On the afternoon of Wednesday 13 June, Cardinal William Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and president of the Pontifical Commission 'Ecclesia Dei', met with Bishop Bernard Fellay, superior general of the Society of St. Pius X who was accompanied by an assistant. Also present at the encounter were Archbishop Luis Ladaria S.J., secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and Msgr. Guido Pozzo, secretary of the Pontifical Commission 'Ecclesia Dei'.
The purpose of the meeting was to present the Holy See's evaluation of the text submitted in April by the Society of St. Pius X in response to the Doctrinal Preamble which the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith had presented to the Society on 14 September 2011. The subsequent discussion offered an opportunity the provide the appropriate explanations and clarifications. For his part, Bishop Fellay illustrated the current situation of the Society of St. Pius X and promised to make his response known within a reasonable lapse of time.
Also during the meeting, a draft document was submitted proposing a Personal Prelature as the most appropriate instrument for any future canonical recognition of the Society.
As was stated in the communique released on 16 May 2012, the situation of the other three bishops of the Society of St. Pius X will be dealt with separately and singularly.
At the end of the meeting the hope was expressed that this additional opportunity for reflection would also contribute to reaching full communion between the Society of St. Pius X and the Apostolic See.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
CDF meeting with Bishop Felay - SSPX to reply soon
This from the Vatican News Service:
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Father, what do you think of the personal prelature being the structure offered to the SSPX? Is that the best fit? I recall that several years ago, (I believe) an apostolic administration was set up for "traditionalists" in Brazil. There is the "ordinariate" model, also, as for military and former Anglicans. It seems the ordinariate would have the most independence. I don't know what I think the best structure would be...
ReplyDeleteYou have asked a very interesting question, one that has been on my mind. One thing I have learned is that under Pope Benedict anything can be possible.
ReplyDeleteThe Ordinariate solution would make the SSPX like a diocese, and this would probably be too much at the current time. It would enable the Ordinary to erect parishes independently (although hopefully with the agreement) of the diocesan bishops.
A personal prelature cannot, as far as I am aware, erect parishes. But we shall have to see what the apostolic constitution erecting the SSPX as a personal prelature has to say on this.