"Is
the SSPX in schism ?", Bishop Athanasius Schneider is asked.He does not answer it
with respect to Vatcian Council II.
The
mainline newspapers have often stated that the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) is
in schism since they reject the ‘reforms’ or ‘revolution’ of Vatican Council
II.
The
issue is Vatican Council II. The SSPX have often said that they reject Vatican
Council II.
Bishop
Bernard Fellay the former Superior General of the SSPX has cited UR 3 and LG 16
as exceptions to the past exclusivist ecclesiology of the Catholic Church. The
Council has always been seen as a break with Tradition and even Archbishop
Marcel Lefebvre rejected it.
So
the SSPX are said to be in schism.
But
the glimmer of hope, for a change, is the statement Bishop Athanasius Schneider
made in this video.In a sense it is historic. It opens the possibility of change
which will be good news for the SSPX.
He
has said that there are no literal cases of the baptism of desire. We cannot
judge if someone will be saved with the baptism of desire outside the Church.
Only God can know this if it happens.
He
is saying that being saved with the baptism of desire refers to invisible cases
in 2021.There are no cases in our reality.
Now
the next step is for him to see LG 16 as also being invisible in 2021.We cannot
see someone saved with invincible ignorance or a good conscience, outside the
Church.
There
are no such cases in our human reality.
The
same could be said for UR 3, NA 2, GS 22 , LG 8 etc. So they cannot be
practical exceptions to the dogma extra
ecclesiam nulla salus which was a motivation for traditional mission.
So
in this way he could say like me that Vatican Council II is dogmatic.It
supports the dogma EENS and the Council is not a break with the Syllabus of
Errors and traditional ecclesiocentrism.
It
is then that the SSPX can fully affirm Vatican Council II and also Tradition.
It does not have to be either-or.So then the charge of schism cannot be made
against them.
The other point which needs to be clarified is that of the baptism of water. All need the baptism of water and also Catholic faith. Catholic faith is necessary for salvation says Vatican Council II(AG 7).Also the faith of the Catholic Church is necessary. So there must be a baptism of water and Catholic faith. The baptism of water is needed in the Catholic Church.
There are Christian denominations
which have the baptism of water but approve mortal sins of faith, example, contraception,
homosexual acts etc.So the baptism of water would be invalid over time.It would
be the same in the Catholic Church. If someone is baptized but then commits
mortal sins, he loses the Sanctifying Grace needed for salvation. This grace is
restored in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Bishop
Schneider has to specify that the baptism of water is needed in the Catholic
Church. Since we cannot separate Jesus from His Mystical Body the Catholic
Church.-Lionel Andrades