May Catholics attend SSPX masses?

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My friend insists that SSPX masses are valid and that Catholics may attend, I have some reservations.
 
It’s spiritually dangerous to attend an SSPX mass because of the irregular canonical status and the resentment with Rome. I don’t recommend going. I would also talk to your priest at your regular parish about this instead of only being influenced by your friend.
 
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The vast majority of Catholics avoid the SSPX. Your reservations are valid and I agree with TK421. Unfortunately it is difficult to say more about the SSPX on here because in the past, posts criticizing them have been flagged and removed. Talk to your priest, please.
 
johnjacob2004 said:
My friend insists that SSPX masses are valid and that Catholics may attend
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There are some actions encouraged by the Church, and different actions that are prohibited. Between those two poles there is a range of actions that are not prohibited, but more or less imprudent.

The Church does try to reach out to those who find themselves in irregular situations, of whatever kind. Sometimes they are there because of prior experiences, or maybe grew up there. Don’t judge them.

But the fact that the Church reaches out to them (and to everyone) doesn’t mean it’s the best -most prudent - choice for you to make.
 
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I have put on my hard hat and shall watch this thread from a safe distance.
 
johnjacob2004 said:
My friend insists that SSPX masses are valid and that Catholics may attend, I have some reservations.
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SSPX priests are not in full communion with the Roman Catholic Church, and their Masses are said without the permission of the local ordinary.

It’s hard for me to see how that can be spiritually fruitful to a Catholic.
 
The Holy See has been in negotiations with the SSPX. They havem made a very generous offer to incorporate them into the rest of the Catholic Church, which they have declined. Let us pray that the circumstances develop that they can enter into full communion with the Catholic Church.
 
johnjacob2004 said:
My friend insists that SSPX masses are valid and that Catholics may attend, I have some reservations.
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Why would you want to give support (by attending Masses) to SSPX which is a group not in full communion with Rome. I see supporting them as being tantamount to disobedience to the Pope.
If you are interested in a Latin Mass seek out the FSSP, otherwise attend an OF Mass.
 
We would all be better served by attending a Mass in a community whose relationship with the bishop of Rome isn’t “complicated”.
 
Thom18 said:
We would all be better served by attending a Mass in a community whose relationship with the bishop of Rome isn’t “complicated”.
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Not just with the bishop of Rome, but seek a priest and community with a relationship with a Bishop Ordinary, and a diocese.

Read the encyclicals of Pope St Pius X, such as On Catholic Action, and Pascendi, regarding the role of the individual Catholic and parish, and bishop and diocese.
 
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Because there are no FSSP masses remotely nearby only SSPX
 
Dr. Peter Kwasniewski recently wrote an article addressing this very question:


The general idea is that you may attend for the right reasons if there are no other options for a reverent Mass, and that this does in fact fulfill your Sunday obligation (he cites a statement from Rome, though I believe that there is a more recent one than what he provides). Whether or not attending is prudent is a decision that only you can make, perhaps in consultation with a trustworthy priest.

If you think about it though, even absent the handful of statements from Rome, it makes sense that the Church recognizes that SSPX Masses fulfill the obligation. When Pope Francis gave them permanent faculties to hear confessions, he obviously understood that most people who would take advantage are those who already attend SSPX chapels. If SSPX Masses did not fulfill the Sunday obligation, then these people would constantly be in a state of mortal sin with no intention of reform, and therefore unable to be absolved. That would make the granting of faculties pointless.
 
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In 2016, Pope Francis granted ordinary jurisdiction to SSPX priests for confession and marriages and it is still in effect.

God used a SSPX priest to save me from getting into a bad marriage.

As I’ve previously posted, if I couldn’t attend the Divine Liturgy I’d go to the SSPX.

Btw, are there any Byzantine/Ukrainian/Eastern Catholic churches in your area? If you’re not comfortable going to the SSPX then try an Eastern Catholic church.
 
just out of curiosity, would a cahatolic be required to fulfill a sunday obligation there, for example, if there were no other options and it was the oly mass around, or would the sunday obligation not apply in that case?
 
angell1 said:
just out of curiosity, would a cahatolic be required to fulfill a sunday obligation there, for example, if there were no other options and it was the oly mass around, or would the sunday obligation not apply in that case?
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No, because the SSPX aren’t affiliated with the diocese or submit to the local bishop as God commands them. So there is no obligation to attend if no other Masses are available. It’s similar to if you are in an Orthodox country and there are no Catholic Masses nearby.
 
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