Candid conversation with Archbishop Di Noia about reconciliation with SSPX

CWN - July 02, 2012

In a lengthy and revealing interview with the National Catholic Register, Archbishop Augustine Di Noia, the newly appointed vice president of the Ecclesia Dei commission, offers some revealing thoughts about discussions with the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) and about the interpretation of Vatican II.

When asked about the current state of discussions between the Vatican and the SSPX, Archbishop Di Noia replies: “To be honest, I don’t know.” He freely admits that he needs to bring himself up to date on the recent talks. But he shows his commitment to the task, and indicates that the bid for reconciliation remains an important priority for Pope Benedict XVI.

“The Pope hopes for reconciliation—that’s the Pope’s job,” observes the American prelate, alluding to the role of the Roman Pontiff as the focus of Christian unity. He adds that Benedict XVI has been particularly interested in the matter, having been actively involved in talks with the SSPX for decades. The archbishop says:

The Pope is bending over backwards to accommodate them, but he’s not going to give in on the issue of the authenticity of the teaching of Vatican II as a series of acts of the magisterium.

Archbishop Di Noia provides revealing answers to questions about the possibility of error in the teachings of Vatican II and the liturgical complications that might arise from a regularization of the SSPX.

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  • Posted by: jimgrum697380 - Jul. 03, 2012 7:54 AM ET USA

    "It’s interesting — only as I’ve begun to read this traditionalist literature and interpretation have I begun to understand that, in a certain sense, there are problems that are real." (//www.ncregister.com/daily-news) This is a remarkable intimation. One might ask: "What about empirical evidence?" For decades the attitude has been simply put to the SSPX as follows: "What's the big deal?" It's clear from a statistical viewpoint alone that there is a problem. Look at Europe- it's real alright.

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