Mexico and the Church: Today is Tomorrow By Father Hector L. Bolduc
SOURCE
TO APPRECIATE THE SITUATION
in Mexico one must be familiar with the section of the
Constitution which deals with religion and religious affairs.
Section 11 of Article 27, as well as Article 130, are reprinted
at the end of this article for the benefit of the reader. One
must keep in mind that the only religion prevalent in Mexico, a
nation which is 95% Catholic, is Catholicism. Therefore the
laws directed at suppressing religion were directed exclusively against
the Roman Catholic Church.
Mexico's
Catholics had fought valiantly against the forces of
Freemasonry. It is certain that they could have eventually won
the fight had they not been duped into laying down their arms.
It is true that the actual facts were more complicated;
however, it was the ill advice given to Pope Pius XI, prompting
him to request that the Catholics lay down their arms, which culminated
in the disaster. Pope Pius XI had been made to believe, by
advisors already neutralized, that the Masons wanted peace and
would respond with kindness to the Church if she cooperated in
ending the bloodbath which was raging from one end of Mexico to
the other. No sooner had the Catholics acceded to the Pope's
request and surrendered their arms, when all the leaders of the
opposition, both military and civilian, were rounded up and liquidated
in true Masonic-Marxist fashion. With their leaders gone, their
spirit broken by what they considered treason from Rome,
Mexicans settled down to enslavement and persecution from which
they have never recovered.
The
saddest circumstances surrounding the plight of Mexican
Catholics is that the world is virtually ignorant of these
facts. While the free world laments the conditions of Catholics
and other Christians behind the Iron and Bamboo Curtains, the
situation in Mexico is as serious and far more dangerous simply
because it is unknown and ignored. Perhaps it is time to
coin a new phrase: the Tortilla Curtain. It is also the largest most
important implementation of a Freemasonic government in the
world. Through it one can easily see how identical Freemasonry
and Communism are, coming as it were from a common root and
being in reality one and the same. It is a well-known and
clearly documented fact that the government of the United
States of America worked diligently for the destruction of Catholicism
in Mexico and assisted in the establishment of Freemasonry as
the leading power. The attempt to kill Catholicism in Mexico
failed largely because the people have such a deep-rooted faith
in Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Patroness of Mexico and Mother
of all the Americas.
Where
torture, imprisonment, death and desecration have failed,
indifferentism, compromise, infiltration and ecumenism have
succeeded. When one refers to the Red Bishops of Mexico, they
are not referring to the color of their blood. Some, like
Mendez Arceo, are self-proclaimed Marxists. Holding high office
in the Mexican Church, they are of course favored and supported by the
government. They receive plenty of publicity and, as their
statements are usually of an anti-Catholic nature, the
government allows them free reign. The Mexican Bishops and the
government of Mexico differ only in that, while the government
seeks to bring the nation and its people under complete Marxist
domination gradually and with as little disruption as
possible, the bishops, having been well indoctrinated with the party
line, want immediate action through armed revolution. They have
placed all of the Churches' resources toward the
accomplishment of that goal. Open fighting has already broken
out in several parts of Mexico. It appears that Mexico will
once more experience bloodshed and, as of old, it is the Catholic
Faith which is at stake.
Unfortunately
there is little or no opposition to the Marxists, be they in
the government or in the Church. As in America, traditional
Catholic groups there are small and for the most part the pawns
of politically oriented groups. They act as front groups for
the politically motivated opportunist groups, and like some in
our own country, call themselves traditional, but are used for
the selfish ends of their masters. This is especially true of
one of the groups called TRENTO, which has done more to neutralize and
compromise Catholics than the Novus Ordo. This group in fact
works openly with the Freemasonic government in opposing
champions of the faith like Archbishop Lefebvre. During the
Archbishop's recent visit, they openly and publicly attacked
him, cooperating fully with the government, using the
government controlled news media which were placed at their disposal
by their comrades in high places. The group is highly organized
and generously financed by what some call "Rockefeller money."
They hire and control priests by controlling the purse strings,
and any priest who does not spout their political line is cast
out in the street. The fact that the priest celebrates the
Latin Tridentine Mass has no bearing on the matter. They have a
paranoia about "Jews" and, while the Zionist threat is real
and cannot be minimized, these individuals utilize this stigma
by branding anyone who does not agree with them as a "Jew."
A
letter being circulated in the U. S. by the leaders of TRENTO,
bitterly attacking Archbishop Lefebvre, clearly admits this
group's cooperation with the Marxists and Masons to smear
Archbishop Lefebvre and to have him expelled from the country.
The letter signed by Anacleto Gonzales Flores, carries the following
quotations (remember that all papers in Mexico are
Masonic-controlled):
At Morelos newspapers, someone took the name of peasant leaders of Trento, inviting Archbishop Lefebvre to visit the traditionalist churches of Trento. They and we published at paid space our rejection to Archbishop Lefebvre, both in Excelsior, the most important daily in Mexico City, and at Cuernavaca newspapers. [Editor's comment: Excelsior is a well known pro-Communist, anti-Catholic publication. All Cuernavaca papers are Masonic and boast of their anti-Catholic position.]
On Saturday, Trento priest Adolfo Zamora and a group of laymen appeared for one hour on TV. [Trento priest Adolfo Zamora bitterly attacked Archbishop Lefebvre and all traditional Catholics.]
These are the news. Regarding sending article from Gloria Riestra to Fr. Bolduc, better wait until we see what The Angelus prints. Enclosed Xerox of newspaper publications, for your own use. Not for translating. [What does the writer fear of having the truth made known to the public? Does he not want traditional Catholics to know of Trento's alignment with Mexico's Communist government? Trento was more than willing to sponsor the visit of Archbishop Lefebvre if the Archbishop would agree to embrace their heresies, say what they wanted him to say, visit who they wanted him to, etc. If Trento, despite its bad record, is well intended, it had better start manifesting these intentions in a positive manner and use its forces to oppose the enemies of the Church instead of constantly attacking those who defend true Catholic positions. This is, in fact, a veiled bribe. In clearer words, Mr. Gonzales is saying: If the Angelus Press does not expose us, we will keep a low profile and continue our duplicity rather than risk losing the support of the thousands of followers of Archbishop Lefebvre who don't really know what we are up to. Talk about the works of darkness!]
THERE ARE SOME BRAVE PRIESTS
who act independently and who, through great sacrifice, bring the Mass
and Sacraments to the people. All receive constant persecution
from TRENTO.
The
Independent University of Guadalajara shows much promise and
has accomplished much. They are by far the most effective and
the most efficient. It is unfortunate that some of their
members have fallen into the "sede vacante" trap. When freedom
comes to Mexico, the Independent University of Guadalajara will
play an important role. A second great failing is the fact
that the True Mass and Sacraments are not available to the students
at the campus. The University publishes a newspaper called Ocho Columnas—Eight Columns, which
has a wide circulation and which takes a strong stand against
Liberalism, Communism and the progressives. They also publish
good traditional Catholic catechisms and catechetical material. Mr.
Antonio Leano Alvarez del Castilo is a man deeply rooted in the
Faith who maintains a private chapel at his home where the
Latin Tridentine Mass is celebrated. His position can, in many
ways, be likened to that of the late Generalissimo Francisco
Franco of Spain.
The
TRENTO group, realizing that they had at last blown their
cover, and allowed the world to see their anti-Catholic,
anti-Lefebvre sentiments, lost no time in sending emissaries to
Europe in an attempt to smooth things over with the
Archbishop, who quickly surmised that they were talking out of both
sides of their mouths. The action of TRENTO confirmed the
information confided to me by Father A. Saenz when I ministered
to him during his last illness, shortly before his death. The
fears he expressed to me then proved well founded.
The
greatest hope in Mexico and the only organization working
positively for the salvation of souls and in defense of the
True Mass and Sacraments is the Society of St. Pius X. Only the
Society has the capability of supplying priests for Mexico and
it already has a number of seminarians studying at Switzerland,
America and in Argentina. Other groups are too busy playing politics
for their own financial gain to bother with vocations, the Mass
or the Church. Furthermore, it is to their advantage to keep
the people without priests and dependent on them (TRENTO). How
well they have learned from the Red-masters.
As
the Society continues to increase its influence in Mexico, the
people will be given a choice between following the
politically-oriented pseudo-Catholic movements, or of aligning
themselves with those whose only interest is in the salvation
of souls. Our priests will be all the advertisement we need—their faith
and their actions will speak for themselves. If the true
Catholic Church in Mexico is going to enjoy a brighter future,
it is because Archbishop Lefebvre produced the spark which lit
the lamp.
* * *Section II of Article 27"II. The religious institutions known as churches irrespective of creed, may in no case acquire, hold or administer real property or hold mortgages thereon; property so held at present, either directly or through third parties, shall revert to the Nation, any person whatsoever being authorized to denounce property so held. Strong presumptive proof shall suffice to declare the denouncement well-founded. Places of public worship are the property of the Nation, as represented by the Federal Government, who shall determine which of them may continue to be devoted to their present purposes. Bishoprics, rectories, seminaries, orphan asylums and schools belonging to religious orders, convents and any other buildings constructed or intended for the administration, propagation or teaching of any religious creed shall at once become, by inherent right, the property of the Nation, to be used exclusively for the public services of the Federal or State Governments, within their respective jurisdiction. All places of worship erected hereafter shall be the property of the Nation."
