Please find the original NCR story below.
. . .
Pope Francis and the SSPX:
An Opportunity
An Opportunity
By PATRICK ARCHBOLD
By now, many of you have
probably seen the Tony Palmer video last week that was so exciting to many.
probably seen the Tony Palmer video last week that was so exciting to many.
At a Protestant conference,
Tony Palmer, an Anglican priest, brought along an iPhone video of greeting from
Pope Francis. The subject of the presentation and of the Pope’s recording was
unity of Christians.
Tony Palmer, an Anglican priest, brought along an iPhone video of greeting from
Pope Francis. The subject of the presentation and of the Pope’s recording was
unity of Christians.
In his remarks, Pope Francis
made the following statements to our separated brethren regarding the
separation: “Separated because, it’s sin that has separated us, all our sins.
The misunderstandings throughout history. It has been a long road of sins that
we all shared in. Who is to blame? We all share the blame. We have all sinned.
There is only one blameless, the Lord.”
made the following statements to our separated brethren regarding the
separation: “Separated because, it’s sin that has separated us, all our sins.
The misunderstandings throughout history. It has been a long road of sins that
we all shared in. Who is to blame? We all share the blame. We have all sinned.
There is only one blameless, the Lord.”
It is certainly true.
Regardless of the truth of Catholic doctrine, the Church has accepted its share
of the blame for the misunderstanding that were allowed to deepen and harden,
leading to centuries of separation.
Regardless of the truth of Catholic doctrine, the Church has accepted its share
of the blame for the misunderstanding that were allowed to deepen and harden,
leading to centuries of separation.
When I heard this, something
else written by Pope Francis’ predecessor came immediately to mind. In 2007,
along with the issuance of the “motu proprio” Summorum Pontificum,
Pope Benedict XVI issued a letter explaining his reasoning. In that letter, he
made the following statement.
else written by Pope Francis’ predecessor came immediately to mind. In 2007,
along with the issuance of the “motu proprio” Summorum Pontificum,
Pope Benedict XVI issued a letter explaining his reasoning. In that letter, he
made the following statement.
Looking
back over the past, to the divisions which in the course of the centuries have
rent the body of Christ, one continually has the impression that, at critical
moments when divisions were coming about, not enough was done by the Church’s
leaders to maintain or regain reconciliation and unity. One has the impression
that omissions on the part of the Church have had their share of blame for the
fact that these divisions were able to harden. This glance at the past imposes
an obligation on us today: to make every effort to unable for all those who
truly desire unity to remain in that unity or to attain it anew. I think of a
sentence in the Second Letter to the Corinthians, where Paul writes: “Our mouth
is open to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide. You are not restricted by us,
but you are restricted in your own affections. In return … widen your hearts
also!” (2 Corinthians 6:11-13). Paul was certainly speaking in another context,
but his exhortation can and must touch us too, precisely on this subject. Let
us generously open our hearts and make room for everything that the faith
itself allows.
back over the past, to the divisions which in the course of the centuries have
rent the body of Christ, one continually has the impression that, at critical
moments when divisions were coming about, not enough was done by the Church’s
leaders to maintain or regain reconciliation and unity. One has the impression
that omissions on the part of the Church have had their share of blame for the
fact that these divisions were able to harden. This glance at the past imposes
an obligation on us today: to make every effort to unable for all those who
truly desire unity to remain in that unity or to attain it anew. I think of a
sentence in the Second Letter to the Corinthians, where Paul writes: “Our mouth
is open to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide. You are not restricted by us,
but you are restricted in your own affections. In return … widen your hearts
also!” (2 Corinthians 6:11-13). Paul was certainly speaking in another context,
but his exhortation can and must touch us too, precisely on this subject. Let
us generously open our hearts and make room for everything that the faith
itself allows.
It strikes me that this may
be one of those critical moments in history to which His Holiness refers.
be one of those critical moments in history to which His Holiness refers.
With the breakdown of
discussion between the Holy See and the Society of St. Pius X at the end of the
previous pontificate, the public mood during this first year of the current
pontificate, and other internal events, traditional Catholics, both inside and
outside the Church, have felt increasingly marginalized. Whether fair or true, I say
without fear of contradiction that this is a prevailing sentiment.
discussion between the Holy See and the Society of St. Pius X at the end of the
previous pontificate, the public mood during this first year of the current
pontificate, and other internal events, traditional Catholics, both inside and
outside the Church, have felt increasingly marginalized. Whether fair or true, I say
without fear of contradiction that this is a prevailing sentiment.
