08-30-2011  
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Cardinal William Joseph Levada, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, invited Bishop Bernard Fellay, Superior General of the Society of Saint Pius X, and his two assistants, Father Niklaus Pfluger and Father Alain-Marc Nély, to meet him in the Palace of the Holy Office on September 14, 2011. In his letter of invitation, Cardinal Levada noted that the purpose of this meeting is first to make an assessment of the theological discussions conducted by the experts of the Congregation for the Faith and of the Society of Saint Pius X over the past two academic years, and then to consider the future prospects.

As an aid to making this assessment, the conclusions of the theological discussions drawn up by the experts of both parties were sent to their respective superiors. That is how Bishop Fellay received in late June the docuмent that will be the subject of the meeting on September 14.

Concerning future prospects, Cardinal Levada’s letter provides no details, but some – in the media and elsewhere… – think that they are authorized to make hypotheses;  they speak about the proposal of a formal agreement on the interpretation of the Second Vatican Council and foresee the institution of a personal prelature or of an ordinariate…. These hypotheses are the product of speculation and have only their authors to vouch for them.  The Society of Saint Pius X abides by official proceedings and confirmed facts.

As Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta recalled on the occasion of the recent priestly ordinations in Ecône [June 29; 2011], “We are Catholic, Apostolic, and Roman.  If Rome is the head and the heart of the Catholic Church, we know that (…) the crisis will necessarily be resolved in Rome and by Rome. Consequently, the little good we will do in Rome is much greater than the great deal of good that we will do elsewhere.”  With this deep conviction Bishop Fellay will go [to Rome] at the invitation of the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

(Source : SSPX/MG – DICI : 08/30/11)

8-24-2011

On August 15, while at the Universite d'Ete de la FSSPX held at St-Malo, France, the SSPX’s Superior General, Bishop Bernard Fellay, confirmed the news that he and his two Assistants have been invited to meet with Cardinal William Levada, Prefect for the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith (and the Ecclesia Dei Commission) in Rome on September 14.

On June 17, during his sermon for the priestly ordinations held at Winona, Minnesota, Bishop Fellay stated:

The truth is that Cardinal Levada has called me to Rome and it appears that it will be around the middle of September. That’s the only thing I know. It’s about the discussions we had with Rome. After these discussions, it had been said that “the docuмents will be given to the higher authorities.” These are the exact words. That’s the only thing I know about the future. All the rest is made up. Please don’t run after these rumors.

According to the agenda given to the Superior General, the purpose of this meeting is to give a final evaluation of the doctrinal discussions between Rome and the SSPX which have occurred since October 2009.

Bishop Fellay also stated on August 15 that no other specifics are known at this time.

`ELEISON  COMMENTS  CCXVI  (Sept.3, 2011) :  "GREEK  GIFTS"  --  III.
 
Speculation is only speculation. Journalists are only journalists. But an Italian journalist claimed last month that he had the authority of a"Vatican insider" for writing that the Sept 14 meeting between Roman officials and the Superior General of the Society of St Pius X with his two Assistants may discuss a possible canonical regularization of the SSPX. Here is a summary of Andrea Tornielli's main points (see  http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/homepage/inquiries-and-interviews/detail/articolo/lefebvriani-vaticano-tradizione-fellay-7423/ ) :--
 
The Vatican officials will submit to the SSPX  ( 1 ) a clarification of Benedict XVI's "hermeneutic of continuity" to show how it is the more authentic interpretation of the texts of Vatican II.  "Only if", says Tornielli, this clarification overcomes the doctrinal difficulties will there then be presented  (2)  a solution to the canonical irregularity in which the SSPX bishops and priests still find themselves: an Ordinariat such as was given to the Anglicans in May, whereby the SSPX would depend directly on the Holy See through the Ecclesia Dei Commission. This arrangement would enable the SSPX to "retain its characteristics without having to answer to the diocesan bishops". But  (3)  any such agreement is not certain because "within the SSPX co-exist different sensitivities".
 
From everything we know in public about Vatican-SSPX relations, Tornielli's forecast for the Sept 14 meeting seems highly probable. But each of his three main points deserves comment:--
 
Firstly, as to the doctrinal gulf between today's Vatican and Archbishop Lefebvre's SSPX, it cannot be said that Benedict XVI's "hermeneutic of continuity" is a solution (see EC 208-211). If Tornielli is right, it will be interesting (not edifying) to see how Rome tries once more to prove that 2+2 can be 4 or 5, 5 or 4. Catholic doctrine is as rigid, if not always as clear to us human beings, as 2+2=4.
 
Secondly, as to the canonical arrangement evoked by Tornielli, if - unimaginably - the SSPX were to accept any kind of doctrinal compromise, then in no way could the SSPX both come under the present Holy See (2+2=4 or 5), and still "retain its characteristics" (based on 2+2= exclusively 4). The practical agreement would exercise a constant and finally irresistible pressure to make Catholic doctrine no longer exclusive but inclusive of error, which would be to adopt the Freemasons' ideology and to abandon the very reason for existing of Archbishop Lefebvre's SSPX.
 
And thirdly, Tornielli may well be right that an agreement is not certain, but he and his "Vatican insider" are absolutely wrong if either of them thinks that the problem is one of "different sensitivities". Sensitivities are subjective. The central problem between the Vatican and Archbishop Lefebvre's SSPX is as objective as 2+2=4. At no point in time, reaching backwards or forwards into eternity, on no planet or star created or creatable, can 2+2 ever be anything other than, exclusively, four.
 
When all Archbishop Lefebvre's efforts had failed in the negotiations of May 1988 to obtain from then Cardinal Ratzinger a secure place for the Faith within the mainstream Church, he said some famous words : "Your Eminence, even were you to give us everything we wanted, still we would have to refuse, because we are working to christianise society, whereas you are working to de-christianise it.  Collaboration between us is not possible."                                                            
 
Kyrie eleison.

When all Archbishop Lefebvre's efforts had failed in the negotiations of May 1988 to obtain from then Cardinal Ratzinger a secure place for the Faith within the mainstream Church, he said some famous words : "Your Eminence, even were you to give us everything we wanted, still we would have to refuse, because we are working to christianise society, whereas you are working to de-christianise it.  Collaboration between us is not possible."