L’Homme Nouveau , the official distributor of the French version of the Vatican’s newspaper Osservatore Romano, has published a call to join the SSPX’s Rosary Crusade (to which OnePeterFive also has given its support). This new initiative – which has been already picked up by various other websites in France – now comes from diocesan priests and faithful in France who are not members of the Society of Saint Pius X themselves. The text, as published by L’Homme Nouveau’s blog on 1 September, says:

A group of French priests and faithful who are not affiliated with the Society of Sainst Pius X wishes to associate with and positively support the Appeal launched by Monsignor Bernard Fellay, the General Superior of the Society of Saint Pius X. These priests – mostly diocesan – come from the regions of the Rhône-Alpes, of the West, of the Auvergne, and of the South-West; they are members of the AFC [Les Associations Familiales Catholiques], Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, pilgrims of Chartres, of Compostello, engaged in their parishes, … Some are sick with cancer, others have to face professional difficulties…

This little introduction shows us already how important this new French initiative is, since it shows that it comes out of the fuller heart of the French Catholic Church and is carried out by very devout Catholics. These Catholic priests and faithful also hope to gain much spiritual refreshment from the SSPX’s Rosary Crusade for their own parishes, as they say in the following:

They wish to amplify this happy initiative [of the SSPX] by adding to it a new resonance even from within the parishes, religious communities, families, … and thereby to contribute to the internal renewal of the Catholic Church. To enter into a spiritual crusade means to join Christ Who invites us: “He who does not pick up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me.” (Matt. 10:38)

These Catholics who are supporting the Rosary Crusade also explicitly follow Pope Benedict XVI’s sobering and cautionary words according to which “to venerate the Cross sometimes also attracts mockeries and persecution.” As quoted by this initiative, Benedict continues: “The Cross also puts at risk, or compromises in some way, our human security, but it also and especially affirms the Grace of God and confirms [the trustful possibility of] our salvation.” (Aux jeunes de France sur le parvis de la cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris en 2008)

It is to be hoped that this recent French initiative will find additional imitators throughout the world. May this become a truly universal – Catholic – initiative, especially to plead to the Immaculate Heart of Mary to have mercy on our disordered world, a world in misery that cannot, it seems, adequately anymore help itself – neither within the very bosom of the Catholic Church, nor without.