CathInfo.com

The issue of conditional ordination is itself a strange anomaly in the fall-out from Vatican II.

In the past, sacraments have generally been conferred sub conditione because something would surface that would through into question the validity of a sacrament that had assumed to have been valid. That original sacrament continued to be assumed valid in the public forum, thus conditional administration of the sacrament ensured that validity and was generally done quietly and secretly.

The questionable validity of the 1968 episcopal rite of consecration throws into turmoil the whole question of Roman rite ordinations derived from bishops consecrated in that form. So, whereas in the past, one assumed that validity of clergy, now doubt has entered publicly. Instead of ensuring validity for a sacrament publicly believed to be valid yet doubt had arisen ex post facto for serious reason, now one questions a priori the validity of 1968-derived Orders. Instead of quietly ensuring validity, conditional ordination now becomes a public matter. Very strange situation compared to past ages!!!

Apparently, long ago +ABL, +Williamson and other of the learned 'superiors' of the SSPX (and plenty of non-SSPX trad clergy) determined that when done "by the book," the NO ordinations and episcopal consecrations are valid. At the same time, they must realize that it is with very good reason that "we the people" have grave doubt and totally distrust the validity of all the NO sacraments - we especially doubt NO ordinations.

As such, what the SSPX really should be bound to do, is to *prove and publish that proof* of certain validity to all of the people in the pews. This should be an essential part of the welcoming into the fold of every single "convert cleric" that they use. If validity cannot be proven and broadcasted publicly, then they should conditionally ordain and publish that conditional ordination info to the people.

See, it's so screwed up because as you say, historically the Church always initially presumed validity, but I think that must change when it comes to NO ordinations thanks to everything and anything connected to the NO having been adulterated and corrupted.

After all, I can’t “prove” my baptism was valid. People didn’t have iPhones or easy access to recording video in 1960!  I was conditionally Confirmed by +Bp. Williamson because my first time ‘round, it was plain strange, a V2 special liturgy written by and for the older candidates.

.

I don't think anyone is concerned about people baptized in 1960. The problems really began in the 1970s. Bp Sanborn mentioned several reasons for his policy of re-baptizing people who were baptized starting in the early 1990s. The main one was that that was when priests trained before Vatican II started to retire, and were replaced by people who didn't believe in doing the ceremony correctly. This is why there were much more frequent reports of doubtful or invalid baptisms starting in the early 90s.