SSPX Excommunications Lifted
The four bishops named in the decree were consecrated as bishops on June 30, 1988, by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, the founder of the Society of Saint Pius X (SSPX), without the necessary permission from Pope John Paul II. The excommunication was latae sententiae, or automatic, because the action violated canon law.
As the decree from the Congregation for Bishops notes, the removal of the excommunication does not mean that SSPX is now fully reconciled with the Catholic Church: "It is hoped that this step be followed by the prompt accomplishment of full communion with the Church of the entire Fraternity of Saint Pius X, thus testifying true fidelity and true recognition of the Magisterium and of the authority of the Pope with the proof of visible unity."
For their part, SSPX has issued a press release, signed by Bishop Bernard Fellay, expressing "filial gratitude to the Holy Father for this gesture" and looking forward to "talks which will enable the Priestly Society of Saint Pius X to explain the fundamental doctrinal reasons which it believes to be at the origin of the present difficulties of the Church."
Pope Benedict has made the reunion of SSPX with the Church a high priority of his pontificate, not only for its own sake but, as the decree notes, "to be a sign to promote unity in the charity of the universal Church and to try to vanquish the scandal of division." Earlier actions, such as the restoration of the Traditional Latin Mass through the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum, have helped paved the way for the January 21 decree.
Through such prayers as a Devout Exercise for the Unity of the Church, let us all join our prayers to those of the Holy Father, so that Christ's prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane on the evening of Holy Thursday may be fulfilled: "That they all may be one, as thou, Father, in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me" (John 17:21).
(Thanks to Rorate Caeli for the translation of the decree and their ongoing coverage of this situation.)
Much as I’d like to see Williamson and his cohorts in the ultra-Right return to the fold, to allow them to do so without repentance on their part is, in my opinion, tantamount to extending the hand of fellowship to the prochoice/progay marriage factions of the ultra-Left.
My point is, there is a ditch on either side of the road, and it is just as anti-life and anti-Catholic to be a Holocaust-denying racist as it is to be pro-abortion or pro-gay marriage.
Cynthia, their excommunication was for violating canon law by allowing themselves to be ordained as bishops without the permission of the pope. It had nothing to do with Bishop Williamson’s loathsome views (which, I believe, had not been expressed publicly before the illicit ordination). Nor, for that matter, did it have anything to do with the views of SSPX regarding the Traditional Latin Mass and Vatican II.
Williamson joined the other three bishops in asking for the excommunication to be removed and pledging fidelity to the Holy Father and the teachings of the Church. In other words, they have all expressed repentance for the action that earned their excommunication.
Beyond that, charity requires us to assume that the Holy Father does indeed know what he is doing. But the manner in which Pope Benedict handles the question of Bishop Williamson’s public pronouncements is separate from the question of whether he should have lifted the excommunication.
Wonderful news. Lets face it, when you look at the big picture the excommunications were done because they…well…remained Catholic.
Noel, the excommunication was automatic, because the four men accepted episcopal ordination from Archbishop Lefebvre without the proper permission from the pope, in violation of canon law. They were not excommunicated because of their devotion to the Traditional Latin Mass or because of their views on Vatican II. They were excommunication because of their lack of proper obedience to the Holy Father.
Whatever one might think of SSPX (and I’m very glad that the process of reconciliation of SSPX to the Church is under way), it’s hard to characterize disobedience as “remain[ing] Catholic.”
is there a truth that the present pope will be eventually restore Tridentine mass in the church??? we can not understand latin if ever it will happen.
Is a divorced woman allowed to have holy communion & the last right. The reason I’m asking is our priest is against divorced women and once said even the last right is not given to divorced people.