If the Revolution is a process that aims at destroying all Christian temporal order, it is obvious that its ultimate target is the Church, “The Mystical Body of Christ, the infallible teacher of the Truth, the guardian of Natural Law, and, therefore, the ultimate foundation of temporal order itself ”.119 The Revolution is an enemy that has risen against the Church to prevent it from fulfilling its mission to save souls not only while exercising its direct spiritual power, but also its indirect temporal power. The Counter-Revolution that rises in defence of the Church
“is not destined to save the Spouse of Christ. Supported as she is on the promise of her Founder, she does not need men to survive. On the contrary, it is the Church that gives life to the Counter-Revolution, which, without her, is neither feasible nor even conceivable”.120
In Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira’s view, the Counter-Revolution is not an end in itself but a compliant instrument of the Church. In its turn the Church does not identify with the Counter-Revolution, nor does it need to be saved by it.
“The Church is the soul of the Counter-Revolution. If the Counter-revolution is the struggle to extinguish the Revolution and to build the new Christendom, resplendent with faith, humble with hierarchical spirit, and spotless in purity, clearly this will be achieved, above all, by a profound action in the hearts of men. This action is proper to the Church, which teaches Catholic doctrine and leads men to love and practise it. Therefore, the Church is the very soul of the Counter-Revolution”.121
The exaltation of the Church is the ideal of the Counter-Revolution.
“If the Revolution is the opposite of the Church, it is impossible to hate the Revolution (considered in its entirety and not just in some isolated aspect) and to combat it without ipso facto having the ideal of exalting the Church”.122
The Church is therefore a fundamental Counter-Revolutionary force, but it does not identify with the Counter-Revolution: its true force lies in being the Mystical Body of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Nevertheless, the scope of the Counter-Revolution goes beyond, in a certain sense, the ecclesiastical sphere, because it involves a reorganization of all temporal society from its foundations. This social restoration is inspired by the doctrine of the Church, but on the other hand it involves numerous concrete and practical aspects that regard specifically civil order.
“And in this respect, the Counter-Revolution goes beyond the ecclesiastical ambit, though always intimately bound to the Church in every matter that has to do with her Magisterium and indirect power”.123
Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira’s work ends with an offering of filial devotion and unlimited obedience to “sweet Christ on earth”, infallible summit and foundation of the truth, His Holiness John XXIII,124 and with a filial consecration of his work to Our Lady:
“It was the Immaculate Virgin who crushed the head of the Serpent, the first, the major, the eternal revolutionary, the instigator and foremost upholder of this Revolution, as of any before or after it. Mary is, therefore, the Patroness of all those who fight against the Revolution.
“The universal and all-powerful mediation of the Mother of God is the counter- revolutionaries’ greatest reason for hope. And, at Fatima, she already gave them the certainty of victory when she declared that, even after an eventual surge of communism throughout the world, ‘finally, my Immaculate Heart will triumph!’
“We beseech the Virgin, therefore, to accept this filial homage, a tribute of love and an expression of absolute confidence in her triumph”.125
Notes:
119. P. Corrêa de Oliveira, Revolution and Counter-Revolution, p. 114.
120. Ibid, pp. 115-6.
121. Ibid, p. 117.
122. Ibid.
123. Ibid, p. 118.
124. In the Italian edition of 1972, and in subsequent editions, the conclusion was maintained in the same terms, replacing the name of John XXIII, with that of the then reigning Pontiff Paul VI.
125. P. Corrêa de Oliveira, Revolution and Counter-Revolution, p. 167.