Visions and Visionaries. The Search for Alternative Forms of Authority Among Catholic Conservatives / Visions et visionnaires. La recherche de formes alternatives d'autorité chez les conservateurs catholiques - article ; n°1 ; vol.75, pg 113-125

Elizabeth Isichei

Description

Archives des sciences sociales des religions - Année 1991 - Volume 75 - Numéro 1 - Pages 113-125
13 pages
Source : Persée ; Ministère de la jeunesse, de l’éducation nationale et de la recherche, Direction de l’enseignement supérieur, Sous-direction des bibliothèques et de la documentation.

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie

Informations

• Publié par: Archives-des-sciences-sociales-des-religions
• Publié le: 01 janvier 1991
• Nombre de lectures: 42
• Langue: Français
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Elizabeth Isichei
Visions and Visionaries. The Search for Alternative Forms of
Authority Among Catholic Conservatives / Visions et
visionnaires. La recherche de formes alternatives d'autorité chez
les conservateurs catholiques
In: Archives des sciences sociales des religions. N. 75, 1991. pp. 113-125.
Citer ce document / Cite this document :
Isichei Elizabeth. Visions and Visionaries. The Search for Alternative Forms of Authority Among Catholic Conservatives /
Visions et visionnaires. La recherche de formes alternatives d'autorité chez les conservateurs catholiques. In: Archives des
sciences sociales des religions. N. 75, 1991. pp. 113-125.
doi : 10.3406/assr.1991.1611
http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/assr_0335-5985_1991_num_75_1_1611Arch de Sc soc des Rel. 1991 75 juillet-septembre 113-125
Elizabeth ISICHEI
VISIONS AND VISIONARIES THE SEARCH FOR
ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF AUTHORITY AMONG
CATHOLIC CONSERVATIVES
paradoxale divers en sein néo-zélandais cherchant Ce de groupes texte glise dans explore aux schismatiques mais préserver la changements mesure les dans réponses leheääre où glise Palmariens une intervenus apportées du organisations part passé Lefebvristes) depuis obéissance par ils se Vatican les placent comme catholiques autres II autorité le dans Les C.U.F uns sont conservateurs une ont constituait Pourtant restés situation rejoint au
jadis un élément central du catholicisme Mais où autre part les changements
que ces conservateurs déplorent sont précisément le fait de cette autorité
Ils gèrent ce dilemme de diverses manières les uns considèrent que le
Siège de Pierre est vacant autres se rallient un anti-pape autres encore
affirment leur loyauté un pape conservateur mais dénoncent les évêques locaux
La recherche de formes alternatives autorité conduit de nombreux con
servateurs intéresser de près des phénomènes de visions comme ceux de
tima de La Salette ou de Garabandal qui sont ici analysés
An often cited paper by A.F Wallace 1956 has been adapted to explain
Catholic responses to the changes introduced during and after Vatican II Ar-
buckle 1987 25-7 In culture where central symbols are threatened or
discarded euphoria is followed by an identity crisis and then by feelings
of chaos malaise anger fear of the future even despair One form of exodus
from this impasse occurs when myths and symbols of the past are reviewed
without changes in the hope that the original sense of identity and security
will be restored Other programmes are simplistic even quasi-magical in em
phasis This is the conservative/traditionalist reaction which is analysed here
Terminology
In this paper conservative is used for movements within the Catholic
Church such as CUF Catholics United for the Faith) and traditionalist
The research project from which this article developed was funded by the Victoria Uni
versity of Wellington Internal Research Grants Committee In am grateful to Carolyn Moynihan
for access to Zealandia files
113 ARCHIVES DE SCIENCES SOCIALES DES RELIGIONS
for separatist movements such as the followers of Archbishop Lefebvre The
same distinction is made Dinges 1983 Where both are discussed together
they are called conservative Revivalist has been suggested as an alter
native Cuneo 1988 348-9) but this has connotations of outreach which are
inappropriate for movements which seem to have little desire to make converts
in society as whole or even in some cases among mainstream Catholics
The word fundamentalist is sometimes used but this creates problems since
the ideological content of Protestant not to mention Islamic fundamentalism
is so different Conservatives themselves reject these descriptions preferring
to call themselves orthodox In the words of an Auckland CUF Chairperson
We. cannot be described as fundamentalist Catholics This is foolish
label one is either Catholic or not Purdue 1990)
It is not intended to imply that these groups have sense of common
identity CUF members would regard Palmarians as heretical and schismatic
Some linkages between them do exist the married couple who lead the
