Letter of Archbishop Lefebvre to Cardinal Seper

9 May 1979



Your Eminence,

Fully aware of what you told me yesterday, during the very fraternal meeting which you accorded me, concerning the procedural changes accepted by the Holy Father, I entrust to you with this letter the documents summarizing the discussions of II and 12 January, duly signed.

You have asked me insistently what procedure I would like to see adopted to solve our problem: in brief, all that we are asking for is recognition of the legality which was ours for five years from 1970 to 1975, and to extend legal recognition to what we have continued since then, assuring us that we can retain in priestly formation and the apostolate the means which the Church has always used, particularly the liturgy, the catechism and the Vulgate in the form in which they were prescribed for use in the Latin Rite of the Roman Church for more that ten centuries.

We are convinced that in a little while the Holy See will find amongst these young priests the most valuable helpers and firmest bulwarks of the Roman Church and the successor of Peter. I say in a little while, for they are still young! But they wish to be such at once.

Allow me, Your Eminence, to express my deep respect and profound devotion in Christo et Maria.

Marcel Lefebvre