Rome, SSPX and Pope Francis

JMJ

I apply Catholic principles in my evaluation of any regularization of the SSPX. This is simple and clear.

A Future Canonical Regularization of the SSPX

If there is only a remote occasion of sin, then the SSPX would be obliged to obey and submit to a canonical regularization of their situation within the Church.

Here's a refresher on Proximate and Remote occasions of sin:

Proximate occasion (De poenit. disp. 14, n. 149) as one in which men of like caliber for the most part fall into mortal sin, or one in which experience points to the same result from the special weakness of a particular person.
Remote occasion lacks these elements. Tradicat Article

In the case of a regularization what constitutes a 'proximate' occasion of sin?

If one compromises doctrine - ie accepting V2 and the New Mass without reservation / distinctions - probably a mortal sin against the Faith. This is just my opinion and not one that I've researched in great depth.

This is where all the Ecclesia Dei communities differ from the SSPX. They compromised in one way or another on these two principles.

With regards to the SSPX, I fail to understand how a "no-compromise / continue exactly as you are but with ordinary jurisdiction regularization" constitutes an immediate or proximate mortal sin.

I am not blind to the risks in accepting such a regularization, but I am equally not blind to the risks of remaining in the current situation. The doctrinal aberrations of the Sedevacantists and "Resistance" make that clear.

So, I agree with St. Thomas Aquinas. If after examining the details the leader of the SSPX cannot detect a compromise (immediate or proximate) in the points mentioned - I believe that they would be obliged to obey and accept a canonical regularization.

However, I likewise have noted that the "no-compromise / continue exactly as you are but with ordinary jurisdiction regularization" has not materialized.

As recently as two weeks ago, Bishop Fellay sat down with both Cardinal Mueller and Archbishop Pozzo. He pointed out the contradiction between their two public statements. The contradiction remains. In addition, the requirement of having the local ordinaries permission for new foundations has been reintroduced.

So we have:

Lack of clarity concerning acceptance of the New Mass and V2
Submission to local ordinaries for new foundations

These two elements alone are what I would call 'deal breakers' as they represent compromises in Church Doctrine (ie Faith) and being unable to respond to the needs of the Faithful when under attack by wicked prelates.

So don't look for the SSPX to accept any agreement with that kind of compromise.

Fundamentally, I've been told, this is about doctrine. The barrier is about accepting the Second Vatican Council and the Liturgy that embodies the documents of the Council.

Until Rome accepts unequivocally that the SSPX does not have to accept without reservations that Second Vatican Council, New Mass and various post-council shenanigans (which I would posit is a doctrinal agreement), there will be no deal.

The Pope - A Source of Confusion

With regards to the Pope, to quote Jane Austen "I hear such different accounts of you as puzzle me exceedingly".

Why offer the SSPX such an agreement that appears to contradict his intentions / beliefs?

For example we have this ditty:

Pope, in interview, laments ‘rigidity’ of youth who prefer Latin Mass
...
He also discussed the sacred liturgy. Crux reported:
Asked about the liturgy, Pope Francis insisted the Mass reformed after the Second Vatican Council is here to stay and “to speak of a ‘reform of the reform’ is an error.”
In authorizing regular use of the older Mass, now referred to as the “extraordinary form,” now-retired Pope Benedict XVI was “magnanimous” toward those attached to the old liturgy, he said. “But it is an exception.”
Pope Francis told Father Spadaro he wonders why some young people, who were not raised with the old Latin Mass, nevertheless prefer it.
“And I ask myself: Why so much rigidity? Dig, dig, this rigidity always hides something, insecurity or even something else. Rigidity is defensive. True love is not rigid.”

Source: Catholic Culture / Catholic World News

Perhaps the Pope is just as confused about the SSPX as they are about him?

Possible.

More likely is that there are people within the SSPX that are trying to fix this situation with the SSPX because "they only believe what the Church has taught authoritatively".

Somehow they are working to convince the Pope to be merciful to the SSPX.

