Saturday, January 31, 2009

Liberal Depression


Robert Mickens of The Tablet has a characteristicly sour piece in "America" on Pope Benedict and Vatican II, of course some people might not share his pessimism about the present situation. What I find so interesting is his evident depression.

If you read the whole article see the comments too.

"A young professor at the Legionaries of Christ's university in Rome, Fr Mauro Gagliardi, gave a clue of what to expect.

The Fraternity of St Pius X can offer the Church an important contribution in applying the 'hermeneutic of continuity' that must be applied to the documents of Vatican II," he said.

This apparent reference to Pope Bendict's hermeneutic for interpreting the Council is imprecise -- as Fr Joseph Komonchak and others have clearly pointed out -- but it is not altogether mistaken. And Fr Gagliardi is not just any professor in Rome. He was recently named as consultant to the papal liturgical ceremonies office and mixes in the circles that are currently in favour in the Vatican. He said, "The 'Lefebvrists' have a spirituality and charism that can be a richness for the life of the entire Church." This certainly is the view of Cardinal Castrillon and probably reflects, at least in some measure, the Pope's thinking, too.

There is no question that Pope Benedict wants the SSPX back in the Church. Up to now he has done everything to accommodate them on their terms. He will do so on the interpretation of the Council, as well. The two CDF documents in 2007 (on the nature of the Church on 29 June and on evangelisation on 3 December ) have already begun paving the way for this. The Lefebvrists will argue, and the Pope will agree, that, in substance, we have the same doctrine after Vatican II has we had before. All "changes" were merely stylistic or operational, but not theogical -- i.e. none of the changes were essential, so none have to be adopted. The Vatican and the SSPX will also say, together, that much of the Council was badly misinterpreted by theologians and bishops in the post-conciliar period, and they will even cite the long list of theologians the CDF condemned to prove that Rome never caved in. Despite everything to the contrary (i.e. the fact that the SSPX does not really buy or live Vatican II), they will find a way together to finagle a formula that helps them profess "true fidelity and true recognition" of the Council (in light of the constant Tradition) but allows them to continue living as if Vatican II never existed. There are already a number of "Ecclesia Dei" communities in communion in Rome (off-shoots of the SSPX like the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter) that currently do this.

The formula that is produced will be just as disingenuous as the invented nonsense of "two forms of the one Roman Rite".

8 comments:

gemoftheocean said...

Have to say I agree. THe SSPXers will get away scot free, And this LESSENS the chance of the Latin Mass becomming more acccepted without all the BS the sspxers brought about and continue to get away with. They have been too smug and too arrogant for too long. The pope gains NOTHING by doing this. NOTHING, and he loses in the bargain and comes off like a weakling by kow-towing to them.

Anonymous said...

Gem - absolutely agree with you.

Anonymous said...

That sort of argument could also be applied to Vatican I. Newman thought it was an unnecessary Council.

the owl of the remove said...

"invented nonsense!" Mickens is both rude and disloyal - and there will be much more where that comes from.

Anonymous said...

Gem - you really are scared of this reconciliation aren't you? Your increased howling on Fr. Rays blog could be lifted verbatim and could easily be attributed to Frs. Charles Curran or Richard McBrien or Sr. Chitterser.

I really hope you're not losing sleep over this.

Volpius Leonius said...

The SSPX's have already been punished for over 20 years I hardly call that getting away scot free, we don't even lock people up for murder in the UK for that long.

Having spoken to several people who want to go to TLM but have none in their area I have found they are eagerly looking forward to the day when they can in good conscience attend the local SSPX Mass.

Truth is there are actual heretics in the Church who really have been completely getting away with it scot free for years, while the SSPX as far as I can tell are completely orthodox in matters pertaining to Faith and Morals, their only crime been disobedience in matters of discipline.

Keeping them excommunicated any longer is not going to make them more to obedient, on the contrary lifting the excommunications is appearing to be having that effect going by the letters written by the SSPX recently.

Some seem to be forgetting that Excommunications are not a punishment but a remedial measure.

In this case it was disobedience in disciplinary matters that needed correction, lifting the excommunication will do more to correct this than maintaining the excommunication would have done in my opinion.

gemoftheocean said...

Hestor, you really are clueless about my movtives for posting what I did. I want the Latin Mass to be seen as something NORMAL. Not belonging to the nutters who've decided they can make their own rules and not apologize for it.

Adulio said...

Gem - in case you haven't noticed, Paul VI lifted the excommunications on the Orthodox in 1964. Since then, the Orthodox have not once, JUST ONCE, ever apologised for the schism in 1054.

And for the all the supposed wonderful ecumenism of JP II, the Orthodox never made any concessions at all to the Catholic church.

Now if this can be tolerated within Vatican circles, I can hardly see what the problem is with the SSPX being extended a welcome hand and not being made to abandon theological opinions that were ONCE the opinion of the church!

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...