Society of St. Pius X (SSPX): What is and what is not negotiable for reconciliation with the Catholic Church?
A clarification by Archbishop Pozzo, Vatican envoy for ongoing negotiations, plus comments from Catholic, Jewish and Muslim interreligious dialogue leaders
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Two main issues seem to be at stake. One is Pope Francis’ ardent desire for pastoral unity within the Catholic Church together with the healing of theological rifts. The second concerns the serious implications for the future of key documents in Vatican II such as 1) “Nostra Aetate”- widely celebrated all over the world last year on the 50th anniversary of its publication - which refers to the nature of the Catholic Church’s relations with the Jewish People, with Muslims and with other non-Christian world religions; and 2) Dignitatis Humanae – the Declaration on Religious Freedom.
Lionel: We can interpret Vatican Council II with the rational premise, inference and conclusion and there is no break with the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus, the Syllabus of Errors of Pope Pius IX, the Catechism of the Catholic Church ( 24Q, 27Q) and the Athanasius Creed. Since the Church returns to the past ecclesiocentric ecclesiology Nostra Aetate and Dignitiatis Humanae is interpreted according to Tradition.
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A flagrant example is the total absence of discussion (or mention) of the 4th paragraph of “Nostra Aetate” regarding relations of the Catholic Church with the Jewish People. This is all the more significant in light of the past history of the fraternity’s seemingly innate theological anti-Semitism, expressed long before some incriminating posts on their internet site were removed, in the 1980’s and 1990’s, through sermons and a newsletter circulated periodically by the fraternity.
Lionel: When Vatican Council II interpreted with the rational premise, affirms exclusive salvation in the Catholic Church is a dogmatic teaching which the Jewish Left must respect. It does not preclude good relations with the Jewish people.Nostra Aetate does not contradict Ad Gentes 7 or the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus(EENS).
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(**Lumen Gentium 16 (first half):
16. Finally, those who have not yet received the Gospel are related in various ways to the people of God.(18*) In the first place we must recall the people to whom the testament and the promises were given and from whom Christ was born according to the flesh.(125) On account of their fathers this people remains most dear to God, for God does not repent of the gifts He makes nor of the calls He issues.(126) But the plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator. In the first place amongst these there are the Muslims, who, professing to hold the faith of Abraham, along with us adore the one and merciful God, who on the last day will judge mankind. Nor is God far distant from those who in shadows and images seek the unknown God, for it is He who gives to all men life and breath and all things,(127) and as Saviour wills that all men be saved.(128) Those also can attain to salvation who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church, yet sincerely seek God and moved by grace strive by their deeds to do His will as it is known to them through the dictates of conscience.(19*) Nor does Divine Providence deny the helps necessary for salvation to those who, without blame on their part, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God and with His grace strive to live a good life. Whatever good or truth is found amongst them is looked upon by the Church as a preparation for the Gospel.(20*)
Lionel: This passage(LG 16) does not contradict the strict interpretation of EENS or Ad Gentes 7 which states all need faith and baptism for salvation.
When the Council is interpreted with the rational premise the following lines from LG 16, are only hypothetical, speculative and theoretical and so are not practical exceptions to the traditional ecclesiocentrism of the Catholic Church.
Finally, those who have not yet received the Gospel are related in various ways to the people of God.
But the plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator. In the first place amongst these there are the Muslims, who, professing to hold the faith of Abraham, along with us adore the one and merciful God, who on the last day will judge mankind.
Nor is God far distant from those who in shadows and images seek the unknown God, for it is He who gives to all men life and breath and all things,(127) and as Saviour wills that all men be saved.
Those also can attain to salvation who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church, yet sincerely seek God and moved by grace strive by their deeds to do His will as it is known to them through the dictates of conscience.
Nor does Divine Providence deny the helps necessary for salvation to those who, without blame on their part, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God and with His grace strive to live a good life. Whatever good or truth is found amongst them is looked upon by the Church as a preparation for the Gospel.
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In replying to questions by “Christ und Welt”, Archbishop Pozzo made the following statements.
“The Council is not a pastoral Superdogma, but rather part of the entirety of tradition and its permanent teachings.” In this respect, he explains, “while Church tradition continues to evolve, it is never in the sense of innovation, which would represent a contrast to what exists , but rather a move towards deeper understanding of the Depositum fidei ,the authentic patrimony of faith. All Church documents are to be interpreted in this manner, including those of the Council. This premise together with a commitment to the profession of faith, recognition of the Sacraments and the Papal Primacy is the basis of the doctrinal declaration which will be submitted to the Fraternity for signature. These are the prerequisites for a Catholic to be in full communion with the Catholic Church.”
Lionel: Presently with the false premise, inference and conclusion there is a rupture with the Depositum Fidei.This needs to be corrected by the Vatican.