Lefebvrist community in Wellington were earlier active in the Garabandal
movement and Father Denzil Meuli one of New best known con
servatives told me that in his opinion speaking as canon lawyer the
Lefeb vrists are not schismatic Yet he published pamphlet called Marcel
Lefebvre An Athanasius? which gave negative answer to the question
posed Pickford 1989)
The context and scope of the study
This paper analyses the thought of various conservative and traditionalist
groups in New Zealand on the allied questions of ecclesiastical authority and
visionary experience All are movements which were founded abroad It is
important to realise that they are tiny minorities though to some extent they
express attitudes which are more widespread in the Catholic community
502851 New Zealanders described themselves as Catholics in the 1986 Census
Census Table 9) about quarter of them attend mass regularly statistics in
Shanahan 1988) and at least some of the absentees are motivated by the
same malaise and disillusion as the traditionalists New Zealand Catholicism
mirrors trends which are worldwide such as decline in priestly and religious
vocations Attendance at Catholic schools once compulsory has become op
tional Some who retain strong commitment to religion have come to find
their primary focus in issues such as peace and social justice or feminism
response particularly characteristic of women religious fuller account
of New Zealand Catholicism since Vatican II is given in Isichei 1990 and
1991 Right wing groups and individuals see factors such as the decline in
religious vocations as confirmation of their message Others deplore the
conservatives pessimism Cardinal Williams issued warning about prophets
of gloom and doom Swain 1986a) and an article in the New Zealand
catholic press quoted an American bishop on the heresy of integrism
chilling destructive thing standing only hairsbreadth from orthodoxy
Swain 1986b)
Mainstream Catholics interpret the changes conservatives lament in other
ways for example the decline in religious vocations is seen either as
temporary downswing or as consequence of higher view of the role of
114 VISIONS AND VISIONARIES
the laity Traditionalist groups outside the catholic Church or on its margin
tend to have sense of persecution what one might call catacombs men
tality Observers with little sympathy for CUF have described and deplored
its marginalisation which seems inappropriate in church advocating theo
logical pluralism In the run-up to one of the diocesan synods there was
minor boilover because parish invited CUF representatives to its preliminary
discussions and it was made clear that was not wanted and should not
have been invited. Veritas 1990 If CUF members feel marginalised
Lefebvrists and Palmarians believe they are positively persecuted The Palmar
an church in Hamilton was vandalised after an article on it appeared in the
Catholic press In those circumstances it is not easy to ascertain precise num
bers but one can establish an order of magnitude At generous estimate
CUF has 300 members in New Zealand Swain 1986b The World Apo tol te
of tima formerly the Blue Army conservative devotional movement
claims 5200 New Zealand members Moynihan 1988 There are perhaps
500 Lefebvrists in New Zealand and less than 20 Palmarians The Australasian
Garabandal newsletter has New Zealand circulation of 500
This work is based on study of the literature often ephemeral generated
by these groups and on combination of participant observation informal
discussions and formal taped interviews with members
Theoretical perspectives
These right wing movements add fascinating dimension to existing lit
erature on sectarianism The older literature perhaps of less current relevance
focusses on sect and denomination and more recent studies on sect and
cult The Catholic conservatives evidence sectarian mentality within the
church The Palmarians are clearly sect who have left the church but retain
many of its characteristics including the papacy Movements which remain
in the mainstream church but on its fringes such as the Little Pebble move
ment have much in common with Protestant fundamentalist sects They have
clearly defined set of beliefs and precise boundaries They have the ideology
of the gathered remnant denouncing both the mainstream church and secu
larised society Often they follow charismatic leader They tend to support
right wing political agenda and are hostile to both feminism and oecu-
menism Grim pre-millennial tribulationist prophecy Robbins 1988 10 is
central to Palmarians and tima and Little Pebble devotees at the heart of
the Garabandal message lies somewhat more cheerful eschatology Like Prot
estant fundamentalists they are hostile to New Age movements and anything
pertaining to the occult or magic Yet their attitude to sacramentais for in
stance is equally magical Little Pebble supporters disseminate paper called
Remedies for the Latter Days which describes how to ma