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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Pope Benedict and SSPX	colin	Thursday, March 26, 2009
Question: Just a comment on your response: The lifting of the excommunication of the 4 bishops was done in response to their writing a letter to the pope asking for this. They affirmed their limited faith in Vatican II and the authority of the pope, at least enough to satisfy the pope. The lifting of the excommunication did restore them to full membership in the Catholic church. It was a personal request and a personal response. The SSPX was not a part of this process. The related issue of whether the 4 bishops can function as bishops in the Catholic Church is another matter. That was not part of the lifting of the excommunication. The lifting was to allow the 4 men to receive communion in the Catholic Church in a licit manner. The issue of their ability to function as a bishop is dependent upon other factors. With regard to Bishop Williamson, Pope Benedict stated that until he fully renounces his Holocaust views, he would not be allowed to function as a bishop. The schism that SSPX represents has not been fully healed. Only the personal relationship of the 4 bishops as individual Catholics to the Catholic Church has been "healed." However, the pope is hopeful that this action will encourage other members of SSPX to reconcile fully with the Church as well to the extent that they need to.
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Colin: The lifting of the excommunication was a technical matter to open door to these bishops and the SSPX to eventually be restored to the Church. That restoration has not happened yet. The bishops still refuse to accept some aspects of Vatican II, which is a major stumblingblock. To quote from the Papal Letter on Society of St. Pius X: The remission of the excommunication has the same aim as that of the punishment: namely, to invite the four Bishops once more to return. This gesture was possible once the interested parties had expressed their recognition in principle of the Pope and his authority as Pastor, albeit with some reservations in the area of obedience to his doctrinal authority and to the authority of the Council. The bishops have been "invited" to return, but they cannot be in communion with the Church until the issues over Vatican II reforms are resolved. The only statements I can find from the SSPX Bishop Superior Fellay was from an interview on February 11th in which he said that he did not reject the 1962-1965 Council completely but only "a dangerous spirit that runs through the whole Council" that caused what he saw as a break with centuries of Roman Catholic tradition. If there status is full communion with the Church, then documents need to be produced to prove that. I hope they do come into full communion. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Pope Benedict and SSPX

colin

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Question:

Just a comment on your response:

The lifting of the excommunication of the 4 bishops was done in response to their writing a letter to the pope asking for this. They affirmed their limited faith in Vatican II and the authority of the pope, at least enough to satisfy the pope.

The lifting of the excommunication did restore them to full membership in the Catholic church. It was a personal request and a personal response. The SSPX was not a part of this process.

The related issue of whether the 4 bishops can function as bishops in the Catholic Church is another matter. That was not part of the lifting of the excommunication. The lifting was to allow the 4 men to receive communion in the Catholic Church in a licit manner.

The issue of their ability to function as a bishop is dependent upon other factors. With regard to Bishop Williamson, Pope Benedict stated that until he fully renounces his Holocaust views, he would not be allowed to function as a bishop.

The schism that SSPX represents has not been fully healed. Only the personal relationship of the 4 bishops as individual Catholics to the Catholic Church has been "healed."
However, the pope is hopeful that this action will encourage other members of SSPX to reconcile fully with the Church as well to the extent that they need to.

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Colin:

The lifting of the excommunication was a technical matter to open door to these bishops and the SSPX to eventually be restored to the Church. That restoration has not happened yet. The bishops still refuse to accept some aspects of Vatican II, which is a major stumblingblock.

To quote from the Papal Letter on Society of St. Pius X:

The remission of the excommunication has the same aim as that of the punishment: namely, to invite the four Bishops once more to return. This gesture was possible once the interested parties had expressed their recognition in principle of the Pope and his authority as Pastor, albeit with some reservations in the area of obedience to his doctrinal authority and to the authority of the Council.

The bishops have been "invited" to return, but they cannot be in communion with the Church until the issues over Vatican II reforms are resolved.

The only statements I can find from the SSPX Bishop Superior Fellay was from an interview on February 11th in which he said that he did not reject the 1962-1965 Council completely but only "a dangerous spirit that runs through the whole Council" that caused what he saw as a break with centuries of Roman Catholic tradition.

If there status is full communion with the Church, then documents need to be produced to prove that. I hope they do come into full communion.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum