Bishop Fellay: SSPX not ready to accept Second Vatican Council
March 02, 2009
In an interview with a Swiss newspaper, Bishop Bernard Fellay has commented on the Secretariat of State’s February 4 statement that “a full recognition of the Second Vatican Council and the Magisterium of Popes John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul I, John Paul II and Benedict XVI himself is an indispensable condition for any future recognition of the Society of Saint Pius X.”
Asked whether the Society is prepared to recognize the Second Vatican Council, Bishop Fellay said, “No. The Vatican has acknowledged the need for preliminary talks aimed at dealing with basic issues which stem from the Second Vatican Council. Making the acceptance of the Council a preliminary condition is putting the cart before the horse.”
“The aftermath of the Council,” said Bishop Fellay, “has been to empty seminaries, nunneries and churches. Thousands of priests have left their orders and millions of faithful have stopped being practicing Catholics and have joined sects. If these are the fruits of the Council, they’re strange indeed.”
Coincidentally, on Saturday the Vatican announced that the number of seminarians worldwide grew to 115,919 in 2007-- up from 63,882 in 1978, an increase of 81%.
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Further information:
- «La Fraternité Saint-Pie X n'est pas prête à reconnaître Vatican II» (Le Courier)
- Msgr Fellay rejects Vatican Council (ANSA)
- Secretariat of State on Bishop Richard Williamson (Vatican Radio)
- Presentazione dell’Annuario Pontificio 2009
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