Sspx rcia

[ibkc]

when did I say RCIA was necessary, and when did I say SSPX sacraments are invalid? are you confusing me with someone else? OP asked if he can enter the Church through RCIA with an SSPX priest or parish. SSPX do not recognize RCIA as a legitimate rite since they do not recognize the liturgical reforms of which it is a part, therefor the answer to his question is, as I have stated, no you will not enter through the RCIA if you go this route.

I do not understand your prickliness here. The thread’s title mentions RCIA, but the wording of the original post clearly indicates (and the OP has clarified during the course of the thread) that his interest was whether it is possible to enter the Church via the SSPX: not entering the Church specifically via RCIA. Here’s the first post in the thread:

So I was wondering, did anyone become Catholic through an SSPX church?

I’ve been thinking about joining the church and have been attending masses at a nearby parish, but than I found out that their’s an SSPX chapel in my city and I want to go and check it out.

I was part of the Pentacostal church but I left it years ago and have been floating around when it came to religion and finally went to a Mass and really liked it. When I found out about the tridentine mass I was very intrigued. I watched a video of one on youtube and thought it was absolutely beautiful, if I’m going to join the church I would want to do it with the Tridentine Mass.

If you went to SSPX masses and or joined the church through the society, could you please share your experiences?

See? His interest was joining the Church in general, not specifically via RCIA. He used the term RCIA in the title because he wasn’t sure. And the thread, as I read it, answered his question. The sacrament of confirmation is valid in the SSPX, but illicit, therefore it is probably best for him to seek entry to the Church via other means. It looks like he has access to a tradition-friendly parish in his city which is a great thing.

 

[Cider]

So I was wondering, did anyone become Catholic through an SSPX church?

I’ve been thinking about joining the church and have been attending masses at a nearby parish, but than I found out that their’s an SSPX chapel in my city and I want to go and check it out.

I was part of the Pentacostal church but I left it years ago and have been floating around when it came to religion and finally went to a Mass and really liked it. When I found out about the tridentine mass I was very intrigued. I watched a video of one on youtube and thought it was absolutely beautiful, if I’m going to join the church I would want to do it with the Tridentine Mass.

If you went to SSPX masses and or joined the church through the society, could you please share your experiences?

Thank You!

The first thing to do is to start attending mass at the chapel, then when you are ready discuss your situation and desire with the new father that has been recently assigned there.

 

[jfoges]

I think it is possible to join the Church through an SSPX chapel, but I still don’t think it is a good idea. Trust the Holy Father and your local bishop rather then some fringe group of priests and bishops that are in a state of rebellion.

 

[puzzleannie]

I do not understand your prickliness here. The thread’s title mentions RCIA, but the wording of the original post clearly indicates (and the OP has clarified during the course of the thread) that his interest was whether it is possible to enter the Church via the SSPX: not entering the Church specifically via RCIA. Here’s the first post in the thread:
So .

I am picky because these terms have meaning and we can’t just throw them around like that. And no, subsequent discussion did not make it at all clear OP’s concern was entering the Church through an SSPX chapel or priest, because my response was actually to one of the many off-topic side thrusts attacking RCIA itself

 

[NeelyAnn]

Since Pope Benedict on TWO separate occasions just in 2009 said that SSPX clergy do NOT exercise any legitimate ministry in the Catholic Church, you cannot join her through SSPX.

You can join the Catholic Church through the SSPX. That is exactly how my family joined the Church approximately 12 or so years ago. We have never had any problems with joining this way. Not one diocesan priest ever flinched or blinked when we told him. There has never been any problems with them accepting our certified Sacramental Church Records from the SSPX for Baptism and Confirmation. The SSPX records these events just as all Catholic churches do and these records are available whenever you need them.
BTW - we had the best Catechism classes ever. They were one on one and they were the most thorough. Much better than the diocesan RCIA class we had tries before which was a JOKE. No doctrine, no catechism, just wishy-washy, whimpy psycho stuff on getting to know your inner you. The catechist kicked the parish priest out of the class when he stopped by for a visit because he said it was ‘his’ class. Then he made everyone pair up with a stranger to get to know more about yourself and the stranger. It was total garbage and had nothing to do with the faith.

