Tag: SSPX

Marcel Lefebvre RIP

Coat of arms of Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre.jpgToday is the anniversary of death in 1991 of the famed Archbishop Marcel François Marie Joseph Lefebvre founder of the Society of St Pius X (SSPX).


Sadly, the Archbishop died ex communicated from the Catholic Church following the 1988 ordination of the 4 bishops.

He was a fascinating, holy and intelligent churchman with a complex history that still needs to be written with better objectivity.

In our charity, let’s pray for the SSPX and the ongoing dialogue with the Church. Pope Francis and Bishop Fellay will need to concentrate on doing the right thing inspired by the Holy Spirit.
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Vatican cardinal meets SSPX superior general

Card Wm J Levada.jpgThe Vatican office organizing the “talks” between the Holy See and the Society of Saint Pius X issued a press release going over some of the areas of concern between the two. William Cardinal Levada, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith met today for two hours with Bishop Bernard Fellay. Among the issues presented and discussed was the set of principles called the “Doctrinal Preamble” which is outlining the ecclesial solution of bringing the SSPX into full communion with the Catholic Church. Some are thinking that the pastoral solution might be akin to that of a personal prelature like what the Opus Dei is in the Church.

Bernard Fellay.jpeg

The Doctrinal Preamble gives canonical and ecclesiological guidance for life in the Church, including principles for interpreting Church teaching since the Second Vatican Council, namely ecumenism, interreligious dialogue, religious freedom and the sacred Liturgy. This is understood in the saying: thinking (feeling) with the Church” (sentire cum ecclesiae).

No deadline was given but it is understood that a period of a two to three months is given to understand and pray about the issues at hand. It has been 21 years since the SSPX broke with Catholic Church.

Read the Vatican Radio’s announcement about the meeting.
Cindy Wooden of CNS covered the story.

SSPX insulting Pope Benedict?

I raise the question of the Society of Saint Pius X insulting Pope Benedict with a degree of seriousness. Why? Because when I read the article that was written by Father Regis de Cacqueray and published with the approval of the SSPX Superior General Bishop Bernard Fellay, I thought while many of the ideas need to be understood better and are worthy of further investigation, de Cacqueray’s seeming intentions and tone are really offensive and unbecoming of a priest.

As Pope Benedict has said and indicated many times, no one is above scrutiny. Charity requires the teaching of truth; the first item of justice ought to be charitable discourse to correct error. I do, however, think Father Regis de Cacqueray’s rhetoric is rather inflamatory.

The National Review had an opinion piece on the issue, too.
AND all this around the days of serious conversation between the Holy See and the SSPX!!!
What do you think?

SSPX detente?

The religion editor for Reuters published an article “Catholic splinter group sees no Vatican accord” on the eve of Vatican-Society of St Pius X talks ending but with no resolution. Why this group of priests persists in living outside the Catholic Church and under the unity of Pope Benedict is beyond me. Hubris is a good word but the issues are complex. Certainly there are some legitimate doctrinal issues that have surfaced following the Second Vatican Council on which the SSPX adherents are correct in objecting to. But their manifest schism from the Church of Rome is not the way to renew doctrine and to have care for the salvation of souls. I think Bishop Bernard Fellay is too obstinate to accept any offer of Divine Grace from the Trinity.

Baptism in the Traditional Form

Baptismal and other rites.jpgIn the Latin Church there are several forms of celebrating the Sacrament of Baptism. Most Catholics today are familiar with the Rite of Baptism done according to the reforms of Pope Paul VI. Other Catholics follow the Traditional form according to the Rituale Romanum. This booklet follows this older form of the ritual.


The booklet is compiled by members of the Society of St Pius X (SSPX) who are not in full communion with the Roman Pontiff. Moreover, the booklet doesn’t carry an imprimatur of a bishop in communion with the Pope.

This is a handy booklet on Baptism is in print at Angelus Press. One booklet is $3.95, 10 for $26.00.

Bernard Fellay criticizes Pope unfairly over prayer at Assisi 2011

The Pope always
seems to get criticized at every twist-and-turn. He announced a gathering in
Assisi to have a World Day of Prayer in part to commemorate the 25th
anniversary of the first Day of Prayer hosted by John Paul II and to build
bridges -he is the Pontiff, the “bridge builder”–after all. Benedict’s noble
and good motive is this: “I will make a pilgrimage to the town of St Francis,
inviting my Christian brethren of different confessions, leaders of the world’s
religious traditions and, in their hearts, all men and women of good will, to
join me on this journey in order to commemorate that important historical
gesture of my predecessor, and solemnly to renew the commitment of believers of
all religions to live their religious faith as a service to the cause of peace.”

Continue reading Bernard Fellay criticizes Pope unfairly over prayer at Assisi 2011

Bishop Richard Williamson given ultimatum by SSPX

The controversial –and widely perceived to be satified with his own ignorance of reality– bishop of the Society of Saint Pius X, Bishop Richard Williamson, who one time lived in Ridgefield, CT, is under pressure to accept the indications of the Society or face expulsion. Rumor has it that he’s set himself to separate from the SSPX.

The directives of the SSPX:

The Superior General, Bishop Bernard Fellay, has
learnt by the press of Bishop Richard Williamson’s decision, just ten days
before his trial, to dismiss the lawyer charged with his defense, in favor of a
lawyer who is openly affiliated to the so-called neo-Nazi movement in Germany,
and to other such groups.Ricahrd Williamson.jpg


Bishop Fellay has given Bishop Williamson a formal
order to go back on this decision and to not allow himself to become an
instrument of political theses that are completely foreign to his mission as a
Catholic bishop serving the Society of Saint Pius X.

Disobedience to this order
would result in Bishop Williamson being expelled from the Society of Saint Pius
X.

November 20 of 2010
Fr. Christian Thouvenot, general Secretary

Mercy can be challenging, to some

An article by Father Julián Carrón, President of the Fraternity of Communion and Liberation, has been published by the Italian daily, Avvenire. The article is titled “A Challenging Mercy” and is related to the letter Pope Benedict addressed to all Bishops after the polemics about the lifting of the excommunication of bishops in the Society of St. Pius X. I recommend the article.