This perception of
marginalization has manifested itself in increasingly strident and frankly
disrespectful rhetoric on the part of some traditionalists and their leaders.
marginalization has manifested itself in increasingly strident and frankly
disrespectful rhetoric on the part of some traditionalists and their leaders.
I have great concern that
without the all the generosity that faith allows by the leaders of the Church,
that this separation, this wound on the Church, will become permanent. In fact,
without such generosity, I fully expect it. Such permanent separation and
feeling of marginalization will likely separate more souls than just those
currently associated with the SSPX.
without the all the generosity that faith allows by the leaders of the Church,
that this separation, this wound on the Church, will become permanent. In fact,
without such generosity, I fully expect it. Such permanent separation and
feeling of marginalization will likely separate more souls than just those
currently associated with the SSPX.
I have also come to believe
that Pope Francis’ is exactly the right Pope to do it. In his address to the
evangelicals, he makes clear his real concern for unity.
that Pope Francis’ is exactly the right Pope to do it. In his address to the
evangelicals, he makes clear his real concern for unity.
So here is what I am asking.
I ask the Pope to apply that wide generosity to the SSPX and to normalize
relations and their standing within the Church. I am asking the Pope to do this
even without the total agreement on the Second Vatican Council. Whatever their
disagreements, surely this can be worked out over time with the SSPX firmly
implanted in the Church. I think that the Church needs to be more generous
toward unity than to insist upon dogmatic adherence to the interpretation of a
non-dogmatic council. The issues are real, but they must be worked out with our
brothers at home and not with a locked door.
I ask the Pope to apply that wide generosity to the SSPX and to normalize
relations and their standing within the Church. I am asking the Pope to do this
even without the total agreement on the Second Vatican Council. Whatever their
disagreements, surely this can be worked out over time with the SSPX firmly
implanted in the Church. I think that the Church needs to be more generous
toward unity than to insist upon dogmatic adherence to the interpretation of a
non-dogmatic council. The issues are real, but they must be worked out with our
brothers at home and not with a locked door.
Further, Pope Francis’
commitment to the aims of the Second Vatican Council is unquestioned. Were he
to be generous in such a way, nobody would ever interpret it to be a rejection
of the Council. How could it be? This perception may not have been the case in
the last pontificate. Pope Francis is uniquely suited to this magnanimous
moment.
commitment to the aims of the Second Vatican Council is unquestioned. Were he
to be generous in such a way, nobody would ever interpret it to be a rejection
of the Council. How could it be? This perception may not have been the case in
the last pontificate. Pope Francis is uniquely suited to this magnanimous
moment.
I believe this generosity is
warranted and standard practice in the Church. We do not insist on religious
orders that may have strayed even further in the other direction sign a copy of
Pascendi Dominici Gregis
before they can be called Catholic again. So please let us not insist on the
corollary for the SSPX. Must we insist on more for a group that doctrinally
would not have raised an eyebrow a mere fifty years ago? I pray not.
warranted and standard practice in the Church. We do not insist on religious
orders that may have strayed even further in the other direction sign a copy of
Pascendi Dominici Gregis
before they can be called Catholic again. So please let us not insist on the
corollary for the SSPX. Must we insist on more for a group that doctrinally
would not have raised an eyebrow a mere fifty years ago? I pray not.
Give them canonical status
and organizational structure that will protect them. Bring them home, for their
sake and the sake of countless other souls. I truly believe that such
generosity will be repaid seven-fold. Pope Benedict has done so much of the
heavy lifting already, all that is required is just a little more.
and organizational structure that will protect them. Bring them home, for their
sake and the sake of countless other souls. I truly believe that such
generosity will be repaid seven-fold. Pope Benedict has done so much of the
heavy lifting already, all that is required is just a little more.
Please Holy Father, let us
not let this moment pass and this rift grow into a chasm. Make this generous
offer and save the Church from further division. Do this so that none of your
successors will ever say, “If only we had done more.”
not let this moment pass and this rift grow into a chasm. Make this generous
offer and save the Church from further division. Do this so that none of your
successors will ever say, “If only we had done more.”
February 26, 2014 at 8:05 pm
Mr. Archbold, you have an unleashed an unholy torrent of comments here, with people cheering you on and turning against the Church hierarchy, as seen in this comment from @Elizabeth Rose:
"It's simply beyond me how the Church can embrace protestants & come to an agreement with the Anglicans & fail to come to an agreement with the SSPX. This article truly hits the nail on the head in regards to the situation. I hope it's published & shared widely."
