The Superior General of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X (FSSPX / SSPX), Bishop Bernard Fellay, granted today an interview to Gino Driussi, of RTSI (the Italian-language Swiss public radio), providing some very enlightening answers:
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[17:45][Fellay:] Perhaps it is false to say, in such a way, directly, that I reject, that I propose a total rejection [of the conditions], that is not true. Rather, I see in this ultimatum a very vague, confused thing. But, in fact, I have already written a response and we will see how Rome will react.
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[18:53] [Fellay:] For me, this ultimatum has no sense, because we have relations with Rome which go forward in a certain speed, which is truly slow. And it is true, on the other hand, that both the Cardinal [Castrillón Hoyos] and the Holy Father would wish for a rather accelerated speed. For me, the only meaning of this ultimatum is the expression of this desire of Rome to give it a little bit of hastiness. Therefore, for me, it is not a reconsideration of all our relations.
[Interviewer:] "Then, you expect to continue in the dialogue, thus?"
[Fellay:] Yes, yes, it is possible that there will now be a time of more, of coolness, but, frankly, for me, it is not over, no.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
It's Not Over 'Til It's Over
By Patrick Archbold
From Rorate:
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On his site, Fr. Zuhlsdorf has reported that he received a second-hand unconfirmed e-mail which is very positive and engenders hope and prayer. Here is the part he has quoted:
"I´m back from Econe. I spoke with some people. Rome has accepted a response and wrote back positively. All is going well … this was said by Castrillon."
If the Cardinal has delivered a positive response to this letter of Bishop Fellay, it would seem, at the very least, that the threat of a declaration of schism against the entire S.S.P.X is off. But I will go further. ASSUMING that this report is true, I predict that the Pope will at least lift the excommunications and that this will happen this week, probably on or before Wednesday. It may happen tomorrow, since that is the twentieth anniversary of the action which supposedly incurred them.
While I won't predict more than this, I do express an additional hope which is reasonable. It is that the Pope, in the same response, will grant faculties for Society Masses, confessions, and marriages, and will retroactively sanate Society marriages (sorry, I believe that 'sanate' is the wrong term here, but I've forgotten the right one).
What I do not predict for this week is the erection of the hoped-for international and personal ordinariate (diocese or apostolic administration). But I do think that this is coming. I think that it will be erected before the end of the summer for that mystery group of non-Catholic bishops and priests who want to be reconciled to Rome to celebrate the old Mass exclusively. That group, given its need to be affiliated with some attendant religious orders, might be given a personal prelature which would, in turn, be incorporated into the international and personal diocese. Then the I.P.B., Transapline Redemptorists, Oasis of Jesus the Priest could *also* be incorporated in the new international dioceses. Then, at that point, Rome would invite the S.S.P.X to be part of it. I don't think that the Society will join it, though, until talks on doctrine have been completed. But that's for a future day.
Let's concentrate on praying for a lifting of the excommunications and, in particular, an extension of faculties so that the Society Masses certainly fulfil the Sunday and holyday obligation.
SS. Peter and Paul, pray for us!
P.K.T.P.
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