Bottom-line, despite the SSPX's spin, "prelature" means they will be under the local conciliar Bishops.Source: Non Possumus & OtherThe twentieth century was a boom of new institutions in the Church. In addition, new pastoral needs arose due to social changes. To give them recognition, the Vatican created new legal frameworks. One of them is the personal prelature.
They are similar to dioceses, except that their jurisdiction is not territorial but personal and does not replace dioceses. To them belong groups of Christians whose situation requires specialized pastoral care because of their external circuмstances or their spiritual needs.
P. EDUARDO BAURA, Pontifical University of the Holy Cross (Rome): "For example, those who have special needs for linguistic reasons, such as immigrants or nomads, who travel from one place to another, are poorly situated in one place and need attention Pastoral care of priests who accompany them ".
A particular characteristic of those who belong to a prelature is that they continue to depend on their diocesan bishop. The only thing that changes is that they can be spiritually ministered by priests of their own institution or community, which in turn is governed by a prelate.
P. BAURA: "The faithful of this prelature continue to belong to their own dioceses where they live. That is why it is said that the prelature is an aid to the dioceses because they offer a pastoral service that is difficult for the dioceses offer".
At the moment the only personal prelature that exists is Opus Dei. The Holy See has also offered Lefebvrians the possibility of becoming a prelature.
P. BAURA: "Indeed the pastoral phenomenon of Opus Dei is very different from that of the Lefebvrians, but they have in common the fact that they are also faithful who need pastoral care and are present in many dioceses. In charge of this attention in the different places ".
MONS. POZZO, Secretary, Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei: "The lay faithful can be linked to the prelature and enjoy the pastoral care and preaching of the priests of the same prelature while maintaining their belonging to their diocese . Figure more suitable to guard to the lefevrianos.
The personal prelature is a novel legal structure within the millennial history of the Catholic Church. There can be varied and different institutions.
This formula embodies the spirit of the Second Vatican Council where the Holy See sought new ways to meet the pastoral challenges that had arisen in the last century.
In this entry we make brief comments (in red) about some points of two docuмents published, as secrets, in Cor Unum n ° 105 (June 2013) and in Non Possumus on September 14, 2013 ( here ): "Elements of information in view of a canonical solution for the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X" and draft "Apostolic Constitution on the Personal Prelature Saint Pius X" .
Mons. De Galarreta has revealed that Bishop Fellay received a proposal for a personal prelature and a doctrinal declaration last July. We believe that this proposal can not be substantially different from the previous one, to which the two docuмents referred to refer.
Therefore, it is important to re-consider the most relevant terms of capitulation (*) Of the FSSPX, that is to say, the worst thing of that proposal of prelature:
"The proper Ordinary of the Prelature St. Pius X is his personal Prelate, who is Chosen by the Roman Pontiff On the presentation of a Tender Established by the Governing Council of the Prelature. A special regulation determines the form of establishment of the Terna ". Which is to say that the future superiors of the SSPX will be to the liking of the modernists and antichrists that occupy Rome. That simple and so terrible. It is obvious that the governing council of the Prelature, so as not to cause animpasse with the liberal Pope on duty, will not propose to the latter any clergyman who may seem "politically incorrect." Everything will be left to the political maneuvers and diplomatic arts of the enemy world of God ...
"As a rule of law and with written permission - required Ad validitatem- Of the diocesan bishop who concerns him, the Prelate may erect new churches and places of worship for the pastoral care of the faithful of the Prelature. " Put simply, the Prelature St. Pius X can not erect any new church or other Place of worship if it does not have the written authorization of the respective diocesan Bishop. This is a serious problem because the Prelature will not be popular. If Opus Dei (the only personal prelature that exists until now) has had great difficulties with this rule, what remains for the lefebvrist Prelature? How will you make the immense and overwhelming majority of liberal bishops open the doors for you? For the bishops must be won by political maneuvers and diplomatic arts.
"Priests and deacons who until now belong to the Priestly Fraternity of St. Pius X are incardinated in the Personal Prelature. The priests form the Presbytery of the Personal Prelature. They belong in all respects to the secular clergy, that is why they maintain relations of deep unity with the Presbytery of the respective Dioceses. " That "deep unity" between legions of liberal clerics and a handful of anti-liberal clerics will result in those in one group gradually adopting the spirit of the other group. Guess which group will give in and which will dominate.
"Each seminary of the Prelature has its own rules approved by the Prelate,according to the norms of the Ratio fundamentalis institutionis sacerdotalis [On 8-12-16 a new Ratio fund was promulgated . Inst. Priest ] Of the Congregation for Catholic Education, respecting its own specificity ". As a comment it is enough to quote this praise (in the same text of the link): "The docuмent is totally impregnated with the spirit of the Second Vatican Council". So that of "self-specificity" means absolutely nothing.
"Priests who, after consultation with the diocesan Bishop, are appointed rectors of the churches of the Prelature (cf. Canon 557 §1) receive from their own Prelate the Canon missio And all the powers necessary to administer the sacraments to the faithful enrolled in the Prelature. In order to attend the marriage of other faithful, the Rector of a church of the Prelature must obtain a delegation of the Cure of the place or of the diocesan Ordinary . " New severe work.
"In the churches of the Prelature, the jurisdiction of the Prelate is cuмulative with that of the respective diocesan Bishop , who shall use his own jurisdiction only in a subsidiary manner, without overlooking what is established in Article III, and the other norms Of this Apostolic Constitution. " Both the Prelate and the diocesan Bishop have jurisdiction in these churches, but that of the diocesan Bishop is exercised in default of that of the Prelate. This concurrence of jurisdictional powers is a sure source of friction between the Prelate and the diocesan Bishops, except that the Prelate knows - like Bishop Fellay-ceded to the modernists in order to avoid such clashes.
"The autonomous houses and monasteries of the Institutes of Consecrated Life and of the Societies of Apostolic Life (...) currently exist, are canonically received in the respective Dioceses. For the erection of new houses, the respective superiors or the authority of the Prelature must receive written permission from the diocesan Bishop. " Another serious work. The SSPX will become a true straitjacket when it accepts to be a Prelature in the official Church.
"As far as canonical discipline is concerned, the schools and study centers currently dependent on the Priestly Fraternity of St. Pius X are under the authority of the Personal Prelature and are confirmed by the present Apostolic Constitution in their respective Dioceses. The said places remain subject to the common legislation of the Church, always being safe the ecclesiastical authority of the place, with which the protocol that governs the mutual relations must be established ". The comments remain.
" According to the norms of law and with the consent of the respective diocesan bishop (see CIC, can 801), the Prelature may found new schools and centers of study ." Again the comments are over.
"Priests who, after consulting the diocesan Bishop , will serve as chaplains of these centers, will receive the Canonical missio Of the Prelate ". As can be appreciated, the clutches of the modernists will be on the children of the faithful of the Prelature.
" The matrimonial causes of the faithful adhering to the Prelature are the responsibility of the diocesan tribunals ." Very serious danger for the marriages of the faithful of the Prelature. The bad shepherds of the SSPX will deliver the sheep to the wolves.
"In order to ensure the necessary coordination with the Ordinaries of the place, according to the terms of can. 297 of the Code of Canon Law, the Prelate and his Vicars will maintain, directly or through other priests of the Prelature, regular contacts with the President and the bodies of the Episcopal Conference as well as, frequently, with the Bishops of the Dioceses in Which is the Prelature . " And of those contacts nothing good is to be expected.
(*): "Agreement that stipulates the surrender of an army, square or fortified point" (Decree SAR).