"The recently concluded General Chapter of the Priestly Society of St. Pius X has addressed a declaration regarding the possibility of a canonical normalisation in the relationship of the Society and the Holy See. While it has been made public, the declaration remains primarily an internal document for study and discussion among the members of the Society,” Fr. Federico Lombardi, the director of the Holy See Press Office, told journalists. The communiqué went on to ay that "the Holy See has taken note of this declaration, but awaits the forthcoming official communication of the Priestly Society as their dialogue with the Pontifical Commission 'Ecclesia Dei' continues."
In the concluding statement of their General Chapter held between 9 and 14 July, in Econe, Switzerland, the Lefebvrians stated: “We have determined and approved the necessary conditions for an eventual canonical normalization. We have decided that, in that case, an extraordinary Chapter with deliberative vote will be convened beforehand.”
But for Mgr. Lefebvre’s schismatic followers, the “canonical normalisation” which the Vatican said would become possible if the Society agreed to recognise the Second Vatican Council - one of the conditions of the “doctrinal preamble” – is a long way off.
“The Society continues to uphold the declarations and the teachings of the constant Magisterium of the Church in regard to all the novelties of the Second Vatican Council which remain tainted with errors, and also in regard to the reforms issued from it,” their statement reads.
It then goes on to say that “the Society finds its guide as well in 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, while waiting for the day when an open and serious debate will be possible which may allow the return to Tradition of the ecclesiastical authorities.”