This is truly wonderful news and I pray for this reconciliation.
Was this an FSSP priest named Fr. Fryar?
Posted on 09/14/2004 7:49:10 AM PDT by Mershon
Traditionalist crisis draws cautious Vatican response
Vatican, Sep. 13 (CWNews.com) - Responding to a crisis within the schismatic Society of St. Pius X, Vatican officials are declining to make any official statement, but quietly reminding traditionalist priests that they can reconciled with the Holy See.
Divisions within the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) in France reached a peak on September 5 when the traditionalist group's leader, Bishop Bernard Fellay, announced the expulsion of two French priests who had criticized the Society's leadership. The expelled clerics-- led by Father Philippe Laguérie, the pastor of a large French traditionalist community-- had sharply criticized conditions inside SSPX seminaries.
(Excerpt) Read more at cwnews.com ...
http://www.envoymagazine.com/envoyencore/
Society`s French district reportedly on the verge of "civil war" 9/12/2004 11:04:46 AM Hi everyone, as our French readers are no doubt aware, an interesting situation has arisen in the SSPX`s powerful French district. (In fact, I have heard supporters from each side describe the situation as a "civil war", but have not yet figured out whether this is typical French rhetoric or reality at this point.)
Basically, a small group of prominent French SSPX clergy have banded together to address what they see as an overly rigid, and in some instances morally jansenistic, culture within the SSPX. They are also hoping to bring the SSPX closer to Rome. It appears that they have some backing from among at least a good portion of the SSPX`s more rank-and-file clergy and seminarians.
I don`t wish to raise anyone`s hopes, since past attempts have always fallen through, but Fr. Aulagnier has weighed in positively about the situation. Fr. Aulagnier feels that this might be the beginning of a collective examination of conscience within the SSPX which could then lead to reconciliation between the SSPX and the Catholic Church. Therefore, I would ask all our readers to please keep these SSPX priests in prayer.
That being said, while I don`t wish to comment too much at the moment since I have not reviewed everything in fine detail (the rhetoric is pretty thick at the moment as certain SSPX clergy have hurled accusations against each other that even I have never dared to express in public), I will express at least one hope. In the past, Rome has basically held to the position that the excommunication against Archbishop Lefebvre would not be retroactively lifted unless all four SSPX bishops reconciled. (Although reportedly Rome was willing to write off up to a third of SSPX priests)
I understand Rome`s strong stance when it comes to the bishops, and will continue to defend it in public. Basically, priests eventually die off, but with the power of ordination bishops can propagate themselves until the Second Coming. This is why Rome more or less tolerated Lefebvre`s illicit ordination of priests for years, but drew the line at the illicit consecration of bishops. This is why canon law has always been strict in this regard. For only in bringing back all four bishops is the SSPX schism effectively healed.
That being said, Rome can show clemency on this issue. A good example is with Bishop Castro de Meyer, who was Archbishop Lefebvre`s co-consecrator in 1988. Despite the fact the four bishops he co-consecrated are still in schism, my understanding is that the excommunication against Bishop de Meyer was retroactively lifted when Bishop Rangel, who succeeded Bishop Meyer after his death, reconciled the Society of St. John Mary Vianney a couple of years` ago. Thus clemency is possible and has already been shown once with regards to this schism.
In my heart of hearts, I hope Rome can show clemency on this issue a second time, since I really don`t think one of the bishops will ever reconcile. Hopefully, he excommunication against Lefebvre can be lifted if three of the four remaining bishops reconcile.
Pray for the reconciliation of these stalwarts of Tradition to fight Modernism from within the bosom of the Church.
The Modernists must be feeling quite qeasy about all of this.
By the way, the Novus Ordo church where I attend daily Mass had four altar boys (seminarians and pre-seminarians) with a sung Mass (with all Latin Ordinaries), with incense, ad orientem by the young priest (one of the first times he has done this publicly.
These same group of priest and young men are all servers at the Traditional Latin Mass and will be offering it once they are ordained.
The dioceses of L.A. and Cleveland and others must not like this spreading of authentic Catholicism.
"The dioceses of L.A. and Cleveland and others must not like this spreading of authentic Catholicism.'
Nor the Bob Jones Unversity and Protestants who live in the heart of Greenville, SC.
Building God's kingdom!!!
This is truly wonderful news and I pray for this reconciliation.
Was this an FSSP priest named Fr. Fryar?
I love a good cat fight!
Weren't we reading the trads on here, over the weekend, squealing like stuck pigs over the Sommerville flap?
The Cardinal was a "fascist" for calling for obedience from one of his priests!
Now, here, we see Fellay booting out two priests who had merely criticized him!
