Some sanguine observers expected the return of the Society to the
fold in months if not weeks, while the more cynical opined that the meeting
marked the end of the CDF-SSPX negotiations.
Since
June there were major personnel changes at the CDF, and the Society held a
General Chapter, defined the parameters for its future dealings with the
Vatican, and neutralized an internal threat to its unity.
Commentators weighed
each of these developments in turn as though it could seal the ultimate fate of
the Society.
Often lost in the shuffle was the key fact that the SSPX
authorities still had not responded officially to Rome’s latest offer—a fact
helpfully pointed out in a communiqué from the Ecclesia Dei Commission issued in late October.
This
article reviews these events and offers a perspective on the controversies
surrounding them.
A new phase of discussions
At
the June 13 meeting at the Vatican Cardinal William J. Levada, then-prefect of
the CDF, presented to Bishop Bernard Fellay, superior general of the SSPX, a doctrinal
declaration and a proposal for the canonical regularization of the Society.
The
first document was the most recent form of the “Doctrinal Preamble” drawn up by
the Ecclesia Dei Commission in late
2011; the acceptance by the SSPX of the principles stated therein was to be the
basis for any arrangement to reinstate the Society in the Church with a
canonical mission.
It was understood that the Society could modify the wording
but not the substance of the Doctrinal Preamble; as of June 2012 the SSPX
authorities were waiting for Rome’s response to a version that they had
proposed.
They
were surprised, therefore, that the “Doctrinal Declaration” presented for them
to sign on June 13 was almost identical to the original Preamble. They were
even more perplexed by the canonical proposal.
When the Society began its
doctrinal discussions with the CDF, it assured its members that there would be
no talk about regularizing its canonical status until after the doctrinal
issues were settled.
Now Rome was asking for both at once. Bishop Fellay and
his assistants prudently deferred their response to Rome’s proposal until they
had the opportunity to consult widely with other SSPX members.
Less
than three weeks later, on July 2, the Vatican announced the retirement of
Cardinal Levada and the appointment of Bishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller of
Regensburg as the new prefect of the CDF.
Over the years the prelate had been
on none-too-neighborly terms with the SSPX seminary in Zaitzkofen, within the
territory of his diocese. One German theologian from the Society had
proactively responded to early rumors of Müller’s appointment by circulating in
several languages a few excerpts from the latter’s voluminous scholarly
writings that purportedly demonstrated his heterodox views on fundamental
dogmas, such as the Virgin Birth and the Real Presence. In several of the many
interviews that he granted after his appointment, now-Archbishop Müller flatly
stated that the doctrinal discussions with the SSPX were “over.”
So, militant
traditionalists could repeat their battle cry, “Rome is ruled by Modernists!”
while liberal ideologues could gloat that the thick-headed Lefebvrists had
passed up their last opportunity to get with the times and join the post-conciliar
Church. Except that both extreme views of the situation were false.
The
excerpts, all taken out of context, were flimsy evidence of heretical teaching.
As a university professor of dogmatic theology, Father Müller had forcefully
defended unpopular Catholic doctrines (such as the ineligibility of women for
Holy Orders), and as a bishop he had defunded a dissident group in his diocese.
On the other hand, while the CDF had unilaterally declared that the “doctrinal
discussion” phase was concluded after eight sessions with the SSPX panel, they
had also started a new phase of negotiations by putting on the table a concrete
proposal to recognize the Society canonically.
Pope
Benedict XVI also filled the vice presidency of the Ecclesia Dei Commission, an office that had been vacant for some
time, by appointing Archbishop Joseph Augustine DiNoia, OP, an expert on
ecumenism and interreligious dialogue who was instrumental in preparing
theologically correct liturgical texts for the new Anglican Ordinariates.
Although Archbishop Müller is the ex-officio
president of Ecclesia Dei, the
Society of St. Pius X will now deal directly with Archbishop DiNoia. To make a clean sweep, the former secretary of the
Commission, Msgr. Guido Pozzo, was appointed Almoner of His Holiness and
Titular Archbishop of Bagnoregio in early November.
The General Chapter
The
General Chapter of the SSPX, which is held every 12 years, is its supreme and
extraordinary authority. Ordinarily the Society is governed by its superior general
with the help of his council.
In 2006, when he was re-elected head of the
Society, Bishop Fellay announced that he would convene a special “midterm”
chapter in 2012 to review current affairs.
Bishop Fellay had had an audience
with Benedict XVI on August 29, 2005, during the newly-elected pope’s first
stay at Castel Gandolfo, and so he had every reason to expect that the third
Christian millennium would be kinder to the Society than the second had been.
He
may not have foreseen the extent and rapidity of the favorable
developments: the 2007 motu proprio
liberalizing the use of the 1962 Roman Missal, the lifting of the
excommunications of the four SSPX bishops, then a year and a half of
theological discussions with the CDF.
