Still no news from the Society of Saint Pius X, which was called to give a response to and sign the “doctrinal preamble” sent by the Ecclesia Dei commission last 14 September, asking the Lefebvrians to profess the faith, as is required by anyone who assumes an ecclesiastical role. But something is beginning to trickle through in relation to the meeting of the Society’s Superiors, which was held on 7 and 8 October in Albano Laziale.
The Superior of the Lefebvrians in the United Kingdom, Father Paul Morgan, discussed this in a letter published in November’s bulletin, sent out to the faithful recently.
Fr. Morgan recounted that during the meeting in Albano, a summary of the contact between the Society and Holy See authorities from 1987 up until today, was presented, along with a summary of the doctrinal talks that took place in recent months.
“An oral presentation of the doctrinal preamble was also given.” Morgan said that Mgr. Bernard Fellay, the Society of Saint Pius X’s Superior, did not deliver the written text he had received from the Vatican, but only presented it, evidently to avoid news leaks.
The UK’s Lefebvrian leader went on to say: “In as far as the doctrinal discussions are concerned, it is regrettable that Rome’s commission failed to recognise the rift that exists between traditional and conciliar teachings. Insisting instead on the hermeneutics of continuity... and claiming that new teachings include and develop older ones.”
What really came as a surprise, was Fr. Morgan’s surprise: the hermeneutics of continuity with regards to reform, that is, the Second Vatican Council’s entry into the history of councils and its reading in the light of a former tradition, even in its developments and updates, represent the key suggested by Benedict XVI.
It is also difficult to imagine that its closest collaborators in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Card. William Levada, Mgr. William Levada and Mgr. Guido Pozzo, who are engaged in dialogue with Saint Pius X, would have proposed a different one.
The letter sent by the English Superior, read: “It was interesting to learn that the 14th September meeting (the one which took place in the Vatican, when the Preamble was delivered - Ed.) had not touched upon the doctrinal talks at all, but rather was dedicated to expounding possible practical solutions for the Society.”
“So it was perhaps not surprising to learn – Morgan wrote - that the proposed doctrinal basis for any canonical agreement in fact contained all those elementswhich the Society has consistently rejected, including acceptance of the New Mass and of Vatican II as expressed in the New Catechism. Indeed, the document itself conveys the impression that there is no crisis in the Church...”
A negative opinion, therefore, emerged in relation to the text that resulted from the talks with Vatican authorities. The Society’s Superior in the UK, added that some participants found the Doctrinal Preamble “clearly unacceptable and that the time has certainly not come to pursue any practical agreement as long as the doctrinal issues remain outstanding. It also agreed that the Society should continue its work of insisting upon the doctrinal questions in any contacts with the Roman authorities.”
An outright rejection of the Preamble then.
A brief communiqué, sent this afternoon by the Generalate of the Society of Saint Pius X in Rome, seemed to promptly respond to Fr. Morgan’s bulletin.
It recalled that after the meeting between Superiors held on 7 October in Albano, various comments appeared in the press.
But it also reminded that “only the Generalate was authorised to send an official communiqué or an authorised comment on the matter.”
In other words, Fr. Morgan was only speaking in a personal capacity.
There is no doubt, however, that these comments indicate the difficulties and disputes which Mgr. Fellay is currently undergoing.
According to some rumours, the other two Lefebvrian bishops present in Albano, Tissier de Mallerais and Alfonso de Gallareta, also expressed the dissent towards the Doctrinal Preamble and towards the agreement proposed by the Holy See.
The fourth bishop, Richard Williamson, who has taken an even greater opposing stance towards the text, was not present at the meeting.