Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Rome and the Society of Saint Pius X: "The Meeting Went Well" -- "It Goes in the Direction of a Personal Prelature"

"The Meeting Went Well", according to Il Foglio according to
its Vatican Sources
(Rome) Matteo Matzuzzi, the Vatican expert of the Italian daily Il Foglio , reported initially on Monday  that Bishop Bernard Fellay, Superior General of the Society of St. Pius X, was received by Pope Francis in private audience last Friday. Here is Matzuzzi's piece:

The Pope Met Bernard Fellay, head of the Lefebvrians

The pope on Saturday 1 received Bernard Fellay, the superior general and direct successor 2 of Monsignor Marcel Lefebvre at the head of St. Pius X. The conversation "was positive" as Il Foglio  learned from Vatican sources. Between Francis and Fellay "the consultation went well."
It is a further step towards canonical recognition of the Fraternity to the Holy See in the form of an ad hoc erected Prelature on the model of Opus Dei, therefore with far-reaching and not only organizational autonomy.
In an interview recently translated into five languages ​​and published on the website of the  Society, Fellay showed himself very open to dialogue, by repeatedly emphasizing his appreciation for the reigning pope:
"I would not be more surprised if he sees us as one of those margins, to which he obviously gives preference. And precisely in this perspective he uses the expression "to travel part of the way" with the people on the periphery, in the hope of being able to improve things. This is therefore not a firm resolution to come directly to the destination, one way or another, a way to go ... but the main thing is is quite peaceful, nice, without knowing very well where that will lead. This is probably one of the main reasons. "
Already towards the end of 2013 there was, as the internet site Rorate Caeli brought to light,  a first meeting in Santa Marta. However, It was not a conversation, but more of a chance encounter.
In an interview Fellay noted another aspect of which reveals how far the path to reconciliation has already progressed:
"Very surprising, since it is clear that Pope Francis wants to give us life and to survive. To anyone who wants to hear it, he says he will never do anything evil to the Fraternity. He also said that we are Catholic. He has refused to convict us as schismatics, he said, you are not schismatic, you are Catholic ', even if he subsequently used a somewhat enigmatic word  when he said we were on the way to full communion. For this expression, full communion, 'we would like to have a clear definition, because it looks as if  it corresponds to nothing precise. This is a feeling ... you do not know exactly what it is."
A decision in Econe where the Society has its headquarters 3 was particularly appreciated, relates to the pope granting permission that  Catholics may confess to  Lefebvrian priests. The Pope explained that in the letter last September 1, in which he granted an indulgence for the Jubilee Year:
"A final consideration concerns those faithful who for various reasons choose to attend churches officiated by priests of the Fraternity of St Pius X. This Jubilee Year of Mercy excludes no one. From various quarters, several Brother Bishops have told me of their good faith and sacramental practice, combined however with an uneasy situation from the pastoral standpoint. I trust that in the near future solutions may be found to recover full communion with the priests and superiors of the Fraternity. In the meantime, motivated by the need to respond to the good of these faithful, through my own disposition, I establish that those who during the Holy Year of Mercy approach these priests of the Fraternity of St Pius X to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation shall validly and licitly receive the absolution of their sins."
Translation: Giuseppe Nardi
image: Il Foglio (Screenshot)
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
Link to Katholisches...
AMDG

14 comments:

James said...

Just in time to give the "internal forum" wink and nod to whoever comes to them for confession.

Anonymous said...

It's a done deal they're just working out last minute details.

Gabriel said...
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Woody said...

I think that the SSPX are unlikely to go for a prelature, as that structure is too dependent upon the local ordinary for operations. Like the Anglican Use Ordinariates I would expect an Ordinariate would be better, with its exhortation to cooperation with the local bishop but not the absolute requirement.

Gabriel is quite wrong about schism, as shown by the grant of faculties to the SSPX priests, and the increasingly cordial relations with representatives of Rome, in which, it is reported, all discussions are among Catholics, not on an ecumenical basis, which would be proper if there were a schism.

Jonathan Simmons said...

I hope that Bishop Fellay is at liberty to discuss last week's meeting with Pope Francis and Archbishop Pozzo. The SSPX's official comments made it clear that an agreement between Rome and the SSPX was not struck last week.

As the SSPX said, the "canonical status of the Society was not directly addressed, Pope Francis and Bishop Fellay having determined that these exchanges ought to continue without haste."

So it'll be more talk, and more talk, and more talk between Rome and the SSPX. But that is good, not bad. It's much better than the times when Rome and the SSPX exchanged with each other little in the way of discussion.

It maybe be time for Bishop Fellay to call for a Rosary Crusade. Perhaps that will be the final one needed to bring Rome and the SSPX together in canonical agreement. Anyway, continue to pray for an agreement.

Jonathan Simmons

Nelzenger said...

SSPX indeed belongs to God. Rome must have realized they cannot crush the work of God.

Gabriel said...
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Tancred said...

+Fellay is the one who's describing it.

Unknown said...

SSPX is the true Catholic Church....It has never agreed to changing doctrines as presented in Vatican II.

Charles said...

Exactly which changed doctrines were presented at Vatican II?

Gabriel said...

I find it amazing that people are so jumpy about the titles of the documents of an Ecumenical Council.

Gabriel said...

Yes I am but what causes so much panic at the mention of Gaudium et Spes, Unitatis Reintegratio, Nostra Aetate, Dignitatis Humanae and Sacrosanctum Concilium?

STEPHEN - Roodepoort said...

After 3 years of Pope Francis and the havoc he has caused, and the SSPX want to join the team.......like visiting a whorehouse and expecting them to change from within........dreamland.....

Anonymous said...

That they are not Catholic documents foisted on the Catholic Church by a Modernist cabal from just a few countries who hijacked the Council. That is why true Catholics shudder at them. Carolus