As a public figure, you need to be very careful what you write. You are affecting souls and turning them against the hierarchy of the Church, You wrote in Father Angelo's Blog, Mary Victrix, (which can be found here http://maryvictrix.com/2014/02/26/more-evidence-of-the-wedge/#comments ), while "correcting" something he wrote, that you "may be wrong." If you honestly feel that you are wrong in any sense, and that you maybe understand now why the Register rejected your article, you need to print a retraction immediately. You correctly stated in your article, "With the breakdown of discussion between the Holy See and the Society of St. Pius X at the end of the previous pontificate, the public mood during this first year of the current pontificate, and other internal events, traditional Catholics, both inside and outside the Church, have felt increasingly marginalized."
Articles such as yours only promote this mood even further and are very destructive to the unity of the Church.
February 26, 2014 at 8:09 pm
Just a little research into SSPX turns up quite a lot of vile anti-semitism/jew-hatred. Any reconciliation with this bunch should be contingent on their renunciation of their anti-semitism.
February 26, 2014 at 8:11 pm
WkndBeachcomber wrote:
"""To treat a group of people that accept every jot and tittle of every council except the most recent, self-described non-dogmatic one with such derision, whilst bear-hugging out-and-out heretics, is a cause for cognitive dissonance for many.""
…and what's the difference? Only the SSPX is explicit about it.
See, that's the thing. The SSPX is honest about their dissent. The other dissenters are not. This means what? That the SSPX is rightly punished for what millions of others should rightly be punished for.
Pat is advocating for a Churchwide policy-change for all time, he just doesn't realize it. He wants to make explicit rejection of the teachings of an Ecumenical Council possible for Catholics declared 'in communion'.
Is the treatment the SSPX receives 'fair' in the human sense? No, of course not. They are treated much, much worse than Protestants in (I think) every diocese in the world. On the other hand…they purport to be Catholic in a way no Protestant does in the modern age.
So the Church does as she will, and up here in the cheap seats we all point and whisper and have our private theories and render petty anathemas. Pat stood up and yelled at the Ref – 'Hang the rules! The bad guys are winning. Throw away the rulebook and call some plays for our side!"…
…and he got ejected from the game.
There. That thoughtful enough for you? Or am I just trolling? Here:
SSPX priests lack faculties from the ordinary of the diocese they operate in. Certain sacraments require faculties for validity. The priests are lying, hiding behind the thinnest excuse, and operating illicitly (and thus sinfully) to the vast detriment and danger of those who have chosen (un-wisely but understandably) to follow them.
The king of radical Traditionalism remains naked. And without faculties.
February 26, 2014 at 8:18 pm
Joseph wrote:
"""Just a little research into SSPX turns up quite a lot of vile anti-semitism/jew-hatred. Any reconciliation with this bunch should be contingent on their renunciation of their anti-semitism."""
True. However, to their credit, they did eject that Nazi +Williamson from the party. That was a positive step. This took the worst of their crazy priests (like that nutbag Fr. Pfeiffer, who in a homily video since removed from YouTube, actually accused Pope Benedict of participating in infant sacricfices – I'm not kidding. You can read the Williamson supporters discussing it calmly, here:
http://www.cathinfo.com/catholic.php/Fr-Pfeiffer-gives-credence-to-Ratzinger-Satanism-accusations
) out, since their followed Williamson, who is quietly insane somewhere in England right now.
So, yeah, the SSPX is trying to purge the worst crazies from their midst, but they won't be able to, since in my experience the average SSPX'er is a conspiracy nut who believes in a flat Earth at the exact center of the universe…and their priests are worse.
Hey Pat…does the Earth revolve around the Sun? Just curious.
February 26, 2014 at 8:20 pm
On the desperate insanity of the "hermeneutic of continuity,"
Dear Alphonsus. Are we to take the personal opinion of Mr Vennari over the statements of a Pope?
I know doing such a thing isTradition but it is Protestant tradition not Catholic Tradition.
Mr Vennari repudiates an Ecumenical Council and so he can have no objection to any protestant repudiating any other Ecumenical Council for the authority of the Church upholds al Ecumenical Councils; that is to say, Mr. Vennari rejects Divinely-Constiuted Authority and he follow his own opinions.
C'est la vie.
Pray for Mr. Vennari for he has lost the Faith.
February 26, 2014 at 8:36 pm
All the more reason to regularize the Society.
As Mr Archbold has so astutely put it they are our brother Catholics.
We share the same Apostolic lineage.
