It's Official: Pope Repeals Excommunications of SSPX Bishops!

[JonW]

I see. What were the circumstances? Why were they lacking a papal mandate?

 

[cspb56]

Let’s remember that the lifting of the excommunication is just a start. For now SSPX in NOT in union with Rome. Just as the excommunications of centuries ago against the eastern church have been lifted there also is still no union. The Holy Father deserves a great deal of praise for his unrelenting work for union with SSPX but SSPX also has to give. The denial of the teachings of Vatican II is still quite serious. Lets not forget that Archbishop Lefebvre signed ALL the documents of Vatican II. While certainly the implementation of some of the documents has been flawed, the archbishop was wrong in his response. There is nothing wrong with how SSPX wants to exist using the pre-council disciplines and worship/sacramental. However,must recognize, accept and implement the other areas of change which the council taught. Let’s hope calmer heads will begin to prevail and union occurs not only with SSPX but our orthodox brothers and sisters.

 

[Leonius]

It is always better to reconcile but
(a) many people are decently outraged at Willianson’s comments
(b) the secular medias version, in the absence of at least a Papal condemnation, is going to cause *immense *secular and spiritual harm, in the case of Catholics, would-be Catholics and non-Catholics who know nothing about the SSPX (and they are numerous) and will swallow up this version in the absence of any other. Can you see anyone wanting to belong to a Church which seems to espouse such a view?

Kyrie eleison!

Is the Faith worth so little? Such people already do not want to belong to the Church, should the Holy Father punish the SSPX for the sins of the infidels of the world or should he act justly regardless of human respect, the chasing after of which damns many to hell? Is the Church now just another political party?

Faith is a grace from God.

 

[maurin]

Let’s remember that the lifting of the excommunication is just a start. For now SSPX in NOT in union with Rome. Just as the excommunications of centuries ago against the eastern church have been lifted there also is still no union. The Holy Father deserves a great deal of praise for his unrelenting work for union with SSPX but SSPX also has to give. The denial of the teachings of Vatican II is still quite serious. Lets not forget that Archbishop Lefebvre signed ALL the documents of Vatican II. While certainly the implementation of some of the documents has been flawed, the archbishop was wrong in his response. There is nothing wrong with how SSPX wants to exist using the pre-council disciplines and worship/sacramental. However,must recognize, accept and implement the other areas of change which the council taught. Let’s hope calmer heads will begin to prevail and union occurs not only with SSPX but our orthodox brothers and sisters.

You have said a lot, yet you have not exhibited that you understand what you have said. In order to make clear for all the faithful following this thread, and to also make clear that you have substance behind your statements, would you mind:

1. explaining clearly the Teaching of the Documents of the Second Vatican Council, and exactly which Teachings it changed?

2)explaining clearly the Archbishop’s response to these changes, and why he was wrong, which you clearly state above?

1. explaining clearly WHICH Teachings the SSPX denies, and why they are wrong for denying them?

 

[Leonius]

Let us not sully this thread celebrating this good news by getting into a argument about the rights and wrongs of the SSPX, the Pope is trying to heal the wounds but some of you seem determined to rip them right back open again.

If you want to discuss that start your own thread or better yet go and participate in one of the many that are probably no doubt already going.

But I will point out such debates are futile, the Pope will judge not you or I.

 

[Christus_Rex_1]

Here’s some of Fr. Z’s comments that I found interesting:

CONGREGATIO PRO EPISCOPIS

By way of a letter of December 15, 2008 addressed to His Eminence Cardinal Dario Castrillón Hoyos, President of the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei, Mons. Bernard Fellay, also in the name of the other three Bishops consecrated on June 30, 1988, requested anew the removal of the latae sententiae excommunication formally declared with the Decree of the Prefect of this Congregation on July 1, 1988. In the aforementioned letter, Mons. Fellay affirms, among other things: “We are always firmly determined in our will to remain Catholic and to place all our efforts at the service of the Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ, which is the Roman Catholic Church. We accept its teachings with filial disposition. We believe firmly in the Primacy of Peter and in its prerogatives, and for this the current situation makes us suffer so much.”

