Dignitatis Humanae - “Of the Dignity of the Human Person” - Declaration on Religious Freedom.
This declaration of the Church from this 21st Ecumenical Council is what Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre and his disciples had his major issues with, not merely the Latin, Tridentine mass.
Father Mitch Pacwa had a wonderful lecture on EWTN on this document and the Syllabus of Errors. I don’t know if anyone here saw it. He explained very clearly, point by point the difference between the two and how the two are not in conflict, but they can co-exist. I found it fascinating and logical.
As to the whole question of infallibility and Vatican II, I’ll go with what Pope Benedict said once. To put it in plain English. We’re obsessed with infallibility. The Holy Spirit also speaks through the Ordinary Magisterium, this include an ordinary council. We are starting to treat infallibility in a manner that borders on superstition or politics. I’m not sure which. But whichever it is, it’s not healthy.
We’re starting to demand that everything has to be declared Ex Cathedra or by the Apostolic Authority of the Pope. This has never been the case or tradition in the Catholic Church.
The Church has never invoked infallibility every time she speaks. Most papal statements do not invoke their apostolic authority. Not everything that came out of Trent was infallible, because much of it had to do with discipline, but everyone accepted those disciplines. Popes have a right to speak and command simply because they’re popes. The Catholic Church has a long history of passing things down through oral tradition, customs, and even the example of the saints. Much is never written down, but it’s subscribed to by Catholics. It does not operate like the US Government that leaves a paper trail. In Light of the World, Pope Benedict warns about this idea that the Church has to leave a paper trail before we can assent.
As far as the Primacy and the bishops of the SSPX, they have never been accused of denying the Primacy. Pope John Paul and Pope Benedict charged them with “breaking with the Primacy”. This is something that happens when you do something that is reserved to the primacy alone, such as authorizing the ordination of bishops.
Were that not in the middle of this mess, their position on Vatican II, the liturgy and the CCC would not be a concern to the Vatican. The Vatican would simply assign a few theologians to dialogue with them and then lay the case to rest. Because they have bishops, this creates a serious threat to Church unity.
The Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer have issues with Vatican II and the liturgy too. They don’t have bishops. The Vatican is not too concerned about their concerns. They were told what they needed to do to be readmitted into the Church. They did what they were asked to do and are now inside. They lost many men as a result. The Vatican was sorry to see them go, but it was not going to lose the entire congregation to keep a few men happy.
With the SSPX, the situation is different, because if one of those bishops walks and ordains other bishops, you have another Apostolic Church and a schism on your hands. The Vatican is not so concerned about what these folks think or don’t think about Vatican II as it is concerned about a schism.
Will there be a schism? Let’s pray that there is not. Let’s pray that at the end of this, the SSPX bishops will return to the Church, even if they have to leave behind most of the SSPX. When push comes to shove, it’s the bishops that are the major concern. You can always educate the priests and the people little by little. It may take a long time, but you have time. They can’t ordain new bishops.
You don’t want these bishops getting old and suddenly panicking, feeling that they have to ordain successors. That will take us back to where this whole thing began. God protect us from such a fate.
Fraternally,
Br. JR, OSF
