Paving the way toward possible future reconciliation, Pope Benedict has lifted the excommunication of four SSPX bishops, ordained against papal orders. This is not the same as full unity between the Holy See and the SSPX, and the Vatican made three points clear:
- The Church is not denying or downplaying Vatican II
- There is not yet full unity between the Catholic Church and the SSPX
- The Church does not agree with the crazy beliefs of one of the SSPX bishops, holocaust-denier and overall conspiracy theorist Richard Williamson
Any thoughts?
Also worth noting, none of their priests have faculties from the local ordinary and, therefore MAY NOT hear confessions… The lifting of excommunications was in no way a “Bless this mess” proposition that regularized the society automatically. As it stands now, their status as a priestly society is still without Roman approval.
It is, still, a start.
Much as I’d like to see Williamson and his cohorts in the ultra-Right return to the fold, to allow them to do so without repentance on their part is, in my opinion, tantamount to extending the hand of fellowship to the prochoice/progay marriage factions of the ultra-Left.
My point is, there is a ditch on either side of the road, and it is just as anti-life to be a Holocaust-denying racist as it is to be pro-abortion or pro-gay marriage.
Gaudent angeli.
V2 is not doctrine so there’s no need to play it up or down. Bishop Williamson’s views on history and politics are irrelevant in this matter; again not doctrine.
Rather like, closer to doctrine, the reconciliation of the late Fr Leonard Feeney. His outrageous theological opinion – if you are not RC you are going to hell, full stop – is allowable. (He was thrown out in 1952 for disobedience not his views.)
What need for ‘repentance’ here? To satisfy the lusts of the politically correct? For saving the traditional Roman Mass and teaching Catholic doctrine whilst mainstream churchmen were flirting with heresy? For acting in good faith during what they honestly thought was a state of emergency in their church?
The pro-aborts and homosexualists are going against RC doctrine. Not so the SSPX.
You’re right, asimplesinner, that the SSPX clergy’s orders and the society’s status are still not regularised canonically. Only a matter of time really.
While Vatican II was of a pastoral nature, it did bring forth two dogmatic constitutions that have some serious weight and cannot be taken lightly. The SSPX does not accept anything of the Second Vatican Council including those documents. This along with their defiance against the magisterium by ordaining bishops in direct violation of Canon Law is wrong just as the action of liberal catholics who ordain women as priests. Vatican II has helped the Church to address a fastly changing world. The extremes have to be avoided. let us pray for healing and reconciliation in the Body of Christ.
Priests are ordained; Bishops are consecrated. Members of the SSPX and the laity who attend their Masses as well as Confession know these things. Welcome to the world of Catholicism. They also are in the enviable position of getting the other Sacraments in the old way without having to beg for them like paupers who are not allowed their birth right. You are either in the Church, or outside the Church; there is no gray area of “partial communion.”
The arguments for or against their ability to offer Masses and other sacraments have been exhaustive and will not be touched here since it takes books. Needless to say they have been found to be completely able to perform their duties regardless of the diocesan Bishops who are for the most part to blame for the current mess in the Church. This comes from sources other than the SSPX. An independent examination, although tiring will yield the same.
Go to http://www.sspx.org to find a Mass near you.
Good luck in your search.
Thank you, John.
If people would actually read and learn about what Archbishop Lefebvre did, they would not post comments like those above. He held onto The Church and True Faith for us all – that has existed since Jesus gave His Teachings to His Apostles to ‘go and teach all nations.’ – It took me a long time to study them and get over any fears (although unfounded!) regarding schism or excommunications, because there was no cause for them.
If it weren’t for him, there would be no indult mass.
I suggest reading The Ottiavani Intervention: http://www.fisheaters.com/ottavianiintervention.html The Cardinal has much to offer regarding the impossibility of justifying the novus ordo with The Holy Mass for almost 2,000 years before.
Martin Luther said if you want to change the faith, you have to change the mass. Look him up, too. Perhaps things will be more clear instead of eveyone getting their panties in a bunch. Go with God.
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