Another story that I have 'sidelined' in the past week - because I found it more a nuiscance than anything else - is about the Lefebvrians and claims made by Bishop Williamson in his blog recently, claiming a new Motu Proprio by Benedict XVI will allow the FSSPX to ergain full communion with the Church of Rome without demanding overt acceptance of Vatican II.
A claim obviously designed to provoke outrage from both the militant elements in Rome who have no sympathy for the FSSPX and from Lefebvrian extremists like Williamson himself who scorn any 'compromise' with Rome over Vatican II. The FSSPX superior-general has now spoken about Williamson's claim:
Bishop Fellay denies any knowledge
of a new Motu Proprio on the FSSPX
by Brian Mershon
Aug. 25, 2010
Superior General Bishop Bernard Fellay of the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX), one of four bishops whose excommunications were lifted by Pope Benedict XVI in January 2009, today categorically denied any knowledge of an alleged special motu proprio being planned by the Holy See for the SSPX as stated recently by SSPX Bishop Richard Williamson.
This rumored MP would not require the SSPX to take any sort of oath of acceptance where Vatican II and the New Mass are concerned.
[An erroneous assumption to begin with, because the Profession of Faith required by the CDF does not refer to Vatican II at all, and therefore makes a Motu Proprio unnecessary!See text below. Why should a discriminatory document be issued for the FSSPX?]
“I’m very annoyed by the whole thing,” said Bishop Fellay. “Bishop Williamson’s statement is an unauthorized statement and is his own personal statement and not that of the Society.”
“It has never been the policy of the Society to base any kind of action or policy on gossip. I have absolutely no knowledge of any motu proprio.”
Earlier this week, Bishop Richard Williamson — who has allegedly been asked to refrain from publicly speaking on matters outside of faith and morals by the SSPX leadership — wrote a letter that was published initially on his website and then picked up by the traditionalist blog Rorate Caeli.
In the letter, Bishop Williamson warns Catholics about the “danger” of a rumored motu proprio designed to lure the SSPX lay faithful into union with Rome and said, “…there is no way in which the neo-modernist teaching of Vatican II can be reconciled with the Catholic doctrine of the true Church.”
Bishop Williamson also said that according to both Holy See and SSPX sources, the ongoing doctrinal discussions have allegedly “run into a brick wall.”
However, in today’s interview Bishop Fellay categorically denied this assertion. He said that the doctrinal talks with the SSPX representatives and Holy See theologians are ongoing and proceeding as planned with the next meeting scheduled in September.
“Nothing has changed,” said Bishop Fellay. “All of this is gossiping and rumors and I’ll have nothing to do with rumors and gossiping. All of this is void — empty.”
“For the time being, everything is fine and everything is going smoothly according to plan,” he said.
Here is the text of that Profession of Faith:
Conforming to Pope John Paul II's Apostolic Letter Motu Proprio Ad Tuendam Fidem (1998), this Profession of Faith and Oath of Fidelity supercedes the Profession and Oath of 1989.
PROFESSION OF FAITH
I, N., with firm faith believe and profess everything that is contained in the Symbol of faith, namely:
I believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. I believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten not made, one in Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation, he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
With firm faith, I also believe everything contained in the Word of God, whether written or handed down in Tradition, which the Church, either by a solemn judgement or by the ordinary and universal Magisterium, sets forth to be believed as divinely revealed.
I also firmly accept and hold each and everything definitively proposed by the Church regarding teaching on faith and morals.
Moreover, I adhere with religious submission of will and intellect to the teachings which either the Roman p\Pontiff or the College of Bishops enunciate when they exercise their authentic Magisterium, even if they do not intend to proclaim these teachings by a definitive act.
Of course the word Magisterium covers everything that is considered Church teaching, including that which comes from ecumenical councils. But in the modern era of cafeteria Catholicism, are the Lefebvrians any more sinful in rejecting elements of Vatican II than the tens of millions of Catholics who ignore the more basic teachings against abortion, contraception, divorce and the like?