Pope Francis and the SSPX: An Opportunity

[RPRPsych]

As far as I am concerned, the Holy See has done as much as possible to regularize the SSPX and reconcile them to the Church. The SSPX has responded with disobedience, arrogance, and increasingly erratic behavior.

Far from being reconciled, I believe the SSPX leaders statements about Pope Francis recently constitute the nail in the coffin in this regard.

I pray that they return to the unity of faith and submission to the roman pontiff. But quite honestly, I doubt it will happen under Pope Francis, and quite possibly never will at all. I certainly won’t be holding my breath.

Couldn’t agree more. Pope Benedict made superhuman efforts to achieve a reunion, but at the end of the day, +Fellay took his ball and went home. Said ball remains firmly in their court now.

 

[Megan7]

ncregister.com/blog/pat-archbold/pope-francis-and-the-sspx-an-opportunity

I came across this blog post from the NC Register on the possibility of Pope Francis normalizing the standing of the SSPX. What do you think, is there any chance of this happening?

Pope Francis and the SSPX: An Opportunity

"By now, many of you have probably seen the Tony Palmer video last week that was so exciting to many. At a Protestant conference, Tony Palmer, an Anglican priest, brought along an iPhone video of greeting from Pope Francis. The subject of the presentation and of the Pope’s recording was unity of Christians.

In his remarks, Pope Francis made the following statements to our separated brethren regarding the separation: “Separated because, it’s sin that has separated us, all our sins. The misunderstandings throughout history. It has been a long road of sins that we all shared in. Who is to blame? We all share the blame. We have all sinned. There is only one blameless, the Lord.”

It is certainly true. Regardless of the truth of Catholic doctrine, the Church has accepted its share of the blame for the misunderstanding that were allowed to deepen and harden, leading to centuries of separation.

When I heard this, something else written by Pope Francis’ predecessor came immediately to mind. In 2007, along with the issuance of the “motu proprio” Summorum Pontificum, Pope Benedict XVI issued a letter explaining his reasoning. In that letter, he made the following statement.
Looking back over the past, to the divisions which in the course of the centuries have rent the Body of Christ, one continually has the impression that, at critical moments when divisions were coming about, not enough was done by the Church’s leaders to maintain or regain reconciliation and unity. One has the impression that omissions on the part of the Church have had their share of blame for the fact that these divisions were able to harden. This glance at the past imposes an obligation on us today: to make every effort to unable for all those who truly desire unity to remain in that unity or to attain it anew. I think of a sentence in the Second Letter to the Corinthians, where Paul writes: “Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. In return … widen your hearts also!” (2 Corinthians 6:11-13). Paul was certainly speaking in another context, but his exhortation can and must touch us too, precisely on this subject. Let us generously open our hearts and make room for everything that the faith itself allows.
It strikes me that this may be one of those critical moments in history to which His Holiness refers.

With the breakdown of discussion between the Holy See and the Society of St. Pius X at the end of the previous pontificate, the public mood during this first year of the current pontificate, and other internal events, traditional Catholics, both inside and outside the Church, have felt increasingly marginalized. Whether fair or true, I say without fear of contradiction that this is a prevailing sentiment.

This perception of marginalization has manifested itself in increasingly strident and frankly disrespectful rhetoric on the part of some traditionalists and their leaders.

I have great concern that without the all the generosity that faith allows by the leaders of the Church, that this separation, this wound on the Church, will become permanent. In fact, without such generosity, I fully expect it. Such permanent separation and feeling of marginalization will likely separate more souls than just those currently associated with the SSPX.

I have also come to believe that Pope Francis’ is exactly the right Pope to do it. In his address to the evangelicals, he makes clear his real concern for unity.

So here is what I am asking. I ask the Pope to apply that wide generosity to the SSPX and to normalize relations and their standing within the Church. I am asking the Pope to do this even without the total agreement on the Second Vatican Council. Whatever their disagreements, surely this can be worked out over time with the SSPX firmly implanted in the Church. I think that the Church needs to be more generous toward unity than to insist upon dogmatic adherence to the interpretation of a non-dogmatic council. The issues are real, but they must be worked out with our brothers at home and not with a locked door.

Further, Pope Francis’ commitment to the aims of the Second Vatican Council is unquestioned. Were he to be generous in such a way, nobody would ever interpret it to be a rejection of the Council. How could it be? This perception may not have been the case in the last pontificate. Pope Francis is uniquely suited to this magnanimous moment.

