Papal Letter about the Lifting of the SSPX Excommunications

[FK04US]

The official version will be published on Thursday 12, 2009.
newliturgicalmovement.org/#7496467594768792823
Several parts of the text have been cut due to space limitations…

*Dear brethren in the Episcopal ministry!

The lifting of the excommunication of the four bishops ordained by Archbishop Lefebvre in 1988 without a mandate of the Holy See has led, both within and outside the Catholic Church, from a variety of reasons, to a discussion of such vehemence as we had not experienced anymore for a long time. … Several groups, however, accused the Pope openly of wanting to return behind the Council. An avalanche of protests was set into motion, the bitterness of which made injuries visible which transcend the moment …

One misfortune for me unforeseeable was the fact that the Williamson case has superimposed itself on the remission of the excommunication. The discreet gesture of mercy towards the four bishops ordained validly but not legitimately, suddenly appeared as something entirely different: as a disavowal of the reconciliation between Christians and Jews, and therefore as the revocation of what in this area the Council had clarified for the way for the Church. … The fact that this superposition of two opposing processes has occurred and has disturbed for a moment the peace between Christians and Jews as well as the peace in the Church I can only deeply regret. I hear that closely following the news available on the internet would have made it possible to obtain knowledge of the problem in time. I learn from this that we at the Holy See have to pay more careful attention to this news source in the future. It has saddened me that even Catholics who could actually have known better have thought it necessary to strike at me with a hostility ready to jump…

… The excommunication affects persons, not institutions. … The withdrawal of the excommunication serves the same purpose as the punishment itself: once more to invite the four bishops to return. This gesture was possible after the affected had expressed their fundamental recognition of the pope and his pastoral authority, albeit with reservations as far as obedience to his magisterial authority and that of the Council is concerned. … As long as the Fraternity does not possess a canonical position in the Church, its officials do not exercise legitimate offices in the Church. … As long as the doctrinal issues are not resolved, the Fraternity has no canonical status in the Church and its ministers, even if they are free from ecclesiastical censure, do not exercise in a legitimate way any ministry in the Church.

Given this situation, I intend to connect the Pontifical Commission “Ecclesia Dei”, which since 1988 is responsible for those communities and individuals who, coming from the Fraternity of Pius X or similar groups, want to return into full communion with the Pope, in the future with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. This shall make it clear that the problems now being treated are essentially doctrinal in nature, especially those concerning the acceptance of the Second Vatican Council and the postconciliar Magisterium of the Popes. The collegial organs through which the Congregation works on the questions arising (especially the regular assembly of the Cardinals on Wednesday and the General Assembly every one or two years) guarantee the involvement of the prefects of various Roman congregations and of the worldwide episcopate in the decisions to be made. One cannot freeze the magisterial autority of the Church in 1962 and - this must be quite clear to the Fraternity. But to some of those who show off as great defenders of the Council it must also be recalled to memory that Vatican II contains within itself the whole doctrinal history of the Church. Who wants to be obedient to it [sc. the Council] must accept the faith of the centuries and must not cut the roots of which the tree lives.*
…
To lead men to God, to the God speaking in the Bible, is the supreme and fundamental priority of the Church and the successor of Peter in this time. … the effort for the common witness of faith of the Christians - for ecumenism -is included in the highest priority. Then there is also the necessity that all who believe in God seek peace with each other, try to become closer to each other, in order to walk, in the differentness of their image of God, yet together towards the source of light - inter-religious dialogue…

… Was and is it really wrong, also in this case, to go to meet the brother, who “hath any thing against thee” and to try for reconciliation (cf. Mt 5, 23f)? … I myself, in the years after 1988, have experienced how by the return of communities previously separating themselves from Rome the interior climate there has changed, how the return to the great, wide and common Church overcame onesidedness and lossened tensions, so that now they have become positive forces for the whole. Can a community leave us totally indifferent in which there are 491 priests, 215 seminarians, 6 seminaries, 88 schools, 2 universitary institutes, 117 brothers, 164 sisters? Should we really calmly leave them to drift away from the Church? … Should we simply exclude them, as representatives of a radical marginal group, from the search for reconciliation and unity? What will then be?

… Should we not, like good educators, also be able not to hear some bad things and strive to calmly lead out of the narrowness? And must we not admit that also from ecclesial circles there have come dissonances? Sometimes one has the impression that our society needs at least one group for which there need not be any tolerance; which one can unperturbedly set upon with hatred. And who dared to touch them - in this case the Pope - lost himself the right to tolerance and was allowed without fear and restraint to be treated with hatred, too.

 

[JPUSC]

It has saddened me that even Catholics who could actually have known better have thought it necessary to strike at me with a hostility ready to jump…

…the Pope - lost himself the right to tolerance and was allowed without fear and restraint to be treated with hatred, too.

Yeah, now we know who to trust and that Cardinal Schoenborn isn’t one of them!!

“The work of the devil will infiltrate even into the Church in such a way that one will see cardinals opposing cardinals, bishops against other bishops. The priests who venerate me will be scorned and opposed by their confreres (other priests). Churches and altars will be sacked. The Church will be full of those who accept compromises and the demon will press many priests and consecrated souls to leave the service of the Lord.”

“The demon will be especially implacable against the souls consecrated to God. The thought of the loss of so many souls is the cause of my sadness. If sins increase in number and gravity, there will be no longer pardon for them.”

