June 1981 Print

Mexico and the Church:
Today & Tomorrow

Father Hector L. Bolduc

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.

* * *

THE MEXICAN CONSTITUTION

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.

No trial by jury shall ever be granted for the violation of any of the foregoing provisions."