I believe this generosity is warranted and standard practice in the Church. We do not insist on religious orders that may have strayed even further in the other direction sign a copy of Pascendi Dominici Gregis before they can be called Catholic again. So please let us not insist on the corollary for the SSPX. Must we insist on more for a group that doctrinally would not have raised an eyebrow a mere fifty years ago? I pray not.

Give them canonical status and organizational structure that will protect them. Bring them home, for their sake and the sake of countless other souls. I truly believe that such generosity will be repaid seven-fold. Pope Benedict has done so much of the heavy lifting already, all that is required is just a little more.

Please Holy Father, let us not let this moment pass and this rift grow into a chasm. Make this generous offer and save the Church from further division. Do this so that none of your successors will ever say, “If only we had done more.”

I have not had a chance to read any of this, but it looks interesting. Thanks for starting the thread.

 

[agnes_therese]

It is quite possible that the SSPX could be regularized at any time. This has been true for many years. Cardinal Ratzinger/Pope Benedict made this one of his life’s objectives. It would require only that the SSPX bishops and priests subject themselves to the lawful authority of the Church.

Exactly.

 

[TimothyH]

Whoa! So after I posted this, Rorate Caeli made a post praising it:

rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2014/02/nixon-goes-to-china-pope-francis-you.html?m=1

Then NC Register pulled the article.

Then Rorate Caeli posted their displeasure at NC Register pulling the article.

And now the article is available on Pat Archbold’s blog here:

creativeminorityreport.com/2014/02/pope-francis-and-sspx-opportunity.html?m=1

Blog wars. It’s like watching two children fight over nothing in the school playground at recess.

It would be sad if it wasn’t a completely irrelevant waste of time, electricity, internet bandwidth, webserver clock cycles and disk storage space.

-Tim-

 

[severus68]

Lets stay on topic guys

Redcaves gave his/her answer, RPRPsych, Cartesian, severus68, do any of you think there’s a chance of Francis normalizing the status of the SSPX?

I think only the SSPX can do that now by showing obedience.

 

[rfournier103]

Couldn’t agree more. Pope Benedict made superhuman efforts to achieve a reunion, but at the end of the day, +Fellay took his ball and went home. Said ball remains firmly in their court now.

Pope Benedict was the best friend they ever had. He was as staunch a traditionalist as you are ever going to see, and bent over backwards to reach out to them. It seems that they want concessions the Holy See cannot make, and thus reunion remains elusive.

For the most part, I think they missed the boat when Pope Benedict retired. It just seems that they do not want to listen. And that’s a shame.

 

[TMC]

I don’t see how this can happen. How can the Church overlook the fact that they reject an Ecumenical Council? If they allow the SSPX to remain in the Church, why wouldn’t they welcome back the Old Catholics - all they did was reject Vatican I. Why not welcome back other groups that agree with the Church on all but a “few” matters?

I have no problem with the SSPX disagreeing with the Church on some issues. Certainly I disagree with the Church on some things (not the same things). But I don’t pretend that I get to say what the Church teaches - I acknowledge that I dissent on some teachings and deal with the consequences of that. The SSPX must do the same. I believe there is some room for disagreement within the Church, but the Church cannot abide a group that rejects the Church’s authority to decide who is to be ordained a bishop, or a group that rejects the Church’s authority to declare what the Church teaches.

 

[ProVobis]

I don’t see how this can happen. How can the Church overlook the fact that they reject an Ecumenical Council? If they allow the SSPX to remain in the Church, why wouldn’t they welcome back the Old Catholics - all they did was reject Vatican I. Why not welcome back other groups that agree with the Church on all but a “few” matters?

Not to mention all those who have rejected Trent. Just saying.

 

[Cojuanco]

Benedict laid out the conditions for reconciliation to be considered. This, so far, the SSPX has failed to do. Meanwhile, for the rest of us, we have the motu proprio, the Pope has no intention of abrogating it, and that is what is due in justice. If they want to rejoin, they can. They can leave the Society, confess their sins, and get their status resolved. In the case of laity, they can confess their sins to a priest with faculties.

 

[RPRPsych]

Blog wars. It’s like watching two children fight over nothing in the school playground at recess.

It would be sad if it wasn’t a completely irrelevant waste of time, electricity, internet bandwidth, webserver clock cycles and disk storage space.

-Tim-

Agreed.

 

[ringil]

Given that an article is published on the SSPX website calling the Holy Father a Modernist I don’t see much progress being made.

THese guys need a serious dose of humility and obedience.

