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Pope Benedict and the SSPX: the Facts

By October 1, 2012Maryvictrix

For the record:

on June 30 (it’s a secret that I reveal to you, but it will be made public), on June 30, 2012, the Pope wrote with his own hand a letter to our Superior General, Bp. [Bernard] Fellay, signed personally: ‘I confirm to you in fact [that], in order [for you] to be truly reintegrated into the Church [Tissier says:] (let us move beyond this expression), it is necessary to truly accept the Second Vatican Council and the post-conciliar Magisterium.’

But this is only consistent with what has been known at least since 2009 from the Secretariat of State:

For a future recognition of the Fraternity of Saint Pius X, the full acknowledgment of the Second Vatican Council and of the Magisterium of Popes John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul I, John Paul II, and of the same Benedict XVI is an indispensable condition.

So why was there this myth propagated that the SSPX would achieve canonical status without a doctrinal agreement that included acceptance of Vatican II?  It has been argued that the Pope is sympathetic to the SSPX and has been eager to have it contribute to resolving problems within the Church by means of its “defense of tradition” (read anticonciliarism).  It seems that the Pope himself has definitively rendered this claim baseless.

 

Filed under: Catholicism, Church, Religion Tagged: Benedict XVI, Bishop Fellay, Second Vatican Council, Society of St. Pius X
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Fr Angelo

Author Fr Angelo

I am Franciscan Friar of the Immaculate, and a priest for more than twenty years. I am now studying in Rome for my licentiate in Theology.

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Join the discussion 3 Comments

  • Because people move on from previously established positions in genuine negotiations when they have the aim of the good of the Church. One single Council has never been used as a test of doctrinal orthodoxy. The reason that they are so keen to canonise the post-conciliar Popes (flying i the face of even empirical historical evidence) is to lock this position onto the Church. In the end it will as unsuccessful as the Council itself, whose implementation has left the Church a devastated vineyard.

    • Fr Angelo says:

      No, one Council is not a test for orthodoxy, but neither can any Ecumenical Council (dogmatic or pastoral) be rejected or picked through. It is the pope’s purview to deal with this problem and settle it, not the self-appointed conservators of the Church. Thank God for our universal Shepherd, Pope Benedict.

  • Alex Antunes says:

    I’m happy to know that, because, for many time, I “heard” a fanatic young lady that said SSPX would have its canonical statute without recognizing the Second Council Vatican. I have learned a lesson: we don’t have to pay attention to fanatics!

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