Conference on the theme "The new consecrations of the SSPX" held at the Monastery of the Holy Cross on 14/02/26 - Three generations of priests, three principles, one congregation.Just a few words about the events connected with the episcopal consecrations by the Society of St. Pius X, just a few reflections.
Today there was a meeting between the Superior General, Father Pagliarani, and Cardinal Tucho, who is Argentine. The only result was that an agreement was reached to start a dialogue. Theological meetings will be held to address the issue of episcopal consecrations. This was the fruit of today's meeting, held in Rome. Therefore, they will enter into discussion.
A very concrete example is the following: with the announcement made by Father Pagliarani and with the date indicated — July 1st of this year — it is intended to hold a ceremony of episcopal consecration. One of the reasons is that time is running out. Dom de Galarreta's health is not so good. It is a hernia in the spine. Traveling is difficult for him, but he continues.
The priests of the Society who push the most for these consecrations are those ordained between 1988 and 2009.
In practice, when listening, one realizes that the priests of the Society of St. Pius X are divided in their way of thinking. Priests ordained before 1988 have an understanding of what led to episcopal consecrations at that time.
For example, when the position of the Society of St. Pius X was spoken of, it referred specifically to the position of Archbishop Lefebvre. Not now. Now it is a different point of view.
It is true that the priests ordained after the consecrations — from 1988 to 2009 — some of them already came from formation and remained with this idea of tradition.
But certainly, after 2009, there is another way of thinking among priests. And why? Because in 2009 there was the lifting of the excommunications of the four bishops.
With the lifting of the excommunications of the four bishops, all priests ordained after that no longer have canonical penalty. Before 2009, they did.
When a priest is ordained by a bishop in an irregular situation, who is excommunicated, for any reason, the ordained priest incurs a suspension a divinis. This is called irregularity.
It is important to make this known because, until 2009, although the excommunications of the four bishops had already been lifted, the irregularity of the priests remained. In other words, there could not be an agreement with Rome as long as this irregularity existed.
Thus, the obstacles at that time to an agreement with Rome were, first, the irregularity of the priests.
Second, the sisters of the Society, the Society of St. Pius X, which is a distinct congregation.
If they wanted to regularize their situation with Rome, they had to deal directly with Rome, not the priests.
Another difficult aspect at that time was that of the brothers who were formed in the Society of St. Pius X, who did not constitute a congregation. They are oblate brothers.
For this very reason, one of the solutions proposed to them —about eighty brothers— was to send them back to their homes. That is what was then proposed, for they are not a congregation.
In other words, this was part of what should be agreed in the eventual agreement.
The congregations that were around —the Benedictines, the Dominicans, the Franciscans— should each make their own agreement with Rome, for they are considered distinct congregations.
That was the situation that existed at the time.
With the lifting of excommunications in 2009, a new phase opens.
All the young priests are therefore from Rome. They are not separate from Rome.
The formation of these priests is very clear and based on other principles.
From the discussions I had with them, the idea they have is that, in the beginning, the Society of St. Pius X was very wild and rebellious, indifferent to the laws.
After the lifting of the excommunications, the younger generation would have the responsibility of bringing order to the Society.
This remained above all a way of acting, and so it has been.
The most essential change occurred precisely in 2012, when Bishop Fellay stated that an agreement with Rome could not be made at the doctrinal level, but had to be practical.
From then on, another mode of solution came into play.
One of the principles that still remains on the table is Bishop Fellay's doctrinal declaration, composed of 12 numbers, 12 principles, presented to Rome on April 15, 2012. And there he remained.
See the link for the rest of the article.
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Topic: The New Consecrations of the SSPX, by His Eminence Bishop Gerardo Zendejas (Read 312 times)