The SSPX are doing their best against an egregious and growing animus of Modernism within the institutional Church.
As Pope St Pius X said:
"Traditionalists are the True Friends of the People."
February 26, 2014 at 8:45 pm
There was a time (until very recently, actually) that I honestly thought it would be a great blessing to the Church were the SSPX to reunite fully with her. But from what I’m reading and hearing from friends with ties to the SSPX, the society is undergoing some tumult as those more in line with Bishop Williamson (of Holocaust denial infamy) battle those more in line with Bishop Fellay. It might be prudent to allow that to shake out – for the sake of the SSPX and the Church at large.
Also, it’s not exactly helpful when the head of the SSPX publicly and formally thanks God Almighty that they were “preserved” from the “misfortune” of reconciliation with the Holy See, publicly states that the ordinary form of the Mass is “evil”, publicly accuses the pope of being a heretic (calling him a “genuine modernist”), and also states that Second Vatican Council represents an outright rupture with Tradition. That doesn’t strike me as a group that is quite ready for (or even particularly interested in) full communion.
You can read AB Fellay’s comments here at Rorate Caeli: http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2013/10/bishop-fellay-we-thank-god-there-was-no.html
Of course, it also doesn’t help when the SSPX goes out of its way to take care of a Nazi war criminal who never apologized or disavowed Nazi ideology. Nor does it help when the SSPX disrupts an interfaith service in memory of Kristallnacht only to have the head of the SSPX in South America defend the behavior.
http://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/the-city-gates.cfm?ID=687
http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=19666
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/catholic-fringe-defies-pope-disrupts-interfaith-kristallnacht-ceremony-at-argentine-cathedral/2013/11/13/eca47820-4c72-11e3-bf60-c1ca136ae14a_story.html
February 26, 2014 at 8:57 pm
[I accidentally cut off the last line of my comment above]
These things (listed above) only reinforce the perception that the SSPX is not ready. I hope and pray that changes.
February 26, 2014 at 9:00 pm
Michael wrote:
"""Of course, it also doesn’t help when the SSPX goes out of its way to take care of a Nazi war criminal who never apologized or disavowed Nazi ideology. Nor does it help when the SSPX disrupts an interfaith service in memory of Kristallnacht only to have the head of the SSPX in South America defend the behavior."""
Indeed. It is almost…as if…they…didn't want to be regularized at all.
As if…they wanted…to be…excommunicated.
Almost…as if…they wanted to simply have a reason to stay away…and aloof…and better…and more pure than those commoners.
Sort of…like…
""But high on a hill
Brer mother of ten
Is singin' and kickin'
Her heels
Up again…
"I was born and raised
In a Pius the Tenth Patch
Known as the Catholic Church
And there still ain't
No match!!!"""
February 26, 2014 at 9:11 pm
Harry, what's with the trendy ellipses?
February 26, 2014 at 9:12 pm
Once again the "full communion" nonsense has been trotted out. For a debunking of this, see this essay:
Gnostic Twaddle, by Christopher Ferrara
February 26, 2014 at 9:52 pm
The same Chris Ferrara who suggests that Pope Francis may not really be the pope?
http://remnantnewspaper.com/web/index.php/articles/item/274-latest-updates-from-socci-the-papal-games
The same Chris Ferrara who is now helping to promote geocentrism (the belief that the earth is the immobile center of the universe and the sun, planets and stars all rotate around it)?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=554TOFX3FW8&feature=share&list=LL3x3gDTqUYy_bFZWS-U_mZQ
February 26, 2014 at 10:03 pm
Same old liberal hate for traditional Catholics.
February 26, 2014 at 10:05 pm
@Seldon: "That the SSPX is rightly punished for what millions of others should rightly be punished for. "
Willingly granted.
But when the millions of others who merit rightful punishment remain in full communion? With full faculties? Often in positions of high authority? In light of that, doesn't the SSPX's malfeasance dwindle into a bit of a side issue? Kind of a red herring? Something small that can be easily and safely railed against, as opposed to something so big that it can scarcely be grasped, much less addressed?
Well, the Church remains indefectible. On bad days, it beats me how. But like you say, what do I know, I'm out here in the bleachers (albeit with pretty good binoculars). Kyrie eleison.
February 26, 2014 at 10:19 pm
Once again the "full communion" nonsense has been trotted out. For a debunking of this, see this essay: Gnostic Twaddle, by Christopher Ferrara
Dear Alphonsus Jr. There is one Faith, one Baptism, thus, any human who is, say, Baptised, by a Evangelical Minister comes into Partial Communion with the Catholic Church and then has to go through additional steps to come into Full Communion with the Catholic Church.
