Pope Francis: SSPX priests will licitly and validly absolve sins during Jubilee of Mercy [CWN]

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Brendan_64 said:
Perhaps, but nevertheless Pope Francis’s statement does not change the argument on either side about whether or not SSPX priests could validly hear Confession before, or after the Jubilee Year.
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Actually, I think it does.

By stating that they may hear confessions in the future implies that they couldn’t hear them before and by putting a time limit on it - the Year of Mercy - implies that it is for a specific time only.
 
Brendan_64 said:
Perhaps, but nevertheless Pope Francis’s statement does not change the argument on either side about whether or not SSPX priests could validly hear Confession before, or after the Jubilee Year.

However we have a situation now whereby some traditionally-minded Catholics who do not currently go to SSPX priests because of the illicit (and possibly invalid) nature of their Confessions may well decide to go to the SSPX for Confession during the Jubilee year, and they may well like it. What will they then do at the end of the Year of Mercy when suddenly they are told that Confession with the SSPX is no longer licit any more (and possibly not regarded as valid)? Some of these people may end up continuing to go to Confession with the SSPX. If this is viewed by the Church as invalid then is this not pastorally unwise, perhaps even a cause for creating scandal? However, if the faculties to hear Confession after the end of the Year of Mercy were then granted this issue would not arise.
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You raise some good concerns. However, (and I could be wrong) this decision by the Pope may not really affect the SSPX from the SSPX point of view. They’ll just keep on keeping on, as they always have, offering the traditional sacraments and devotions and education for children, despite what others might think of them. Bp. Fellay has said in the past that if there were no such thing as a Crisis in the Church, then there would be no need for the SSPX to exist. But, since there is a Crisis…
 
I can only say that the pope knows what he is doing. He is driving the bus. The rest should take a seat and hush up.
 
Tim_D said:
Actually, I think it does.

By stating that they may hear confessions in the future implies that they couldn’t hear them before and by putting a time limit on it - the Year of Mercy - implies that it is for a specific time only.
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The flip side of that is this.

This Mercy angle is certainly FOR those who attend the SSPX chapels. The Pontiff is concerned for their spiritual needs INCLUDING the cleansing of sins from them. So, if He is making this move out of Mercy for those who attend to be able to have access to a saving sacrament. For this to be a saving grace for them. For it to truly cleanse and forgive them, one would need to REconfess sins that were not forgiven validly. So, perhaps confessions that have been heard were indeed valid all along. Because there is no directive for these souls that he explicitly states this is for, to either re confess or wait until December.

If the Pope were indeed making the point you (and others including Fr. Z claim) then wouldn’t he address the need to REconfess the sins they have been confessing all along? Wouldn’t that be the directive. “In December you and the SSPX will need to work overtime to re do all that has been done invalidly?” But no, this Pope of Mercy calls for those to seek reconciliation and run to their priest.

Let this be a reminder to you and me as well. Confession is sooooo important that the Pope is making this move for some who may be worried about their confessions being valid and forgiving. This is how important it is to confess. Let this be a call to all of us to not wait until “December” or the Jubilee, but to run to our confessors as fast as we can.

Frequent confession. Something the SSPX has helped us with…😉
 
This is why this is a bigger deal than some realize.

Does the Pope think that confessions at the SSPX will go like this?

"Hey fadda, you remember me, you married my wife and I last year at the SSPX chapel. Apparently we are not married validly so we are committing adultery. Can you absolve us of this? Also, for the past 3 years we have gone to mass at this very chapel. Apparently we have not fulfilled our Sunday obligation? Also, you know how I come here every week to confess, well I need to redo all of that as well. Also, once you forgive me you shall not see me again at Mass because I will not be attending? (actually the SSPX is still old school with confessions so they would not “see” them at all but you get the idea…

The point is that by giving priests power to fulfill this sacrament, He has given them power to rule in other sacraments.

Another case.

SSPX preists hear confessions of other SSPX priests and Bishops. So… “I have said Mass illicitly” could indeed be taken care of right then and there…As could, I have ordained priests illicitly… etc…

this is bigger than we think.
 
Tim_D said:
He has granted faculties for confessions for the Year of Mercy, no more, no less.
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You seem to be quite flippant about it maybe but the fact is the Pope has nevertheless set a precedence because AFAIK never in their history have they allowed to hear confessions outside of the danger of death situations. Some seem to be very uncomfortable with this.
 
Hoosier_Daddy said:
The point is that by giving priests power to fulfill this sacrament, He has given them power to rule in other sacraments.
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You have certainly gone over the mark here. Pope Francis grants faculties for confessions for the Jubilee Year and this grants licitness to Masses and marriages that were illicit for the past 30 years? I don’t think so.

You say that it is bigger than we think; I think Deacon Jeff made the proper argument putting things in perspective. Nowhere did the Holy Father grant faculties for Masses and marriages to priest of the SSPX. To say that “he has given them power to rule in other sacraments” is grossly incorrect.
 
ProVobis said:
You seem to be quite flippant about it maybe but the fact is the Pope has nevertheless set a precedence because AFAIK never in their history have they allowed to hear confessions outside of the danger of death situations. Some seem to be very uncomfortable with this.
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What flippant? Pope Francis specifically grants SSPX priests with the singular faculties necessary for valid absolution for one year and you guys are suggesting that they have been completely legitimized and have come back into the fold! What I am uncomfortable with is people putting words into the Holy Father’s mouth that he never said. We have that on a daily basis with the news media; we certainly don’t need it from the Catholics in the pew.
 
Statement from SSPX, Apologies if this has already been posted I didn’t read through all the pages.

