SSPX founder Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre wasn’t a fan of the idea of African bishops, and thought Africans still needed European bishops looking after them.
He was, from 1947-1961, a bishop in “French Africa”, specifically as archbishop of Dakar, Senegal. Towards the end of his time there, he told Pope John XXIII that “the Africans are not yet mature“, in response to Pope John XXIII wanting to choose Africans as bishops.
This was the end of the colonial era in Africa, where several European countries had taken over portions of Africa, and were now beginning to let them become independent again. Lefebvre, a right wing French royalist, wasn’t impressed with the idea of giving Africa back to the Africans, and especially not with replacing the European bishops in Africa with African bishops.
Pope John XXIII told Lefebvre that he need not worry, that he (Pope John XXIII) would take responsibility for any mess, and he then replaced Lefebvre with Archbishop (later Cardinal) Hyacinthe Thiandoum … whom Lefebvre had himself ordained priest.
The following comes from an interview with Pope John XXIII’s secretary, Fr Loris Capovilla, in the book “Juan XXIII: En el recuerdo de su secretario Loris F. Capovilla“, by Marco Roncalli. (Translated title: “John XXIII: according to the memory of his secretary Loris F. Capovilla“)
Original Spanish:
P.: Algunas de las contestaciones más reaccionarias al Concilio, una minima parte verdaderamente, producirán más tarde incluso un cisma. ¿Roncalli tuvo contactos con Marcel Lefebvre, el obispo cismático… ?
R.: Sí. Lo conoció en Francia, donde Roncalli fue nuncio desde 1945 a 1953. Lefebvre, perteneciente a la Congregación del Espíritu Santo, delegado apostólico para las misiones del África francesa, fue elegido obispo en 1947; y en 1955 promovido a arzobispo de Dakar, capital del Senegal. Fue un buen misionero, organizador competente, atento a los pobres. No estaba convencido de que hubiera sonado la hora del episcopado indígena. Sucedió que el Papa Juan se pronunció a favor de un arzobispo africano para Dakar, acogiendo la propuesta del presidente Léopold Sedar Senghor. La Congregación de Propaganda Fide no consiguió convencer a Lefebvre, cuando ya Pío XII era también partidario de la propuesta senegalesa. El Papa Juan habló al arzobispo, entonces de cincuenta y cinco años. Parece que recibió esta respuesta: «Santo Padre, los africanos no están todavía maduros. Yo no me tomaría esa responsabilidad». El Papa le replicó: «No es necesario que se la tome. La tomo yo. Renuncie a Dakar. Para usted proveeremos honorablemente, como es debido». En definitiva, aquel prelado, considerado rebelde, se sometió a la voluntad del Papa sin oponer resistencia. En 1961 dimitió. El 24 de febrero de 1962, Dakar tuvo su arzobispo indígena en la persona del senegalés Hyacinthe Thiandoum, hoy cardenal. Conté este suceso a Pablo VI cuando me preguntó si Lefebvre no había causado nunca dificultades al Papa Juan.
Source, via Wikipedia: Capovilla, Loris F. (2013). Juan XXIII: En el recuerdo de su secretario Loris F. Capovilla (in Spanish). Interviewed by Marco Roncalli. Palabra. p. 78. ISBN 9788498409888. Retrieved 22 April 2023. (Emphasis mine) Translated title: "John XXIII: the recollections of his secretary Loris F. Capovilla"
English as per Google Translate:
Q.: Some of the most reactionary responses to the Council, a very small part indeed, will later even produce a schism. Did Roncalli have contacts with Marcel Lefebvre, the schismatic bishop…?
A.: Yes. He met him in France, where Roncalli was nuncio from 1945 to 1953. Lefebvre, a member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, apostolic delegate for the missions of French Africa, was elected bishop in 1947; and in 1955 promoted to archbishop of Dakar, the capital of Senegal. He was a good missionary, a competent organizer, attentive to the poor. He was not convinced that the hour of the indigenous episcopate had struck. It happened that Pope John declared himself in favor of an African archbishop for Dakar, accepting the proposal of President Léopold Sedar Senghor. The Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith failed to convince Lefebvre, when Pius XII was also a supporter of the Senegalese proposal. Pope John spoke to the archbishop, then fifty-five years old. It seems that he received this answer: “Holy Father, the Africans are not yet mature. I wouldn’t take that responsibility.” The Pope replied: “It is not necessary to take it. I take it. Give up Dakar. For you we will provide honorably, as is due.” In short, that prelate, considered a rebel, submitted to the will of the Pope without resisting. In 1961 he resigned. On February 24, 1962, Dakar had its indigenous archbishop in the person of the Senegalese Hyacinthe Thiandoum, now a cardinal. I related this event to Paul VI when he asked me if Lefebvre had never caused Pope John difficulties.
(Emphasis mine)