“. . . Pray very much the prayers of the Rosary. I alone am able still to save you from the calamities which approach. Those who place their confidence in me will be saved.”

The Mother of God at Akita, approved by the Holy See in 1988.

 

[Digitonomy]

Here is the official translation.

This is great news, although I hope the pope recognizes not just his tardiness in utilizing the internet, but also the importance of clarity and planning in public relations related to his actions.

I have been told that consulting the information available on the internet would have made it possible to perceive the problem early on. I have learned the lesson that in the future in the Holy See we will have to pay greater attention to that source of news.

 

[CapIV]

I remember when Benedict was first elected, I prayed he would clean up some of the riffraff. He seems to be doing just that.

 

[bobzills]

The official version will be published on Thursday 12, 2009.
newliturgicalmovement.org/#7496467594768792823
Several parts of the text have been cut due to space limitations…

Here is the response of Bishop Fellay :
"Le pape Benoît XVI a adressé une lettre aux évêques de l’Eglise catholique, en date du 10 mars 2009, dans laquelle il leur fait savoir les intentions qui l’ont guidé dans ce pas important que constitue le Décret du 21 janvier 2009.

Après le récent « déchaînement d’un flot de protestations », nous remercions vivement le Saint Père d’avoir replacé le débat à la hauteur où il doit se tenir, celle de la foi. Nous partageons pleinement son souci prioritaire de la prédication « à notre époque où dans de vastes régions de la terre la foi risque de s’éteindre comme une flamme qui ne trouve plus à s’alimenter ».

L’Eglise traverse, en effet, une crise majeure qui ne pourra être résolue que par un retour intégral à la pureté de la foi. Avec saint Athanase, nous professons que « Quiconque veut être sauvé, doit avant tout tenir la foi catholique : celui qui ne la garde pas intègre et inviolée ira, sans aucun doute, à sa perte éternelle » (Symbole Quicumque).

Loin de vouloir arrêter la Tradition en 1962, nous souhaitons considérer le Concile Vatican II et l’enseignement post-conciliaire à la lumière de cette Tradition que saint Vincent de Lérins a définie comme « ce qui a été cru toujours, partout et par tous » (Commonitorium), sans rupture et dans un développement parfaitement homogène. C’est ainsi que nous pourrons contribuer efficacement à l’évangélisation demandée par le Sauveur. (cf. Matthieu 28,19-20)

La Fraternité Sacerdotale Saint-Pie X assure Benoît XVI de sa volonté d’aborder les entretiens doctrinaux reconnus comme « nécessaires » par le Décret du 21 janvier, avec le désir de servir la Vérité révélée qui est la première charité à manifester à l’égard de tous les hommes, chrétiens ou pas. Elle l’assure de sa prière afin que sa foi ne défaille pas et qu’il puisse confirmer tous ses frères. (cf. Luc 22,32)

Nous plaçons ces entretiens doctrinaux sous la protection de Notre Dame de Toute Confiance, avec l’assurance qu’elle nous obtiendra la grâce de transmettre fidèlement ce que nous avons reçu, « tradidi quod et accepi » (I Cor. 15,3)."

 

[JPUSC]

Here is the response of Bishop Fellay :
"Le pape Benoît XVI a adressé une lettre aux évêques de l’Eglise catholique, en date du 10 mars 2009, dans laquelle il leur fait savoir les intentions qui l’ont guidé dans ce pas important que constitue le Décret du 21 janvier 2009.

Après le récent « déchaînement d’un flot de protestations », nous remercions vivement le Saint Père d’avoir replacé le débat à la hauteur où il doit se tenir, celle de la foi. Nous partageons pleinement son souci prioritaire de la prédication « à notre époque où dans de vastes régions de la terre la foi risque de s’éteindre comme une flamme qui ne trouve plus à s’alimenter ».

L’Eglise traverse, en effet, une crise majeure qui ne pourra être résolue que par un retour intégral à la pureté de la foi. Avec saint Athanase, nous professons que « Quiconque veut être sauvé, doit avant tout tenir la foi catholique : celui qui ne la garde pas intègre et inviolée ira, sans aucun doute, à sa perte éternelle » (Symbole Quicumque).

Loin de vouloir arrêter la Tradition en 1962, nous souhaitons considérer le Concile Vatican II et l’enseignement post-conciliaire à la lumière de cette Tradition que saint Vincent de Lérins a définie comme « ce qui a été cru toujours, partout et par tous » (Commonitorium), sans rupture et dans un développement parfaitement homogène. C’est ainsi que nous pourrons contribuer efficacement à l’évangélisation demandée par le Sauveur. (cf. Matthieu 28,19-20)

La Fraternité Sacerdotale Saint-Pie X assure Benoît XVI de sa volonté d’aborder les entretiens doctrinaux reconnus comme « nécessaires » par le Décret du 21 janvier, avec le désir de servir la Vérité révélée qui est la première charité à manifester à l’égard de tous les hommes, chrétiens ou pas. Elle l’assure de sa prière afin que sa foi ne défaille pas et qu’il puisse confirmer tous ses frères. (cf. Luc 22,32)

Nous plaçons ces entretiens doctrinaux sous la protection de Notre Dame de Toute Confiance, avec l’assurance qu’elle nous obtiendra la grâce de transmettre fidèlement ce que nous avons reçu, « tradidi quod et accepi » (I Cor. 15,3)."

In English, please…