Article 130"The Federal authorities shall have power to exercise in matters of religious worship and outward ecclesiastical forms such intervention as may be determined by law. All other authorities shall act as auxiliaries to the Federal authorities.
Congress is not empowered to enact any law establishing or forbidding any religion whatsoever.
Marriage is a civil contract. Marriage and all other acts relating to the civil status of individuals shall appertain exclusively to the civil authorities, in the manner set forth by the law, and they shall have the force and validity which said laws give to them.
A simple promise to tell the truth and to comply with the obligations contracted shall subject the promisor, in the event of non-fulfilment, to the penalties established therefor by law.
The law recognizes no legal capacity to the religious institutions known as churches.
Ministers of religious creeds shall be considered as persons exercising a profession, who shall be directly subject to the laws enacted in regard thereto.
The State Legislatures shall solely be empowered to determine the maximum number of ministers of religious creeds, according to the needs of each locality.
Only a Mexican by birth may be a minister of any religious creed in Mexico.
Ministers of religious creeds may not, either in public or private meetings, or in acts of worship, or religious propaganda, criticize the fundamental laws of the country, the authorities in particular, or the Government in general; they shall have no vote, nor be eligible for office, nor shall they be entitled to assemble for political purposes.
Permission must be obtained from the Ministry of the Interior prior to engaging new places of worship for public use; the opinion of the respective State Governor shall previously be heard on the subject. Every place of worship shall have a person in charge of its care and maintenance, who shall be legally responsible for the faithful performance of the laws on religious observances within same, and for all the objects used for the purposes of worship.
The person in charge of each place of public worship, together with ten residents of the town, shall promptly notify the Municipal authorities as to the person responsible for the same. The outgoing Minister shall in every instance give notice of any change, for which purpose he shall be accompanied by the incoming minister and ten other residents of the town. The Municipal authorities shall be responsible for the exact compliance with this provision, under penalty of dismissal and fine not exceeding 1,000 pesos for each breach; and, subject to the same penalty, they shall keep a register of the places of worship and of the person in charge thereof. The Municipal authorities shall give notice to the Ministry of the Interior, through the Governor of the State, of any permit given for opening a new place of worship for public use, as well as of any change in the persons in charge of it. Collections of personal property may be made inside the place of worship.
Under no condition shall studies be made in institutions devoted to the professional training of ministers of religious creeds be given credits or granted any other dispensation or privilege whereby said studies shall be accredited in official institutions. Any authority who violates this provision shall be liable for criminal prosecution, and all such dispensation or privilege shall be null and void; and the professional degree toward the obtaining of which this provision has been violated shall be wholly and entirely invalidated.
No periodical publication which, by reason of its program, its title or merely its general tendencies, is of a religious nature, may comment upon political affairs of the nation or publish any information regarding the acts of the authorities of the country or of private individuals, insofar as they are directly connected with public affairs.Political associations whose name contains any word of indication relating to any religious belief are strictly forbidden. No meetings of a political nature may be held within places of worship.
No minister of any religious creed may inherit, either on his own behalf, or by means of a trustee or otherwise any real property occupied by any association of religious propaganda or used for religious or charitable purposes. Ministers of religious creeds are incapable legally of inheriting by will from ministers of the same religious creed or from any private individual to whom they are not related by blood within the fourth degree.
All real and personal property belonging to the clergy or to religious institutions shall be governed, insofar as their acquisition by private parties is concerned, by the provisions of Article 27 hereof.
SOURCE: The AngelusNo trial by jury shall ever be granted for the violation of any of the foregoing provisions."
Prayer to Our Lady of Guadalupe
O Holy Mary, Virgin
Mother of God, Who as Our Lady of Guadalupe didst aid in the conversion
of Mexico from paganism in a most miraculous way, we now beseech thee to
bring about in these times the early conversion of our modern world
from its present neo-paganism to the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic
Church of thy divine Son, Jesus Christ, starting in the Americas and
extending throughout the entire world, so that soon there may be truly
"one fold and one shepherd," with all governments recognizing the reign
of thy Son, Jesus Christ the King. This we ask of the Eternal Father,
through Jesus Christ His Son Our Lord, and thy powerful intercession --
all for the salvation of souls, the triumph of the Church and peace in
the world. Amen
With Ecclesiastical Approval.
