PRIESTLY
FRATERNITY OF SAINT PIUS X
Statement
of Bishop Fellay
to SSPX Members and Friends,
January 22, 2001
(Official
Translation)
- In
August, at the end of last summer's pilgrimage to Rome, Cardinal
Castrillon Hoyos had a first direct contact with the Society's
Bishops.
- During
the month of November the same Cardinal, under a mandate from
Pope John Paul II, invited the Superior General to come to see
him 'to prepare a visit with the Pope".
- On
December 29, Cardinal Castrillon proposed to Bishop Fellay different
elements that could serve towards a possible agreement between
Rome and the Society. The Superior General expressed his point
of view, his distrust, his apprehension. (Although never before
had Rome gone so far in favor of Tradition).
- On
December 30, for a few seconds, the Superior General saw the Pope
in his private chapel. (No words of importance were exchanged).
- On
January 13 there was a special meeting of the General Council,
of the Society's Bishops and of the delegate of Bishop Rangel,
at which were established the principles to guide us in the present
situation.
- On
January 16, there was another meeting with Cardinal Castrillon,
during which the Superior General exposed the necessity of having
guaranties from Rome before going ahead in the details of eventual
discussions or an agreement:
- that
the Tridentine Mass be granted to all priests of the entire world
- that
the censures against the Bishops be declared null.
The
principles that are to guide us through this rather new situation
are the following:
- Given
that Rome has initiated this effort, it is normal that the Society
take it with the seriousness that it deserves.
-
Our distrust is extreme, keeping before our eyes on the one hand
the very recent example of the Fraternity of St. Peter, and on
the other hand the continuity in the post-conciliar direction,
which is constantly reaffirmed.
- The
Society has in no way the intention of modifying its principles
and its general goal. The so abundant fruits of Grace, on the
one hand, and the conciliar disaster on the other just go to reinforce
its determination to conserve Catholic Tradition.
- If
there were to be an agreement it could only be seen in the perspective
of giving back to Tradition its rights of citizenship, even if
the final triumph will only be obtained gradually.
- The
prayers requested of the members of the Society for the duration
of one month do not at all signify our expectation that this will
be resolved within that time frame, or with any haste at all.
This time of prayer is so that we can request more intensely of
Our Lady that She open the hearts of those responsible in Rome
and of the Bishops; that She enable us to avoid every trap, and
that She might enable the rights of Her divine Son to triumph
in the Church.
Menzingen,
January 22, 2001
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Bernard Fellay
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