Here is why the Christian look towards Rome… even today!
The jubilee proclaimed by the pope and the pilgrimages organized on this occasion are an opportunity to proclaim the attachment of Catholics to Rome and the See of Peter. Without illusions about the possibility—more than just a possibility today!—that the successor of Peter may harm the Church.
The question then arises as to what true Romanity is, as it is part of the Christian spirit. Archbishop Lefebvre, nurtured in this Roman spirit at the French Seminary in Rome, describes it in his Spiritual Journey, recalling the great Roman families of the time of persecutions, with their generosity even unto martyrdom, the Latin language, the Roman liturgy, and the Latin-speaking Fathers and theologians. Conversely, the aversion of heresiarchs and enemies of the Church toward Rome is also significant: “In short, Christians are those who are not Romans,” Luther dared to write to Pope Leo X in October 1520!
So what is Romanity? Certainly, it does not consist of scholarly knowledge of classical Latin literature. One can be a fervent son of the Church without being a scholar! Nor does it lie in a devotion to the pope that blinds one to the disasters of the reforms undertaken since the 1960s. “Man has duties toward his intelligence, and these duties are serious,” says Father Labourdette… Refusing to see means gravely failing in these duties.
The attachment of the faithful to Rome is first and foremost historically linked to the preaching, martyrdom, and burial of the Apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul in Rome. Their preaching establishes the magisterial authority of the Roman See, and their burial site attracts the devotion of the faithful. The primacy with which Peter is invested forms the basis for that of his successors. It is thus upon the person of the Prince of the Apostles that the attachment of Christian hearts to Rome is founded.
Now, Holy Scripture tends to present Peter as taking the place of Jesus: he must feed his flock (John 21:15–17: “my lambs, my sheep”), he holds the keys to the kingdom of heaven, which are also a messianic emblem [1], and he is given the name Peter; but being the rock of Israel was a divine title in the Old Testament. In the Acts of the Apostles, Peter is shown in postures that recall the Gospel: he makes the paralyzed stand up [2], heals many other sick people [3], and raises a dead woman to life [4]. In the story of Ananias and Sapphira [5], his role even evokes that of God judging Adam and Eve. Looking to Peter means looking to Jesus Christ and the Father.
The one who exercises legitimate authority, especially the primary one by nature—the authority of the father of a family—represents God Himself; to respect him is to honor God, despite the imperfections that disfigure his image.
Just as the father is the image of God, the successor of Peter represents Jesus Christ. Thus, Romanity is nothing other than filial piety towards the See of Peter, in which one recognizes an authority that represents that of God, just as we honor our parents who continued God’s work in giving us life. One may use personal prudence to distance oneself from parents who are unfortunately unworthy, without ceasing to be their child. The same applies to the present situation of the Church. And so the Society of Saint Pius X can claim its Romanity without contradiction. “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.[6]”
Footnotes:
- Isaiah 22:22 and Revelation 3:7
- 2 – Acts 3:6; 9:34
- 3 – Acts 5:15
- 4 – Acts 9:40
- 5 – Acts 5
- 6 – Exodus 20:12
Source: La Porte Latine
