Return to The Reign of Mary No. 134
The Reign of Mary
Vol. XL, No. 134: Letter from the Editor
May 5, 2009
Pope Saint Pius V
Dear Friends in Our Lady,
Praised be Jesus and Mary. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the death of Archbishop Pierre Martin Ngo dinh Thuc, who passed to eternity on December 13, 1984. Consequently, we are dedicating this issue of The Reign of Mary to his memory.
The Vietnamese archbishop has been terribly and unjustly maligned. Certainly, he made mistakes, but by the grace of God he eventually recognized and proclaimed the truth regarding the vacancy of the Holy See and did what he felt bound to do to perpetuate Apostolic succession. It would be difficult for us to fully understand the quandary that so many good priests and bishops found themselves in, as the changes of Vatican II began to unfold before their eyes. While some recognized immediately what was going on, others were more cautious in their judgment.
As Fr. Barbara pointed out in his article on the consecrations performed by Archbishop Thuc, this archbishop was a sincerely humble man who had suffered greatly. Unquestionably, the brutal murders of his brothers were seared into his memory. A man bereft of his country, he was taken advantage of by the unscrupulous. But this does not diminish his service to and love for Holy Mother Church. We pray that God has pardoned his faults and rewarded his heroism. May God grant each of us the grace of perseverance, despite being abandoned by many whom we had formerly trusted.
During this month of our Blessed Mother, let each one re-consecrate himself to her Immaculate Heart. Satan has deceived “even the elect” and how can we persevere? We can persevere only through the grace of God, poured into our souls through the immaculate hands of the Mediatrix of all graces. According to St. Louis Marie de Montfort, Mary dispenses the greatest share of these graces to those who love and honor her the most. May we be among that number! And may we always persevere in Christ’s one, true Church, the Ark of Salvation.
In the service of Jesus and Mary
Fr. Benedict Hughes, CMRI
(Email Father)