The Society of St. Pius X expresses its gratitude to the Sovereign Pontiff for this fatherly gesture. In the ministry of the sacrament of penance, we have always relied, with all certainty, on the extraordinary jurisdiction conferred by the Normae generales of the Code of Canon Law. On the occasion of this Holy Year, Pope Francis wants all the faithful who wish to confess to the priests of the Society of St. Pius X to be able to do so without being worried.
During this year of conversion, the priests of the Society of St. Pius X will have at heart to exercise with renewed generosity their ministry in the confessional, following the example of tireless dedication which the holy Cure of Ars gave to all priests.
Menzingen,
September 1, 2015

sspx.org/en/communique-general-house-0
 
Louie1983 said:
Statement from SSPX, Apologies if this has already been posted I didn’t read through all the pages.

The Society of St. Pius X expresses its gratitude to the Sovereign Pontiff for this fatherly gesture. In the ministry of the sacrament of penance, we have always relied, with all certainty, on the extraordinary jurisdiction conferred by the Normae generales of the Code of Canon Law. On the occasion of this Holy Year, Pope Francis wants all the faithful who wish to confess to the priests of the Society of St. Pius X to be able to do so without being worried.
During this year of conversion, the priests of the Society of St. Pius X will have at heart to exercise with renewed generosity their ministry in the confessional, following the example of tireless dedication which the holy Cure of Ars gave to all priests.
Menzingen,
September 1, 2015

sspx.org/en/communique-general-house-0
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We are close to full reconciliation.
 
I have read through all the comments and I think there are a number of good points and good questions.
This is not black and white though and could go a number of ways.
It does answer a number of questions, and stresses some important points.
It is now done, as of today, no more is there a question as to whether the SSPX is part of the Church, they most assuredly are.
The Holy Father has also clarified that there are good people, trying to be good Catholics in SSPX and attending their Masses.
These 2 points to me are a strong message for me as a Catholic to temper my thoughts, as the good Brother J told us many times, this is really none of our business.
Pope Francis has taught us a very important lesson, how important it is for us to bring mercy and compassion to people struggling through life.

Questions that have come out today is what happens next, when will we know, how will they handle it in a year, the issues remain, etc.

As for the SSPX statement, I find hope in it if I step back a bit. They acknowledge the Pope, they are thankful. They point out their rationale in a very mellow statement with no words of malice. This rather bland statement may very easily be the avenue to open up further dialogue as the Pope has offered something not offered before. Pope Francis has said souls are the important matter here, something the SSPX stress frequently. Hopefully a footing for them to build on.

Thinking back to Pope Benedict XVI’s comments once on Vatican II and the debates/questions on meanings (sorry I don’t have the exact quote so I will paraphrase as well as my memory allows) VII is recent, a baby, the full meaning and impetus may not be evident for another 50 or more years. The life of the Church will take all the time she needs for the Lord to show us.

I think this is very important to keep in mind. Many of the priests that may have taken the “spirit of VII” a little far are now retiring.
The younger priests we see, at least in our diocese are extraordinary men, they have a passion, they are orthodox and progressive at the same time. They offer reverent masses, they are mixing Latin and a bit of chant in to their celebrations.

Two statements by 2 priests I have spoken with tells me we should be patient, the Holy Spirit will not let us down, even if He does not keep to our timeframes.

One said " we have the best of many worlds, and may be the luckiest generation of priests, we grew up with the holiness of St John Paul II and the theology of Pope Benedict XVI"
The other, a new pastor was asked why he is not making changes faster. He said “there are many good people here, doing their best to be good Catholics. If I upset the apple cart too quickly I may chase some away. They are good, holy people who have been misled, my task is to bring them along.”

These statements to me show wisdom far beyond their years and experience…

Now they have Pope Francis stressing the compassion and mercy for sinners (oops, that’s us) … hhhmmm … holiness, theology/teaching, and now mercy …our 3 popes over the last 30+ years… this makes me think of PBXVI’s words… the Church’s timeframes are not ours. Maybe this is unfolding the way it is supposed to.

Let us look on this for what it is, our Holy Father bringing Christ’s mercy to Catholics…period. Let’s pray that Mercy brings us together ever closer.
 
johnnyc176 said:
Also the recognition that the SSPX will be strong a strong ally in the fight against liberals and secularism in the Church.
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The SSPX is a priestly society and certainly not the only one. What makes people think that a society with 600 priests worldwide will take over the administration of the Church?
 
What I get from the Pope’s message is the urgency of you and me going to Confession, frequently.

He is making certain administrative changes to facilitate that, and people are trying to draw sweeping conjectures on some larger agenda he supposedly has. He is not trying to send a larger message - one might think sin, evil, forgiveness, redemption were important enough. He is trying to draw attention to the sins individuals like you and me commit, and the ocean of God’s mercy extended through this sadly neglected sacrament.

Why don’t people take Francis’ statements at face value? Maybe he actually meant what he said. The more we focus on organizations and larger issues, the less we tend to get ourselves over to church for you-know-what. And invite a friend or relative, too.
 
Tim_D said:
What I am uncomfortable with is people putting words into the Holy Father’s mouth that he never said.
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I am too, especially with those who claim the society is in schism, among other things. We’ll see how they change their tune when we all see long confession lines at our local SSPX chapels come the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.
 
Tim_D said:
The SSPX is a priestly society and certainly not the only one. What makes people think that a society with 600 priests worldwide will take over the administration of the Church?
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Tim, you are a riddle wrapped in an enigma,
Glancing at your posting history I cannot understand the ease at which you defend some groups but attack others. 🤷 There is no rhyme or reason or consistency.

Why are you so passionate about this?
 
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