Return to Tradition: Testimony of Abbot Christopher Zienlinsky O.S.B

[obscurus]

HMIS kindly translated this information from the German SSPX site for Angelqueen.  Thank you.  

http://angelqueen.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=143560#143560

This abbot is now in a monastery in New Mexico (not in the Silver City SSPX-affiliated abbey), in a town named Peco or Pecos.  
 
 Here the German version translated entirely
 
 
 During the theological Congress of the traditionalist theological magazine SiSi NoNo, which ended on January 7th 2007 in Paris, the Priestly Society of St. Pius X received a fine gesture of support from a well-known Benedictine Order Abbot.
 
 Dom Christopher Zielinsky O.S.B., presently prior of the Olivetan monastery Pecos in the US-State of New Mexico, testified of a remarking faith experience in the Palace de la Mutualité in Paris.
 
 In easy and sensitive words he explained how he, a monk of the Abbey San Miniato al Monte in Firenze from 1971 and a Catholic priest since 1977, found Roman Catholic Tradition after many years of modernism.
 
As prior of his Italian main abbey and a teacher of psychology he organised large and well-known conferences for Interreligious Dialogue, invited the Dalai Lama to preach in his Abbatial church and meditated together with him and other Buddhist clerics.
 
Heavily involved in progressive and leftist cultural and political debates, and having gained nation-wide fame as a publisher and (liberal) preacher, he explicitly did not want to be missionary.
 
At the end of this not very monastic activity he fell into - in his words - a "crisis of the Nothing [Nihil]", a crisis of his priestly identity. The reason for this Dom Christopher now attributes to his post-conciliar education, which eradicated every sense for the supernatural within him and made a political activist or at most a teacher of wisdom out of Christ. Intensive studying of Hegel, Marx, Nietzsche and Sigmund Freud did the rest in this path of destruction. After 20 years of progressivistic priesthood heaven seemed without light and closed-off to him.
 
Because of the heavy and well-argumented criticism of his own interreligious activities (e.g. with Buddhists) by the magazine SiSi NoNo, he first came into contact with a priest of the Society (SSPX).
 
For a while he lived as an hermite in Tuscany and for the first time in his life read the "Philothea" of St. Francis de Sales and by a divine intervention - despite the warnings of his progressivist teachers that Saint THomas Aquinas belonged to the dark past which was conquered now - started reading the theological Summa Theologica of the Angelic Doctor.
 
At the same time some friends advised him to visit the Abbey of Le Barroux [formerly associated with the SSPX, until 1989]. There he celebrated for the first time, rather reluctantly, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in the Traditional Roman Rite. At the words "elevatis oculis in caelis" before the words of consecration, he was given a deep spiritual experience: heaven once again was open. "Lumen de lumine, light from light."
 
By that experience his life from one moment to the other changed. For the first time he clearly saw that there still existed an ecclesiastical life which is radically different from the prevailing [post-conciliar] Church life.
 
After that he visited the Benedictine Monastery at Bellaigue (France), which remained faithful to the work of Abp. Lefebvre, and got to know Dom Angelus, the prior, there. He would come to appreciate Dom Angelus OSB of Bellaigue and came to Menzingen, had many conversations and discussions with Bishop Bernard Fellay and Father Franz Schmidberger at the Generalate of the Society.
 
Called to Rome and appointed abbot to a US monastery (New Mexico) by the Superiors of the Benedictine Order (based in Rome) shortly after, he discussed with many highly-placed Vatican dignitaries the essentials of the traditional movement.
 
Intellectual honesty now made it obligatory that he express publicly (before the world) his deep gratitude towards Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre who correctly understood: when one looses Tradition, one looses all culture ánd one's own soul.
 
But! But Tradition is not merely a case of the Traditional Latin Liturgy, Dom Christopher warned all present. The fight is not merely about "liturgical choreography". Nothing less is at stake but the Truth of Faith. Expecting the papal Motu-Proprio on the traditional Roman Mass, one may not give up the battle for Catholic dogma of all time!
 
