Rome-SSPX - Decisive moments? Pope's response to be delivered to Bp. Fellay today


Bishop Fellay, the Superior General of the Society of Saint Pius X (FSSPX / SSPX) will receive in the upcoming hours the papal response in Rome.* From Vaticanist Andrea Tornielli, writing for La Stampa - the excerpt below includes all new information:

    After having studied with attention the text of the doctrinal preamble, with the modifications requested by the Superior of the Society of Saint Pius X, Benedict XVI would have made his decision and had delivered it to Cardinal William Levada, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and to the Secretary of the same Dicastery, Archbishop Luis Ladaria Ferrer, during the audience granted to both last Saturday.


    The text of the doctrinal declaration is a top secret, but it will be published - this was assured from the beginning - if an agreement between the Holy See and the Society founded by Archbishop Lefebvre is formalized. It is not possible to know, therefore, if modifications or clarifications were added to the text that Bishop Bernard Fellay had sent to Rome in mid-April and that the Cardinals had examined and discussed on May 15, in the Feria Quarta [Wednesday meeting] of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. In the upcoming hours, the papal response may be delivered to the L efebvrist superior. It will be up to him to give final assent to the preamble. ...  If Fellay, after having received the Vatican response, signs the doctrinal declaration, the agreement will be officially announced.


    In any event, the matter concerning the other three L efebvrist bishops will remain open ... . Even if the Superior of the [Society of] Saint Pius X signs the doctrinal declaration, the positions of the three bishops will be examined individually by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.


*[Update:] French religious news agency I.Media confirms the information that the Superior General is in Rome and adds the following (it is now 1430 in Rome):

    The Superior of the Society of Saint Pius X (FSSPX), Bp. Bernard Fellay, was called to the Vatican to meet, in the afternoon of June 13, 2012, the officers of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), I.Media has learned. Following this meeting, the Prefect of this Dicastery, Cardinal William Levada, will deliver to the FSSPX authority the conclusions of Benedict XVI at the end of the discussions aiming at bringing the Society to full communion with Rome. [Via Le Salon Beige]

Labels: After the talks (Holy See-SSPX), Decision 2012
Posted by New Catholic at 6/13/2012 10:18:00 AM

http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/homepage/world-news/detail/articolo/lefebvriani-lefebvrians-lefebvrianos-15958/


06/13/2012
Pope one step closer to decision on Lefebvrians
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St. Peter's
The final decision is nigh: Benedict XVI has examined the proposals made by Fellay and the cardinals
Andrea Tornielli
vatican city

The dialogue between the Holy See and the Lefebvrians has reached a crucial point. Having carefully examined the content of the doctrinal preamble including the modifications requested by the Society of St. Pius X, Benedict XVI has allegedly taken a decision and communicated it to Cardinal and Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, William Levada, and the dicastery’s secretary, Archbishop Luis Ladaria Ferrer, during an audience with them last Saturday.
 

The content of the doctrinal declaration is top secret, but will be published - as was assured right from the beginning – when a formal agreement is reached between the Holy See and the Society of St. Pius X founded by Mgr. Lefebvre. It is not known, therefore, whether any modifications or clarifications have been made to the text. Bishop Bernard Fellay sent it to Rome in mid April and the cardinals of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, who attended the Feria Quarta meeting, examined and debated on 15 May. The Pope’s response could be communicated to the Lefebvrian superior in the next few hours. He will be the one to give the final approval to the preamble.

 
Given the history of stormy relations between the Holy See and the Fraternity, developments should be viewed with caution: in 1988 Lefebvre had signed a doctrinal agreement but decided to end negotiations at the last minute, claiming he did not trust Vatican authorities and proceeded to illegally consecrate four new bishops, including Fellay, without a papal mandate. Many things have changed since then. Today, the Superior of the Society of St. Pius X - who reiterated his views last 7 June, in an interview published in the Fraternity’s official bulletin – is well aware that Benedict XVI wants a reconciliation to heal the wound opened twenty four years ago. If, after receiving the Vatican’s reply, Fellay signs the doctrinal declaration, the agreement will be announced officially.

 
The question regarding the other three Lefebvrian bishops, Tissier de Mallerays, de Gallareta and Williamson remains open. The three bishops contested Fellay’s wish for reconciliation with the Church in a harsh letter which was later published on the web. Even if the Fraternity’s Superior signs the doctrinal declaration, the positions of the three bishops will be examined individually by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
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