Things Lefebvrist

As we haven't checked in on our separated Econian brethren in awhile, some of you might appreciate an update.

Where we last left off, the General Chapter of the Society of St Pius X met in July, re-electing Mons. Bernard Fellay as its superior-general. As Fellay is seen as the best hope for reconciling the schismatic sect with the Catholic church, sighs of relief were breathed around the Vatican -- especially as, more than just sometimes, you'll hear the Roman school of thought that the one agenda item Benedict XVI holds most dear is returning the adherents of the Tridentine Mass to the fold... there are just other problems like anti-Semitism, ecclesiology, the Council... Etc. etc. etc.

Given the statement released from the Chapter at its close, the Pope might just have to keep praying.

The Lefebvrists said, in part:

[T]he Priestly Society of Saint Pius X declares its firm resolution to continue its action, with the help of God, along the doctrinal and practical lines laid down by its venerated founder, Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre.

Ostensibly, this would include more illicit episcopal ordinations.... Which, given the reality of things, they really should think of doing on riverboats. But I digress.

[Once the Holy See surrenders to the Econian will, lifting the excommunications and granting the Universal Indult] the Society looks to a possible debate on doctrine, the purpose is still that of making the voice of traditional teaching sound more clearly within the Church. Likewise, the contacts made from time to time with the authorities in Rome have no other purpose than to help them embrace once again that Tradition which the Church cannot repudiate without losing her identity. The purpose is not just to benefit the Society, nor to arrive at some merely practical impossible agreement. When Tradition comes back into its own, “reconciliation will no longer be a problem, and the Church will spring back to life”.

Just like it was in the dream year of 1958: not golden, but gilded.

SVILUPPO: Fellay talked to CNS' John Thavis the other day:

Bishop Fellay made clear that the society's differences with the Vatican were broad. In the society's view, he said, the church has experienced a "great, great decline" over the last 40 years -- in liturgy, discipline, faith formation and education.

"We have pointed out to the authorities that a big part of the problem may come from the novelties introduced with the council," he said.

The question is not so much what the church should do about the Lefebvrite society, he said, but how the church should solve these more basic internal problems.

"We are absolutely persuaded that when church authorities take these problems in hand, then we will no longer be a problem," he said.

Bishop Fellay said he was convinced after meeting with Pope Benedict that this pope was "capable of listening to what we said" and that the society's requests were "not at the level of the impossible."

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