Despite this Dom Christopher encouraged the superiors of the SSPX to proceed with discussions with the authorities in Rome. He remembered his own journey [to Tradition], and he insisted to give [in Rome] a brave testimony, even if carefulness is obligatory too. All have the duty to tell bishops and cardinals the Truth, the abbot said. The abbot also revealed that Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos appreciates bishop Fellay very much, he told the abbot about Mons. Fellay: "Now thát's a real bishop."

Abbot Christopher finalized his testimony of Faith "ex abundantia cordis" by praising the labour and apostolate of the Society and he showed himself impressed by the many children and young, large families who participated in the Pontifical High Mass celebrated by bp. Fellay in the church of Saint-Nicolas-du-Chardonnet and at which Dom Christopher participated in the choir thrones.






 
 Photo: Abbot Zielinsky OSB next to Bishop Fellay. (up) After Holy Mass. (under)
 
 
 
 

[Dilexisti]

This is parallel to the "conversion" of Bishop Salvador Lazo of the Philippines.  He traveled the same route -- via the SSPX.  I recall that there are three other bishops (one in Thailand I think) who have gone back to Tradition.  Bp. Lazo wrote to JP II detailing his reason for leaving the conciliar Church.  I supposed JP II was unmoved.

[obscurus]

Do not be so quick to judge seeking to force the hand of God. I am sure he is still trying to fully understand the implications of embracing "Traditional Catholicism".  From what I read it seems he is entirely sincere so perhaps it will take some time for him to assess the practical decisions he will have to make as Abbot. Also remember that his discovery of "Tradition" only happened recently.

[Michael_G]

God bless him as he continues on his journey.  As an abbot he has many responsibilities and it will take time for him to deal with all of them.  But when someone of his stature comes back to Tradition we should welcome him with open arms.

[winoblue1]

Yes, this is another example of realizing that the traditional movement has friends they weren't even aware of....

 

I have one question, the Bishop in Thailand, I read about his conversion and tour or the SSPX in the USA, but I haven't heard any followup news. What has he done in his area? Does he celebrate only the traditonal mass now? Has he given full permission for all his priests to celebrate the TLM?

 

These are the kind of things I am curious about which would indicate a sincere and authentic conversion.

 

 

[obscurus]

Yes, this is another example of realizing that the traditional movement has friends they weren't even aware of....

I have one question, the Bishop in Thailand, I read about his conversion and tour or the SSPX in the USA, but I haven't heard any followup news. What has he done in his area? Does he celebrate only the traditonal mass now? Has he given full permission for all his priests to celebrate the TLM?

These are the kind of things I am curious about which would indicate a sincere and authentic conversion.

As far as I know, Bishop Manat from Thailand has since retired.

[HMiS]

Bishop Manat was forced to retire, but also does not take a strong stance (e.g. against the Novus Ordo liturgy), which is very sad.

 

About abbot Zienlinsky OSB I would not judge so harsh already, he is only in his present monastery for a short while, and of course endures difficulties. The sad thing is so many faithful and clergymen do not have the guts and militancy of mind to speak out against objectively sinful things and aberrations. Of course we must be gentle with other-minded etc., but not with abusers etc. in Catholic institutions. Jesus never was polite towards the money changers in the temple. Would He be to clowns desecrating it? I do not think so. He was not a Buddhist apathetic like so many "enlightened" clergymen style themselves.

 

Here is a sermon from the abbot int he story.

 

http://www.pecosmonastery.org/AbbotPage.htm

[Jarrod_D]

For a while he lived as an hermite in Tuscany and for the first time in his life read the "Philothea" of St. Francis de Sales

 

If this is the same Abbot mentioned in the Latin Mass Magizine about 6 monthd ago ... the influence of the group I am involved with... the poor knights of Christ ... found in Tuscany had something to do with his involvement in finding tradition.

 

Jarrod