, succeeded in convincing the Pope to make a counter-inquiry and to appoint someone who, in fact, would have the duty of saying something which would cause Father Le Floch to be sent away. They ended up finding a seminary professor and one or two students who made a few critical remarks: “He is too right-wing, too ‘maurrassien,” too anti-liberal, too... etc.” Tt was enough. He was condemned and made to leave. It was absolutely odious.

Now this is exactly the same battle we are presently fighting. Why are we being persecuted? Why am I being persecuted today? And why are you, and all of us who are in Tradition, being persecuted? Because we affirm the truth and condemn error; we condemn liberalism; We condemn modernism. This is inadmissible for the Conciliar Church. The Council has changed all this: now we are now supposed to be on good terms with the liberals, with the modernists, with the Freemasons, with the Communists, with everyone; we are supposed to be ecumenical with everyone. We are opposed, therefore we are against the Council, therefore we are against the Pope, condemned!... Yes, it is true, condemned! The reasons are the same; the combat is the same.”

-Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, The Little Story Of My Long Lifepgs. 31-34

Archbishop Lefebvre Print Black and White

Pius XI’s actions towards certain anti-modernists, the Cristeros, and action francaise could even be compared with his actions towards the Fascists and National Socialists, despite neither being condemned explicitly by him. We will expand further on this topic in the future with an upcoming study on the encyclical Mit Brennender Sorge.

We cannot be judges on the soul of the late Pius XI, Lord rest his soul, but we can certainly point out several mistakes he made under his pontificate. We must not assume he was acting in a malicious manner when he acted against Action Francaise, the Cristeros, and Anti Modernists but rather because of the influence of the modern world. It is most interesting that +Lefebvre has stated that Pius XI was of “weak will” and sought conformity and approval of the modern world. Even before the catastrophy of the Second Vatican Council, we find that there was a tendency among the clerics and even the Holy Father to appease the anti-catholic forces by acting against those who sought to protect the church and combat her enemies (including the fascists).

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