 

[NeelyAnn]

Is SSPX in union with our Pope?

If not, and if our Pope made the above statements, then you are not joining a catholic church. You are joining a schismatic group.

If anyone can give a clear technical summary of this position, or refute it, I would appreciate it.

False. You are joining the Catholic Church. As I said above, no diocesan priest has ever had a proble with our sacramental records from the SSPX. We have never had to do anything extra due to entering through the SSPX.

 

[NeelyAnn]

Unfortunately, while attending their Mass is allowable and valid, the Sacrament of Confimation is not.

This is incorrect. Our entire family received the Sacrament of Confirmation through the Society. We have had no problems with the diocese, or any priest of the diocese, when providing these sacramental records. We have always made it very clear whenever we need to furnish these records that we received these Sacraments through the SSPX.

 

[Onegin]

You can join the Catholic Church through the SSPX. That is exactly how my family joined the Church approximately 12 or so years ago. We have never had any problems with joining this way. Not one diocesan priest ever flinched or blinked when we told him. There has never been any problems with them accepting our certified Sacramental Church Records from the SSPX for Baptism and Confirmation. The SSPX records these events just as all Catholic churches do and these records are available whenever you need them.
BTW - we had the best Catechism classes ever. They were one on one and they were the most thorough. Much better than the diocesan RCIA class we had tries before which was a JOKE. No doctrine, no catechism, just wishy-washy, whimpy psycho stuff on getting to know your inner you. The catechist kicked the parish priest out of the class when he stopped by for a visit because he said it was ‘his’ class. Then he made everyone pair up with a stranger to get to know more about yourself and the stranger. It was total garbage and had nothing to do with the faith.

I’ve heard really good things about the SSPX “RCIA” programme. Unfortunately, I was confirmed through my Diocesan Parish which, while better than most, was still trying to pander to teenagers by watering things down in “our language”.

Another thing that I found very beneficial is the adult catechism classes following Mass on Sunday. This has been great because, while I was raised in the Church, I’ve been able to benefit from the solid catechesis that was lacking when I was confirmed. Strangely enough, the Diocesan TLM church offered a traditional debate/catechism group but it was only available for men.

For a convert, I would encourage you to go through the SSPX if they really do have the one-on-one catechism; that just seems like a really unique opportunity to learn the faith in the way that 99% of us “cradle Catholics” did not.

 

[pnewton]

False. You are joining the Catholic Church. As I said above, no diocesan priest has ever had a proble with our sacramental records from the SSPX. We have never had to do anything extra due to entering through the SSPX.

If you note in post 33, I reversed myself as corrected on this issue, as I read further. All Sacraments except Matrimony and Reconcilliation are valid. One can therefore illicitly join the Church through the SSPX, if that is the path a Catholic wishes to take.

 

[Onegin]

One can therefore illicitly join the Church through the SSPX, if that is the path a Catholic wishes to take.

There’s no such thing as “illicitly joining the church”. The illicitness applies to the jurisdiction of Bishop and not the person being Confirmed. You either are Confirmed as a Catholic or you are not Confirmed as a Catholic. There is no “Yes you are validly Confirmed,* but*…” limitation.

 

[pnewton]

There’s no such thing as “illicitly joining the church”. The illicitness applies to the jurisdiction of Bishop and not the person being Confirmed. You either are Confirmed as a Catholic or you are not Confirmed as a Catholic. There is no “Yes you are validly Confirmed,* but*…” limitation.

The Confirmation is illicit. It is one of the Sacraments of Initiation.

" 4. Therefore, all the sacraments offered by Society of St. Pius X priests, with the exception of Penance and Matrimony, are valid, but illicit, meaning “illegal.” Msgr. Perl

If I worded it incorrectly, I apologize. It is hard to get such things precise, especially when I can not fathom people who try to dance so close to the line of what is acceptable, be the progressive or SSPX.

 

[ProVobis]

Excuse me for butting in here but I thought the bishop was the ordinary minister of Confirmation and this only after asking a whole set of questions of the confirmation candidates. Under what circumstances does any priest confirm?