I've heard other theories - but don't have time to delve into them now ... as I am retired!

Use I'm a Re-Trad (humour)!

Conclusion

We have a long way to go ... all we have to do is work to save our souls by following the teaching of the Church.

P^3

The Catholic Church and the Rule of Law- Part II: Dr. John Lamont

+ JMJ This is the second article from Dr. Lamont from his lecture given in May 2014. P^3 Source Part A: Society of St. Hugh of Cluny Source Part B: Society of St. Hugh of Cluny 8 May2014 The Catholic Church and the Rule of Law- Part II By John Lamont To understand how the Jesuit conception of obedience departed from earlier conceptions, it is helpful to compare it with the teaching of St. Thomas on obedience. The fundamental difference between the two is that St. Thomas considers the proper object of obedience to be the precept of the superior (2a2ae q. 104 a. 2 co., ad 3). Obedience that seeks to forestall the expressed will of the superior does not bear on what the superior wants or thinks in general, but only on what the superior intends to command. St. Ignatius’s lowest degree of obedience, which he does not consider to be virtuous, is thus what St. Thomas considers to be the only form of obedience. St. Thomas holds that St. Ignatius’s alleged higher forms of o...

Rome and the SSPX - Version 2026 Part 6c: Principles and Rules for Surviving this Crisis of the Catholic Church (Principle 2)

+ JMJ Principle 2: Know the Faith as the Catholic Church Teaches or Taught it. A knowledge of the Faith and familiarity with the history of the Catholic Church for at least the past 200 years provides a good foundation for weathering this storm. Bias, Opinions and Misbeliefs One landmine that undermines principle #2 is the mixing of personal opinion with doctrine. These opinions, beliefs by another name, are sometimes held in a death grip. In some cases they are just prejudices against various real groups such as immigrants, Jews, communists, masons etc. In some cases it extends to conspiracy theories such as sedevacantism. These firmly held beliefs prevent people from both understanding Doctrine as Taught by the Church and making the necessary distinctions. For example, which religions offer worship to the True God? Catholics, Orthodox, Protestants, Jews and Muslims. Some people suck in their breath through their teeth creating an noticeable hiss at the above statement....

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

Rome and the SSPX - Version 2026 Part 6b: Principles and Rules for Surviving this Crisis of the Catholic Church (Principle 1)

+ JMJ Principle 1: Realize that something is amiss in the Catholic Church The world in which I had my Traditional Awakening, is one in which practically anything pre-Conciliar such as liturgy, doctrinc, and even dogmas are either suppressed, ignored or re-framed to be acceptable to the ‘world’. What is more, the people adhering to these pre-conciliar teachings and liturgy are persecuted by other members of the Catholic Church. The things that non-Trads say about Trads can be quite extreme. For example, accusations against Traditionalists include that they are: A revival of the Jansenists (link) , Schismatics, Heretics, Uncharitable, Lefebrists Radicals Integrists When one group of Catholics is persecuted by the others for simply wanting to live as Catholics before them did for generations … well something is wrong. Further, we need to realize that when what was previously condemned is now promoted and what was previously promoted as the trut...

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

+ JMJ History has a habit of repeating itself. Normally, you need to wait a number of years before this becomes manifest. However Archbishop Pozzo has made a statement that the SSPX won't have to capitulate on Religous Liberty or Ecumenism. As quoted by Catholic Culture: Archbishop Pozzo went on to say that while a few documents of Vatican II involve doctrinal statements, others are “authoritative and binding to a different and lesser degree.” The conciliar statements on ecumenism and on religious freedom, which have been most heavily criticized by the SSPX, are in the latter category, he said. So now that leaves just Collegiality and Subsist ... as well as the six conditions . Of course, this is just Archbishop Pozzo speaking in an interview - which is an unofficial chain of communication. The question now is whether or not there is an official shift from the 'Accept the Council of New Mass' mantra. La Stampa Catholic Culture P^3

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