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Asked whether the Fraternity is no longer expected to acknowledge all Council declarations including the texts regarding ecumenism and interreligious dialogue, the Curia official replied, “The Fraternity commits to the defined doctrines and the Catholic truths that were confirmed by the Council documents.” As examples, he points to “the sacramental nature of the episcopacy … as well as the primacy of the Pope and the College of Bishops together with their Chairman, as was set out in the dogmatic constitution Lumen Gentium and interpreted by the Nota Explicative Praevia, requested by the highest authority.
Lionel: The SSPX can affirm all the Council declarations but must interpret the Council with the rational premise, inference and conclusion.There would be no rupture with the Depositum Fidei.
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“The Fraternity finds difficulties with several aspects of Nostra Aetate, regarding interreligious dialogue, the Unitatis Redintegratio decree regarding Ecumenism, and the Dignitatis humanae Declaration on Religious Freedom, or with questions regarding the relationship of Christianity to modernity” he said.
Lionel: This 'difficulty' arises only because the Vatican and the SSPX are interpreting Vatican Council II with the false premise, inference and conclusion.
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The interviewer asked, “Has the Vatican thus lowered its standards for the sake of reconciliation?”
“No” replied the Archbishop. “In past years we simply sorted out the essential points, separating them from those topics that could be discussed later. Previously we aimed at receiving immediate consensus on all the problematic questions, but unfortunately without success. Now we asked ourselves: what are the truly essential prerequisites for being Catholic? In consultation with the Pope, the abovementioned requirements were inserted into the Doctrinal Declaration to be submitted to the Fraternity.”
Lionel : An essential prerequisite for being a Catholic is to affirm all Magisterial documents( Creeds, Councils, Catechisms, EENS etc) with a rational premise, inference and conclusion and to accept them.
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I find encouraging the words attributed to Bp. Fellay: “ There are ambiguous points in that Council but it is not up to us to clarify them. We can expose the problem, but the authority to clarify it, that authority is in Rome”.
Lionel: The ambiguity arises only when Vatican Council II is interpreted with the fake premise, inference and conclusion and then projected as a rupture with Tradition ( EENS, Syllabus of Errors of Pope Pius IX etc).
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And finally, regarding the paragraphs on interreligious dialogue with Islam and other non-Christian religions contained in “Nostra Aetate” with which the SSPX representatives find difficulty, and Archbishop Pozzo’s warning against a possible imprecise use and misinterpretation of “the spirit of Assisi” as expressed in his interview, Imam Yahya Pallavicini, Vice President of the COREIS association in Italy and a well known international representative of “moderate”, traditional Islam, made the following observations:
“The international Islamic community is attentively following the developments in this process of rapprochement with the Fraternity of St. Pius X towards reintegration in the Catholic Church. … In the interview with Archbishop Pozzo published by “Christ und Welt” yesterday (July 28), sensitivity for seeking coherence in the pastoral implications of the fruits of the Council and the ‘Nostra Aetate’ document emerge. While Pope Francis and the Catholic Church together celebrate the spiritual authority of many religious confessions and the prophetic value of this Council which providentially launched the historic cycle of 50 intense years of interreligious dialogue and ecumenism, the Fraternity of St. Pius X seems to be downsizing the importance of this process and this orientation, in order to preserve a traditionalist interpretation which in reality denies the spiritual opportunity for respect and brotherhood with believers of other faiths, in the One God. At this dramatic moment of international crises when the manipulation of religion seems to be in the hands of a few fundamentalist groups who aim to legitimize a ‘justicialist’ violence against Muslims, Christians and Jews, it is troubling to find the anachronism and insensitivity of certain movements who insist on wanting to impose on society and even teach the Church a different hierarchy of values than those which the Council, the Saints and Popes foresee.”
Lionel : The hierarchy of values of the Council, the saints and the popes is consistent when Vatican Council II is interpreted with the rational premise, inference and conclusion. The exclusivist ecclesiology of the Catholic Church is the same before and after Vatican Council II. This would be the rational interpretation of the Council for Catholics in general. There would be no theological basis for liberalism since the Council would not contradict the dogma extra ecclesiam nulla salus.
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Archbishop Pozzo reports that there are 600 SSPX priests, 200 seminarians and other congregational members present in 70 countries with 750 churches celebrating mass, and “one cannot close one’s eyes to such a significant reality”. The concessions to be made in order to legitimize this “reality” may appear miniscule when confronted with the huge Catholic world surrounding, which dwarfs it into a comparatively tiny sphere of influence.
Lionel: When Vatican Council II is interpreted with the rational premise, inference and conclusion this would be the traditional interpretation of the whole Church. Since the liberal-traditionalist divide would end.The false premise, inference and conclusion was the theological basis for the present liberalism in the Catholic Church.-Lionel Andrades
https://www.lastampa.it/vatican-insider/en/2016/07/28/news/society-of-st-pius-x-sspx-what-is-and-what-is-not-negotiable-for-reconciliation-with-the-catholic-church-1.34841350
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