The 2012 General Chapter was so perfectly
timed that it must have been providential.
The
General Chapter is composed of the Superior General and his council, the
bishops of the Society, former superiors general, district superiors, seminary
rectors and superiors of autonomous houses, plus a certain number of senior
priests who do not hold any of the previously mentioned offices.
The 2012
General Chapter took place on July 9-14, following a five-day spiritual retreat
by the participants. Bishop Richard Williamson was
suspended from his office as a capitulary, because of “serious breaches of
discipline.”
The
most important business on the agenda concerned the Society’s relations with
Rome.
The Chapter formulated conditions to be set by the Society in any
negotiations leading to canonical normalization.
These conditions were
subsequently made public in a declaration designed to reassure the members of
the Society and the faithful who are under their pastoral care.
The sine qua non conditions are
verbatim:
1. “The
freedom to preserve, transmit and teach the sound doctrine of the
constant Magisterium of the Church and of the unchangeable truth of
divine
Tradition; the freedom to prohibit,
correct and reprove, even publicly, those who foment the errors or
innovations
of modernism, liberalism, the Second Vatican Council and their
consequences;
2. The
freedom to use the 1962 liturgy exclusively. To preserve the sacramental
practice that we presently have (including: Holy Orders, Confirmation,
Matrimony);
3. A
guarantee of at least one bishop.”
Three
“desirable conditions” were also mentioned: that the Society should have its
own tribunals, that its houses should be independent from the local bishops,
and that a Pontifical Commission for Tradition should be instituted “answering
directly to the Pope, with the majority of its members and governing board in
favor of Tradition.”
A procedural rule was established: the superior general
and his council will not exercise their own authority to accept a proposed
canonical normalization, but will convoke an Extraordinary General Chapter that
will have a deliberative vote, with an absolute majority required for
acceptance.
Internal unity preserved
Bishop
Williamson was excluded from the General Chapter in July 2012 and expelled from
the Society of St. Pius X in October for precisely the same reasons.
They are
tactfully explained in a letter dated October 26 to the friends and benefactors
of the Society by his former seminary classmate and former superior general, Father
Franz Schmidberger.
It is the painful conclusion of a
development that has lasted for years now and that dramatically came to a head
in recent months.
[Bishop Williamson’s] dislike of the Superior General and his
council became refusal to acknowledge them, this refusal became resistance, and
this resistance became open rebellion.
He missed no opportunity to exasperate
the leadership of the Society, divulged confidential documents and finally
called publicly for the resignation of the Superior General....
On June 29, 1976, at his priestly ordination,
Bishop Williamson, like any other candidate for Holy Orders, vowed “obedience
and reverence” to Archbishop Lefebvre and his successors....
Since Bishop
Williamson, despite much advice, fraternal admonishment and many warnings, was
not ready to change his attitude, ultimately the only thing left was
separation....
Catholics
acquainted with the SSPX only through media coverage might mistakenly picture
it as an association of Catholic clerics who prefer the old Latin Mass and cling
to the pre-conciliar Magisterium of the Church.
While that description is not
inaccurate, it misses the heart of the matter: the priests and brothers of the
Society of St. Pius X are traditional religious,
members of a priestly society of apostolic life which is dedicated to the
preservation of the Church’s doctrinal and liturgical tradition.
Archbishop
Lefebvre could be likened in some respects to St. Vincent de Paul, who made a
long-term investment in the restoration of the Church in 17th-century France by
founding the Congregation of the Mission to preach the Gospel in rural areas
and to staff seminaries.
Just as the mission of “the Vincentians” eventually
spread to the New World, so too the foundation of Archbishop Lefebvre grew
rapidly—during the post-conciliar “vocation shortage”—and today has hundreds of
priests serving on all five continents.
The
work of the Society of St. Pius X is a community apostolate, which is why vowed
obedience is so important to them. The insubordination of Bishop Williamson
struck at the root of the Society and posed an existential threat.
Through a
course of action approved by the 2012 General Chapter, the Superior General
disciplined the offender and preserved unity within the Society.
Encouraging words
An
English-language statement by the Ecclesia
Dei Commission dated October 27 announced that “in its most recent official
communication (6 September 2012), the Priestly Fraternity of St. Pius X has
indicated that additional time for reflection and study is needed on their part
as they prepare their response to the Holy See’s latest initiatives.”
The
document speaks about “the current stage in the ongoing discussions between the
Holy See and the Priestly Fraternity” and cites several “critical steps in this
positive process of gradual integration” since 2007.
The Ecclesia Dei document is remarkably evenhanded and diplomatic: “After thirty years of separation, it is understandable that time is needed to absorb the significance of these recent developments.”
This observation applies to both parties in the discussions.
The document concludes, “As Our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI seeks to foster and preserve the unity of the Church by realizing the long hoped-for reconciliation of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Pius X with the See of Peter…patience, serenity, perseverance, and trust are needed.”