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.
The Traditional Latin Mass or the Tridentine Mass was never intended for the people to participate in anyway. That was the whole issue. The priest in pre-Vatican II was a sacrificer and the people observed and prayed. Unlike in the Novus Ordo, the priest is a co-celebrator of the people. The Eucharist has been reduced to a “meal” and a memorial. All these based on Vatican II’s Rights and Dignity of Man Theme as well as Religious Liberty.
Mother and Virgin … Pray for us
Wisdom 7:26 >
“She is the … unspotted mirror of God’s majesty.”
Psalm 45:5 >
“The most High hath sanctified His own tabernacle.”
Ezechiel 44:2 >
“This gate shall be shut … the God of Israel hath entered in by it.”
Lost sheep of Israel …
What saves your soul – Heresy or Catholic Dogma ?
1. Can the Ex-Cathedra Dogma from 20 Catholic Councils be rejected and ignored by the meeting known as the “Vatican-2 council” (1962-1965) ? There are over 200 heresies against Dogma in the V-2 documents.
No it can’t …
Section 12 of Immaculata-one.com
2. Can you get your own soul to Heaven if you don’t know and believe the Ex-Cathedra Dogma of the Catholic Church ?
No you can’t …
Sections 5.1 and 9 of Immaculata-one.com
3. Have you ever seen the Catholic Ex-Cathedra Dogma on automatic excommunication for heresy, ignorance of the Dogma, or for physical participation in a heretical society?
No you haven’t …
Section 13.2 of Immaculata-one.com
4. Have you ever seen the De Fide Catholic Dogma that you must believe to get to Heaven ?
No you haven’t …
Section 3 of Immaculata-one.com
5. Is there Ex-Cathedra Dogma on Water Baptism which specifically rules out the heresies of “baptism of desire” and “baptism of blood” ?
Yes there is, nineteen (19) of them …
Section 7.2 of Immaculata-one.com
6. Is ignorance of the Catholic Dogma a ticket to get heretics (including vatican-2 heretics) into Heaven ?
No it isn’t …
Sections 5, 5.1, 5.2, 8, 9 of Immaculata-one.com
7. Does the Vatican-2 heretic cult, founded in 1965 at the Vatican, have the Office of the Papacy ?
No only the Catholic Church has the Papacy … the Vatican-2 cult’s “sede-vacantist” smokescreen is completely anti-Christ because it rejects the Catholic Dogma on automatic excommunication for heresy …
Section 13.4 of Immaculata-one.com
8. Does the Catholic writing of Saint Matthew 16:18 – the “Gates of Hell” scripture – mean that the Papacy may not fall vacant because of heresy ?
No … the Church defined the “Gates of Hell” as … heresy not prevailing against the Dogma …
Section 13.3 of Immaculata-one.com
9. Is there Catholic Dogma on how to re-enter the Catholic Church after automatic excommunication for heresy or for physical participation in a heretical society such as the vatican-2 or sspx cults?
Yes there is …
Section 19.1 of Immaculata-one.com
10. Is there Catholic Dogma on how to return to a state of grace when Sacramental Confession is not available ?
(There is no remission of sin outside of the Catholic Church … in the V-2 cult)
Yes there is …
Section 10.2 of Immaculata-one.com
11. Can you get to Heaven as a participant in a heretical society which rejects even a single Catholic Dogma … “worshiping” – for example – the “vatican-2 god” or the “sspx god” in their meeting halls ?
No you can’t …
Sections 13.2, 88, 90, 99, and 105 of Immaculata-one.com
12. Was Jesus Christ a jew ? (The judaism apostasy out of the Israelite covenant started about 200 B.C.)
No He wasn’t …
Section 39.1 of Immaculata-one.com
13. Was the “Vatican-2 council” of apostasy set up well before 1962 ?
Yes it was …
Sections 20, 20.1, and 20.2 of Immaculata-one.com
14. Is there salvation outside of the Catholic Church and … is one in the Catholic Church if he rejects even a single Dogma of the Church ?
No and no …
Sections 1, 2, 5, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 7, 7.2, 8, and 9 of Immaculata-one.com
15. Are a great many people saved from Hell ?
Saint Augustine, Doctor of the Church: “It is certain that few are saved.”
No … very few are saved …
Section 22 of Immaculata-one.com
SSPX UNABLE TO PROCLAIM THAT ALL NON CATHOLIC PARTICIPANTS AT ASSISI 2011 ARE ON THE PATH TO HELL
The Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) is unable to say that all the non Catholics participating at the inter religious meeting at Assisi this October are on the path to Hell. The SSPX cannot affirm Cantate Domino, Council of Florence 1441 since they believe that those who are saved in invincible ignorance or with the baptism of desire are not implicit cases, instead, they are explicitly known to us and so contradict Cantate Domino on extra ecclesiam nulla salus.
They are so confused that Bishop Bernard Fellay is not expected to answer the previous post on this blog just as he has never answered other SSPX-related posts e-mailed to him.
The problem is that the SSPX interprets Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre as referring to de facto baptism of desire which is knowable to us in the present times. Yet the baptism of desire is known only to God. It can only be known to us in principle, as a concept. It is de facto only for God. So how can they interpret Archbishop Lefebvre as referring to a de facto known to us baptism of desire and invincible ignorance ? However this is being done.
So the baptism of desire and invincible ignorance can never ever be an exception to the dogma Cantate Domino on extra ecclesiam nulla salus.
-Lionel Andrades
CONTINUED
http://eucharistandmission.blogspot.com/2011/07/sspx-unable-to-proclaim-that-all-non.html
To assert the automatic ex communiation is tantamount to endorsing abortion is sickening. One needs to understand the many attempts by Arch Bishop Levbre to consecrate the Bishops which were denied repeatedly by Pope John Paul II repeatedly. For whatever reason one’s “boss” does not disregard the position of another which is clearly what was occuring. The preservation of the Tridentine Mass was essential considering the great many abuses the Novus Orto Mass has indeed allowed from receiving the Holy Eucharist in the hand to the incessent personal conversasions which are occuring within the church instead of outside. The sheer disrespect for christ, body blood soul and divinity in the blessed sacrament. Furthermore the “automatic” excommunication is not cannon law. The level of the position of the accused, an arch bishop, requires a formal hearing which did not occur. Remember the pope is infallible ex cathedra, but is indeed potentially fallible in many other circumstances.