Reading Papal Tea Leaves! (Updated - Correcting my type-o's etc)

JMJ

There's been a lot of speculation since Pope Leo XIV was elected as Vicar of Christ, the visible head of the Catholic Church.

Everyone seems to be impatiently trying to see which way Leo wants to take the Church and making a lot of assumptions about the meaning of various actions, assignments made since he was elected.

While I don't know when the process of these decisions started and Pope Leo's involvement, what I do know is that trying to ascribe intentions is like trying to read tea-leaves and just as effective.

What I do know is that the SSPX is going to Rome this summer and like the pilgrimage in 2000, we are at a potential inflection point in the life of the Church. In 2000, Rome saw the SSPX and tradition wasn't stale and dying but full of life. Twenty-five years later, I think we may be approaching a repeat of 2000.

Here's my best-case scenario:

SSPX has a successful pilgrimage,
Roman authorities such as Cardinals or maybe even Pope Leo XIV have a brief introductory meeting,
Discussions restart quietly,
The Canonical Structure and 2012 Agreement are revisited,
A no-compromise structure and agreement are developed,
SSPX comes in from the canonical grey area,
... then I think the real fun will begin - perhaps a real schism.

This may sound like fantasy, but like a time capsule, the 2012 agreement and structure still represent the way-station of the relationship between Rome and the SSPX. So, restarting the work doesn't mean Rome and the SSPX have to go back to 2000. They only need to cover what's happened during the pontificate of Pope Francis ... and a lot has happened.

In particular, we have Traditionis Custodes the revoked Summorum Pontificum and Universae Ecclesiae (SP/UE).

So things to watch for:

Public contacts between Rome and the SSPX (I've been told that there is no contact at this time).
Amendments or repeal of Traditionis Custodes,
Promulgation of a new SP/UE.

Those actions (or contrary ones) will be solid information on what Pope Leo actually intends to do.

Something to pray for in the coming months.

P^3

August 19 - 21, 2025

The last Jubilee when the SSPX went to Rome was the Jubilee of the Year 2000. This pilgrimage to Rome marked a significant event for the Society of Saint Pius X, as it occurred after a period of limited dialogue between the SSPX and the Holy See. The SSPX also participated in the Jubilee of 1975 with its founder, Archbishop Lefebvre. (Google)

https://sspx.org/en/news/worldwide-jubilee-year-pilgrimage-rome-august-2025-49148

https://sspx.org/en/news/vatican-communique-about-sspxs-reply-doctrinal-4555

Comments

"Father, Should I Attend That Mass?" Advice on Attending Non-SSPX Latin Masses

+ JMJ I see that the 'resistors' are in a tizzy because Fr. Robinson used them as an example instead of the sedevacantists. What is interesting is that you can apply the exact same reasons against going to a sede mass as that of the 'resistors'. Namely: On the other extreme are those situations where an SSPX priest knows that a certain non-SSPX traditionalist venue is a grave danger to the faith . Frankly, most, if not all, of the Resistance Masses would fall into this category. In many cases, the behavior of these priests has been and continues to be scandalous, by their (A) spirit, their (B) preaching, and their indiscriminate conferral of the (C) priesthood and (D) episcopacy. To attend a Mass with such ongoing scandals poses a serious danger to the souls of the faithful. Yep, looking at A,B,C and D the shoe fits. On this basis the "resistors" = "sedevacantists". P^3 Courtesy of SSPX.org A companion article to a recent "Questions with ...

Correcting Caricatures of the SSPX

+ JMJ Introduction First, a little background on the FSSP St. John Vianney Chapel in Mission Hill Kansas. After the 1988 consecrations and the foundation of the FSSP there was a consistent trend of Dioceses allowing the SSPX to run chapels and churches near SSPX locations. As with any 'organizational change' there were those who didn't agree with the change and no longer sought the sacraments from the SSPX. I heard from friends that in that era there was a lot of anger and tension (on both sides) between the St. Mary's SSPX and Mission Hill FSSP. Second, there have been caricatures of the SSPX position (some are evident below) in which personal opinions of SSPX priests and laity are taken as the official position or conflated with those of sedevacantists or 'resistance'. Recent Perspectives of the SSPX Position In the shadow of the consecrations a fever pitch accusations and opinions how surfaced - many of which include caricatures of the SSPX positions, of w...

SSPX: Why Is the SSPX So Criticized?

+ JMJ As long as you are ok with what happens in other Catholic Churches, Traditional Catholics will be left 'alone'. This is a paraphrase of words spoken by an Archbishop to Traditional Catholics (with a sprinkling of SSPX) who had requested the Traditional Latin Mass under Summorum Pontificum. This reflects that attitude of the Church towards anyone who takes issue with some of the ambiguities of Vatican II and the post-conciliar magisterium. If you reject the papacy but are ok with V2, the New Mass, and what Rome has stated since 1965 - then you are welcome. Question some of the more abiguous statements and ask for Rome to realise that a circle is not a square - then you are in for a world of hurt. This is where the SSPX exists and has existed from almost its very first moments. Pointing out contradictions with previous magisterium is not acceptable - under any condition. Why? Because it will cause the whole V2 house of cards to fall. I guess only when the contradic...

Stories: Early Days of Tradition Part 8 - Convention Centre Chapel

+ JMJ I came to Tradition a few years after they had bought a chapel. My wife told me of the earlier years when Fr. Normandin would come to town and Mass would be held in a room at the convention centre. He'd start by blessing the room and then proceed with Mass. This went on for a while before the one of the faithful found a small hall that would suit just fine. They pooled their money and bought the building. Then came the work as the retiree's refinished the floor, setup the sactuary. Oh, did I mention that I heard that the hall had been used by a motorcycle gang? The floor needed a lot of work. I remember seeing pictures of the founders working to make the hall into a fitting place for the Sacrifice of the Mass. That little chapel would be a refuge like many others serviced by Fr. Normandin. From Thunderbay, Ontrario to Nanaimo, British Columbia - the SSPX chapels are all the results of Fr. Normandin's missionary work in those desperate times. Without h...

How many more must die for the throne? or How to combat FUD!

+ JMJ How many more must die for the throne? (Movie Quote: Prince Caspian) The Spread of Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt I've seen a lot of FUD spreading across the intergnat on various stats etc. So let's put this in context ... especially the perspective of those people in positions of authority who need to make decisions to protect the lives of their citizens. Yep, this is going to be that type of post. Like it or not the leaders of our governments have their authority from God. So, as Catholics should know, you need to have a very good reason to deliberately disobey the orders of their superiors. This is basic St. Thomas Aquinas ... so don't blame me for discussing things from a Catholic perspective. The leaders of our countries have taken action to protect the vulnerable of our countries. As much as the young and not-so-young may whine and complain - I have to ask how many more of our elderly have to die? What the armchair virologists and ec...

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