His Holiness Benedict XVI - paternally sensitive to the spiritual unease manifested by the interested party due to the sanction of excommunication and trusting in the effort expressed by them in the aforementioned letter Pope Benedict has clearly also taken into consideration the pain that this excommunication caused.]deepen the necessary discussions with the Authority of the Holy See in the still open matters, so as to achieve shortly a full and satisfactory solution of the problem posed in the origin – Yes… the problems still remain. This was not an ending of the story. This was an important, but single, step toward beginning to resolve problems which remain. Hopefully this reciprocal expression of, at least, desire will help.] decided to reconsider the canonical situation of Bishops Bernard Fellay, Bernard Tissier de Mallerais, Richard Williamson, and Alfonso de Galarreta, arisen with their episcopal consecration. That is interesting. They decided to study and reconsider the canonical situation. I wonder if they determined that the excommunication wasn’t in fact ever incurred and therefore the zeroed out the declaration of such by the Cong. for Bishops? Either way they are lifted.] …

I’m still looking forward to the write up in L’Osservatore Romano that is scheduled to come out later today.

 

[srp643]

Great news. These men are owed an engraved apology. I cannot remotely imagine what they have been through. As the saying goes, it’s hard to hold a good man down. Try as you may, but Truth always wins in the end.

We have primarily them to thank for the MP. Now their views on Vatican II need to be widely publicized and understood so we can get out of this mess. Slowly but surely, little by little…

 

[Christus_Rex_1]

Great news. These men are owed an engraved apology. I cannot remotely imagine what they have been through. As the saying goes, it’s hard to hold a good man down. Try as you may, but Truth always wins in the end.

We have primarily them to thank for the MP. Now their views on Vatican II need to be widely publicized and understood so we can get out of this mess. Slowly but surely, little by little…

Now that was a good post.

 

[dang71]

These men are owed an engraved apology.

these men were disobedient. if we decry modern disobedience and abuse, then we must also decry the disobedience and abuse of ages past. they do not deserve an apology, they need to do the work to come into FULL union with the church.

thanks be to God that pride has been overcome, and Our Lady has brought hope of unity with our separated brethren.

 

[malphono]

Let’s remember that the lifting of the excommunication is just a start. For now SSPX in NOT in union with Rome. Just as the excommunications of centuries ago against the eastern church have been lifted there also is still no union. The Holy Father deserves a great deal of praise for his unrelenting work for union with SSPX but SSPX also has to give. The denial of the teachings of Vatican II is still quite serious. Lets not forget that Archbishop Lefebvre signed ALL the documents of Vatican II. While certainly the implementation of some of the documents has been flawed, the archbishop was wrong in his response. There is nothing wrong with how SSPX wants to exist using the pre-council disciplines and worship/sacramental. However,must recognize, accept and implement the other areas of change which the council taught. Let’s hope calmer heads will begin to prevail and union occurs not only with SSPX but our orthodox brothers and sisters.

Yes, I rather agree.

Mgr Fellay is very clear in his own letter that there are issues to be addressed. In his penultimate paragraph he writes:

Consequently, we wish to begin these “talks” – which the decree acknowledges to be “necessary – about the doctrinal issues which are opposed to the Magisterium of all time. … Thus, during these discussions with the Roman authorities we want to examine the deep causes of the present situation, and by bringing the appropriate remedy, achieve a lasting restoration of the Church.

And further in the last sentence:

In our prayers, we now ask from her the necessary doctrinal clarifications which confused souls so much need.

And further in his press release:

…we are pleased that the decree of January 21 considers as necessary “talks” with the Holy See, talks which will enable the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X to explain the fundamental doctrinal reasons which it believes to be at the origin of the present difficulties of the Church.

In this new atmosphere, we have the firm hope to obtain soon the recognition of the rights of Catholic Tradition

It seems to me that the specifics of the remaining doctrinal and magisterial issues are between PP Benedict XVI and the SSPX.

 

[mystified]

It truly is great news. A first step toward repairing some serious damage.
To the person asking: SSPX are not sedevacante, they have always accepted the Pope as Christ’s Vicar on Earth. The sedes insist that the Chair of Peter is unfilled.

 

[Leonius]

Great news. These men are owed an engraved apology. I cannot remotely imagine what they have been through. As the saying goes, it’s hard to hold a good man down. Try as you may, but Truth always wins in the end.

We have primarily them to thank for the MP. Now their views on Vatican II need to be widely publicized and understood so we can get out of this mess. Slowly but surely, little by little…

There is fault on both sides no doubt, however ultimately sons must return obediently to the Father the Father does not obey his sons. We have primarily the Pope to thank for the MP, without him it would never have happened no matter what the SSPX did.