Rome would be smart to court this district. Make them part of the Vianney group. Peel them away one at a time until nobody's left but Williamson and Fellay and a small, wild-eyed group of resisters, who can be consigned to the fate of the Old Catholics.
Pray for a reconcilliation between SSPX and the RCC. Pray that the bishops of the RCC cease suppression of the Tridentine Mass (as they have been ordered to do by Rome!), and that the SSPX cease in its blanket condemnation of all things Roman.
I'm sorry. No, it was actually a Novus Ordo Mass this morning.
It was done at the parish church by the Director of Prayer and Worship for the Diocese of Charleston.
Fr. Fryar, FSSP? Isn't that redundant?
"No, you idiot, don't boil him! He's a fryar!"
You know what is funny. I had a lunch meeting with Patrick Madrid while he was in Greenville, SC. I highly doubt that a homeschooling father with 11 children who preached to a Novus Ordo church (where the pastor is unfriendly to the Traditional Latin Mass) about his love and devotion for the Traditional Latin Mass, and recommended the indult at a different parish, could really be considered a modernist.
But perhaps you personally know more about it than I do...
I have always liked the final letter of Cardinal Ratzinger to Archbishop Marcel Lefevbre, begging him not to ordain bishops without the proper permission from Rome (doing such a thing is automatic excommunication).
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For the love of Christ and of his Church the Holy Father paternally and firmly asks you to come to Rome today without proceeding to the episcopal ordinations on June 30 which you have announced. He prays to the holy Apostles Peter and Paul to inspire you not to betray the episcopate whose charge you have received, nor the oath you have taken to remain faithful to the Pope, the Successor of Peter. He asks God to save you from leading astray and scattering those whom Jesus Christ came to gather together in unity.. He entrusts you to the intercession of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church.
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I cannot help being moved when I read this letter, most of all when I consider Ratzinger's super-human patience with Lefebvre. Lefebvre had a tendency, in negotiations with Rome, to agree to something, and then renege the next day. He would make up his mind to reconcile himself with the Church, and then he would change his mind and stubbornly deny words spoken and promises made. A case in point is the document Dignitatis Humanae, to which Lefebvre signed his name during the second Vatican Council. Later on in his life, he said the document was heresy and denied ever signing it (I believe that some of his followers still hold that belief). Another example is the constituion of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter: it was drawn up to try and reconcile Lefebvre's schismatic group, and he had accepted the terms, but he later reneged. How frustrated Ratzinger must have been by the time he wrote the above letter (June 29, 1988), which was sent to Lefevbre by telegram! Unfortunately, Lefevbre responded in his usual manner. He followed his own will, without regard for the Church, simply because he wanted to. He harmed the Church very much. However, there is a silver lining to every cloud. It turns out that Lefebvre was reconciled with the Church during the very last hours of his life. I know a priest whose friend (also a priest) lifted the Lefebvre's excommunication while he was on his deathbed. I believe that he was thinking of Ratzinger's telegram above when he made this all-important decisions, renouncing his past scismatic actions as well as his heretical beliefs. By an odd coincidence, I also know a priest who met the Cardinal that lifted Fr. Leonard Feeney's excommunication, as Fr. Feeney lay on his deathbed. Very few people know that this priest, who denied the Council of Trent's teachings about Baptism of desire, came back to the Church at the end of his life. |
But then I wouldn't look to anyone other than the Church to determine what is of the Church, and what is not.
"The Cardinal was a "fascist" for calling for obedience from one of his priests!"
I was wondering what your opinion would be about Fr. Somerville befriending SSPX priests and communities in relation to the "approved" ecumenical activities of many U.S. parishes with "ordinations" of Lutheran and Episcopalian and Anglican women "priests."
Fr. Somerville is merely attempting to minister to traditional Catholics in a spirit of true ecumenism. Shouldn't we be as ecumenical to traditional Catholics as we are to false ordinations of schismatic and heretical sects?
I would be interested in getting a link or having access to the full context of Ostrowski's remarks if you have them.
Agreed. But I'm not certain what it is you are referring to.
Extra ecclesiam nulla salus.
Williamson I can see remaining in his present state of canonical irregularity. Fellay on the other hand is well within his rights as Superior General to maintain unity. No religious superior should tolerate those who spread dissension within the order. That does not mean that can not be disagreement, even public when the issue demands it (such as when the last remaining orthodox Jesuits are critical of the Marxists running the order who have almost singlehandedly destoyed Catholic education). It just depends on the issue.
By the way, Fellay is one of the most level headed of the four bishops. If reunion takes place, it will be under his watch.
We can only pray that both sides can set aside there pride and get this thing moving. They will be a great service to Holy Mother Church.
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