Editing Marcel Lefebvre (section)

== Priest ==

In 1923 Lefebvre began studies for the priesthood; at the insistence of his father he followed his brother to the [[French Seminary]] in [[Rome]], as his father suspected the diocesan seminaries of liberal leanings.<ref>[http://oriensjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Oriens-Vol10-2F.pdf The ghost at all our tables] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141224164745/http://oriensjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Oriens-Vol10-2F.pdf |date=24 December 2014 }}, Oriens journal</ref> He later credited his conservative views to the [[Rector (ecclesiastical)|rector]], a [[Breton people|Breton]] [[priest]] named Father [[Henri Le Floch]].<ref>"Archbishop Lefebvre readily admitted that were it not for the solid formation he received from Fr. Le Floch, he too might have succumbed to the creeping liberalism of the age." John Vennari (August 2005){{cite web|url=http://angelusonline.org/Article182-thread-order1-threshold0.phtml |title=I have handed on what I have received |access-date=1 November 2013 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090214143508/http://angelusonline.org/Article182-thread-order1-threshold0.phtml |archive-date=14 February 2009 }}, ''The Angelus''.</ref> He interrupted his studies in 1926 and 1927 to perform his military service.<ref name="own 2002-04">{{cite web|url=http://www.sspxafrica.com/documents/2002_April/Monsignor_Lefebvre_in_his_own_words.htm |title=Monsignor Leferbve in his own words |access-date=22 March 2004 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040322100539/http://www.sspxafrica.com/documents/2002_April/Monsignor_Lefebvre_in_his_own_words.htm |archive-date=22 March 2004 }}. Society of St. Pius X – South Africa. sspxafrica.com. April 2002.</ref> On 25 May 1929 he was [[Ordination|ordained]] [[deacon]] by Cardinal [[Basilio Pompili]] in the [[Basilica of St. John Lateran]] in Rome.<ref name=mallerais_vie>{{harvnb|Tissier de Mallerais|2004|p=77}}</ref> On 21 September 1929 he was ordained a priest of Diocese of Lille by its bishop, [[Achille Liénart]].<ref>''Ordained priest at Lille, France, by Msgr Achille Liénart, Bishop of Lille, on 21 September 1929''{{cite web|url=http://www.sspx.co.uk/people.php?personid=18 |title=Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre – Useful Information |access-date=25 August 2006 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040703080050/http://www.sspx.co.uk/people.php?personid=18 |archive-date=3 July 2004}}. Society of Saint Pius X, District of Great Britain</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Laudenschlager|1978}}: ''"His Grace, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, was ordained to the priesthood on 21 September 1929, and consecrated a bishop on 18 September 1947, by Achille Cardinal Lienart, Bishop of Archbishop Lefebvre's Diocese of Lille (France)."''</ref> After ordination, he continued his studies in Rome, completing a doctorate in theology in July 1930.<ref>''Seminary training: 1923–29 in the French Seminary, Rome, Doctor in philosophy and in theology.'' [http://www.sspxasia.com/Documents/Society_of_Saint_Pius_X/Basic-data.htm I – Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924105341/http://www.sspxasia.com/Documents/Society_of_Saint_Pius_X/Basic-data.htm |date=24 September 2015 }}</ref>

Lefebvre asked to be allowed to perform missionary work as a member of the [[Holy Ghost Fathers]], but in August 1930 Liénart required him to first work as assistant curate in a parish in Lomme, a suburb of Lille.<ref name=Apologia3>{{harnvb|Davies|1980|loc=[http://www.sspxasia.com/Documents/Archbishop-Lefebvre/Apologia/Vol_one/Chapter_3.htm Chapter 3]}}</ref><ref name=mallerais_vie83>{{harvnb|Tissier de Mallerais|2004|p=83}}</ref> Liénart released him from the diocese in July 1931 and Lefebvre entered the [[novitiate]] of the Holy Ghost Fathers at [[Orly]] in September.<ref name="own 2002-02" /> On 8 September 1932, he took simple vows for a period of three years.<ref name="own2002-06">{{cite web|url=http://www.sspxafrica.com/documents/2002_JunJuly/Monsignor_Lefebvre_in_his_own_words.htm |title=Monsignor Lefebvre in his own words |access-date=22 March 2004 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040322100648/http://www.sspxafrica.com/documents/2002_JunJuly/Monsignor_Lefebvre_in_his_own_words.htm |archive-date=22 March 2004 }}. Society of St. Pius X – South Africa. sspxafrica.com. June/July 2002</ref>

Lefebvre's first assignment as a Holy Ghost Father was as a professor at St. John's Seminary in [[Libreville]], [[Gabon]].<ref>{{cite news| quote=He entered the Holy Ghost Fathers in 1930 and was assigned to the Seminary of St. Mary at Libreville (Gabon) from 1932 to 1945. | url=http://www.angelusonline.org/Article3235-thread-order1-threshold0.phtml | title =Some Memories of Archbishop Lefebvre's childhood | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090131121420/http://www.angelusonline.org/Article3235-thread-order1-threshold0.phtml | archive-date=31 January 2009 | website= The Angelus | date= November 1980 | volume =III | issue= 11 | author=Sister Marie Christiane Lefebvre}}</ref> In 1934 he was made rector of the seminary.<ref>{{harvnb|Anglés|1991|loc="Teacher of Dogma and Holy Scripture in the Seminary of Libreville, Rector from 1934, he managed to be at the same time teacher, bursar, printer, plumber, electrician, driver... maybe having already in mind his Society's Priests!"}}</ref> On 28 September 1935 he made his perpetual vows. He served as superior of a number of missions of the Holy Ghost Fathers in Gabon.{{efn|St. Michel de Ndjolé (May 1938 – August 1939), Ste. Marie de Libreville (December 1939 – August 1940), St. Paul de Donguila (August 1940 – April 1943), and finally St. François Xavier de Lambaréné (April 1943 – October 1945)}} In October 1945 Lefebvre returned to France to become rector of the Holy Ghost Fathers seminary in [[Mortain]].<ref name="Apologia3" />