Staring Contest Between Rome and the SSPX

Staring Contest Between Rome and the SSPX - Guess Who Just Blinked 2

JMJ

I said in an earlier post that the history of the relations between Rome and the SSPX appear to be repeating themselves.

Last Time:

Good Cop: Private people in high places contacting Bishop Fellay
Bad Cop: Cardinal Levada

This year's version ...

Good Cop: Archbishop Pozzo
Bad Cop: Bp. Semeraro

I post Rorate's translation below. This seems to give weight to Mr. Verrecchio's "Reports of openness to SSPX greatly exaggerated".

So what we have is an official notification from Cardinal Mueller (sp) and an unofficial communication that indicates a compromise on the part of Rome.

Then we have the "schismatic" accusation being trotted out ... yet again (see below and Rorate for some astute commentary).

Now some will automatically accuse the Pope of being two-faced.

I offer a slightly different though equally possible explanation (even if it isn't as plausible).

This is simply a cultural backlash because the Pope has allowed the concessions made by Archbishop Pozzo.

What will happen next is, frankly, predictable: The rift within the Church will continue to widen, until the real schism becomes apparent.

I don't think we'll have long to wait. I believe it will be 'soon'.

P^3

Postscript: Of course this could also be the modernist dialectic at work - putting the two extremes into a cage match.

Source: Rorate-Caeli

Suburbicarian Diocese of Albano

NOTIFICATION TO PASTORS [PARISH PRIESTS]

ON THE "SOCIETY OF SAINT PIUS X"

In the past few weeks, requests of clarification have reached the Diocesan Chancery regarding the celebration of Sacraments at the "Society of Saint Pius X" of Albano Laziale.

Regarding it, it is right and proper to point out that the above-mentioned "Society" is not an institution (neither parish, nor association) of the Catholic Church.

This applies even after the decree of the Congregation for Bishops of January 21, 2009, by which the Holy Father Benedict XVI, reaching out in good will in response to reiterated requests by the Superior General of the Society of Saint Pius X, revoked the excommunication in which the four Prelated had incurred since June 30, 1988.

This was highlighted by Benedict XVI with his Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church of March 10, 2009:"the Society has no canonical status in the Church, and its ministers – even though they have been freed of the ecclesiastical penalty – do not legitimately exercise any ministry in the Church." (in AAS CI [2009], n. 4, p. 272). The same Benedict XVI, in the following Letter m. p. Ecclesiae Unitatem, of July 2, 2009, added: "the remission of the excommunication was a measure taken in the context of ecclesiastical discipline to free the individuals from the burden of conscience constituted by the most serious of ecclesiastical penalties. However, the doctrinal questions obviously remain and until they are clarified the Society has no canonical status in the Church and its ministers cannot legitimately exercise any ministry." (in AAS CI [2009], p. 710-711).

As a consequence of the above, it is right and proper to restate what had been formulated in the Pastoral Note on the Society of Saint Pius X of [former bishop of Albano] Dante Bernini, in which it can be read:

The Catholic faithful cannot participate at Mass, neither request and/or receive Sacraments from or in the Society. Acting otherwise would mean to break communion with the Catholic Church.

Therefore, any Catholic faithful who requests and receives Sacraments in the Society of Saint Pius X, will place himself de facto in the condition of no longer being in communion with the Catholic Church. A readmission to the Catholic Church must be preceded by an adequate personal path of reconciliation, according to the ecclesiastical discipline established by the Bishop.

It is sincerely saddening that such options [measures], particularly when in reference to the Christian Initiation of Children and Adolescents, be in constrast with the pastoral orientations of the Italian Church and, consequently, with the choices of the Diocese of Albano, where formative paths for the growth and maturation of the life of faith are favored.

To the Parish priests, the duty to give adequate information to the faithful.

From the Albano Chancery, October 14, 2014, Prot. 235/14.

+ Marcello Semeraro, Bishop.

The Curious Case of Steve Skojec and the Dangers of Deep Diving into the Crisis Sub-Titled: The Failings of Others

+ JMJ It's been a while now since Steve Skojec sold 1P5 and abandoned the Catholic Faith. I've been a 'Trad' since 1982 and in those 40+ years I seen this death-spiral before with a similar end point. It seems that anyone who jumps into the fray unprepared for the enormous task of righting wrongs will, eventually, become discouraged by not the task but the people who surround them. I remember when Skojec complained of the treatment his family received from a traditional priest. This seems to have been the start of the end for him. So what can we learn from the likes of Steve Skojec, Michael Voris (maybe?), Louie Verrecchio, Gerry Matatix and other celebrity Catholics? Probably quite a lot about what not to do. First, don't burn out on the crisis? When you burn out, on work or anything else, little things assume a more greater importance than they are due. This is one of my 'canary in the coal mine' signals that I've been stretching myself too th...

Cathinfo and the 'resistance' perspective (updated with response to comment)

+ JMJ Matthew, the owner of Cathinfo - a resistance forum has posted a response to a person that indicated his reasons for continuing to go to the SSPX.

Morning and Evening and other sundry Prayers

+ JMJ Along the theme of P^3 (Prayer, Penance, Patience), and for my own reference ... here is a collection of Morning and Evening prayers from the Ideal Daily Missal along with some additional prayers. In this crisis of the Church, I do not think it is possible to do too much prayer, penance and have patience. P^3

Rorate-Caeli: SSPX Episcopal Consecrations – Ignoring the Past

+ JMJ My current thoughts on the eventual consecration of new bishops by the SSPX. It is not a matter of if but when. The SSPX will ask for permission from Rome. #2 is what faithful non-schismatic / non-sedevacantist Catholics will do. It is ludicrous to say that one can't accept a bishop that Pope Francis gives permission to be consecrated. What if Pope St. John Paul II had given permission for the four consecrated in 1988? Rome may or may not give permission ... but ... This may be taken as an opportunity to restart discussions Pope Francis is just the type of person to do it. So what? We need to pray because as long as the SSPX is not given a no-compromise regularization, the Church is not on a path to recover from the current crisis. End Stop. P^3 Courtesy of RORATE CÆLI: “SSPX Episcopal Consecrations – Ignoring the Past” – Guest article by Joseph Bevan “SSPX Episcopal Consecrations – Ignoring the Past” – Guest article by Joseph Bevan...

What the heck is a congregation of "Pontifical Right"

+ JMJ In a discussion with a friend the question occurred to me that I didn't actually know was is involved in being a religious order of 'pontifical right'. I had a vague notion that this meant they reported to Rome as opposed to the local diocese. I'm also aware that, according to the accounts I have heard, the Archbishop received 'praise' and the written direction to incardinate priests directly into the SSPX. This is interesting because it implies that the SSPX priests were no longer required to incardinate in the local diocese but in the SSPX. This is something that belongs to an order of 'pontifical right'. Anyway here's some definitions: Di diritto pontificio is the Italian term for “of pontifical right” . It is given to the ecclesiastical institutions (the religious and secular institutes, societies of apostolic life) either created by the Holy See or approved by it with the formal decree, known by its Latin name, Decretu...

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