Archbishop Pozzo on the state of Rome-SSPX relations
http://laportelatine.org/vatican/sanctions_indults_discussions/23_septembre_2014/20_10_2014_pozzo_pas_de_capitulation_pour_la_fsspx.phpWhat is the state of relations between Rome and the Fraternity of Saint Pius X?
To promote the overcoming of any fracture and division in the Church, and heal a wound felt so painful in ecclesial life, Benedict XVI, in 2009, decided to lift the excommunication of the bishops who had been ordained so unlawful by Archbishop Lefebvre in 1988. By this decision, the Pope wished to withdraw a penalty which made ​​it difficult to open a constructive dialogue.
Remission of the excommunication was a disciplinary measure taken to free people from the most serious of ecclesiastical censure. But the doctrinal issues remain to be clarified. As long as they are not, the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX) has no canonical status in the Church and its ministers do not exercise legitimate way their ordained ministry, as indicated by the letter Benedict XVI to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on 10 March 2009 (1).
It is precisely to overcome the difficulties of a doctrinal nature that still exist that the Holy See maintains reports and discussions with the SSPX, through the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei. This is closely linked to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, as the Chairman of the Committee is the Prefect of the Congregation itself.
These relationships and exchanges have continued since the election of Pope Francis. They help to clarify the respective positions on controversial topics to avoid misunderstandings and misconceptions, keeping alive the hope that the difficulties preventing yet to achieve full reconciliation and full communion with the Apostolic See can be exceeded.
What are the areas of disagreement remain?
Controversial aspects relate firstly estimating the ecclesial situation in the period after the Second Vatican Council and the causes that have produced some theological and pastoral tub in the period following the Council and, more generally, in the context of modernity.
On the other hand, they focus on a few specific points concerning ecuмenism, dialogue with world religions and the issue of religious freedom.
What are the legal options that could be adopted for the SSPX in an agreement?
In the case of a complete reconciliation proposed by the Holy See is the canonical status of a personal prelature ( 2 ). On this point, I think there is no problem from the SSPX.
Discussions between Rome and the Society have they taken recently, or did they ever stop?
In fact, they never stopped. Suspending meetings was simply due to the appointment of a new prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the election of a new pope in April 2013 . The path of dialogue has taken to fall of 2013 with a series of informal meetings, to maintain the September 23 between Cardinal Gerhard Müller , prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and the superior of the SSPX, Bishop Bernard Fellay, whose maintenance press the Holy See reported.
Is it possible to separate legal agreement and doctrinal discussion? To set up a personal prelature, while continuing on the longer term, the discussions on controversial theological points?
In line with the Motu Proprio Ecclesiae Unitatem Benedict (Ed LPL: July 2, 2009), the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has always considered that the excess doctrinal problems was essential and necessary condition for the taking the canonical recognition of the Society.
However, let me clarify that exceeding the doctrinal difficulties does not mean that the reserves or the positions of the SSPX on aspects that are not within the domain of faith, but that concern pastoral themes and teaching prudential the Magisterium must necessarily be withdrawn or canceled by the Brotherhood. The desire to continue the discussion and deepening of such matters which trouble the SSPX, for details and further clarification is not only still possible, but - at least in my opinion - and to encourage desirable. It is therefore not asked to waive this requirement it manifests in respect of a number of themes.
What is then the point "non-negotiable"?
What is essential, what you can not give up, it's adherence to the Professio fidei (3) and the principle that it is the only teaching of the Church has been entrusted by the Lord the ability to interpret authentically, that is to say with the authority of Christ, the Word of God written and transmitted. This is the Catholic doctrine, recalled by the Second Vatican Council ( Dei Verbum , 10), but already explicitly taught by Pius XII in his encyclical Humani generis . This means that the Magisterium, it is certainly not above Scripture and Tradition, is nevertheless true that instance judge interpretations of Scripture and Tradition, somewhere they emanate.
Therefore, if there are different degrees of authority and faithful adherence to his teachings - as stated in the Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium (25) of Vatican II - no one can get above the Magisterium. I think and I sincerely hope that this doctrinal framework that I just mentioned, we can find the point of convergence and common understanding, as this particular subject is a doctrine belonging to the Catholic faith, not a legitimate discussion theological or pastoral criteria.
A key point, but at the same time clearly defined ...
It is not true that the Holy See intends to impose a capitulation to the SSPX. Instead, he invited her to meet with him in the same frame of doctrinal principles necessary to ensure adherence to the same faith and Catholic doctrine concerning the Magisterium and Tradition, leaving at the same time the field study and deepening its reservations raised about certain aspects and formulations docuмents of Vatican II, and some reforms have been followed, but that do not concern matters of dogmatic or doctrinal indisputable.
There is no doubt that the teachings of Vatican II have a degree of authority and an extremely variable binding based on texts. For example, the constitution Lumen Gentium on the Church and Dei Verbum on Divine Revelation have the character of a doctrinal statement, even if there was no dogmatic definitions. While, on the other hand, statements about religious freedom, the non-Christian religions, and the Decree on Ecuмenism, have a degree of authority and a different and less binding.
Do you think that discussions can now reach quickly?
I do not think we can say now a specific deadline for the conclusion of the journey undertaken. The commitment on our part and, I suppose, from the top of the SSPX is to proceed in stages, without shortcuts improvised, but also with the clear objective to promote unity in the charity of the Church guided by the universal successor of Peter. "  Caritas our urget!  "["  The charity urges us!  "], as St. Paul says.
Interview with Monsignor Guido Pozzo directed by Jean-Marie Dumont
Sources : Christian Family of October 20, 2014 / LPL of October 22, 2014
Notes
(1) In this Letter, Benedict XVI explained the meaning to his gesture and was surprised the outcry he had aroused: " Sometimes one has the impression that our society needs at least one group, which no tolerance; against which one can easily attack and hate. And if someone dare to approach them - in this case the Pope - he too loses any right to tolerance; he too can be treated hatefully, without misgiving or restraint . "
(2) What status for the Brotherhood ? In case of agreement with Rome, the SSPX could obtain the status of a personal prelature. In the law of the Church, it is a fairly recent creation. The only one that exists now, well known, is Opus Dei. Under the Code of Canon Law (§ 294-297), it allows the grouping of priests and deacons under the direction of a prelate. Its main feature is the lack of connection to a territory, unlike most dioceses the priests of the Prelature can be distributed worldwide. The targets set by canon law for the creation of these structures are large enough to be applied to various kinds of initiatives "to promote a better distribution of priests," "perform specific pastoral or missionary for various regions or various social groups ... "The bishop has the right to erect a seminar, incardinate seminarians and call orders. Relations with the bishops (provision of priests serving the diocese, supported certain activities within a diocese) must be specified in the articles or in the context of bilateral agreements. Thus, a priest belonging to a prelature may exercise his ministry in a place of worship specifically assigned to the prelature, or be given, depending on the decisions of the prelate and agreements with the bishops, parish church.
(3) It is a text of thirty lines that must decide, for example, the new cardinals and bishops, priests or teachers of seminars taking office.
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