 

[pnewton]

Excuse me for butting in here but I thought the bishop was the ordinary minister of Confirmation and this only after asking a whole set of questions of the confirmation candidates. Under what circumstances does any priest confirm?

Can. 882 The ordinary minister of confirmation is a Bishop. A priest can also validly confer this sacrament if he has the faculty to do so, either from the general law or by way of a special grant from the competent authority.

Can. 883 The following have, by law, the faculty to administer confirmation:

1° within the confines of their jurisdiction, those who in law are equivalent to a diocesan Bishop;

2° in respect of the person to be confirmed, the priest who by virtue of his office or by mandate of the diocesan Bishop baptises an adult or admits a baptised adult into full communion with the catholic Church;

3° in respect of those in danger of death, the parish priest or indeed any priest.

Can. 887 A priest who has the faculty to administer confirmation may, within the territory assigned to him, lawfully administer this sacrament even to those from outside the territory, unless there is a prohibition by their own Ordinary. He cannot, however, validly confirm anyone in another territory, without prejudice to the provision of can. 883, n.3.

A priest is given faculties for confirmation by the diocesan bishop for his diocese only. This is usually is the case for those adults who enter the Church on Holy Saturday.

Where I made my mistake earlier is that I wasn’t remembering that the SSPX has valid bishops which can validly confer Confirmation and do not need faculties.

 

[ProVobis]

A priest is given faculties for confirmation by the diocesan bishop for his diocese only. This is usually is the case for those adults who enter the Church on Holy Saturday.

Where I made my mistake earlier is that I wasn’t remembering that the SSPX has valid bishops which can validly confer Confirmation and do not need faculties.

Ah, now we’re getting somewhere.

I remember witnessing a 5-minute confirmation by a priest once; that’s why I asked. Now how meaningful is a 5 minute confirmation?

 

[JReducation]

As far as I know, there is not canonical restriction the invalidates Baptism, Eucharist or Confirmation by the clerics of the SSPX… Confession and marriage are a whole different story. The minister of these sacraments must have faculties granted by the Ordinary of the diocese. If a cleric is suspended, he does not have faculties.

Many of the SSPX clerics argue that the Church supplies; but Vatican officials have argued that this does not apply in this case. The logic seems to be that there is no need to go to a suspended priest for absolution, unless there is danger of death. Obviously, there is not need to go to a suspended deacon for matrimony. I can’t imagine a situation where a wedding is an emergency.

This may be what the other posters are refering to when they say that they have not been questioned when they present their certificates of Baptism and Confirmation to the clergy in their respective dioceses. Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation can be celebrated ilegally, but validly.

I guess the real question would be a case of someone coming from the Orthodox Churches. These converts do not need to be baptized, confirmed or receive First Communion. They just need to make the profession of faith and go to confession. Confession is the snag here. They can be received into the Church, but they cannot receive valid absoloution froma suspended priest or bishop. The way around that would be to go to confession to an Orthodox priest. An Orthodox priest can validly absolve. He has faculties from his bishop. Therefore the absolution is both valid and legal.

If you want to make sure that everything that you’re doing is approved by the Church, you may want to consult the St. Joseph Foundation. They are experts in canon law.

st-joseph-foundation.org/

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[jmcrae]

Excuse me for butting in here but I thought the bishop was the ordinary minister of Confirmation and this only after asking a whole set of questions of the confirmation candidates. Under what circumstances does any priest confirm?

If he has direct permission from his Bishop (who in his turn is in full communion with Rome) such as at the Easter Vigil with many adults, or in a case where the Bishop is unexpectedly unavailable.

 

[Lycorth]

I was confirmed in my childhood, but as a revert, part of what helped draw me back to the Church was studying Catholicism from the SSPX’s point of view. Their uncompromising stance on proven traditions and their articulate presentation of the Faith helped win back at least one wayward soul that I know of - mine.

I am not surprised when people say that they received better instruction via SSPX priests. God bless them and may they be fully reconciled with Holy Mother Church!