 

[Boulder257]

Blog wars. It’s like watching two children fight over nothing in the school playground at recess.

It would be sad if it wasn’t a completely irrelevant waste of time, electricity, internet bandwidth, webserver clock cycles and disk storage space.

-Tim-

Yep. Pure childishness. It’s actually quite embarressing to me and I don’t have a dog in the fight. It just plain makes Catholics look bad and reinforces the negative stereotypes that keep some people away from the Church.

 

[McCall1981]

The author said:

“So here is what I am asking. I ask the Pope to apply that wide generosity to the SSPX and to normalize relations and their standing within the Church. I am asking the Pope to do this even without the total agreement on the Second Vatican Council. Whatever their disagreements, surely this can be worked out over time with the SSPX firmly implanted in the Church. I think that the Church needs to be more generous toward unity than to insist upon dogmatic adherence to the interpretation of a non-dogmatic council. The issues are real, but they must be worked out with our brothers at home and not with a locked door.”

So I think the question the article raises is not so much whether the SSPX will successfully negotiate with the Church, but whether the Pope might (in a grand gesture of “mercy” and “unity”) just snap his fingers and bring them in, regardless of disagreements.

 

[Boulder257]

The author said:

“So here is what I am asking. I ask the Pope to apply that wide generosity to the SSPX and to normalize relations and their standing within the Church. I am asking the Pope to do this even without the total agreement on the Second Vatican Council. Whatever their disagreements, surely this can be worked out over time with the SSPX firmly implanted in the Church. I think that the Church needs to be more generous toward unity than to insist upon dogmatic adherence to the interpretation of a non-dogmatic council. The issues are real, but they must be worked out with our brothers at home and not with a locked door.”

So I think the question the article raises is not so much whether the SSPX will successfully negotiate with the Church, but whether the Pope might (in a grand gesture of “mercy” and “unity”) just snap his fingers and bring them in, regardless of disagreements.

I don’t think he can do this. Especially not with the recent comments made by Fellay. The SSPX had their chance with the preamble and instead of furthering discussions, THEY broke them off. I believe that Rome is waiting on the next move, not the other way around. The “ball” is in the court of the SSPX who has said they are unwilling to move forward. The author of the article may think it “nice” to just make friends without coming to an agreement, but life doesn’t work that way.

 

[Lormar]

Give them canonical status and organizational structure that will protect them. Bring them home, for their sake and the sake of countless other souls. I truly believe that such generosity will be repaid seven-fold. Pope Benedict has done so much of the heavy lifting already, all that is required is just a little more.

Please Holy Father, let us not let this moment pass and this rift grow into a chasm. Make this generous offer and save the Church from further division. Do this so that none of your successors will ever say, “If only we had done more.”

I agree. If not, in five hundred years (if we last that long) Catholics will be looking back at this time the same way they now look back at Martin Luther, finally admitting that the whole unfortunate break could have been avoided, and that Martin Luther really did have valid complaints and concerns.

 

[Boulder257]

I agree. If not, in five hundred years (if we last that long) Catholics will be looking back at this time the same way they now look back at Martin Luther, finally admitting that the whole unfortunate break could have been avoided, and that Martin Luther really did have valid complaints and concerns.

Who are you concerned won’t be here in 500 years? Certainly not the Catholic Church, who we know God promised would prevail at all times. If it’s the SSPX than maybe them not being here in 500 years is tantamount to their movement being unfounded.

 

[Lormar]

Who are you concerned won’t be here in 500 years? Certainly not the Catholic Church, who we know God promised would prevail at all times. If it’s the SSPX than maybe them not being here in 500 years is tantamount to their movement being unfounded.

Whatever gave you the idea that I meant the Catholic Church? I meant the world in general.

I’m not going to argue with you. I gave my opinion and am entitled to one as well as you.

 

[Boulder257]

Whatever gave you the idea that I meant the Catholic Church? ** I meant the world in general**.

I’m not going to argue with you. I gave my opinion and am entitled to one as well as you.

I didn’t even consider that possibility, but a you make a good point!

Sorry, not trying to deny you an opinion, just trying to understand.

 

[Lormar]

I didn’t even consider that possibility, but a you make a good point!

Sorry, not trying to deny you an opinion, just trying to understand.

Boulder, maybe one day I will learn to write more clearly instead of expecting everyone to read my mind.

 

[Boulder257]

Boulder, maybe one day I will learn to write more clearly instead of expecting everyone to read my mind.

Probably just me jumping to conclusions. I’ve done that once or twice, lol.