That such a reality is denied by the soi disant traditionalists evinces a massive amount of ignorance but it does have the, somewhat funny and ironic, consequence of casting those who deny the reality of partial and full communion into the camp of those who are in partial communion with the church you know, the protestants.
I am sure you do not see the humorous irony in that…but, that is what ya get for following the personal opinions of Mr. Ferrara rather than the Catholic Magisterium.
February 26, 2014 at 10:28 pm
It's clear to me that EWTN has been infiltrated by Neo-Catholics, i.e. mostly composed of converted protestants, who can never seem to fully convert to the Catholic Faith and accept it's traditions. The Church has been infiltrated and it is being destroyed from within.
It is time there is a counter-infiltration of Traditionalists! The only way the Church will be free of the Masons is to covertly infiltrate the Church and regain power and hunt down and destroy this plague of Masons. We need to fight fire with fire, my fellow traditionalists.
February 26, 2014 at 10:33 pm
Cyrillist wrote:
"""@Seldon: "That the SSPX is rightly punished for what millions of others should rightly be punished for. "
Willingly granted.
But when the millions of others who merit rightful punishment remain in full communion? With full faculties? Often in positions of high authority? In light of that, doesn't the SSPX's malfeasance dwindle into a bit of a side issue? Kind of a red herring? Something small that can be easily and safely railed against, as opposed to something so big that it can scarcely be grasped, much less addressed?
Well, the Church remains indefectible. On bad days, it beats me how. But like you say, what do I know, I'm out here in the bleachers (albeit with pretty good binoculars). Kyrie eleison."""""
When one of the other millions rises up and defies the Church openly, they indeed are often punished. The SSPX defies the Church openly. Ergo, they are duly punished.
Yes, it would be nice if one could compel all the dissidents to rise up publicly and declare where they stand, but until they do (or until an inquisition of the clerics is ordered) they remain safely hidden under the thinnest, flimsiest appearance of orthodoxy.
That's why.
It's rather like someone getting caught speeding and complaining loudly to the cop "But everyone else is speeding too!". The cop will not be impressed. Even if one claims that millions of others are speeding worse than you, the cop will still point to the number on his radar gun and write you up. Even if (stretching the metaphor) you tell the cop he'd catch the worst speeders if he would just sit on so-and-so corner at a certain time, you're still getting your ticket.
And, the SSPX is still getting punished.
February 26, 2014 at 10:36 pm
""""Viva Cristo Rey said…
Same old liberal hate for traditional Catholics.""""
No, that's bullshit. We're talking about the SSPX in this thread. I'll keep going to FSSP Masses, with priests who actually have faculties, and whose Fraternity officially recognizes the Novus Ordo as valid and VII as legitimate and Summorum Pontificum as binding. That's the difference, and you're willingly overlooking it to paint with a braod (and really, very dishonest) brush. So stick it.
February 26, 2014 at 10:40 pm
"""Augustinus said…
It's clear to me that EWTN has been infiltrated by Neo-Catholics, i.e. mostly composed of converted protestants, who can never seem to fully convert to the Catholic Faith and accept it's traditions. The Church has been infiltrated and it is being destroyed from within.
It is time there is a counter-infiltration of Traditionalists! The only way the Church will be free of the Masons is to covertly infiltrate the Church and regain power and hunt down and destroy this plague of Masons. We need to fight fire with fire, my fellow traditionalists.""""
Hey Pat. Here's one of your people now. I got $50 bucks which says he's a geocentrist and another $50 that says he thinks 9/11 was an inside job. I'll go double or nothing on whether he thinks fractional reserve banking is a Jewish conspiracy.
Still feel good about your position? Still think Pope Francis should herd them in without a question or a condition? You know, so these people can come in and teach us all how to be good Catholics again?
Give me a f_______ break.
February 26, 2014 at 11:13 pm
Pat, you were right to post your article. The die has been cast as to the battle for the Church. St. Athanasius withstood the arians. We must withstand the conciliarists. This battle started 50 years ago, and now the rotten fruit is starting to stink enough to get people's attention. The worse the Church becomes, the more ardent the supporters of the conciliar acrobatics will become in painting defenders of the Faith as wacko tin foil nut jobs. Just like the progressives in the US do to anyone who dares to question liberal agendas. This is a war for the Faith. Cowards need not apply.
Harry Seldon, your ad hominem attacks are rather petty, and belie a certain fear.