The March-2023 edition of
The Courrier of Rome passed without mention on this forum, but it shouldn't have, because therein one would have found the SSPX preparing the terrain for the greater use of +Huonder, by preemptively eliminating objections to the validity of sacraments confected by bishops themselves consecrated in the new rite of episcopal consecration.
See, for example, the article titled "
Tous Douteux?" (i.e., "
All Doubtful?") by Fr. Gleize, here:
https://laportelatine.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/CDR-Mars-2023-digital.pdf The introduction to this article will reveal its intent:
"Among other consequences, the
Motu proprio Traditionis custodes may have prompted, here and there, members of the clergy of the of the official (or so-called "conciliar") Church to turn to the Society of Saint Pius X. In some cases, priests (and even a bishop, in the person of the Ordinary emeritus of Chur, Mgr Vitus Huonder) have even decided to offer their cooperation the apostolate of the Society. [Umm, no, he was ordered there by Francis -SJ]
2. Such a situation is not without its difficulties, the main one being that possible doubt. And this possibility is twofold. The possibility of doubt on the validity of the ordination of these priests. There is also the possibility of doubt about the intention with which these priests have administered the sacraments, at least up to now. The difficulty arises when priests offer cooperation, who turn to the Fraternity. But in principle, this difficulty cannot fail not arise in relation to all members of the of the official Church hierarchy, because of the new direction taken [since] the Second Vatican Council. A real difficulty for the founder of the Society of St. Pius X, if we are to go by what he said during his homily delivered on June 30, 1988 at Ecône, during his episcopal consecration:
'All these seminarians who are here present, if tomorrow the Good Lord calls me back - and it will undoubtedly be without delay - well, these seminarians, from whom will they receive the sacrament of Holy Orders? From the bishops, whose sacraments are all dubious, because we don't know exactly what their intentions are? This is not possible.'"
The first thing to be noted in the article is that it is incomplete, because nowhere in it does Fr. Gleize treat of
the doubts inherent in the form of the new rite of episcopal consecration (doubts which have prompted some SSPX clergy and faithful to seek holy oils consecrated by certainly validly consecrated bishops, such as +Faure, or to turn to Econe, in order to avoid those questionable oild consecrated (?) by +Huonder). Fr. Gleize has limited the doubts merely to intention, and then sets about addressing them.
Fr. Gleize continues:
"The fundamental question at the root at the root of this double difficulty, is that of the intention required for the validity of the sacraments. Indeed, the validity of the sacraments essentially [rests] on three factors: matter, form, and the minister's intention. As soon as the matter and form are assured, the only element that can still be lacking and render invalid the sacrament is the intention of the minister."
Au contraire, dear Fr. Gleize: The fundamental question at the root of doubts concerning sacramental validity and Msgr. Huonder is whether he is a bishop at all, due to ambiguities in the form of the new rite of episcopal consecration. Fr. Gleize does not want to enter into that conversation, but he must, for as his brother priest, Fr. de Lacoste has discussed in his own article in the very same edition of
Courrier de Rome, sacramental validity requires in addition to the valid form, matter, and intention
a valid minister.
But having completely avoided this discussion, Fr. Gleize thinks to have prepared the terrain for the acceptance of holy oils consecrated by this bishop (or other conciliar clergy ministering to various SSPX apostolates, such as Ecclesia Dei priests servicing SSPX chapels in Africa?), of whose intentions we are no longer to have any doubt (hence, the Huonder video series which followed, to assure us of his traditionalism). Yet, that some within the SSPX itself have not missed this omission, and retained doubts about the validity of Huonder's episcopal consecration, is demonstrated by their seeking certainly validly consecrated holy oils from +Faure or Econe.
What the article does suggest by this omission, is that in the SSPX, the conversation regarding the validity of the form of episcopal consecration is no longer on the table.
But the trial balloon of the Huonder experiment did reveal a few internal doubters. Perhaps Rome will require another round of purges?