 

[NicPais83]

I didn’t think that this would happen in my lifetime, but the Holy Spirit is doing something wonderful here. As I’ve said before, the SSPX definitely has a task, a service, within the Church that needs to be done by people like them. I would think that, assuming these talks are fruitful, which I believe Our Lady will ensure, the SSPX would be the go to people for an authentic reform of the reform and application of the Second Vatican Council. Heck, if they are normalized, I’d consider joining as a third-order member!

 

[Spooky7272]

I simply cannot understand why some people would see this as anything other than a good thing.

 

[Walking_Home]

these men were disobedient. if we decry modern disobedience and abuse, then we must also decry the disobedience and abuse of ages past. they do not deserve an apology, they need to do the work to come into FULL union with the church.

thanks be to God that pride has been overcome, and Our Lady has brought hope of unity with our separated brethren.

---

God manifests Himself in and thru the Church. What we see here today --is God’s hand at work —His will. So please --it may profit you to let the past be buried at let His will be done.

 

[SLCFranciscan]

I didn’t think that this would happen in my lifetime, but the Holy Spirit is doing something wonderful here. As I’ve said before, the SSPX definitely has a task, a service, within the Church that needs to be done by people like them. I would think that, assuming these talks are fruitful, which I believe Our Lady will ensure, the SSPX would be the go to people for an authentic reform of the reform and application of the Second Vatican Council. Heck, if they are normalized, I’d consider joining as a third-order member!

NicPais83, I am giving thanks today from the bottom of my heart. As a postulant in the TO/SSPX, I have never been more grateful to Our Lord and His Blessed mother.

Sidney Jude

 

[tuviskazinai]

Great news. These men are owed an engraved apology. I cannot remotely imagine what they have been through. As the saying goes, it’s hard to hold a good man down. Try as you may, but Truth always wins in the end.

Eek. I am not sure I agree with you, here. I am sure that these men have been through a lot, and I don’t know them, so I can’t assume they weren’t acting in accordance with their consciences. But I am trapped in a vicious circle and maybe someone can help me out. Here are my questions…:

The SSPX is “traditionalist” – this thread is “traditionalist” – most of the people here would describe themselves as “traditionalists.” What tradition are we talking about, exactly? This is an honest question. I guess we mean the primacy of the Popes, right? The wisdom of the Magisterium?

And yet Vatican II was convoked, approved, and administered by the Popes and by the Magisterium. When the SSPX was excommunicated, it was at the Pope’s orders. Yet now that Pope Benedict is showing mercy and striving for reconciliation (certainly a good thing), everyone is like, “Finally, we will be able to respect tradition! Thank God for the Pope!”

I just don’t get it. Those bishops were insolent, at best – why do they deserve a graven apology? They literally thought they were “more Catholic than the Pope.” (I say literally, because countless statements have said just that…they believed the Vatican was under the influence of Satan, etc.) And I don’t find that very “Traditionalist” at all (I am sure that many of these Traditionalists would have strong words for those who were at odds with the Pope’s positions on birth control, or the American bishops’ positions on voting for Obama, etc.).

That is why I am allowing myself to “dampen” the celebratory mood (in addition to the gruesome comments of “bishop” Williamson, but that’s another story): because I think that people who are so adamantly opposed to Vatican II often run the risk of sharing this “more Catholic than the Pope” spirit. Or at least, they have a certain vision of which parts of the Tradition they like and which parts they don’t, and then they take the Popes as they come and classify them according to their own ideology. (John XXIII, who convoked V2? Ugh, not a very good Pope. Etc.)

I’m not trying to be antagonistic…but if someone could help me to understand their own reasons for rejoicing over this overture towards the SSPX, in light of my concerns, I would really appreciate it.

With sincere congratulations to those who feel their spirituality enriched by this reconciliation, and who celebrate the closeness we may all now feel to the beauty of the extraordinary rite,

+AMDG+

 

[Leonius]

We rejoice because Christ called us all to be one and this is a step towards that unity commanded by God of is children.

 

[apromisemade]

I’m sorry, I’m a little ignorant of this topic, what does SSPX mean?

 

[malphono]

I’m sorry, I’m a little ignorant of this topic, what does SSPX mean?

Society of S Pius X aka FSSPX (Latin initials for Priestly Fraternity of S Pius X)