Tuesday, June 24, 2008

The Conditions for the return of the SSPX


NLM


Conditions resulting from the 4 June 2008 meeting between Cardinal Darío Castrillón Hoyos and Bishop Bernard Fellay:
1) The commitment to a proportionate response to the generosity of the Pope.
2) The commitment to avoid any public intervention that does not respect the person of the Holy Father and that could be negative for ecclesial charity.
3) The commitment to avoid the claim of a magisterium superior to the Holy Father and not to propose the fraternity as opposed to the Church.
4) The commitment to demonstrate the will to act honestly in full ecclesial charity and respect of the Vicar of Christ.
5) The commitment to respect the date - set at the end of the month of June - to respond positively. This will be a condition required and necessary as immediate preparation for the adhesion to have full communion ("come preparazione immediata all’adesione per avere la piena comunione").

7 comments:

Sadie Vacantist said...

The issue that is tough for the SSPX is money and property. What will happen to SSPX churches? Will the local ordinary gain control of these and reorder them at a later stage?

Fr Ray Blake said...

Sadie,
Presumably they would become Personal Parishes, Bishops have little or no control over churches of religious orders.

Anonymous said...

So Sadie.... do you think that the Chair of Peter is vacant?

It seems to me that there is a lack of charity in the SSPX, with many holding 'sadie vacantist' views

Jim

Anonymous said...

Did this meeting actually take place with the Holy Father (as the photo suggests). Or is the photograph a spoof?

Either way, we must pray that the FSSP takes this opportuinity to rejoin the mainstream Church.

Sadie Vacantist said...

I see. Thanks for the answer - of course returning SSPX would have the status of a religious order or something akin to that.

It is curious how SSPX priests are accused of lacking charity. I have never met one so I can not comment but Fr Blake might be able to enlighten us as he knows one or two in Brighton.

Henry offers an interesting basis for negotation: "I have charity, you do not, let's talk reconciliation."

Fr Ray Blake said...

The picture is real, but, I think of another occassion.

Lack of charity, which of Bishop Willianson's remarks should we choose? Even Bishop Fellay seems to encourage a certain neurosis and continually suggests tricks and double dealing. Describing the Pope as "a perfect liberal", is not helpful. The way in which he suggested these conditions were malevolent, seems lacking in charity too.

Dilly said...

The conditions are a clever piece of drafting - calculated precisely to neuter the likes of Bishop Williamson; to appeal to the common ground between the SSPX and the rest of us; and even to hint -but in an elusive and un-pin-downable way, that the SSPX had a point. It's a pity they had to give such a short time for public consideration of the offer. a good salesman never backs the prospect into the corner like this....it takes time to turn around a large ship. (Sorry for the mixed metaphors).

The Lord’s descent into the underworld

At Matins/the Office of Readings on Holy Saturday the Church gives us this 'ancient homily', I find it incredibly moving, it is abou...