Be careful about reading the wrong message into the bishop of Madison’s unprepared remarks in interview. He apologized for *one sentence *in his written statement that hurt peoples’ feelings. He does not want
individuals in SSPX to be isolated. In recent years the Church has also reached to others in a pastoral way: priests visit couples living together without marriage, or persons in other irregular situations, try to make friends with them. (“Do you have enough food”?)
Even without that one regretted sentence, the bishop seems to stand by the rest of his written statement, which clearly does not consider
- “Individuals remaining in the SSPX for the time being, until further clarification”
as an equally good option as
- “SSPX individuals joining a parish, and their diocese, right now”.
Clearly he regards the second option as the better one. It’s misleading to look at actions designed to be pastoral to
families - to reduce their isolation - as a partial step towards the
organization. It should not be used, but will be used, as a rationale to persuade individuals to remain in the SSPX organization “until further clarification”.
It’s good that the bishop of Albany wants persons in SSPX (and persons in many other groups) to feel welcome at the shrine. I don’t know, but suspect, he would also urge
families in SSPX to participate in the full range of activities such as prolife, youth ministry, and many others in the Albany diocese. Even as a few bishops start reaching out on their end to reduce isolation, remember families in SSPX can reduce isolation by joining a parish and their diocese
now. Families don’t have to wait for further clarification from the organization.