ARCHBISHOP THUC

Archbishop Pierre Martin Ngô-dinh-Thuc †

(1897-1984)

Archbishop Emeritus of Hue

Titular Archbishop of Bulla Regia

OUR CATHOLIC AUTHORITY AND MISSION

His Excellency,

Archbishop Ngo Dinh Thuc

1897-1984

Archbishop P.M. Ngo Dinh Thuc received "extraordinary" authority from Pope Pius XI providing him with the ability to act in all manners and circumstances that would normally require recourse to the Holy See. Archbishop Thuc, seeing the state of affairs in the Roman Catholic Church (the liberal revolution led by the hierarchy) after Vatican II, used this authority to continue to ordain Catholic bishops and priests for tradition, so that the faithful would have recourse to the true Catholic Sacraments administered by validly ordained priests.

The Nature of Archbishop Thuc's Powers

An important issue needs to be raised here. It is often objected that the "Thuc" consecrations are illicit (i.e. contrary to the law of the Church). This is because, if any bishop consecrates another bishop without papal permission, they receive an excommunication reserved to the Holy See. In Archbishop Thuc's case, this is not so. Pius XI had conceded special powers to the Archbishop to perform consecrations without referring to Rome for approval (powers we should point out which were never revoked). In 1987 the traditionalist publication "Sous la Bannière" published the text of this "Motu Proprio."

MOTU PROPRIO OF POPE PIUS XI

Translation of the Latin Original(right)

"By virtue of the Plenitude of the powers of the Holy Apostolic See, we appoint as our Legate Pierre Martin Ngo Dinh Thuc, titular bishop of Saigon, whom we invest with all the necessary powers, for purposes known to us."

Given at Rome at Saint Peter's, on 15 March 1938, the seventeenth year of our pontificate. Pope Pius XI,

Explanation of these powers

What does this document mean ? Let us examine a parallel case in which Pius XI conceded identical powers to another prelate. On 10 March 1920, the same pope Pius XI dictated the same motu proprio for Mgr d'Herbigny (S.J.). The account is recorded in the book of Father Paul Lesourd, published by Lethielleux Editions under the title "Le Jesuite clandestine"

Here is the translation

Motu Proprio By virtue of the plenitude of the Apostolic power, we appoint as our Delegate Michel d'Herbigngy (S.J.), titular bishop of Troie, whom we invest with all the appropriate and necessary powers, for purposes known to us.

Given at Rome at Saint Peter's, on 10 March 1926, the fifth year of our pontificate. Pius XI, Pope

The two cases are analogous. With this Act of the Holy See, the two bishops received pontifical powers, similar to those of Patriarchs. The details of these powers are explained by Pius XI himself, as reported by Father Lesourd in the following terms:

"Orally, the Holy Father first enumerated in detail all the powers which he conferred, including the selection of priests to be ordained and to confer on them the episcopate without the need for them to have pontifical bulls, nor therefore to give their signatures inviting them to act accordingly on the strength of the oath."

"Then, after having at length set out in detail by word of mouth all the powers which were really extraordinary, the Pope resumed them most solemnly as follows"

"In one word, we grant to you all the pontifical powers of the Pope himself, which are not incommunicable by divine right."(translation from the French)

"I believe that after fifty years the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass will not exist"

-Archbishop Thuc in the 1980's

THE ARCHBISHOP AND THE HOLY SEE IN ROME

+Appointed by Pope Pius XI in 1938 as titular Bishop of Sesina and Apostolic Vicar in Vietnam.

+Motu Proprio of Pope Pius XI of March 15th, 1938 grants extraordinary authority to the Archbishop.

+December 8th, 1939 Pope Pius XII renews the extraordinary authority granted to the Archbishop. His authority to act with these special powers was never rescinded by subsequent popes.

+In 1957 the Archbishop founds the Catholic University of Dalat.

+On November 24th, 1960 Pope John XXIII names Bishop Thuc as Archbishop of Hue and also as Assistant to the Pontifical Throne.

+In 1968 the Archbishop is appointed as the titular Bishop of Bulla Regia. Sadly, with the various compromises and overtures of the Vatican towards atheistic communism, Pope Paul VI (in order to place a more sympathetic bishop in Vietnam) forces the Archbishop into a virtual retirement. Pope Paul VI will go down in history for his betrayal of the Catholic people of Vietnam, for the suffering of not only Archbishop Thuc of Vietnam, but of Cardinal Mindzenty of Hungary.