Ecclesia Dei finalizes Latin Mass document and canonical structure for Society of St. Pius X

After months of rumors of a pending motu proprio that will reportedly lift restrictions on the Traditional Roman rite of Holy Mass, Cardinal Medina offered some brief insights on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe that emerged from a 4-hour plenary meeting from the Ecclesia Dei Commission, charged with reconciling traditionalist Catholics.

The ANSA news agency first reported on December 12 that two main issues were discussed at the meeting: one, the text of the motu proprio freeing the Traditional Mass; two, the text of a juridical structure for the Society of St. Pius X upon their full canonical regularization with the Holy See.

"We have studied the document with tranquility," Cardinal Medina said. He added that the commission made some final edits to the motu proprio and that Cardinal Castrillon, President of the Pontifical Commission, Ecclesia Dei, will soon present the final draft to Pope Benedict XVI. The French Vaticanist Andrea Tornielli of Il Giornale reported the document was edited to reduce the number of requestors for the Traditional rite from 50 to 30. According to a French media report, Medina also said that another meeting of the Commission regarding the motu proprio would not be necessary.

Cardinal Jean Pierre Ricard of Bordeaux, a member of the Commission and President of the French Episcopal Conference, declined comment under pontifical secret. In related news, in December, mainstream French and Italian media reported that two separate "manifestos" signed by French and Italian intellectuals and politicians supporting the lifting of restrictions against the Traditional Roman rite. Hundreds of signatures on both public manifestos have been gathered to date.

Catholic News Agency's Spanish affiliate ACI Prensa published a December 14 story citing unnamed Vatican insiders as saying the motu proprio freeing the Traditional rite of Mass for every Latin-rite priest may be published "after Christmas" with the post-synodal document on October 2005's Eucharistic Synod to be published in mid-January. There has been increasing speculation that the contents of this document may encourage the study of Gregorian chant and Latin for seminary training as well as some other possible modifications for the Novus Ordo Missae.

Monsignor Ignacio Barreiro, with Human Life International and Una Voce consultant in Rome, told The Wanderer, "There have been rumors that both the indult and a canonical solution for the SSPX are moving in parallel courses. Obviously, it is believed that the promulgation of the indult will greatly assist in the reaching of an agreement with the Society of St. Pius X."

The Society of St. Pius X has consistently asked for three distinct requests of the Holy See on its potential path to full canonical regularization: one, to give complete and total freedom of the Traditional Roman rite liturgy to every Latin rite priest; two, to lift the decrees of excommunication against its four bishops; three, prior to agreeing to a formal canonical solution, the Society of St. Pius X would like to enter into theological discussions with the Holy See on the Second Vatican Council. Superior General Bishop Bernard Fellay outlined in detail these three items in a December 11 interview with the French Nice-Matin newspaper.

Bishop Fellay explained that the request of the Holy See to accept the Second Vatican Council "in light of Tradition" has proven to be too vague of formula and "insufficient." Bishop Fellay added, "Certain texts of the Council are irreconcilable with Tradition," he said. "We have asked to discuss it since the year 2000." Bishop Fellay then explained the Society's hesitation with some of the texts and their interpretations they have seen as problematic with regard to ecumenism, religious liberty and collegiality. Specifically, he cited how the Church has always taught the tolerance of other religions, but "What we dispute is its attribution with human nature a right that does not exist," Fellay said.

These specific disagreements on the theological nuances of some points of the Second Vatican Council are exactly what the new Institute of the Good Shepherd, made up of eight traditionalist priests, is charged with developing by the Holy See as part of its charter and mission. Therefore, there is no reason to think that these points of theological development, called for explicitly by Pope John Paul II in the Ecclesia Dei Adflicta document, should serve as a stumbling block on the path to full reconciliation for the Society.

Bishop Fellay also told the Nice-Matin reporter that the Society, fulfilling a request by Cardinal Castrillon, has repeatedly requested the lifting of the decrees of excommunication, both publicly and in writing to the Holy See.

Bishop Fellay emphasized that the Society wants to take a cautious and measured approach on this path toward reconciliation. He said the Pope wants to take a more expeditious trek. "We say to him — gently — it is an atomic bomb and we don't want it to explode!"

Fellay concluded the interview on a note of hope. He said the efforts of the Holy See to relieve the Church of its current paralysis are an encouraging sign. "I am certain of a happy ending," he said, without predicting a specific timetable.

Brian Mershon is a commentator on cultural issues from a classical Catholic perspective. His trade is in media relations, and his vocation is as a husband to his beloved wife Tracey and father to his six living children. He attempts to assist his family and himself in attaining eternal salvation through frequent attendance at the Traditional Latin rite of Mass, homeschooling, and building Catholic culture in the buckle of the Bible Belt of Greenville, South Carolina.

American Catholic’s Saint of the Day

August 21, 2007

St. Pius X

(1835-1914)

Pope Pius X is perhaps best remembered for his encouragement of the frequent reception of Holy Communion, especially by children.

The second of 10 children in a poor Italian family, Joseph Sarto became Pius X at 68, one of the twentieth century’s greatest popes.

Ever mindful of his humble origin, he stated, “I was born poor, I lived poor, I will die poor.” He was embarrassed by some of the pomp of the papal court. “Look how they have dressed me up,” he said in tears to an old friend. To another, “It is a penance to be forced to accept all these practices. They lead me around surrounded by soldiers like Jesus when he was seized in Gethsemani.”

Interested in politics, he encouraged Italian Catholics to become more politically involved. One of his first papal acts was to end the supposed right of governments to interfere by veto in papal elections—a practice that reduced the freedom of the conclave which elected him.

In 1905, when France renounced its agreement with the Holy See and threatened confiscation of Church property if governmental control of Church affairs were not granted, Pius X courageously rejected the demand.

While he did not author a famous social encyclical as his predecessor had done, he denounced the ill treatment of the Indians on the plantations of Peru, sent a relief commission to Messina after an earthquake and sheltered refugees at his own expense.

On the eleventh anniversary of his election as pope, Europe was plunged into World War I. Pius had foreseen it, but it killed him. “This is the last affliction the Lord will visit on me. I would gladly give my life to save my poor children from this ghastly scourge.” He died a few weeks after the war began.

Comment:

His humble background was no obstacle in relating to a personal God and to people whom he loved genuinely. He gained his strength, his gentleness and warmth for people from the source of all gifts, the Spirit of Jesus. In contrast, we often feel embarrassed by our backgrounds. Shame makes us prefer to remain aloof from people whom we perceive as superior. If we are in a superior position, on the other hand, we often ignore simpler people. Yet we, too, have to help “restore all things in Christ,” especially the wounded people of God.

Quote:

Describing Pius X, a historian wrote that he was “a man of God who knew the unhappiness of the world and the hardships of life, and in the greatness of his heart wanted to comfort everyone.”

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