It seems that the motu proprio of last July was not sufficient to bring the Society of St Pius X back into full communion with the Holy See.
This article reports the decision of their leadership to continue on the path of schism rather than pursue the path of reconciliation. I guess those who opined that all the fuss was not really about liturgy are proved correct.
I was one of those skeptical about the SSPX crowd, though I can’t really say I was happy to be right. Look at all the splinter groups from the Anglican communion – once they have their own churches and so forth they aren’t going to come home to Rome, even if they are catholic in all other respects. It’s all about authority as you’ve pointed out many times. Once SSPX starts hanging pictures of lefebvre(sp?) all over the place and rejecting the authority of the pope they aren’t coming back any more than those Anglicans are. And they reject VII – not just the much maligned ‘spirit of VII’ used by dissenters, but the actual VII. As in separation of church and state, ecumenical outreach, all of that stuff. And a lot of the people they attract around the blogosphere and so forth – let’s just say that ‘you’ll know them by their fruits’.Maybe we’ll get back some of the better priests and laity that are high traditionalists but realize that the antisemetic, negative strain of religiosity happening in SSPX is schismatic at its best, heretical and possibly evil at its worst.
We must remember that the moto proprio is but the seed – just like Benedict’s recent visit to the U.S. Very great things are on the horizon of his pontificate. I think reconciliation will not come under offshoot gestures, as seen in the moto proprio, but through straight and pure evangelization, the evangelization from Catholics who are finally beginning to really discover the vast endless riches of their faith, under the pope. Of course, reforming the liturgy helps Catholics (the non-schismatic ones) become better disciples. Which is what every perosn of the Christian faith wants in their heart of hearts; to be a true disciple of Jesus.
Father, it’s the motu proprio.
Are the SSPX people growing in numbers or do they have a static kind of following? I pray they make their way back to union with the Holy Father! We have been blessed with another saintly one in Benendict for sure! Keep up the great work on the blog! I always enjoy it! God bless! Padre Steve
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According to some anonymous guy on Rorate Caeli:”The F.S.S.P. and I.C.R. are growing *much* faster than is the S.S.P.X. In France, nearly half of all dioceses (47%) are now served by the F.S.S.P., the I.C.R., […]Sorry, gents, but the S.S.P.X cannot match this and is falling behind fast.”I think TLM-friendly priests and Catholics in general want to be in full and complete union with Rome — who’d a thunk it?! — despite any technicalities aboutthe SSPX “not being in schism“…
I don’t buy the technicalities. Cardinal Castrillón is just reaching out with the very ecuminism the SSPX’ers disdain. Surely the misled flock is not as bad as the schismatic priets, and the priests are not as bad as the excommunicated bishops. And I would love to have them, with their traditionalist impulse, back in the fold.But they are still schismatic in their rejection of the authority of the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI; and their esteem for their founder borders on heretical since he was excommunicated by the church.You will find almost anything coming from SSPX and its sympathizers to be riddled with intolerance, negativity about the church, and disdain for any of the commands to charity and tolerance found int he catechism and Vatican II. It is no wonder at all that other non-schismatic societies and organizations would grow faster and be more successful. That being said I am sure they will survive as a small schismatic sect just as the Old Catholics have.
Vatican I : Old Catholics :: Vatican II : SSPXEvery council produces a schismatic group. The pronouncement of Peter thunders like a shekinah pillar of fire and cloud; and the person must decide if they’re going to follow the Lord in obedience (we’re SHEEP after all) or to stand against it and say, “I will not serve!”The schismatics generally have an overdeveloped sense of indefectibility that gets wounded by a council and its implementation.It usually takes about 40 years (1 generation, Biblically) for a council to gel and settle. But the period in between is chaos and wandering in the desert…just like Israel in the desert.I feel sorry for schismatic sedevacantists who are missing out on some great popes–probably the greatest in modern times! We are so lucky and blessed.