God help them all tomorrow!
I was just writing about that today, and I also saw Fr. Z’s opinion, which I very much agree with.
“People of good will can differ on theological points and still remain in unity. People of good will can attain unity even when they disagree on matters which are by no means clear. The history of the Church’s great Councils underscores this fact.
How many times have I written that the so-called “Feeneyites” were able to be in union with the Church but without having to abjure their position about extra Ecclesiam nulla salus. The theological problems the SSPX has with the Second Vatican Council or the Holy See or anything else, don’t necessarily need to be the absolute obstruction to unity.
Questions of the role of the Church in the modern world or religious liberty are really hard. There is room for debate and disagreement. It is possible for people of good will to disagree about whether or not the fruits of Vatican II were all wonderful. There is a precedent for closer union even when we consider the theological concerns some SSPXers might be harboring.”
I wrote just afterwards that:
"You know, to be perfectly honest I would be more than ok with the SSPX situation being resolved
exactly as is. Offer a confession of faith for them that reaffirms their submission to the Magisterium and the Pope for the sake of formality and to shush the modernists, and then let the debate proceed as it will. The Feeney case is a good one. That was a debate allowed to happen from a more fraternal position, less adversarial. I think that most people agree that the debate has been resolved, too.
I say: square things away, make it all formal, and give them a position from which they can present their best case as equals within the Church. "
I wrote about it very briefly on my own blog as well.
"For the time being, all we know is that tomorrow, Bishop Fellay, and I believe Frs. Pfluger and Nely will meet Cardinal Levada, head of Ecclesia Dei and the CDF. Cardinal Levada has, as far as I know, the authority to resolve the issues once and for all tomorrow (I imagine with Pope Benedict’s approval), and Bishop Fellay too has the ability to resolve everything.
I am going to pray for all involved parties, that this entire episode can be put behind us tomorrow, so that the SSPX can be the robust force for legitimate Catholic renewal that I believe they are meant to be. In my opinion, as the situations stands now the SSPX is capable of limited good (I believe they had an important influence in the greater availability of the Traditional Mass). I do also believe though that they are seriously handicapped because of their situation of tension and conflict with Rome. I believe their intentions are good, and I believe they (or rather most of them) desire a resolution (maybe more than some Vatican officials and the more modernist Catholic faithful).
God help all involved.

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