SSPX declines Vatican offer--for now

July 19, 2012

The traditionalist Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) has declined a Vatican offer for reconciliation, but left the door open for further talks.

The SSPX answer to the Vatican was not a surprise, since Bishop Bernard Fellay, the leader of the traditionalist society, had already said that the group could not accept the conditions of the most recent offer from Rome. But the SSPX statement released on July 19 gave evidence that negotiations would continue.

After meeting at a general chapter in Écone, Switzerland, SSPX leaders said that they had “determined and approved the necessary conditions for an eventual canonical normalization.” That sentence could be interpreted as a sign of confidence that the group anticipated eventual success in the talks with Rome.

The SSPX statement said that the group had “recovered our profound unity” during the general chapter. Prior to the meeting, reports had circulated about severe divisions within the group, prompting speculation that some members of the SSPX might accept the Vatican’s offer for regularization, while others could resist.

The SSPX said that the general chapter had settled on a process for approving any future offer for reconciliation: “an extraordinary chapter with deliberative vote will be convened beforehand.” That sentence, too, could be a positive sign for future talks, since Bishop Fellay—who is generally understood to be strongly in favor of eventual reunion with the Holy See—would appoint the voting members of the chapter.

The talks between the Vatican and the SSPX have been conducted privately, and a “doctrinal preamble” presented to the traditionalist group as a precondition for reconciliation has not been made public. In keeping with that careful approach, the SSPX statement did not specify which conditions of the Vatican offer the group found unacceptable.

However, the statement strongly reaffirmed the SSPX commitment to “the constant Tradition of the Church, which transmits and will transmit until the end of times the teachings required to preserve the Faith and the salvation of souls.” The statement looked forward to “the day when an open and serious debate will be possible which may allow the return to Tradition of the ecclesiastical authorities.”

The July 19 statement also underlined the group’s dedication to Catholic Church, saying that “the supreme power of government over the universal Church belongs only to the Pope, Vicar of Christ on earth.” The SSPX proclaimed its determination to uphold the teachings of the Church, but said that these teachings must be interpreted in the light of the “uninterrupted Magisterium.” The statement drew the line at “all the novelties of the Second Vatican Council which remain tainted with errors.”

The Vatican press office released its own statement on July 19, saying that the Holy See “has taken note” of the SSPX statement. However, the Vatican said, although the statement by the SSPX general chapter had been released to the public, it “remains primarily an internal document” and not an official response to the Vatican. The press office indicated that the Vatican would wait for a formal response, which would presumably be addressed to the Ecclesia Dei commission, which is handling talks with the SSPX.

 

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Further information:

• Society of St. Pius X General Chapter Statement (DICI)
• Communique Concerning Priestly Society of St. Pius X (VIS)
• Breakaway traditionalists send Vatican mixed message about ending quarter-century schism (AP)