Skip to main content

A Look Back - Statement of SSPX Superior General Bishop Fellay Jan 2001

+
JMJ

Courtesy of SSPXasia



PRIESTLY FRATERNITY OF SAINT PIUS X
Statement of Bishop Fellay
to SSPX Members and Friends,
January 22, 2001
(Official Translation)
  1. In August, at the end of last summer's pilgrimage to Rome, Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos had a first direct contact with the Society's Bishops.
  2. During the month of November the same Cardinal, under a mandate from Pope John Paul II, invited the Superior General to come to see him 'to prepare a visit with the Pope".
  3. On December 29, Cardinal Castrillon proposed to Bishop Fellay different elements that could serve towards a possible agreement between Rome and the Society. The Superior General expressed his point of view, his distrust, his apprehension. (Although never before had Rome gone so far in favor of Tradition).
  4. On December 30, for a few seconds, the Superior General saw the Pope in his private chapel. (No words of importance were exchanged).
  5. On January 13 there was a special meeting of the General Council, of the Society's Bishops and of the delegate of Bishop Rangel, at which were established the principles to guide us in the present situation.
  6. On January 16, there was another meeting with Cardinal Castrillon, during which the Superior General exposed the necessity of having guaranties from Rome before going ahead in the details of eventual discussions or an agreement:
  • that the Tridentine Mass be granted to all priests of the entire world
  • that the censures against the Bishops be declared null.
The principles that are to guide us through this rather new situation are the following:
  1. Given that Rome has initiated this effort, it is normal that the Society take it with the seriousness that it deserves.
  2. Our distrust is extreme, keeping before our eyes on the one hand the very recent example of the Fraternity of St. Peter, and on the other hand the continuity in the post-conciliar direction, which is constantly reaffirmed.
  3. The Society has in no way the intention of modifying its principles and its general goal. The so abundant fruits of Grace, on the one hand, and the conciliar disaster on the other just go to reinforce its determination to conserve Catholic Tradition.
  4. If there were to be an agreement it could only be seen in the perspective of giving back to Tradition its rights of citizenship, even if the final triumph will only be obtained gradually.
  5. The prayers requested of the members of the Society for the duration of one month do not at all signify our expectation that this will be resolved within that time frame, or with any haste at all. This time of prayer is so that we can request more intensely of Our Lady that She open the hearts of those responsible in Rome and of the Bishops; that She enable us to avoid every trap, and that She might enable the rights of Her divine Son to triumph in the Church.
Menzingen, January 22, 2001
+ Bernard Fellay

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

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

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 thin

De Veritate - St. Thomas Aquinas - What is necessary to believe explicitly?

I was recently introduced to a work of St. Thomas De Veritate ( Source ) in the course of an argument concerning the minimum content of explicit faith.  When I submitted the following quote as proof: Theological faith, that is, a supernatural faith in Revelation, is necessary, and this is an effect of grace (D 1789); nemini unquam sine ilIa contigit iustificatio (D 1793). As far as the content of this faith is concerned, according to Hebr. 11, 6, at least the existence of God and retribution in the other world must be firmly held, necessitate medii (by the necessity of means) with explicit faith. In regard to the Trinity and the Incarnation, implicit faith suffices. The supernatural faith necessary for justification is attained when God grants to the unbeliever by internal inspiration or external teaching a knowledge of the truths of Revelation, and actual grace to make the supernatural act of faith. Cf. De verite 14, I I.Ott - Fundamentals of Dogma p241 In response my opponent wrot

Thirty Days Prayer to Our Lady -

+ JMJ Providence has cast this prayer in my path twice in the last week.  I decided to post it here in order to have a copy handy. P^3 Prayer Penance Patience Source Intro Prayer With the condition of affairs in the cultural, political and physical world in a state of disarray we enter Lent - Ash Wednesday - February 25th - 2004 - more compelled then ever to pursue, diligently and faithfully, our personal road to holiness. It is a long, difficult path each of us treads, however, we do know the journey can be sweeter and more blessed if we travel it with others. Jesus has told us: "Wherever two or more are gathered in my name, I am with you." And there are many other biblical passages, as well, that urge us to love and help one another. A 'Thirty Day Prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary ' was said by many Catholics during troubled times in their lives up until Vatican II. While looking through old stored away boxes, I came across a small white prayer b

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